Grace Be To You and Peace
Fourteen verses in the King James Bible specifically say that grace and peace are from God the Father and His Son Jesus. This exhortation is specifically from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. The authors of these letters are being inspired by God, the Holy Spirit, to encourage the church. God wants us to know His grace and peace are being poured out or lavished upon us! Wow! “Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ,” is quoted almost word for word in seven verses!
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
- 1 Corinthians 1:3—Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 1:2—Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 1:3—Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Ephesians 1:2—Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Philippians 1:2—Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:2—Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Philemon 1:3—Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you think God wants His children, His church to know something?
What is Grace Really?
According to the online King James Bible Dictionary, grace is “favor, kindness, friendship, God’s forgiving mercy, gifts freely bestowed by God, goodwill, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the application of Christ’s righteousness to the sinner, a state of reconciliation to God, spiritual instruction, improvement and edification, apostleship, eternal life, final salvation, mercy, pardon, privilege,” etc. There is much more at the above link for the online King James Bible Dictionary about grace.
Addition-September 18, 2022
“grace”
BlueLetterBible.org
occurs 170 times in 159 verses in the KJV.
Page 1 / 4 exact matches (Gen 6:8–Act 20:24)
Noah Found Grace
The first verse in the above search is Genesis 6:8, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” In Genesis 6:5-7, God is repented that He created man because of the wickedness and “the earth was filled with violence (Genesis 6:11-12).
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. – Gen 6:8 KJV
These [are] the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man [and] perfect in his generations, [and] Noah walked with God. – Gen 6:9 KJV
Grace Be to You and Peace
As a New Covenant believer, the grace of God that Noah found in the eyes of the LORD, is part of the finished work of the cross. Grace is our being the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). We only have to believe and receive what God has already provided (Mark 11:24).
You don’t have to convince anyone else (John 5:44). You can believe for yourself. See yourself the way God sees you. Then you will be able to see others the way God sees them.
What About Peace?
Again, the online King James Bible Dictionary defines peace as “a state of quiet or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation, freedom from internal or external war, commotion, quarrels, or disturbances, freedom from agitation or disturbance by the passions, as from fear, terror, anger, anxiety or the like; quietness of mind; tranquility; calmness; quiet of conscience, heavenly rest; the happiness of heaven, harmony, a state of reconciliation between parties at variance,” etc. There is again so much more information to be found at kingjamesbibledictionary.com about peace.
One of my favorite things about having peace from God is the freedom from drama! I don’t have to participate in the drama of the world any more. Hallelujah!
The Knowledge of God and of Jesus Our Lord
Peter explains that grace and peace will be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus!
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2 Peter 1:2
Jesus tells us that eternal life is knowing God and Jesus!
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
John 17:3
Into His Kingdom
This is completely compatible with the truth that we have already been translated into the kingdom right here and now if we choose to seek and then walk in the truth!
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Colossians 1:13
This is exactly what it means to be in the world but not of the world.
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:14-16
These are in the world.
Jesus is not of the world and He says that we are not of the world. But Jesus says that He is no longer in the world, but that we are in the world.
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
John 17:11
Be with Me where I Am
Then, Jesus prays to the Father that it is His will that we be with Him where He is! Jesus is speaking present tense that we may behold His glory.
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
John 17:24
Where is Jesus?
Jesus is in His kingdom in heaven!
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Mark 16:19
Are you already risen with Christ?
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1
Greater Works
“Stephen is described in Acts 6:5 as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost.” Again in verse 8 Stephen is described as “full of faith and power.” Stephen “did great wonders and miracles among the people.” Acts 6:10 explains that certain people of the synagogue or religious people “were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which Stephen spoke.” How was Stephen able to see Jesus and behold the glory of God before his physical death?
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Acts 7:55-56
Resisting the Holy Ghost
Stephen was already risen with Christ and seeking those things above where Christ sits on the right hand of God before he was martyred. He had told the religious people that they were resisting the Holy Ghost just as their fathers had done.
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Acts 7:51
Resisting the Power
I am telling you today that there are religious people who are in the church but not of the church who are resisting the Holy Ghost and denying the power of God. They are claiming a form of godliness but denying the power.
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:5
Grace, Mercy, and Peace
This is probably why the Apostle Paul started out the three letters to leaders in the church with not only “Grace be unto you and peace,” but he started them with grace, mercy, and peace! Those who will stand up for the truth which is the absolute unmerited goodness of God and His power and Spirit in us–Christ in us the hope of glory–also need to be constantly reminded of God’s mercy!
- 1 Timothy 1:2—Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
- 2 Timothy 1:2—To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Titus 1:4—To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Mercy
The first sentence on the King James Bible Dictionary website under mercy is “Compassion for the miserable.” There are a lot of miserable people in the world. Unfortunately, this also includes Christians who are saved and stuck.
Grace be to you and peace and mercy are all from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord!
The following definition of mercy explains how Jesus and Stephen could pray to the Father for the forgiveness of those who were persecuting them even to physical death.
That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.
King James Bible Dictionary
To You From God
God is speaking to you! He wants you to know His great love and desire for you to experience His grace toward you and His peace. Knowing God or life eternal, began with being born again! You can choose to draw near to God. He promises to not only draw near to you but that He is already in you! He promises to never leave you nor forsake you and to dwell in you. If God’s Word and His promises are not absolute truth in your life, why not? If you aren’t looking more like Jesus every day and even doing greater works, why not? Are you listening to God? Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. That is His will for you!
2 thoughts on “Grace Be To You and Peace”
Star,
Blessed post! Truth repeated to assure we get the message! When we study to show ourselves approved, our spirit is renewed and our Faith in increased. The WORD becomes more ALIVE with each reading once our heart is open to receive.
Blessings to you!
Nancy
Amen!