In our study of the doctrine of witnessing Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; we are examining the doctrines that undergird the gospel so that we understand how and why it is God alone who made it possible for our so great salvation by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Eph 2:8-9;
Last time we took up a study of the doctrine of reconciliation that addresses the issue of the barrier that exists between God and man that was created by mankind when satan deceived and incited the Woman to sin and Adam followed her by choosing to commit the first sin in the Garden of Eden. Paul describes this barrier in Eph 2:14-18; The barrier was created by their freewill choice to disobey God.
We noted that reconciliation is stated as a doctrine in 2Cor 5:18; "Now all these things are from God who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation." Eph 2:16; Col 1:20-21;
"Eirene" is the Greek word for "peace" that is used to refer to the doctrine of reconciliation because reconciliation is "peace with God" In Eph 2:14-15, 17; Eph 4:3; and Eph 6:15; Peace" and "reconciliation" are synonymous terms
Reconciliation is one of the facets of Jesus' salvation work on the cross. Eph 2:16, 4:3; Col 1:20;
In God's ritual plan for Israel the peace offering of the Levitical sacrifices portrayed Jesus' work of reconciliation, Lev 3:1-17; Lev 7:11-34; Lev 17:5;
God's initiation of reconciliation or "peace" that He purchased on the cross must be ratified by each individual person by their expressing personal faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. No one is reconciled with God and there is no peace with God without believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 4:12;
Personal faith in Jesus Christ is ratification of God's proposal for peace. Acts 16:31; "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved; and if anyone in your household believes in Christ, they too will be saved."
Peace or reconciliation between God and man comes first and the peace that God establishes makes it possible for there to eventually be peace between people. This peace between mankind occurs when arrogance from personality conflicts are eliminated through their PMA God's Word. Eph 4:13;
This is why there will never be peace on the earth experientially no matter how often the deceivers propagandize that it will (Jer 6:13-14;) until Jesus returns, rids the earth of unbelievers and enforces it. Rev 19:15; Isa 9:6-7;
There cannot be nor will there ever be peace with any unbeliever. Peace is only possible when God establishes it and that that only occurs with believers in Jesus Christ.
There cannot ever ever be peace with unbelievers because not only is there a barrier between God and man at physical birth, but there are barriers between man and man caused by man being born spiritually dead. Real spiritual death is separation from God in a state of total depravity and helplessness.
Because if the genetically formed OSN everyone develops flaws, weaknesses that result in either inferiority complex arrogance or superiority complex arrogance.
Many of these barriers are legitimate and inevitable but because everyone has an old sin nature, we are arrogant so we become defensive and feel threatened by different cultures, races, social strata, and political or ideological concepts.
So when a person has no spiritual self- esteem, these barriers become the basis for trying to justify one's existence and environment as over against another person's existence and environment and this self justification creates conflicts and wars.
This is why the western world's naive attempt to have peace with Islam will never work. There cannot nor will there ever be peace with Islam. The only solution to Islam is to defend our souls against it with God's Word communicate the gospel of grace and reconciliation to it's adherents because that is the best we can do until Jesus destroys it when He returns. Matt 25:41;