The Gospel Seminar

"Luther Quotations"; # 2B

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (1;3)

Luther on this verse:

"The apostle's greeting is strange to the world and was never heard of before the preaching of the gospel. These two words, 'grace' and 'peace', include all that belongs to Christianity. ''Grace' releases sin, and 'peace' makes the conscience quiet. The two fiends that torment us are sin and conscience. But Christ (COMPLETELY AND ALONE) has vanquished these two monsters and has trodden them under foot, both in this life and the life to come." (p.32)

Have you ever noticed that almost all of the epistles start with this similar greeting?

Notice:
* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Romans)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (1 Cor.)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (2 Cor.)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Gala.)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Eph.)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (Philip.)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father..." (Colossians)

* "Grace and peace to you..." (1 Thessal.)

* "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ..." (2 Thess.)

* "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord..." (1 Tim.)

* "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord..." (2 Tim.)

* "Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior..." (Titus)

* "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ..." (Philemon)

* "Grace and peace be yours in abundance..." (1 Peter 1)

* "Grace and peace be yours in abundance..." (2 Peter 1)

* "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ..." (2 John 1)

* "Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance..." (Jude)

* "Grace and peace to you from him who was..." (Revelation)

Why do all these epistles start with the same greeting? What are the authors purposes for starting every epistle this way?

Purpose: :
The authors purpose for this overwhelmingly repetitive, grace-greeting coming before everything else that is written in the epistle is to teach you that your 1) locational, grace-status before God and 2) the knowledge of his peaceful disposition (not anger and wrath) toward you is to be the first and most powerful truth in your heart as you live out out your day to day life.

Nothing is to precede these gospel truths in degree of importance or priority.
Nothing is to define you more powerfully than these grace-truths.


Application:
Believer: For the next 60 days slowly read and believe all of the passages above at the beginning of your day, once in the afternoon, and before you go to bed. Do this slowly every day for 60 straight days.