Mandela Does Not Find Peace

Unless Nelson Mandela repented of all his sins and was humbled before the HOLY HOLY HOLY God of Israel, Creator of all things, and confessed Him as Lord and Savior, then Mandela is not now, never was, nor ever will be at peace. True peace is solely found in the Person and work of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. 

All people are born hostile toward God and enemies of Him because of our sin nature. We are, as Ephesians 2 says, objects of wrath by nature. Since Adam and Eve's fall into sin, every person has been born with a sin nature which is why we are, in modern vernacular, dead on arrival (Eph. 2, Rom. 3). We break God's laws and, being a just and righteous Judge, He must deal with sinners as well as their sin.

Rom 3:9  What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
Rom 3:10  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 
Rom 3:11  THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
Rom 3:12  ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

Rom 3:17  AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN."
Rom 3:18  "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."


The only way to have peace with God is by trusting fully in the Jesus Christ of Scripture and to submit to His lordship. We must be reconcilled to Him.

Rom 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-- 

Rom 5:1  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2  through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6  For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 

What peace Mandela sought was not according to Scripture. It was a human kind of peace which never really has much strength. Peace must also be defined by the God of Peace.

The Hebrew Bible uses a familiar but significant word, shalom. In its purest sense, shalom means "peace." The connotation is positive. That is, when someone says, "Shalom," or, "Peace unto you," it doesn't mean, "I hope you don't get into any trouble"; it means, "I hope you have all the highest good coming your way."

Most people in our world don't understand peace as a positive concept. All they know is the negative aspect of peace, which is merely the absence of trouble. The definition of peace in many languages of the world illustrates that. 

The biblical concept of peace does not focus on the absence of trouble. Biblical peace is unrelated to circumstances; it is a goodness of life that is not touched by what happens on the outside. You may be in the midst of great trials and still have biblical peace. Paul said he could be content in any circumstance; and he demonstrated that he had peace even in the jail at Philippi, where he sang and remained confident that God was being gracious to him. Then when the opportunity arose, he communicated God's goodness to the Philippian jailer, and brought him and his family to salvation. Likewise, James wrote, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials" (James 1:2).

~John MacArthur, "The Gift of Peace"

Only after our hostility toward God  and  our hatred toward Him has ceased and is replaced by love for Him and having peace and unity with Him through the Holy Spirit by giving us a new heart and a new will and saving faith and repentance, can we then experience true peace.

Experiential peace for the biblical Christian is a quiet contentment and rest in the sovereign Triune God no matter the circumstance  we find ourselves in. True peace is not contingent upon circumstance whatsoever; rather it's found in the Author of peace: the Prince of Peace and the God of Peace Himself. Therefore true peace is 1) being at peace with God and 2) being at rest as we trust in Him even--or even especially---during troubling situations in our lives.  We cannot have the latter without the former.

Php 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Peace in this world is merely temporary and is usually seen as the absence of war or hostility. But because all men are sinners and are at war with their Maker, they will often be either at war with each other or at least hostile with others. That is why Mandela could not bring peace. His notions were temporal and circumstantial and not eternal nor spiritual.