Thursday, Aug 9, 2018 - Ephesians 6:23

Having the Peace of God in your Life. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhC8YDUkMgw

Grace Fellowship Church

Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.org

5. The Encouragement, vs. 21-24.  

We now turn to vs. 23, in Paul’s closing salutation / benediction, Eph 6:23, “Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The word salutation comes from the Greek verb ASPASMOS, ἀσπασμός that means, “a greeting or salutation.” The verb ASPAZOMAI, ἀσπάζομαι means, “to greet, welcome, cherish, embrace, or salute.”

“The noun form is extremely rare in antiquity, both in literary documents and nonliterary papyri. Similarly, aspasmos is not found in either the canonical or apocryphal writings of the Septuagint.” (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary).

It comes from the Greek A, a particle of union, and SPAO, a primary verb meaning “to draw, draw out,” or even, “to draw one’s sword.” So, combined it means, first to draw out, to salute one, greet, bid welcome, wish well to, paid their respects to, to embrace in greeting as well as the erotic embrace of love. At the closing of a letter it comes to mean, “to embrace them, took leave of them, or bid them farewell.”

In Paul’s typical fashion of closing salutations, he mentions, “peace, love, and faith,” along with “grace,” which is included in the concept of peace, cf. Rom 15:33; Gal 6:16; Phil 4:23; 1 Thes 5:28; 2 Thes 3:16-18; Titus 3:15; Heb 13:20-25.

In Paul’s opening salutations, (greetings), Grace and Peace always occur in that order, cf. Eph 1:2, witnessing to the truth that peace cannot be experienced apart from the prior experience of God’s grace in your life.

Here, we see that peace is united with faith and love. These three are also seen together in Gal 5:22, as part of the “fruit of the Holy Spirit,” and 2 Tim 2:22, as what we should be pursuing, along with righteousness, in our spiritual walk with Christ, as we flee from “youthful lusts.” Our passage is the only other verse that has these three together in one verse.

Paul begins this closing salutation with, “peace be to the brethren,” EIRENE HO ADELPHOS. ADELPHOS can be used literally for “a physical brother,” or figuratively it can refer to a brother in the spiritual sense, especially in the Christian community. Therefore, it is an affectionate use for, “a fellow Christian or neighbor.”

“Peace” is the Greek Noun EIRENE, εἰρήνη in the Nominative case here that means, “peace, harmony, tranquility, health, prosperity.” It is the equivalent to SHALOM of the OT Hebrew. It means there is fellowship between each other. It is also related to a condition of peace, a respite during an endless series of wars. And since Paul just got done speaking about our spiritual warfare and the armor of God we are to adorn ourselves with for battle inside the Angelic Conflict, it is an apropos ending, because in Christ we truly have peace.

We have noted EIRENE in Eph 1:2, the opening Salutation, as well as, Eph 2:14-15, 17; 4:3; 6:15. As we have previously noted, the progression of this word in Ephesians includes:

1. A salutation for peace that comes from God our Father and Jesus Christ, Eph 1:2.

2. Jesus who broke down the dividing barrier between Jews and Gentiles to bring the two to peace, Eph 2:14.

3. By taking on the sins of the world, He brought peace to all who believe in Him, making them one body, Eph 2:15.

4. He preached the gospel of peace to all, both Jews and Gentiles, Eph 2:17.

5. We now are to be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit, (the one body), in the bond of Peace, Eph 4:3.

6. We are to be prepared to fight the Angelic Warfare with the Gospel of Peace, Eph 6:15.

7. God desires us to live in peace, Eph 6:23.

As Paul is wishing “peace” to the believers of the early church, he is conveying God’s desire for every believer to live in peace with God, Jesus Christ, others believers, and even non-believers. He desires the believers to live in peace, while also conveying the fondness of relationship he has with them. When we read this closing salutation, by peace, we understand all manners of peace; peace with God, peace of conscience, peace among themselves, etc.

As we have noted, Biblical peace has two aspects: Positional and Experiential. We noted positional back in vs. 15, where we are to give the “gospel of peace,” to the lost. When they believe upon the gospel of Jesus Christ they receive Positional Peace, just as we did when we believed.

Positionally, the believer is at Peace with God. That is, we have a direct relationship with Him. There is nothing dividing us or keep us apart. The peace between God and the believer was achieved by the completed work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, where He broke down the barrier between God and man by paying the penalty for our sins.

Jesus Christ paid for the sin of the unbeliever, 1 John 2:2, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” Yet, because they have not accepted His saving work on their behalf, “believed in Him,” the barrier remains between them and God, and there is no peace.

But for the believer, there is peace, Rom 5:1; Eph 2:12-18.

Rom 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”

Therefore, peace is achieved only through faith in the work of Jesus Christ, Col 1:20.

Col 1:19-20, “For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

Experientially, the believer has the potential for “the peace of Jesus Christ” by having His Word resident within their soul and by being filled with the Holy Spirit, (as result of rebounding), John 14:25-27; Rom 8:6; 14:17, 19; Phil 4:9.

John 14:25, “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. ²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Rom 8:6, “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Rom 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Rom 14:19, “So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”

Phil 4:9, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

To have His peace experientially, also means we must consistently apply faith in our prayers, cf. 1 John 1:9; 1 John 5:14-15, and the utilization of the “if” statements.

Your prayer life enters you into His peace experientially, not only by rebounding, but by turning all your needs, cares, and worries over to the Father, faith resting that He hears and answers those prayer, Phil 4:6-7.

Phil 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Frequently, “peace” is used with reference to outward conditions of tranquility and thus of individuals, of communities, of churches, and of nations, e.g., Numb 6:26; 1 Sam 7:14; 1 Kings 4:24; Acts 9:31; Eph 4:3; 1 Thes 5:13; Heb 12:14; 2 Peter 3:14.

Heb 12:14, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”

2 Peter 3:14, “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.”

In its deepest application, peace is used for “spiritual peace” that means restored relations and harmony with God, e.g., Isa 9:6-7, “Jesus as the Prince of Peace”; Isa 26:3; Luke 2:14; John 14:27; Acts 10:36; Rom 1:7; 5:1; Gal 5:22.

Isa 9:6-7, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Peace between individuals is also called harmony, prosperity, and tranquility, Act 7:26; Eph 4:1-3.

Eph 4:1-3, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Act 7:26, “And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?'.”

Peace is related to security, safety, and prosperity. Peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous, Phil 4:7; 2 Peter 1:2-8.

Phil 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Peace is the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing from God. We are content with our earthly lot in whatever it is or may be, Act 9:31; Rom 15:33.

Act 9:31, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”

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

Peace is the blessed state of righteous men after death, 1 Thes 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”