2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
and peace
There is an inner rest to our souls in knowing that we have God’s good will and work in our lives. Grace also precedes peace in biblical introductions. We possess no peace without grace first blessing our souls. Because of the death of Christ for our sins, there is no alienation between us and God. More than that, we have an ongoing sense of God’s sovereign work in our souls.
“Peace” is the other spiritual commodity God gives. God gives grace but He also gives peace. This is not peace with God. That peace we receive at the point of salvation. This is peace of God, God’s very own peace for everyday life.
It does not take much for people to get our goat. We charge into conflict over something insignificant. Paul desired that every believer would know the peace of God in whatever situation they faced. This is the ability to call an armistice because the war is over. We no longer need to fight insignificant battles.
The root of the word “peace” means join. Peace is something that is not disjointed or lacking harmony. When a person is in a state of disharmony, his sense of wellbeing is out of sorts. A person with peace is undisturbed and untroubled (Ga 5:22).
PRINCIPLE:
Grace always precedes peace in the Christian life.
APPLICATION:
There are two kinds of peace in the Bible: (1) peace with God and (2) the peace of God. God gives us peace with Himself eternally at the point of our salvation (Ro 5:1). We can experience His peace in time,
Is 26: 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
