The Prince of Peace

[The timeliness of this article from 45 years ago is remarkable!—ed.]

Violent marches for peace are a common fact today. Our cities are being attacked, public buildings bombed, and the police assaulted by our modern peace lovers. Such peace as these men have to offer is another word for slavery.

The Bible makes clear that peace is not a matter of politics but of religion, more specifically, of Jesus Christ. Peace is a product of an inward character; it goes together with righteousness and truth.

To illustrate: a hundred years ago, bank messengers carried heavy canvas bags of gold coins up and down Wall Street. When a bag broke, the crowd would form a circle around the area, until the messenger picked up every piece. A man bending over when a bag broke received a boot in the rear.

Today, it would not be safe, of course, to transport bags of gold coins that way. Moreover, if such a bag broke now, there would be a mass scramble to pick up the gold and run.

The difference is the loss of Christian faith and character. There is neither peace nor security in the world today, because there is neither peace nor righteousness in the lives of men.

Our Lord declared that a “good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matt. 7:17). A corrupt humanity is bringing forth corruption. We have no right to expect peace from it.

In the prophecy of the coming of Christ, Isaiah declared that there would be no end to the increase of Christ’s peace (Isa. 9:7). All other forms of peace, because they are fraudulent and are never true peace, shall fail. The peace of Christ, as it conquers man after man, can alone create true order and justice. The joyful message of Christmas is still the same, therefore, a promise of peace. “God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior Was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray; O tidings of comfort and joy.”

We have gone astray again. Let us return to the Prince of Peace, who is our only Savior. No peace marches, politicians, educators, or others can make us into a regenerated people. This Christ can do, and He shall prevail. “O tidings of comfort and joy.”


The original of this article was published in the California Farmer 233:9 (Dec. 12, 1970), p. 40. This early article series later became the Chaledon Report and more recently the semi-monthly journal Faith for All of Life, available through the Chalcedon Foundation.

 

The late Rev. R.J. Rushdoony (1916-2001) was the founder of Chalcedon and a leading theologian, church/state expert, and author of numerous works on the application of Biblical Law to society.

© 2015 Used by Permission

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