Your Grace, Your Mercy, and Your Peace
One of the fundamental and most fantastic truths of the Christian faith is that God gives to us what we do not deserve. As sinners, down to the very last man, woman, and child, we deserve death. And what does God grant us instead? “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
This reversal—God giving us what we do not deserve and withholding what we do deserve—is so precious that we have a special word for it: grace. By His grace, God gives the most beautiful gift of life to the least deserving.
And how is it that He can show us such grace, freeing us from sin and guilt and bringing us every benefit in Jesus Christ? Because of His mercy. It is God’s great mercy that inclines Him to give us what we don’t deserve—and by that mercy, He showers us with grace.
Flowing from such grace and mercy is a bounty of peace. Peace is the experience of those who have been reconciled to God, of those who are no longer alienated from Him but who now live in fellowship with Him and in community with other recipients of His favor. This peace is such an otherworldly experience of God’s grace and mercy that it “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
In a world that can feel fraught with disappointment and danger and sometimes void of meaning and purpose, what more could we ask for than such supernatural grace, mercy, and peace? They are stable. They are durable. They are permanent. And God the Father is always pleased to dispense them generously to all who come to Him through His precious Son, Jesus Christ. If you are trusting Christ, grace, mercy, and peace will be with you. So, pause before moving on and let the meaning and magnitude of those three words sink in. God’s grace is yours, God’s mercy is yours, God’s peace is yours—all through Jesus, your Savior.
How is God calling me to think differently?
How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?
What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?
Greeting
1aThe elder to the elect lady and her children, bwhom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who cknow dthe truth, 2ebecause of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
3fGrace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.
Walking in Truth and Love
4gI rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5And now I ask you, dear lady—hnot as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—ithat we love one another. 6And jthis is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just kas you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7For lmany deceivers mhave gone out into the world, nthose who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch yourselves, oso that you may not lose what we1 have worked for, but pmay win a full reward. 9Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, qdoes not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching qhas both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, rdo not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11for whoever greets him stakes part in his wicked works.
Final Greetings
12tThough I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. uInstead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, vso that our joy may be complete.
13The children of your elect sister greet you.
Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.
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