The God of Peace Be With You...

“Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” ~ Romans 15:33, NKJV

Paul writes this verse as he prepares to close his epistle to the Roman believers. Earlier, he had written, “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.’” (vs. 8-9) Jesus, while He was on the earth, submitted Himself completely beneath the strictures, ordinances, and rituals of the law (or the circumcision), so that in fulfilling it He might then, through His death, confirm God's promises of salvation and restoration. He did this “for the truth of God”; that is, so that God's word might be true. He did this furthermore for the Gentiles, allowing those who were once apart from God to bring Him glory through His mercy to them. Jesus' death on the cross, as penalty for sin, brought peace with God to both Jew and Gentile. The law - though good - is death to both groups alike! We can never fulfill it, and it justly condemns us. Our enmity with God brought us the death contained in the law. With death comes all its dreadful cohorts, those enemies who are to blame for every breach of peace in the world: fear, envy, strife, anger, bitterness, pride, rebelliousness, selfishness, greed, despair, anxiety, and the like. But when the God of peace walks beside us - and because of the peace won by Christ He can walk beside us! - there is no room for death and all his friends. They are cast out by God's perfect peace through His unfailing and unlimited love.

by Rebecca...