In Romans 5:1-2 we are told that having been “justified by faith we have peace with God.” The Bible is the story of how God, through the sacrifice of His son, made the way for the war that rages between God and His creation to come to an end. The “favor” of God, His grace, through faith (another expression of His “favor”) makes our peace a reality.
Grace and peace are tied together.
But there is another understanding of peace that is also tied to grace. When we talk about peace, we often think of security, rest, no worries, the calm after a storm. This kind of peace is a settled confidence. It is the sense that comes when we know we have sufficient resources to meet any need. This peace is a work of grace through faith.
In the Old Testament the word was “Shalom”. Shalom was a sense of total well-being. Shalom was the security that came from knowing everything was in order and that one had sufficient resources for every need – no worry, no lack, satisfied in every area of life. To greet or send away someone with the blessing of “Shalom” was to desire for someone to experience only the best in everything.
Is it any wonder that in the New Testament the Apostle Paul began his letters to the churches with “Grace and Peace to you”. He understood that the message of the gospel brought the grace that produces peace in the believing hearer.
The same grace that God bestows upon our lives brings us peace with Him. When we extend that grace to others, peace will characterize our relationships.
