PEACE ON EARTH?By Cornelius R. Stam
When Christ was born of Mary, the angels praised God
and sang: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men" (Luke 2:14).
This glad carol of the angels seems farther from realiza-
tion today than it ever was, and as a result many have be-
come cynical and have concluded that the Bible is not true;
that the angels song was but a pleasant, wishful thought.
Those who feel thus do not, however, know their Bibles
very well or they would know why we have unrest and
trouble today, instead of peace.
Our Lord was indeed the long-promised King, through
whom His people and the whole world were to -- and will
one day -- enjoy peace and true prosperity. John the Baptist
appeared as the Kings herald. The twelve apostles went
forth "preaching the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt. 4:23).
The four Gospel records are filled with proofs and demon-
strations of Christs royal authority. But the King was re-
jected, as God had prophesied He would be at His first ad-
vent (I Pet. 1:11).
Over His cross Pilate placed an inscrip-
tion, saying: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews," and to-
day, the King is a royal Exile from His nation and the
world.Is it strange, then, that we do not yet enjoy peace on
earth? The second Psalm describes the folly of the nations
and their rulers in ignoring this basic fact and predicts that
God will laugh, as it were, at their derision as they seek to
run the world without His Son.Thank God, this period of Christs rejection is also a won-
derful period of grace. When sin had risen to its height, God
saved Saul of Tarsus, the leader of the worlds rebellion
against Christ, and sent him forth to proclaim "the gospel of
the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), the good news that "Christ
died for our sins," and that any sinner may be reconciled to
God by faith in Christ. This is why the Bible calls the
divine administration under which we are living "the dis-
pensation of the grace of God" (Eph. 3:2). So, while "peace
on earth" awaits a future day, we may now have "peace with
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).++++++++++++++++++++++++++++AMEN!!!!!Posted By Brother Love
Author