Grace and peace

DEVOTION

GRACE AND PEACE

Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend in their co-authored book, Boundaries, talk about a formula. It is truth plus grace over time equals a changed life. In this case Dr. Cloud uses the term grace in the sense of the English meaning of graciously or with love and concern. This means it is alright to tell someone the truth about the fact that salvation through Jesus Christ saves them from going to hell as long as we so graciously or with grace. That is we cannot thump someone over the head with the truth, Accept Jesus or you are going to hell. Most of us never witness in that manner anyway. We usually tell people about the love of God and that he wants them to go to heaven. The problem is they already think they are going to heaven because they are a good person, at least in their own mind. So then how do we tell them the truth? With grace. Then over a course of time it will change their life. Again it may not happen the instant we blast the truth to them. However in many of the times throughout the New Testament we read the Apostle Paul giving the salutation of peace and grace.

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

NIV

He uses this in the letters 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus,and Philemon. Peter uses it in both of his letters and John also in his second letter and it shows up in the Revelation to John as well. It must have a special meaning.

In all these cases it is the grace that is defined as the divine influence upon our heart or as another lexicon puts it, the spiritual condition of one by the divine grace. This again is being influenced by God in our spirit, our being and this peace is not the opposite of war, but as define specifically in the Christian concept as the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Jesus Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthy lot, of whatsoever sort that is.

This is how Paul used it in his letter to the Romans.

Rom 8:6-7

6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

NIV

So as we are influence by God or the Spirit as he is the present personage of God that is present in the world today and in fact is dwelling within us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, which may be tomorrow’s topic. Nevertheless as he influences us, we also have that assurance of being at peace with God, fearing nothing from him. We are no longer subjects of his wrath, but rather we are subjects of his grace, his divine influence, in this kind of grace we could even say objects of his gracious act. But the point we need to know is that we are his people and he is our God. He has been so good to us, he influences our heart for good, for the good of his kingdom, and he gives us that peace of mind, we are doing what is good and pleasing in his sight when we live as being under his influence. This means we cannot live under our own influence or under the influence of the evil one, whose desire is for our destruction, not salvation. So we must resist the devil and he will flee from us while we pay attention not to our own desires or wants or goals or ambitions either, but rather pay attention to the Spirit. Then we will be living with grace and peace.