Perfect Peace

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

 PERFECT PEACE

Rom 1:7-10

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. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

NIV

Having digressed thoroughly regarding the Greek word, Charis, as translated as grace, we need to consider this word peace. How is this word seen through the eyes of the New Testament believer living in Rome? This is the Greek word eireenee, which carries a variety of meanings depending on the context. The most obvious meaning is the state of national tranquility being free from the rage and havoc of war. But that is not how Paul used this word. He could have meant the peace that is between individuals, that is having harmony among all believers, all being in one accord, or having the mind of Christ, which comes from the Hebrew word Shaalowm. However, the more recent regard of that word Peace includes the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from Good and content with its earthly lot, whatsoever sort that is. Paul uses the word peace several times in this letter. Once he uses it in the context of the blessed state of devout and upright men after death. This is seen in 2:10. Then he uses it in 8:6 in the sense of that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ. So he could have meant any of those conditions in his salutation regarding the grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus whichever the meaning in this opening statement we can be assured that peace always comes from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. This would mean that there is no way whatsoever that we will ever find any sort of peace either in this world or within our own souls. We know that man’s heart, which was the state we were once in, is bent toward evil all of the time. We also know that none of us in and of ourselves can find any righteousness. But in this scenario, we are looking only at peace, which is impossible for us to ever attain in this flesh. We will always be in turmoil, in chaos, filled with anxiety and a troubled mind. The only source of peace is in God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. All we know is that Paul desired this peace that comes from is for the believers to experience. We also know that the peace that comes from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ is available to all of us. What we must do is accept this peace, for we have that choice to accept it or let it slide and feel the unrest that the world has to offer. We have decided to enjoy the peace that God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ desire us to have. There is also one other application we mentioned at first in which the Greek word eireenee is used, and that is being in harmony with someone or having harmony between two individuals. Therefore, Paul could also have meant that we can have harmony with God, or that God has put us in harmony with him, or he has put himself in harmony with us. But either way, we are not at odds with God, nor is he at odds with us. We have perfect peace between us.