bliss. A wedding is indeed a joyful occasion and opens up the way for marital bliss, but it does not permanently guarantee it, a mistaken idea that apparently many couples have. To have marital bliss a couple must continually work at it, give it thought, time and effort, manifesting maturity in all their relations. So also with those who have come into peaceful relations with God through repentance, conversion, faith in Christ’s ransom, dedication and baptism. They must continue to work at this peace in order to maintain it. It might, therefore, be said that the peace of God is a reward, even as Jehovah promised his ancient people peace if they met his conditions: “If you continue walking in my statutes and keeping my commandments and you do carry them out, I shall . . . put peace in the land, and you will lie down, with no one making you tremble; . . . and a sword will not pass through your land.”—Lev. 26:3-6.

Maintaining Our Possession of Peace

“My people must dwell in a peaceful abiding place and in residences of full confidence and in undisturbed resting places.”—Isa. 32:18.

1. Why does “the God of peace” at times become “a manly person of war,” and for how long will such be?

GOD’S Word tells us that “for everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens: . . . a time for war and a time for peace.” That is why Jehovah God is frequently spoken of not only as “the God of peace,” or “the God who gives peace,” but also as “a manly person of war” and as “Jehovah of armies.” To vindicate his sovereignty and to restore peace he finds it necessary at times to resort to war, for which reason he speaks of himself as “making peace and creating calamity.” But only during this present wicked system of things is there a time for war and a time for peace; in the coming new order, when God’s will is done on earth as in heaven, there will be a time only for peace.—Eccl. 3:1, 8; Phil. 4:9; Rom. 15:33; Ex. 15:3; Jas. 5:4; Isa. 45:7.

2. How, at times, do the Scriptures describe the peaceful activity of Jehovah’s witnesses?

² The same might also be said of the peaceful activity of the dedicated Christian minister. How so? In that his ministry is repeatedly described in terms of war: “As a fine soldier of Christ Jesus take your part in suffering evil.” Of course, he does not use fleshly or material weapons, even as the apostle Paul shows: “The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.” And again, “We have a fight, not against blood and flesh, but against . . . wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.” The Christian minister uses the truth, the “sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word,” which “is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword.” With it he slashes false, God-dishonoring teachings, not out of pride or ill will, but in humility