“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Gal. 1:3-5).
“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.” Such is the salutation in every epistle by Paul except that to the Hebrews; and, slightly varied, in both by Peter.
Yet it is not by any means a mere form. These epistles have come to us by the word of God, which they are in truth. This salutation, then, though often repeated, —yea, even because often repeated; —comes to us as the word of God in greeting and full assurance of his favor and peace everlastingly held forth to every soul.
Grace is favor. The word of God, then, extends his favor to every soul who ever reads it, or who hears it.
His very name is Gracious—extending grace. His name is only what he is. And he is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” With him is “no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Therefore he always extends grace, boundless favor, to every soul. Oh, that all would only believe it!
“And peace.” He is the “God of peace.” There is no true peace, but that of God. And “there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). “The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest” (Isa. 57:20).
But all the world lies in wickedness, yet the God of peace speaks peace to every soul. For Christ, the Prince of peace, “our peace,” has made both God and man one, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, to make in himself of two—God and man—one new man, so making peace—“making peace through the blood of his cross” (Eph. 2:14, 15, Col. 1:20). “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross,” he “came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh” (Eph. 2:17): peace to all. Therefore, always and forevermore, his salutation to every soul is, “Peace to you from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ!”
Oh, that every one would believe it; so that the peace of God, which passes all understanding could keep the heart and mind through Christ Jesus.
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15). Let it; that is all he asks of you. Don’t refuse it, and beat it back; let it.