Ancient Words For Today - 30
Consider for a moment the following thought, which is a play on words:
No grace, no peace.
The apostle Paul began his 9 letters to 7 churches and his letter to Philemon with greetings of "grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." And in his two pastoral letters to Timothy and his letter to Titus, he greeted them with "grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." It is interesting that the words grace and peace, whenever used in a sentence by Paul, always occur in that same order. Never once did Paul or any other New testament writer reverse the order of these two important words. Grace always preceeds peace.
The fact is, without God's grace there can be no peace between God and man. Man has separated himself from God because of sin, which is the manifestation of our rebellion against God's standards, and against God Himself, in our thoughts, attitudes, words and actions. God is a righteous God and we can be certain that He will one day judge all sin. He said so Himself. Here are some things that Paul said in his letter to the church members at Rome concerning what God has declared about sin and grace:
...for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans 3:9-27
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
Paul is making the argument that eternal life is a gift from God, not a benefit that we earn or deserve. In fact, we all are sinners in God's eyes, because we all have broken God's commandments. Therefore what we all deserve or have earned by our sins (wrong thoughts and actions) is death - eternal separation from God. But by God's grace, through Jesus Chirst's sacrifice of His own life for ours, God has chosen to give the gift of eternal life to those who believe on Jesus. The letters in the word "grace" form an amazingly concise acronym:
GRACE = God's Redemption At Christ's Expense. It is both wonderful and true!
So, there you have it: Without God's grace, there can be no peace between God and sinful man. But when we believe on and trust in what Jesus did for us, God accounts His death as satisfying the penalty for our sins. Not only does God then forgive our sins, but he also gives us eternal life! When we understand and receive God's grace, made available through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, then and only then can we find spiritual peace with God.
As a believer, why not take this opportunity to thank God for His grace to you and the forgiveness and peace He has made available through his son Jesus. Then go and tell someone, who doesn't know peace with God, about God's wonderful grace that is available to them!
Know God's grace - and know peace with God!
Know grace, know peace.