DEVOTION
ROMANS
GRACE AND PEACE
Rom 1:7
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus
Christ.
NIV
The grace and the peace is the subject of today. What exactly is grace
and peace? Let us examine the Greek to know for sure what Paul meant when he
blessed them with this introduction. The Greek word for grace is Charis. There are several Greek words
which are translated as grace, but this one is not used in the sense of
unmerited favor. This is evident within the contextual use of the word grace.
This letter was written first to the believers in Rome. Because they, and us
for that matter, were believers they had already experienced the unmerited
favor type of grace, salvation through Jesus Christ. Now Paul uses this word
which is properly defined affords pleasure, joy, and delight. It is seen as
producing a spiritual condition of one govern by the power of divine grace.[1]
This grace is also defined as the divine influence upon the heart and how that
is reflected in in our lives.[2]
This makes the most sense and is the correct way to see this grace as in its
context. So Paul starts by saying that may God influence your heart and may he
be reflected in your lives. This speaks to us as well. God should be
influencing our heart first of all. There are so many things of the world which
could be an influence on our heart or mind, our thinking, which is what the
heart refers to. Every advertisement is intended to influence us. Ads about
merchandise or financial freedom, looking good, beauty aids, health issues,
retirement, whatever. Every statement of someone of importance is intended to
influence us. The media is intent on influencing how we think about something
or someone. This includes all forms of social media. We are consistently
bombarded with information of some kind which bears some influence on our
thinking. Do we reflect those influences in our lives? Do we talk and act in
accordance with how those factors influence us?
Have we been sucked in? The fact is that we should be living, having the
divine influencing our heart, our thinking and reflecting him in our lives.
That means people should see Jesus in us. They should see the fruit of the
Spirit as he influences how we live. They should see the power of God in us,
as he works in our lives. Is that what we reflect, rather than what influences
the world is pushing on us? The peace which Paul speaks here is another issue
all together. The Greek word is erieenee
which carries great meaning. [3]
First the tranquil state of being free of havoc of war. This might mean
nations, but it also can mean being at peace with God. Before we were saved, we
were enemies with God. We were objects of his wrath, being at war with him. But
when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, it was a peace treaty, he made a
covenant with us. We are at peace with God. But again within the context,
although that meaning could be implied, it is most likely Paul was giving them
the idea they could be assured of their salvation through Christ and fearing
nothing from God and content with their earthly lot, whatsoever sort that is.
All forms of peace which this word is used for here could apply. The fact is
we are at peace with God, which means we are not at war with him. We live in
harmony with God. Then of course, his divine influence would have the greatest
and single effect on our lives. Being in harmony with God means we are singing
the same tune. We sound good together. We in the same key, and using the same
words. He is singing the lead and we are harmonizing with him. So let us live
as if grace and peace have been given to us by God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
[1]
NT:5485
NT:5485 charis, charitos,
grace
1. properly,
that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace
of speech
a. the
spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace,
b. a
token or proof of grace, 2 Cor 1:15
(from Thayer's
Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved.)
[2]
NT:5485
NT:5485 charis (khar'-ece); from NT:5463; graciousness
(as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or
spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection
in the life; including gratitude):
(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
[3]
NT:1515
NT:1515 eireenee, eireenees, hee
peace,
1. a
state of national tranquility; exemption from the rage and havoc of war: Rev
6:4
2. peace
between individuals, i. e. harmony, concord: Matt 10:34
3. after
the Hebrew shaalowm, security, safety, prosperity, felicity, Luke 19:42
4. Specifically,
the Messiah's peace: Luke 2:14
5. according
to a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of a
soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God
and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoerer sort that is: Rom 8:6
6. of
the blessed state of devout and upright men after death Rom 2:10
(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
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