"GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE"
SO MUCH MEANING IN FIVE LITTLE WORDS
I find the similarity in the structure of many of Paul’s letters to be very interesting. Specifically, the structure and wording of how he begins each letter are known as the greeting.
In our private/premium community, we dig deeper into Scripture daily, and I wanted to share a piece of what we learned today with you all.
We explored the following question:
WHY DOES THE BENEDICTION OR FINAL GREETING OF MOST OF PAUL’S EPISTLES (LETTERS) END WITH “Grace to you and peace.”?
The wording may vary a bit from one letter to another, but each of them has this common theme of Grace and Peace.
The importance of something that repeats itself at the beginning of a letter can be often and very easily overlooked. But taking the time to see the significance behind it is quite impactful.
So why does Paul use these words repetitively?
Simply put — Together, they continuously, plainly, and accurately confirm the Gospel message that Paul had been teaching to the churches he had established.
These Epistles served many purposes to their intended audience at the time they were written. Paul established/ planted churches along with others who partnered with him. Over time, Paul would write letters to these churches for many reasons. Some of these include encouraging them in their Christian life, instructing and educating them on doctrinal truths, rebuking and correcting false teachings and/or correcting inconsistencies in their Christian walk, and emphasizing the importance of Unity in their churches and relationships. Each letter's overall purpose may differ, but Grace and Peace are common throughout most of them.
GRACE— Paul uses this word to confirm the message of the Gospel that he had taught them.
Their Salvation was a gift of Grace from God through His Son Jesus Christ.
They didn’t earn it through good works or deeds.
They didn’t deserve it.
God’s Grace is given as a free gift because of the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son Jesus.
And it’s given to those who:
humbly recognize and admit that they are a sinner in need of a Savior. (Romans 3:23)
Confess those sins to God and repent (turn away) from them.
Know and Believe that God is the One True God and Creator of the Universe.
Trust in His Great Love for us and know that it is because of this love that…
He sent His son Jesus Christ to live a sinless life on earth (fully man and fully God)
Die an undeserved death on a cross intended for sinners.
Be buried in a tomb and be resurrected into Heaven on the third day.
Jesus suffered and died on the cross as a means of accepting the punishment for our sins (past, present, and future) so that we can be redeemed and made right with God.
PEACE —Paul uses this word to encourage and remind them of the Peace that they now have as Christians.
Upon their Salvation and Faith in Christ, they became members of His body and can now live in peace with God and the other members of the Body of Christ. However, this peace did not exempt them from the norms of everyday life, and the same applies to us.
The question I often hear is, “If God loves us so much, then why does he allow us to hurt often and sometimes continuously?” I can’t or won’t attempt to offer some shallow answer that offers little or no comfort. The truth is that even a good-hearted attempt to explain all of God’s ways and plans would be a misrepresentation of HIS HOLINESS AND MAJESTY and, in the end, wouldn’t bring peace to the one in the midst of suffering. Peace is from God and is given to those who trust Him as their Savior and strive daily to seek Him and obey His Will. Being a Christian does not promise a life on an easy street. It doesn’t deliver an exemption ticket to trials and tragedy. But what it promises is peace throughout.
His Peace does NOT mean that we won’t struggle.
His Peace does NOT mean that life will be easy.
His Peace does NOT mean that we won’t endure hardships.
His Peace does NOT mean we will be liked and accepted by all.
His Peace does NOT mean we won’t feel sadness, frustration, hurt, or grief.
HIS PEACE means that we have peace with other members of His Body. And that through it all, we are united and unified together as a group of believers who live in a way that honors God and makes His name known to the lost.
HIS PEACE gives us strength to endure and persevere through the good and bad on this earth, knowing that our reward for standing firm in the Faith is eternity with Him.
That’s PEACE, my friends!
And it is only possible because of our relationship with Jesus as our Savior.
I pray that for those of you in the midst of grief, sadness, and trials, you will remember that through all of the many levels of victories and/or struggles we have faced, are currently facing, or will face, we have each other.
We are members of the Body of Christ who have been promised eternity with Him. We are recipients of HIS GRACE AND PEACE. And we are to live this out and steward as faithfully useful vessels for the Almighty God, all for the glory of His Kingdom.
-Amen
Let’s live as a devoted body of Believers. Let’s encourage others in the faith and daily walk. And take the time to share this with someone who is walking through difficulty and point towards the true source of Peace.
How can I pray for you today?
If you want to dive deeper daily with our private group, click here.
Joyfully HIS,
Jennifer N. Pearson
Thank you for this.