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Commentary on "The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 7: Friday, January 22, 2010

 

Overview

Today’s lesson is centered on two passages from the writings of Ellen White; The first is from The Acts of the Apostles page 84 and the other is from Evangelism page 102.

 

Observations

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 ESV)

In the first one, she quotes John 14:27 and then make a rather contradictory statement; “Christ never purchased peace by compromise with evil.”

Of course Jesus didn’t purchase peace. He is and always has been the source of peace. It is not something he needs to acquire or prove about himself. As John 14:27 clearly states, it is something he already has and is able to give.

Then, she says it “is internal rather than external”. This is nonsense talk because it is both, not one or the other. The John 14:27 quote indicates internal peace but we should remember to “Live in harmony with one another” which is one of the marks of a Christian listed in Romans 12:9-21. While the source is internal, these attributes are meant to be externally visible to all those around a Christian.

In the other passage of Ellen’s she makes this statement: “Strife for the supremacy makes manifest a spirit that, if cherished, will eventually shut out from the kingdom of God those who cherish it.”

Compare this with what Scripture teaches on this topic:

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.(I Cor. 3:14-15 ESV)

Our salvation is not contingent upon the quality of our deeds, no matter how good they might seem to be in our own eyes. Jesus, or as the old gospel song states: “Nothing but the Blood”, secures our place in the Kingdom of God.

 

Summary

  1. Jesus Christ promises peace to all who turn their lives over to him.
  2. The false gospel of Ellen can bring nothing but disharmony because it conflicts with the word of God.
  3. The issue: Is your faith and the peace it brings built upon “Nothing but the Blood” of Jesus Christ, or would you rather struggle in your own works that can never bring peace with God?

 

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