What is the Peace of God? Its Biblical Meaning and Practical Benefits
According to the Bible, the peace of God, “which transcends all understanding,” is the harmony and calmness of body, mind, and spirit that supersedes earthly circumstances. Nearly all of the letters of Paul start with the phrase “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Throughout scripture, we find that peace is defined as a blessing from God and harmonious with His character.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
The peace of God can be described as a tranquil state of appreciation and faith when we submit to and trust the commandments of God and Christ. It requires a mixture of humility and courage to experience God’s peace, seeking beyond the mere abilities of our own understanding.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding Proverbs 3:5
If God is inherently peaceful, then to appreciate God is to live in His peace. The nearer we move to Him, the more of His peace we can experience. Thankfully, the Bible provides us specific guidance about how to be closer to Him.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8
Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. Psalms 24:3-4
The peace we feel at first, when our guilty consciences are washed clean, builds as we get to better know God over time. The scripture verse of 2 Peter 1:2 encourages this growing relationship with God saying, “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.”
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22
When we grow in our knowledge of the wisdom and prosperity of God’s love for us, our minds and spirits develop a restful faith of His power and grace. We begin to recognize that He really will make all things work together for our good and that His purposes will be achieved.
May have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:18-19
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 NIV
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11