The authors of the New Testament books often wish their readers “grace and peace” in the opening remarks of their letters. This term was a blessing that became a common greeting among the early Christians. It is a blessing that has a deeper meaning than what might appear on the surface.

“Grace” refers to the salvation that God offers to all humanity through the sacrificial death of his Son Jesus. This salvation cannot be earned; it is a gift from God, which is what “grace” means. Eph.2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” By dying on the cross, Jesus paid the debt of sin. It was not a debt he owed. But it was a debt that we owed that we could not possibly pay. How amazing, indeed, is the grace that God has shown us in Jesus!

Now about that second part of the greeting. “Peace” refers to much more than an inner sense of well-being, although that is part of the package. In this case, “peace” is referring to being in a right relationship with God. Many people outside of Christ feel at peace, but they are sadly mistaken. Before we accepted Christ, we were enemies of God. This is a concept that many people do not comprehend but is clearly spelled out in Scripture. Rom.5:10 says, “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” God is the One who sets the terms for peace, and until we accept God’s terms, we can never experience the peace that he offers us through Jesus.

Notice as you read the term “grace and peace” in the New Testament that it always comes in that order. I don’t think that you ever see the terms reversed. Why is that? It is because grace must come first. To have peace with God, you must have accepted the grace that God offers. Without grace there can be no true peace. Those outside of Christ might feel at peace with themselves and with others, but they cannot have peace with God until they accept Christ as their savior. Those who think that they can experience peace with God without having submitted themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ have been deceived.

So, there you have it. My prayer for those of you who are following Christ is that you will enjoy the grace and peace that are ours through Jesus. And my prayer for those of you who are not following Jesus is that you will accept him as your savior and thus experience the life of grace and peace that God offers you.