Transcending Peace

  “But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-12)

Q.32 What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?

Answer: They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

This is the second verse that is used to reaffirm the effectual call of the believer according to the WSC. The reality is that we don’t naturally love God. Being effectually called is never something that is in the mind of man. For many embrace their sin, in todays day it’s flaunted. The month of June has become a month where homosexuality is paraded, embraced by the world. Coffee shop’s hosting drag shows, rainbow themed latte drink’s, posters hung in the business world that affirms this sexual choice. Sin is loved, it’s the crumble cookie to the flesh. Some choose strong drink to alleviate one of the thoughts of all their sinning. Others choose a drug to fill in their nonsensical bored lifestyle. A false sense of peace.

Jesus justifies those whom He calls, and this brings peace. Peace from The Father through means of His Son bring about a great benefit for the soul. That sex, drugs, hobby, and relationships could never wipe the slate of the conscience. As Thomas Watson wrote in A Body of Divinity “By justification we enjoy peace in our conscience; a richer jewel than any prince wears in his crown.”  ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.’ (Romans 5:1)”. There is a great many avenues people walk down to try to find peace. Traveling for example. If only I could go to such and such a place, see the mountains then peace will reign in my heart. Yet what happens after the vacation and your back to your cubicle, auto shop, or hospital? Work looms over us like death. Inevitable but blocked out until the time approaches.

Would it be strange to say that vacation could be more enjoying along with the dreaded work? To quote the puritan Thomas Watson again  “Peace can sweeten all our affections, it turns our water into wine. How Happy is a justified person who has the power of God to guard him, and the peace of God to comfort him! Peace flowing from justification is an antidote against the fear of death and hell. “It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? (Romans 8:33,34).”

 Sitting on top of Angels Landing in Zion National Park. A person can gaze upon the glowing horizon’s, the cars below like ants, the stream illuminates more than a finely cut diamond. A sense of awe or even terror can creep into the mind as one imagines jumping off. Awe from the sheer brilliance of the mountain. A seaside vacation one is floating on the sea looking up at the ever passing white clouds. Confidence of ones justification through the blood sweeten’s this experience. How? For no longer does anything supersede the affection for Christ, who bore the believers’ sins on the cross. Knowing out of God’s love did He create that which to be enjoyed. The danger is to make God’s creation into an idol. This is when despair comes when we exit such a wonderful experience. May the believers heart be more attached to The Creator rather than His creation. The Shorter Catechism does not reference verse 9.

I decided to include this passage to better understand verses 10-12 verse 9 is a quote from Isaiah 64:4, and considering verse plucking can easily lead to misunderstanding of the text, I will also include the verses surrounding verse 4.

“Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries and that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?” (Isaiah 64:1-5).

A cry from the Prophet for Israel to see Him as they once did in the wilderness. A God of justices, one who is to be feared yet trusted. For He meets “him who joyfully works righteousness, this who remember you in your ways.” America has no fear of God anymore, and the cry from the mountain top and the seaside is that the man who enjoys God’s gifts (creation) would be saved. That Christians would have a greater reverence and love for His name. God acted by sending His Son.

 I’m going to end on Thomas Watson yet again “Our sonship differs from Christ’s. He was the Son of God by eternal generation, a son before time; but our sonship is, (1) By creation . ‘We are his offspring’ (Acts 17:28). This is no privilege; for men may have God for their Father by creation, and yet have the devil for their father.” (Watson, Thomas A Body of Divinity p.232)