Deep Dive into God as Yahweh-ShalomShalom, a profound Hebrew term, signifies far more than mere peace; it denotes comprehensive wholeness, harmony, and covenant well-being. This state originated in God's own undisturbed repose and characterized Eden before the Fall. Humanity's sin shattered this shalom, creating enmity with a righteous God and causing cosmic disintegration, necessitating reconciliation.True peace is decisively accomplished through God's initiative in Christ's cross. Here, Jesus, the "Prince of Peace," bore the "chastisement that brought us shalom," satisfying divine wrath through penal substitution. This objective act means "the war with God is over." The mechanism by which this peace reaches sinners is justification by faith, where God pardons sins and declares believers righteous for Christ's sake alone. This is forensic peace ("peace with God"), an unshakeable, present possession that then gives rise to experiential peace ("peace of God"), a Spirit-wrought fruit. Gideon's naming his altar "Yahweh-Shalom" highlights this priority: God's declaration of peace comes before any outward victory.Reformed theology corrects common distortions of peace. It is not merely inner equilibrium (therapeutic deism), which offers comfort without addressing legal enmity. It's not achieved through social engineering (political utopianism) apart from new birth, as fallen hearts corrupt institutions. Nor is it found in fresh words of the Spirit (continuous revelationism), which destabilize assurance by seeking private impressions outside the completed biblical canon.Instead, genuine peace is a triune gift, received, guarded, and extended by the church, which acts as an embassy of shalom. While believers now enjoy peace, full shalom awaits the Parousia, when the curse is lifted, and creation's harmony is not just restored, but glorified.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730

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