According to the sequence of chapter three of Colossians, after the setting of the mind on the things above and the renewing of the new man, we have the peace of Christ arbitrating in our heart (v. 15). Do you know what the peace of Christ is? This term is used just once in the New Testament. Elsewhere, in Romans and in Philippians, Paul speaks of the God of peace. Moreover, at the beginning of his Epistles he invariably has a word about grace and peace. But in Colossians 3:15 he tells us that the peace of Christ should arbitrate in our hearts. We should not assume that we understand what it means for the peace of Christ to arbitrate in our hearts. Instead of taking this word for granted, we should exercise to get the proper understanding.
According to the context of Colossians 3, when we set our mind on the things above, the divine element is transmitted into us for the renewing of the new man. As the new man is being renewed, we should allow the peace of Christ to arbitrate in our hearts. The renewing of the new man is actually the spreading of the new man within us. As the new man spreads, we need to let the peace of Christ arbitrate within us.
It is very easy in the church life to offend one another or to make one another unhappy. In the matter of arranging chairs in the meeting hall, a brother may be unhappy if the arrangement is not according to his opinion. But if we open to the Lord when we are offended and tell Him that we love Him, something heavenly will be transmitted into us. Then spontaneously we shall be happy with the one who offended us. This is an example of the peace of Christ arbitrating in our heart.
This arbitrating peace preserves the oneness in the church life. The divisions caused by different opinions are a serious damage to the church life and cut the new man into pieces. But the arbitrating peace of Christ brought in by the heavenly transmission keeps us in oneness and preserves the new man.
I can testify that often, when I have been unhappy with someone in the church life, I have contacted the Lord and called on His name. Many times I say, “Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your presence, for Your anointing, and for everything You have been to me.” When I give thanks to the Lord in this way, the divine transmission begins to work. After a few minutes, I may be so full that I am beside myself with joy. Then spontaneously I begin to count the one who made me unhappy better than myself. When I see him the next time, I have no problem with him. Because I experience the Lord’s transmission and arbitration, I do not have problems with any of the saints in the Lord’s recovery.
When a local church is first established, the saints may experience a church-life honeymoon. But just as there is no permanent honeymoon in married life, there is no permanent honeymoon in the church life. Friction develops eventually between the saints. This friction causes the wrinkles Paul speaks of in Ephesians 5. If we do not have the peace of Christ arbitrating in us, wrinkles will continue to develop. But if the heavenly transmission supplies us with the divine element, the wrinkles will be removed metabolically. Then instead of friction there will be the arbitrating peace of Christ.
As fallen people, we were God’s enemies, and there was no peace between us and God. Furthermore, there is no peace among the various peoples on earth, especially between the Jews and the Gentiles. On the cross Christ redeemed us, reconciled us to God, and made peace between us and God. Furthermore, through His death on the cross, Christ abolished the ordinances concerning the different ways of living so that there might be peace among the races and nations (Eph. 2:15-16). Because Christ has abolished the ordinances, He has made peace not only between us and God, but between believers of different races and nationalities. I am pleased that in the Lord’s recovery we have believers from so many different nations and regions. All races are represented. Christ has broken down the middle wall of partition. Furthermore, according to Ephesians 2:14, Christ Himself is our peace. With Christ as our Peacemaker, we now have vertical peace—peace between us and God— and horizontal peace—peace with one another.
If we were not Christians experiencing the transmission of the divine substance into us, there would be no way for our conflicting opinions to be dissolved. Rather, the differences of opinion would increase. The result would be enmity, strife, and, ultimately, fighting. But when we set our mind on the things above and experience the divine transmission, the peace of Christ arbitrates in our hearts. Praise the Lord for every visitation of the peace of Christ! This peace which visits us is actually a wonderful Person, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This very One is the peace who carries on a work of arbitration within us to keep us at peace with God and with one another.
To say that the peace of Christ arbitrates within us means that it solves the problems caused by quarreling, fighting, or complaining. Such problems often arise between husband and wife. A husband may criticize his wife in a certain way, and she may react by criticizing him. An argument ensues with a bitter exchange of words. After a brother has such an argument with his wife, he may sense a call from the Lord deep within to pray and confess. Then the brother may pray, “Lord, forgive me for arguing with my wife.” The Lord may also indicate that he should go to his wife and apologize. When he asks her to forgive him, he experiences the peace of Christ arbitrating in the relationship between him and his wife.