Grace Be With You

What a nice way to close a letter! Warm fuzzies spread through the body as we close out conversations and letters with the simple phrase (or maybe a slightly more developed form) “grace be with you.” Paul liked to use this, giving some form of it in every one of his letters. But is that all this is? Some trite statement that sounds like a simple, nice way to open and close a letter? I do not believe so.

Consider the nature of Paul’s letters. Typically, his purpose in writing is to address a spiritual or theological issue plaguing the church. The letters usually consist of two parts, the first doctrine, and the second action. We could label them as the first the Orthodoxy section, and the second as the Orthopraxy section The second is always rooted in the first as if to say; “this is what we believe, now here is what we should do as a result of that belief.” Yet, with a careful reading of the orthopraxy, it seems as though his desires of what the church should do is unattainable. These are high and lofty demands!

Rooted throughout his demands though is one thing we can never forget. Paul’s writings are loaded with the centrality of the Gospel. He knows that in everything, orthodoxy and orthopraxy, the Gospel is what gives it power, what makes both possible. Without Christ, doctrine is useless and practice is hopeless. It is this fact, this Gospel, that makes “grace be with you” more than just a trite statement to give the readers warm fuzzies. The grace of Christ is what makes anything Paul writes about possible, without his grace we are powerless to live a life that is pleasing to him.

Think for example; Timothy, a young man is placed in charge of a troubled church and Paul gives him this list of things he wants Timothy to do to make the church become strong again. The charge is immense, almost impossible. But Paul closes out the letter with a very simple statement, three words in the Greek; “grace be with you.” I can hear Timothy now, reading those words; “ahhh.” Timothy may have been overwhelmed, but that simple reminder let him know God is with him, God’s grace is upon him, and because God’s grace is there for him, he can do what he has been charged to do.

So as we face the tasks of life, seeking to live according to the holy will of God, just remember this statement and all its implications:

GRACE BE WITH YOU.