What does it mean to preach the gospel of peace in Romans 10:15?

Answer  
  

The apostle Paul begins Romans 10 by expressing a heartfelt desire for his fellow Jews, the people of Israel, to be saved (see verse 1\). In verses 14–21, Paul asks a series of questions through which he implies that the Jewish people had the opportunity to hear the gospel message but [rejected it](Jews-reject-Jesus.html). To emphasize the importance of sending out people to preach the gospel so that others may hear and believe the good news, Paul quotes from the Old Testament prophets: “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:  
  


‘How [beautiful](how-beautiful-on-the-mountains.html) are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,  

Who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (Romans 10:15, NKJV).  
  

The preaching of the gospel of peace to Israel is cited from Isaiah 52:7:  
  


How beautiful on the mountains  

are the feet of those who bring good news,  

who proclaim peace,  

who bring good tidings,  

who proclaim salvation,  

who say to Zion,  

“Your God reigns!”  
  

In Isaiah, God brings good news to the people of Israel regarding their deliverance from captivity in Assyria (see Isaiah 52:4, 7–12\) and their future deliverance from sin through the coming Messiah.  
  

A similar gospel of peace is mentioned in Nahum 1:15 as a reference to the destruction of the [Assyrian Empire](Assyria-in-the-Bible.html):  
  


Look, there on the mountains,  

the feet of one who brings good news,  

who proclaims peace!  

Celebrate your festivals, Judah,  

and fulfill your vows.  

No more will the wicked invade you;  

they will be completely destroyed.  
  

These messages are all “good news” of deliverance for the people of Israel. In its earliest context, *good news* or *the gospel* referred to news of military victories. But by New Testament times, these words had become associated with the message of God’s redemption, deliverance from captivity to sin, and salvation of sinful humanity through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.  
  

The [good news](gospel-good-news.html) is a gospel of peace because it brings peace between God and those who put their faith in Jesus Christ: “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand” (Romans 5:1–2, NLT). Through a restored relationship with God in Jesus Christ, we receive His gift of peace (John 14:27; Romans 8:1–4, 31–35; 2 Thessalonians 3:16\).  
  

The “God of peace” is our Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20\) and source of peace for all who trust in Him (Romans 15:13; see also Romans 14:17\). He tells us not to be anxious or afraid (Matthew 6:25–34\) because His caring provision and loving presence are always with us (Romans 8:31–35; Philippians 4:9\). We don’t have to worry about anything but “instead, pray about everything. Tell God what \[we] need, and thank him for all he has done. Then \[we] will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard \[our] hearts and minds as \[we] live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7, NLT).  
  

The good news is a gospel of peace because it breaks down all divisions of race, gender, and nationality by forming [one united body](unity-in-Christ.html) in Christ, the church: “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us . . . by creating in himself one new people . . . He brought this Good News of peace to . . . Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us” (Ephesians 2:14–18, NLT).  
  

