His Righteousness Is Our Peace

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." (Isaiah 32:17)

What precious words these are that the Holy Spirit of God inspired Isaiah to declare for our benefit.

The righteousness of God's law demands judgment for sin, without exception. The penalty is death. To the unbeliever this may be news of the worst sort, but to the believer what an assuring foundation is the very knowledge of a God of justice! We do not trust in a God that is capricious or fickle. We trust in a God that says what He means and means what He says, without respect of persons. We can rest in the complete assurance that every word of the Lord is pure (Ps 12:6), His ways are perfect (Ps 18:30), and His statutes are right (Ps 19:8).

The Lord Jesus Christ's work at Calvary was truly a work of righteousness, so much so that it moved the centurion at the foot of the cross to glorify God and declare that it was indeed a righteous man that hung there in that dark hour (Luke 23:47). His precious blood, shed on our behalf, is the basis of our peace with God the Father eternally. We are justified By faith in Christ's work of righteousness. That is, we are declared righteous by a righteous God by virtue of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ the righteous.

This is the great theme of the first five chapters of Paul's epistle to the Romans (1:16 - 5:11). First, Paul declares the righteousness of God in that all have been condemned with or without the law (1:16 - 3:20). Then, he declares the righteousness of God in justifying those who put their faith in Christ (3:21 - 5:1). The result is the peace and eternal assurance (5:2 - 5:11) that can only come through faith in the Just One.

In his epistle to the Hebrews, Paul shows us how that Melchisedec is a type of that order of high priest to which the Lord Jesus Christis the antitype. Now this Melchisedec was not only first and foremost King of righteousness, he was also after that King of peace:

"For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." (Heb 7:1-3)

Now where the Scripture places prominence on the one title over the other, we do well to take notice and meditate on the distinction. The Lord Jesus Christ is first and foremost that Righteous King from before the foundation of the world. His kingdom has been established in righteousness, and of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end (Isaiah 9:7). We do not yet see the full manifestation of that kingdom, but one day we shall.

It required the work of the only righteous one to ever walk this cursed earth to restore peace. The righteousness of Christ must needs come before any peace with God could ever be considered. And Calvary was the place where that work was wrought in perfection.

"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." (Ps 85:10)

Oh, the peace, forever flowing from God's tho'ts of His own Son! Oh, the peace of simply knowing on the cross that all was done! Peace with God! The blood in heaven speaks of pardon now to me: Peace with God! The Lord is risen! Righteousness now counts me free. Peace with God is Christ in glory; God is just and God is love; Jesus died to tell the story, foes to bring to God above. Now, free access to the Father, through the Christ of God, we have; By the Spirit here abiding, promise of the Father's love. Jesus, Savior, we adore Thee! Christ of God, Anointed Son! We confess Thee, Lord of glory, fruits of vict'ry Thou hast won! A. P. Cecil (1841 - 1889)