The Dynamics of "Peace" among the Righteous and the Wicked

On This Episode -

The Dynamics of “Peace” among the Righteous and the Wicked

Holistic Salvation Part 4

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.

Today's Topics -

anxiety, flesh/spirit conflict, holistic salvation, mind, peace

Podcast (inhisimage): Play in new window | Download | Embed

00:01:16 – The Pursuit of Peace
00:06:24 – Understanding Salvation Holistically
00:11:43 – The Mindset on the Spirit
00:15:06 – The Importance of Walking in the Spirit
00:19:57 – The Battle of Thoughts
00:25:08 – Renewing the Mind
00:30:14 – The Gift of Peace
00:34:54 – Living Life on a Higher Plane
00:39:23 – The Dynamics of Conflict
00:54:17 – Experiencing Life and Peace

On This Episode -

The Dynamics of “Peace” among the Righteous and the Wicked

Holistic Salvation Part 4

Podcast (inhisimage): Play in new window | Download | Embed

00:01:16 – The Pursuit of Peace
00:06:24 – Understanding Salvation Holistically
00:11:43 – The Mindset on the Spirit
00:15:06 – The Importance of Walking in the Spirit
00:19:57 – The Battle of Thoughts
00:25:08 – Renewing the Mind
00:30:14 – The Gift of Peace
00:34:54 – Living Life on a Higher Plane
00:39:23 – The Dynamics of Conflict
00:54:17 – Experiencing Life and Peace

Today's Topics -

anxiety, flesh/spirit conflict, holistic salvation, mind, peace

Today's Scriptures-

Romans 7: 21-22, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6, 2 Corinthians 3:18, John 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Psalm 29:1, Philippians 4:7, Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 32:3-4, Ephesians 4:30, Ezekiel 36:27, Galatians 6:8, John 14:17, Psalm 28:4-5, Psalm 50:16-22, Romans 1:18

The Dynamics of “Peace” among the Righteous and the Wicked

May 5, 2025

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

April 27, 2025

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.

“The Sound of ‘One Hand Clapping’ Doesn’t Sound like Salvation”

April 7, 2025

This episode begins with the provocative question: “can you put on the breastplate of righteousness and ignore the helmet of salvation?” The answer provided by Paul is a resounding NO. The breastplate of righteousness corresponds with the imputed righteousness of Christ, based on the double-transfer of 2 Cor. 5:21. The helmet of salvation implies the transformation of mind that progressively thinks more and more like Christ. The breastplate of righteousness principally addresses the PENALTY of sin, while the helmet of salvation points to the POWER of sin being broken, as believers put on the mind of Christ. Paul presents a holistic picture of salvation in Romans 8:1-6, in which both the penalty and power of sin are part of the salvation package. The episode notes that 4 of the first 6 verses begin with “for,” alerting the reader that the entire passage is one thought. The primary thought is Romans 8:2, the optimistic resolution of the flesh/spirit conflict of Romans 7:14-25: “the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of sin and death.” So the focus of Paul’s argument is that the power of sin has been broken in salvation. Verses 3 and 4 undergird this fact. Sin-debt is paid in the substitutionary debt of Christ and, with the penalty paid, the requirement of the Law is fulfilled in those who are “in Christ,” who now live a life according to the Spirit. The evidence that one has received the imputed righteousness of Christ is the mind set on the Spirit. The proof that one wears the breastplate of righteousness is that he ALSO dons the helmet of salvation. The episode concludes with a challenge to all to assess their understanding of salvation and modify it as needed, based on Paul’s holistic description given in Romans 8:1-6.