Rest In Peace

 Greetings to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

     Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

     I often hear the phrase, “Rest In Peace.”  Sometimes, it is abbreviated to simply saying, RIP.  We usually think that the person who has died has finally been laid to rest and will do so forever.  I hear people say it about the passing of a loved one or a friend and see it often written in various obituaries.  Everyone seems to want just a litte peace in their lives.  It  may be just a Sunday afternoon nap or a time by yourself where you don’t hear the sound of car horns, beepers, phone calls and kids clamoring for this or that.  It can be personal peace or it can even be peace between two warring nations.

     The person who recently died may not find peace but trouble that is just beginning.  A church sign once read during a recent hot spell, “You think it’s hot here.”  They were of course, referring to the place of eternal torment which the Bible refers to as “hell.”  I know I have mentioned this many times before, but this is what God has reminded me of today and that is that there is eternal hell waiting all those who have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  They have turned their back on God and have passed from this life to the next and it was without the Peace with God as mentioned in the passage above.  Once we have established that we have faith through the Lord Jesus Christ, then we have peace with God.  Before that, we were at enmity with God and we needed to be reconciled as it says in Second Corinthians 5 and without that reconciliation we will have no peace with God.  It is necessary that we repent of our sins and to believe in Christ and once that takes place, we have that peace.  Those that have done so, can truly rest in peace.  Once this occurs, you may then find many occasions where you also have the peace of God in our life.  You will find that your life is a lot more peaceful after salvation than before it.  Sickness, tragedies, family emergencies all  can be taken with the peace of God in your heart as you trust Him for the outcome.   Recent news on the radio or television, tells us of a rapidly rising crime rate and the people are wondering what is happening and what to do about it. They naturally  want to take the wrong route as they continue to reject God.  The one and only way that peace is going to be achieved on the streets, in the families and between nations is the Lord Jesus Christ.   Someday, people will realize t hat when every knee bows before Him.  Praise God for His peace that passes all understanding.