Path to Peace

In John 14:15-31 Jesus describes a sequence of interdependent events –

1. If you claim to love Jesus you will know and obey his word (14:15, 21)
2. If you love Jesus, you are loved by the Father (v21)
3. If you are loved by the Father, Jesus loves you and reveals himself to you (v21)
4. If Jesus reveals himself to you, he and the Father will make their home with you (v23)

This all starts with knowing and obeying the word of God, this is the whole Bible – not just the words that Jesus said.  There have been those that have gone astray in thinking that passages like these give them license to only obey what Jesus actually said when he was here on Earth (AKA a “red letter Christian”) – whereas in truth, all of the Bible is the word of God, it is all one story – God and his gracious redemption of a sinful human race in Jesus.  Therefore, Jesus himself says that all of Scripture is about him. (Luke 24:27)

This brings it down again to knowing and understanding Scripture.  It astounds me to realize that so much false teaching in the Catholic Church, other mainline denominations, and of course the cults all start with an improper interpretation of God’s word and it snowballs from there.  Fortunately, we are not left to fend for ourselves in understanding Scripture and it doesn’t require a seminary degree – enter the 3rd person of the three-in-one-God:  the Holy Spirit.

In our same passage, Jesus explains —

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
(John 14:25-26 ESV)

The Holy Spirit is our Helper to teach us and cause us to remember God’s word.  This is a spiritual exercise – so pray thru your reading of God’s word daily – that the Holy Spirit would cause you to know, believe, and understand God’s word, and give you the courage to obey out of love for God.  Remembering that you are then loved by the Father and Jesus reveals himself to you and not only that – makes his home within you.

All of this – brings us inner peace as we fulfill the purpose God created us for – to know and enjoy him forever and bring him the glory he rightly deserves with our lives —

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)