This episode begins with the question, "why do believers often struggle to have peace, while unbelievers, when circumstances are favorable, seem to be at peace? The answer rests on the nature of both. Believers delight with the law of God in the inner man, while they struggle against residual evil. They are conflicted until they substantially set their minds on the things of the Spirit, leading to life and peace. Unbelievers, by contrast, are dead spiritually, so there is little opposition to their minds set on the flesh, temporarily allowing for a superficial peace when sinful desires are satisfied. If believers resign themselves to being Romans 7 Christians without allowing the promise of Romans 8:2 to manifest, their lives will largely be defined by the conflict of the flesh verses the Spirit. Mature believers however apply the Romans 8:2 promise to their lives and intentionally set their minds on the things of the Spirit, leading to life and peace. The latter part of the episode addresses the superficial peace of the wicked who are largely successful at suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. Critically they rationalize that their apparent peace will endure beyond the grave, for they actually think that God is just like them. (Psalm 50:21) The program concludes with the shattering of the peace of the wicked in an eternal hell. Lastly, the episode posits that the same distorted picture of God as infinitely tolerant among unbelievers also colors the perception of Christians who bank all on the imputed righteousness of Christ, without cooperating much with the Spirit of truth that sanctifies them. The loss of peace is usually the result.
Peace Doesn’t Just Happen
This episode unpacks the salvation package of "life and peace." Paul states that the mind set on the Spirit is "life and peace." (Romans 8:6) Most Christians embrace some aspect of the eternal life promised in salvation but struggle to experience the peace promised to believers. This episode paints a HOLISTIC salvation picture and the necessity of intentionally directing our minds on the Spirit. The elusive nature of peace among Christians highlights the incomplete appropriation of the salvation package and the lack of intentionality of many believers who experience life on auto-pilot. Not surprisingly real peace is lacking as the de-fault expression of the flesh emerges when the mind doesn't ACTIVELY engage the Spirit. One indication of the mind set on the Spirit is focus on the works of the Lord. Psalm 28:4-5 and Romans 1:18-23 posit that the fundamental difference between believers and unbelievers is acknowledgement or rejection of God's works. The holistic salvation package of "life and peace" is the consequence of a mind set on the Spirit, that has an unquenchable regard and appreciation for the works of God. If Christians suffer from a lack of peace, the remedy, to a substantial degree, is intentionally setting the mind on the Spirit, Who graciously supplies the peace that surpasses understanding.