Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

Four Pillars Of Peace

The pursuit of peace has been the longing of men since the beginning. Sin brings conflict. The early world soon crumbled under the weight of wickedness and was destroyed by God. After the flood, the world remained under the darkness of hatred, murder, malice, jealousy, and prejudice. God sent His Son into the world to be a light in a dark world, the message of hope in a place of despair, and peace to troubled hearts. There was a need for redemption so that men could find love and peace, and that was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The pillars of peace are found in how Paul concludes his letter to Corinth. He exhorts the brethren to be complete, of good comfort, be of one mind, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace would be with them.

The first pillar of peace is learning to be complete or perfected. This comes from having everything in its proper place in life with the goal and purpose of eternal life. Peace and love come from the order as designed by God. The world was formed in completeness to function as the evidence of God’s power. Just as the world is in perfect symmetry, so must the heart of man be complete in the design of its Maker. The idea of perfecting comes from the idea of mending nets back to completeness and usefulness. Peace and love come from lives ordered by the will of the Father.

Paul’s second admonition is for the brethren to be of good comfort. Peace and love are byproducts of the promises of God. There has never been a promise of God that has failed. It is impossible for God to lie. The soul of a Christian can be comforted by knowing the Father is in control and will not allow His children to be tempted more than they can endure. Everything about the relationship of the child of God with the heavenly Father brings comfort. There is nothing to worry or be anxious about as the Father cares for the child and blesses them without measure. Sharing the heavenly comfort gives comfort to others. When the heart settles in the peace and love of God, there is comfort.

The third part of peace and love is the need for brethren to have one mind. Unity is the foundational bedrock of peace and love. One of the reasons that a heart cannot find peace and love is there is no unity with God or the people of God. Disharmony brings division and carnality. There can be no peace without unity as conflict will rule the heart. Seeking peace is seeking unity. A spirit of love is shared by those who are united as one in the body of Christ. This was a strong message for the church at Corinth because of the intense division plaguing the church. Peace and love returned when the brethren shed their garments of selfishness and petty squabbles. Seeking peace comes first by establishing a spirit of unity.

Finally, peace and love come when the heart desires to live in peace. Attaining peace comes from those who seek peace. It does not come on its own. Unity is the effort to remove division. There can be no peace and love if the people do not have a desire for peace. It can be spoken about, wished upon, longed for, and wished for; but there will be no peace until the heart strives to live in peace. Without peace, there will be no love. Peace and love are dependent upon one another. Being complete and of good comfort in one mind is the path to peace. These are necessary ingredients to the peace that passes understanding. Love is the effort of the child of God to be like his Father. A strong desire motivates the heart to remove past slights and hurts. Forgiveness is at the core of peace and love. It helps soothe the wounds of yesterday.

The God of peace and love will bless His children who seek the welfare of others and the blessing of the Father in heaven. Four pillars of peace establish the temple of completeness, comfort, unity and peace. Build upon these pillars and God’s incredible peace and love will abound in the heart. May the God of love and peace will be with you.