He himself is our peace

Some of you know that I'm a theology buff. I'm no great theologian myself, but I love reading and thinking about what the great theologians have written. A huge theme in Lutheran theology is the distinction between Law and Gospel--the difference between rules and grace. The homework for Day 2 reminded me of this dichotomy because it talks about the source of peace. We learned that peace on earth comes from peace with God. Because we are reconciled with God, the "unpeace" that pervades and taints our world can begin to be erased and will someday be totally gone. That's the gospel--the Good News--that Jesus Christ is in himself reconciling us to God. Our peace comes at the price of Christ's blood.

So that's the Gospel side of it: Jesus Christ is our peace with God. But what about the Law side of it? What does that have to do with peace?

Frankly, I think there are two ways to live life: focused on Gospel (the mercy of God poured out on us by faith in Jesus to bring us peace) or focused on Law. Another way of saying it is: focused on Grace or focused on Performance. 'Cause that's what Law is--performance orientation, always looking at ourselves and others to see how we're doing, whether we measure up to some standard. Performance orientation breeds comparison and guilt and pressure and expectations and disappointment. It makes us uptight and leery of sharing ourselves. I'm not saying we should never look at performance. Sure, we should evaluate ourselves for the purpose of following Christ more closely and for repentance and for learning to love others better, but the question is where we LIVE. Do we LIVE in grace or do we LIVE in law? Which characterizes our thoughts and behavior towards ourselves, others, and God? If our focus is Law--performance, measuring, comparing--peace will be elusive. Peace DOES NOT COME from the Law. Peace comes from Gospel--from the rich gift of God's mercy to forgive us and no longer judge us based on our performance. God's love and acceptance of us are not based on what we do or how we do or whether we do. By works of the Law will no one be saved...it is by grace we are saved through faith, and this not of ourselves, it is the Gift Of God. We have been freed from slavery to impossible performance standards. We can stop obsessing over grading everybody all the time. We're FREE. We're at peace; God has called us Beloved. We walk in the light of love, not the gloom of failed efforts to earn a good grade from God.

All of the good stuff--love, joy, PEACE--comes by grace. So if peace is hard to find, kick that old condemning law back where it belongs and bask in the warmth's of God's unconditional acceptance and love for us in Christ Jesus.