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#6.
Peace.
p. 160
In Isaiah we read that "the work of righteousness shall be peace" (Isa. 32: 17), and
in Romans that "being justified by faith, we have peace with God" (Rom. 5: 1). The
righteousness of God is vitally associated with peace with God, peace from God, and
the peace of God.
The peace of God is very near to the climax of Christian experience, but the Apostle
leads to the ultimate goal when he passes from the peace of God (Phil. 4: 7) to the God
of peace (Phil. 4: 9). This is but another example of the principle that is at work
throughout the purpose of the ages.
The righteousness of God is to lead to the God of Righteousness; the salvation of God
is to lead to the God of Salvation; the glory of God is to lead to the God of Glory; and
the peace of God is but a step on the way to the goal of all fellowship: "The God of
peace shall be with you."
The only references to "the peace of God' in the N.T. are Phil. 4: 7 and Col. 3: 15,
both occurrences being in a practical setting. The word "rule" in Col. 3: 15 is brabeuo,
"To act as umpire, judge, or president in the Greek games", and is cognate with brabeion,
"the prize" (I Cor. 9: 24 and Phil. 3: 14), and katabrabeuo, "to beguile of reward"
(Col. 2: 18). No one who "contends for the mastery" can hope to attain to the prize of
our high calling who is not continually under the influence of this most important of the
"things that be of God".