1 Tim 1:2 (KJV) Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grace was said before the barbeque was served at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair (LOC) (Photo credit: The Library of Congress)
Grace, Mercy and Peace!
In our fast consumption world where information assaults our senses in visual and sound bites, we have a vague notion of grace, mercy and peace. Everyone would agree that they are good things to want and have. Indeed, grace, mercy and peace are good. But we rob ourselves of having a deeper understanding of the word of God, and the ways of God (which should also be our ways) if we don’t look further to get a deeper understanding of what this short verse is about. What was it that Paul was desiring for his adopted son Timothy to have, and why is this a good thing to pray for all men to have? In looking deeper, we gain insight into the profound richness of being blessed with grace, mercy and peace. Which brings us of course, to another word study. We will start with grace.
What Is Grace?
According to Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew dictionary, the original Greek word translated as “grace” is χάρις (Transliteration: charis & Phonetic Pronunciation: khar’-ece). Charis is a noun (feminine) meaning: Accept, Accepted, Acceptable, Benefit, Benefactor, Favor, Favored, Grace, Liberal, Liberality, Liberally, Thank, Thanks, Thankful, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, Thankworthy.
In this verse, the word grace is a portal whereby we gain insight into the love of God, the sacrificial atoning death of Jesus, and the magnanimous gift of salvation. When we have faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who paid our sin debt, we become joint heirs with Christ and accepted into the family of God. For this every believer should be eternally thankful.
The word grace embraces both Benefactor (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and the favored ones (us). Just as the father accepted the prodigal son when he came home, so God accepts us when we have faith in Jesus, Who is the Door through Whom we must pass to come to Him. Without the grace of God we could not be accepted into His presence. By the grace of God, may we be thankful for the mercy of God: that through faith in the sacrificial and atoning death and resurrection of Jesus we are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). What a precious blessing it is to wish someone “grace, mercy and peace!”
My next post will discuss mercy.
May these words educate and comfort you today. Until we meet again: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).
– Verneda
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