Words of Grace – May 1, 2014

The apostle Paul opens and closes his epistle to the Romans with prayers for peace. He desired that the church have peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:7). “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen” (15:33).

Peace from the God of peace is not like the peace of the world. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” He explained in John 14:27 that the peace he gives is not like the peace of the world.

Later, he said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

This kind of peace, according to Philippians 4:7, is “the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” This peace is able to keep our heart and mind through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Romans 5:1 we learn that it is through faith in our Lord Jesus that we are justified. As a result, “we have peace with God.” But it took Jesus’ death: “having made peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).

Edward Bickersteth asks whether we can have “Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.”

Yes, “perfect peace” is promised to us in Isaiah 26:3. We will be kept in that “perfect peace” as we trust in and keep our mind upon the Lord.