Bible

[plugger]

I sort of got hung up on Greg and Peace.....I do agree with Greg, but then I can not help but to be curious as to how we got to where we are today, with "being at peace"- I checked the Greek word and definitions and so forth and yes Greg is 100% right----yet----how did we arrive at where we are today with "peace to you my brother" or rest in peace".........this is a fantastic subject. My John MacAurthur Study Bible in the footnotes says.....which I think maybe helps me to understand----Goes like this--"PEACE I LEAVE.....NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES.......The word "peace" reflects the word "shalom" which became a greeting to His disciples after the resurrection. At the individual level this peace, unknown to the unsaved, secures composure in difficult trouble.....it dissolves fear (Phil 4:7). It rules in the hearts of God's people to maintain harmony (Col.3:15). The greatest reality of of this peace will be in the messianic kingdom----a whole ton of Scripture ref. here.......

The thing that grabbed me here was John"s point---unknown to the unsaved-----now back to me and my 2cents worth----I suppose that if it gives comfort to folks----go for it. Then SHAME on our churches for not giving some serious sermons on this, SHAME on our S.S. Classes for not teaching the youngsters at an early age....then another point----the thief on the cross only said "Remember Me" & he found peace......I have no idea what runs through a person's mind in the very last minutes of life on earth, maybe, just maybe the thought of "JESUS REMEMBER ME "------I do not know, and I fear for someone who will wait till the last seconds to reach out. If in my life if I planted a seed and it does not come into being until the last second is one's life, well they, as the thief, reached out and I do believe that Jesus grabbed them. I suppose I am really stretching this thing of peace to the limit, yet for someone to hear "peace to you or rest in piece" may just a seed planted, it may, just maybe, cause one to think on "what is this peace". I do believe God works in strange ways, so maybe when a Christian says "Rest in Peace" or "Peace be with you" God considers it like a mini prayer, a request of aid to a lost one.----Then the Holy Spirit takes over.

Here is one last thing to stir up the ole rusty brain cells----my bride just gave me this from her fb page,

"God is not who you think He is -----He is what He says He is-----

God Bless and have a really good day