WHO GOD IS: Giver of Grace and Peace

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philemon 3

Following the naming of sender and recipient, a standard Ancient Greek letter would begin with chairein—“Greetings!” In his letters, Paul restyled this opening into a prayer for his readers to receive grace (charis) and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7).

Short but sweet, this opening prayer tells us a lot about the nature of God.

First, He gives grace.

While we tend to think of grace as a religious word, in the first century AD it was all about relationships, referring to the generosity of a benefactor towards someone in need of help. God’s grace, however, goes beyond the grace of a typical giver, being totally self-initiated and extending even to his enemies (Romans 5:6-8).

Second, He gives peace.

Paul likely had the background in mind of the Hebrew word, shalom. Shalom did not simply mean the absence of war or anxiety, but total wholeness—every part of life set right. This peace—this wholeness—is God’s heart for His world.

Third, He is our Father.

Jesus Himself invited people to speak directly and intimately to God, as Father (Matthew 6:9). While the Bible affirms our personal relationship with Him, here and in the Lord’s Prayer the emphasis is on God as “our” Father —the one Father whom all His people share.

And fourth, Jesus is God.

Paul’s greeting puts Jesus on the same level as the Father. He also refers to him using the Greek translation of God’s personal name in the Old Testament, Lord. Though the Trinity is hard to grasp, the New Testament nonetheless affirms that Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) are included in the divine identity.

Short, sweet, but packed with content, Paul’s greeting to Philemon reveals so much about who God is.