Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (ESV)

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (NIV)

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT)

Dive Deeper:

“Silent night, holy night, all is calm,” are the beautiful words we sing every year, with candles lit, gathered together. In one of the most famous Christmas hymns, we are reminded that the coming of the Lord brought holiness and peace. These are the words that marked the life of Christ; He brought peace to all men and lived a perfect, holy life. He came to bring peace and conquer death. He then gave us the holy spirit so that this peace may last. He is the giver of peace and the wonderful sustainer of that peace. 

Hebrews 12:14 calls us to a humble but powerful mission: to live holy lives and bring peace to others. But what does this mission accomplish?

It opens eyes and brings peace to those who are lost. It seems that, for others to know Christ, they first need to know a Christian—a person who surrenders fully to the message of peace, living it, breathing it, and speaking it. When we give all of ourselves to Him, our lives become a testament to His life.

A verse later, the writer of Hebrews tells us the kind of life that keeps people from experiencing God’s grace. It’s the poisonous and corrupting root of bitterness. Bitterness blinds, and peace restores. What is your life marked by?

Our conduct and our lives matter. When we walk in the peace and good works God intended for us, we receive His grace, and bitterness is replaced with peace. This peace can be so powerful that it draws even the most hardened hearts to see the goodness of God. So, just as it marked the life of Christ, let your life be marked by holiness and peace so that others may see the Lord. 

Live a life of peace that demands an explanation.

Written by Blake Stanley