“Grace to you and peace from God our Father…” 1:2b
The Apostle Paul starts EVERY ONE of his letters with this exact greeting or something very similar–one thing is always sure, ‘grace’ and ‘peace’.
GRACE–unmerited favor. I believe this has everything to do with the fact that GRACE is the very basis of our relationship with Christ. There is nothing we can do to earn or lose favor with God! Paul is wise to keep that at the forefront of every one of his letters, Colossians being no exception. He knows that “but by the grace of God”, he would still be dead in his sin. He knows that he needs the grace of God to even write the very words. This word ‘grace’ is also very important regarding the occasion for the book of Colossians. GRACE.
PEACE–a state of harmony characterized by lack of conflict. I believe it is included in the same sentence with “grace” letter after letter after letter because you can’t have one without the other. If God has saved you by grace, if He has given you His gift-righteousness by faith, then you have peace. You are at peace with your Creator. You are reconciled with the Righteous Judge. THIS is true and everlasting peace. Friend, if you don’t have peace of soul, I would submit that you haven’t really understood nor believed the grace of God extended to you in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. PEACE.
What a God!
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