The Bible mentions true riches thus indicating the existence of false riches. Much of what the world considers riches simply serves as a veil for true poverty. While on earth, the Lord appeared to be the poorest of the poor (Matthew 8:20), all the while being the One who owned all things. The believers at Smyrna appeared to be poor, but the Lord unflinchingly stated that they were in fact rich (Revelation 2:8-9). The opposite was said of those in Laodicea. Although they claimed to be rich, the Bible states the reality: they were poor (Revelation 3:14-17). This truth is confirmed in Proverbs 13:7 when the Bible says, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.”
Salvation brings God's peace to His enemies by transforming them into His allies. However, “the peace of God” mentioned in today's passage involves a daily work in the believer's life. “Peace with God” remains an indissolvable bond, yet experiencing the daily “peace of God” entails an ongoing blessing that may be gained and lost. The “peace of God” comes through prayer and the Bible says this peace is beyond mortal comprehension. It truly comforts a believer’s heart and mind through Christ Jesus. This is why the Lord admonishes believers to “let the peace of God rule in” their hearts (Colossians 3:15). The saved will always be at peace with God, but each Christian must “let” the peace of God work effectually in him on a daily basis.
The New Testament sheds light on two types of peace: peace with God and the peace of God. Peace with God is “through” the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20). According to today's passage, this “peace with God” is experienced only upon one’s justification at the moment of salvation. Trusting Christ's payment through His death, burial, and resurrection remains the only basis for grasping this peace. Before a man trusts in Christ, he is God's enemy (Romans 5:10), but after salvation, he has been gloriously reconciled to God through the work of God's Son. No man earns this peace and no man can lose this peace to again become God's enemy because this peace is an everlasting peace.
