There is a third area of strife that we also know: the lack of peace that sin brings into our own lives. We are not merely at war with God and others, but we have conflict within ourselves. Isaiah 57:20–21 says it this way:
the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt; there is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.That is a very psychologically profound statement, and what Isaiah is saying, what God is saying, is that man in sin is torn apart. On the one hand, he has a desire to sin; he has a nature that inclines him towards evil, and he wants to do that. But the other problem is he is made in the image of God and his conscience testifies against him. It is like the sea which has two gravitational forces operating on it. There is the gravity of the earth and the gravity of the moon, and it is never at rest. Do you not experience this in your own lives, particularly if you do not have the grace of Christ? He says that it is like when the sea crashes against the shore; it just churns up muck and mire. I think we all know what that is like.We are made by God in such a way that we can only have peace within ourselves when we have peace with him. And you will never have peace in rebellion against God by doing things your own way. Peace comes through submission to the Almighty, by faith in the Saviour, who removes the hostility and actually sends the Holy Spirit of peace into our hearts.
This is why Paul is able to tell Christians even in the midst of the greatest turmoil that life can bring–-in the midst of death and poverty and persecution and sorrow—that through faith in Christ, they may have the peace of God. And this is why Christians can face terrible news. Maybe it is a fatal disease, maybe it is a loss of a job, maybe it is persecution from the world. And do not think that Christians do not feel the affliction of them, but we have the resources of God’s peace. Paul says in Philippians 4:6–7:
Dr. Richard D. Phillipsin everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.He gives peace with God, peace with one another, and peace in our own hearts and minds.1
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.