Peace of Christ
Daily Reading: (Colossians 3:15-17):
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Today’s facet of peace: When speaking of the Messiah’s peace it means the way that leads to peace (salvation). I am grateful for the addition of the word salvation in the Greek definition. Sozo/Salvation is to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction: to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health.
Let the peace of Christ (as in the salvation of the Lord) that He saves us, keep us safe and sound, rescues us from danger or destruction, makes us well, heals, and restore us to health lead you to His peace ruling in your hearts.
You could at any time allow the peace of Christ to rule in your heart or not. This is clear in the Greek:
Brabeuō: to decide, determine to direct, control, rule and it adds that you are the umpire. What a great picture of how this works. Life throws the ball across the plate and you decide, you make the judgment call all the time. No matter what comes let’s choose the peace of Christ.
The called to peace part of Colossians 3:15 is not written in the original Greek manuscript. It should read like this: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called in one body and be thankful.” Now this makes sense because all around this verse Paul is talking about our interaction with other believers and that we are called to one body, meaning the church universal. You have a calling to the Body of Christ (Colossians 3:15).
The question to be asked is, “how do we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts?” The Apostle Paul gives us five different ways in the next two verses (Colossians 3:16-17).
1) Dwell in the Message of Christ Richly
2) Admonish One Another with Wisdom from the Spirit
3) Sing to God with Gratitude in Your Hearts
4) Do All in the Name of the Lord
5) Give Thanks to God through Jesus