Before leaving our study of 1st Thessalonians 5:12-15 let me highlight some additional instructions Paul includes in this discussion. Thus far we’ve reviewed Paul’s instructions to leaders and followers in a local church. These additional instructions are vital to a healthy church experience.
Verse 13 declares, “Live in peace with each other.” God not only wants us to be at peace with Him and to experience His peace in our hearts. He wants us to enjoy peace with each other in the church.
If you find relationships within your church life to be anything but peaceful you need to remember Paul’s words in Romans 12:17, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” If your church is in turmoil, at least do your best to live peacefully with others. If everyone did that, most tensions would cease and the peace Christ came to give would be experienced.
The angel chorus declared that first Christmas night, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). The one who promises this is none other than the one Isaiah the prophet called, “The Prince of Peace,” in Isaiah 9:6. Yes, as Paul put it in Ephesians 2:14-16, “He himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross.”
Thank Him for what He has done, and then do what you can to experience peace in your church.
