The Peace of God

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When talking about the peace with God and the peace of God, the Apostle Paul is addressing the saints (believers). While all believers obtain peace with God the very moment that we are saved, the peace of God is something that comes later in each of our lives as we each mature in our daily walk with the Lord.

The words “Be careful” come from the Greek word, merimnáō. It means to “to be anxious about” or “take thought”. But then, Paul adds the words “for nothing” to the end of that word. So he’s saying take thought for nothing or be anxious about nothing. But then he says, “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Sometimes as humans we tend to over think some things and maybe even get worked up/worried over things that were probably small matters to begin with, but we made it into a bigger problem. And Paul is simply saying take thought for nothing, but by praying we should just let our requests be made known unto Him.

• Why is that? Why should we “take thought for nothing; but in everything by prayer…let your requests be made known unto God?” Well, read verse 7. It says the peace of God shall keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We are told in Colossians 3:15 to let the peace of God rule in our hearts and be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

What does the peace of God do for us? It simply allows us to feel and know that God is in control. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom. 8:28).

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

• God has a plan and purpose for each one of us in how we each fit into His eternal purpose. We should simply just trust Him with our lives, just like when we first trusted in Him for our salvation. Remember that God is in control! The peace of God will rule in our hearts when we simply trust that He is in control and know for a fact that everything works together for good to them that love God. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing! What’s the main thing? GOD IS IN CONTROL!

Peace with God

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

·       But, before I get into these two verses I want to back up to chapter four of Romans to get the context. In chapter four, the Apostle Paul is explaining to us how Abraham was justified (made righteous).

Romans 4:2-5 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

·   We learn here that Abraham was justified by his faith, and not by his own works. He simply believed God, and his faith was counted unto him for righteousness.

Romans 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

·   Now, the Apostle Paul is summing up his point by saying that righteousness shall be imputed (put on our account) to us, if we simply believe the gospel (good news). That is, if we believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our offences (sins), was buried, and rose again on the third day. At the end of verse 25, it says that Christ was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

·   We are made the righteousness of God in Him (in Christ) (2 Cor. 5:21) the moment we believe the gospel.

·  This now leads us into verse one of chapter five.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

·   Paul starts out now with the word “therefore.” In other words, now that we are saved and justified (how?) by faith, Paul then further explains the position that we now hold in Christ.

·   Because, we are justified by faith, we also have peace with God (how?) through our Lord Jesus Christ.

·   We once were enemies of God (Rom. 5:10), but now we have peace with God. We are no longer at war with God. Instead, we have a perfect standing before God in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And if that wasn’t enough, Paul continues writing.

Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

·   In Christ, we also have been given access to God the Father (how?) by faith.

·  “Wherein we stand” – This phrase again explains to us the perfect standing that all believers have before God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

·   So, what’s left for us to do? To rejoice. To give praise and glory to God. The work is done. Christ did it all for us. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Cor. 15:3,4). All we have to is believe! Our faith is counted for righteousness! We are made the righteousness of God in Him (in Christ)! And now, we have peace with God! Praise the Lord!