Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary: Paul’s introduction affirms that God’s grace extends to all who believe. In the same sentence, he describes the result of God’s grace; God’s peace.
When Paul offers us “grace and peace” from God, it helps if we understand how he is using those words. The grace and peace he is talking about are not just pleasantries. They are real things.
Let’s begin with “grace.”
Perhaps you have heard the expression, “Love is blind.” What it means is that romantic love blinds us to the faults of the person we love.
Why do married couples sometimes struggle? Why do people get a divorce? Presumably, they were in love when they got married. What changes?
Part of the answer is that people naturally tend to put their best foot forward when they want to impress someone. Eventually, we feel like we can “be ourselves,” and the other foot comes forward. Of course, most of us realize that the “other foot” was there the whole time. We just chose to be “blind” to it.
When romantic love is replaced by the demands of daily life, it can be hard to close our eyes to the things that irritate us. This is where grace comes in.
God sees everything (Hebrews 4:13), and we do a lot that irritates him (Romans 3:23). The things we do that irritate God deserve punishment, which in biblical terms means we deserve death (James 1:15).
Instead of wiping us off the face of the earth like we deserve, God gives us this thing called “grace.” For example, Jesus points out that God sends the sun and the rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). For those who believe in Jesus, there is a special kind of grace.
Believers receive many gifts from God, but the two most important are the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 15:26) and the gift of eternal life (John 3:16). The Holy Spirit teaches us about God and is our assurance of God’s promise of eternal life with him (Ephesians 1:13-14).
This brings us to the second thing Paul mentioned, “peace.”
Peace also is a “real thing.” When we have assurance of eternal life, the fear of death evaporates. It no longer exists for us. As the Bible says, Jesus has broken the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).
Grace and peace …
The first is the willingness of God to overlook our shortcomings and offer us hope in Jesus Christ. The second is the undeniable peace that comes from knowing Jesus personally and receiving his gift of eternal life.
Application: To experience God’s peace, we have to receive his Grace.
Food for Thought: What does God’s grace mean to you?
Good question – but quite the question. What does God’s grace mean to me? What is it worth?
I know it is expensive because it cost the cross. Putting its value into words is very hard to do. Without it I am lost on a daily basis – and for eternity. It literally means everything, every day, forever.
Thank you, Brother!
Yes, it is a costly gift. I am appalled at myself for not always fully appreciating it!
What does God’s grace mean to you?
Genesis 1:1-2, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Acts 17:28, For in Him we live and move and have our being.
All we see, all that exists, does so within and by Gods grace. The unmerited favor and love that God extends to all His creation. It is through His grace that God sustains life, offers salvation, forgiveness, and the strength to live a life pleasing to Him.
Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
By the Grace of God I was created, given faith by which I received eternal life, my heart beats, my lungs breath, I live at peace with God and my mind is increasingly filled with good thoughts having eternal value. God’s grace has given me security, and peace, fulfilled all my needs and today I am blessed, called, empowered to live and serve others whom He beings into my life.
Thank you, Ron!
Sounds like God’s grace means everything to you, too! 🙂
I agree
🙂
A good question and good responses this morning.
What does God’s grace mean to you?
Real hope.
Before I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior, I was condemned. Even without someone telling me so, I knew it. I sort “hoped” it would all turn out alright.
Romans 2:15-16 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
God’s grace has given me real hope through Christ my Lord. That on that day when I must give an account for my life, God will look on Christ and pardon me.
God’s grace brings more hope than just eternal life with Him (such an odd way of saying something so tremendous). There is also hope that I can seek to live a life pleasing to Him. He gives me grace to grow in Him. To be able to recognize my sinful nature and that He will fortify my resolve to turn from it. This gives me the hope of a closer relationship with Him. When left to my own ways, I always fall short, even under the best intentions. It is a hopeless endeavor. When I surrender to His ways, He guides me to to a path of righteousness. That is hopeful, and is possible through His grace.
Romans 7:15-20 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Thank you, Chris!
Well said! Grace, hope, and promise are part of the blessings that are showered down on us!