“And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Isaiah 32:17-18 ESV)

“Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron. I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness.” (Isaiah 60:17 ESV)

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How do we have a right relationship with God, resulting in His peace?

Check our Hearts

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Psalm 24:3-5 ESV)

. . . “And the effect of righteousness will be peace”

“Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.” (Psalm 36:10-11 ESV)

. . . “And the effect of righteousness will be peace”

Pursue It

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 ESV). Interestingly, in the following verse Jesus says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (verse 34). I don’t know about you, but being anxious doesn’t exactly help me feel God’s peace. Hmmm, something for me to keep working on.

Have Faith

“What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’” (Romans 4:1-8)

Let’s break this down:

• If we were justified by the things we did, then we wouldn’t need God. But we aren’t justified by our works – it is our faith, and the resulting actions of that faith, that justifies us before God.
• Our faith in God makes us righteous (in a right relationship with God)

. . . “And the effect of righteousness will be peace”

And this is why Christ had to die: 

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

. . . “And the effect of righteousness will be peace”