Philippians 1:2
“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 1:2
Grace Before Peace
Paul’s letters often begin this way, but it’s no casual greeting. “Grace” and “peace” aren’t just kind words, they have meaning are the essence of the gospel.
Grace always comes first. Before there can be peace with God, there must be grace from God. The order is important. Grace removes guilt and peace replaces it. Grace reconciles and peace restores. Without grace, peace is an illusion.
The world calls temporary comfort “peace,” numbing the soul with entertainment, wealth, or self-assurance. The peace the world offers depends on what’s happening around you whereas the peace of God depends on what’s happening within you.
It is impossible to have peace with God apart from grace, for grace is what makes peace possible. Grace removes the enmity that sin created. The cross is where that hostility was ended. Only through Jesus Christ can the sinner and God stand face to face without wrath between them. Many today claim to have the peace of God without ever having made peace with God. But you cannot have the peace of God until you’ve met the Prince of Peace Himself.
The peace of God does not begin in positive thinking or emotional balance. The world’s peace is shallow and passing, but the peace born of grace is eternal, because it’s rooted in reconciliation, not distraction.
Now, notice the source that Paul mentions. Grace and peace come from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. They can’t be earned, bought, or bargained for. They can only be received. This greeting from the Apostle Paul isn’t filler, it’s vital to the Christian life. Paul didn’t start this letters with “grace and peace” by habit but by design. He knew that without grace, there is no peace, and without Christ, there is no grace. Everything in the Christian life flows from what God has done, not from what we do.
So when you read this greeting, don’t skim it. Understand that this is not just Paul’s wish but it is God’s offer to everyone that comes to Him.