16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all.
God Will Give You Peace – 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Final Greetings
The apostle Paul concludes his letter to the church at Thessalonica by praying for them to experience God’s perfect peace in every circumstance. He was concerned that their church was suffering persecution, battling false teaching, and dealing with disorderly members.
This verse is an appeal to the Lord of peace to abide in their hearts as they battled these issues. This would help them to experience a spiritual perspective that would supersede all of the challenges they faced.
It also means that they could have a complete harmony with the world in which they lived, despite all of its difficulties and problems. This is a Jewish concept called “shalom.”
The Bible says that it is impossible to have a true and living peace without sanctification, or the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (John 15:16; Ephesians 5:15;). Therefore, it is important for us to seek out a local church that specializes in fostering this kind of peace among its members. It is also important to remember that the peace of Christ, which we have in our lives through justification by faith and sanctification, is the only true peace that can truly sustain us in the midst of trials.
