Galatians 1:2-5
GREETING
To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Apostle Paul addresses this epistle to the churches. Therefore, we are assuming that it was a grouping of churches in the same general area. Having churches spread throughout the country, by God’s design, provides many benefits. The churches are blessed as they fellowship with each other, like an extended family, let’s say. This duplicates the same kind of churches as originally found in Jerusalem as they grew rapidly, by the very acts of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Word. As a result, therefore, most churches met in homes and were fashioned similarly to the Jewish synagogues. Consider, as an example, if only one church existed as a light of Christ to the world. This singular, sole church, but by the grace of God, could easily be discouraged in their quest to conquer Satan and the works of evil that are flagrantly against the cause of Christ. However, a grouping or a fellowship of like-minded churches, on the other hand, have a sense of community as they encourage and support each other in all trials and tribulations that the churches may face. Additionally so, they are blessed as they cooperate together in mission work and spreading the gospel. Jesus Christ commanded them to go, make disciples, baptize believers, and teach them all things that the Lord has commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). God is also blessed as the churches lift up the name of Christ as the only hope to a world that is filled with pagan worship and idolatry. In every place where Christ is lifted up, God is glorified. This is the glory that will fill the earth as waters fill the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). Praise and glory to God! Nevertheless, there is also another factor to consider. The churches throughout Galatia were most probably made up of the same ethnic and social economic type of people. Satan will do everything to steal, kill, and destroy. Therefore, the attacks on the churches were probably similar; not that every church was affected, but presumably multiple churches struggles with the same issues that caused the Apostle to write this letter of rebuke and correction. With the occasion and the doctrinal themes that Paul used in his letter, we are blessed to have God’s Word accessible to the needs of the church, and to us personally as well. We give all glory to God.
In verse 3, Paul gives them his typical benediction to the churches that has become the Apostle’s signature. This benediction is duplicated in all of Paul’s letters. Galatians 1:3 says, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul pleads that grace is given to these churches as they read and study the words of God that he, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, received. Then, as the churches read and as the Holy Spirit opens their hearts and minds to this message, may they find the peace of God. Paul wrote a similar plea to the Philippian church in Philippians 4:7, which says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is truly sweet peace, a gift of God’s love.
The grace and peace we receive come directly to us from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We receive this precious gift, not from any merit or goodness that we may have. No! By no means at all! Galatians 1:4 tell us that this grace is based on the merit of Jesus Christ. Jesus did this to deliver us from this present evil age. This comment is crucial to our understanding of why Paul wrote this letter. The Galatians must fully realize, first and foremost, they are delivered from sin and all works of unrighteousness. Therefore, being free from sin, they have no reason to go back to the life of sin that enslaved and caused them to reject the true gospel of Jesus Christ. That was then, but now they turned from idols to trust Jesus Christ, the living Savior.
Again, this statement found in Galatians 1:4 underscores why Paul wrote this letter to the Galatian churches, and why this message is crucial and applicable to our lives as well. We, being sinners; yet, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, need to reflect and meditate on our identity in Christ, for which He paid a costly price. For we are not saved just to go to Heaven. That is a benefit of being saved. We are saved from God’s wrath when He comes to punish all workers of unrighteousness. We are saved from sin: its power, penalty, and presence in our lives. That’s why Paul wrote in Galatians 1:4, that “[Jesus Christ] gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Therefore, all the rudiments of unmortified sin that afflict and haunt our lives, hinder us from being effective servants of Christ. We need to pray and pray most earnestly, that the Holy Spirit will give us a hatred for our sins. We need to repent and agree with God that this sin is a rebellion against the pure nature of our Holy God, who sent his Son to pay the costly price to deliver us. We need to have a daily resolve to never go back to the life of sin that so easily binds and ties us down. This gift of grace and peace, this payment for our sin, and being burdened with sin in this evil present age, is according to the will of God and Father, for whom we give all glory and praise!
Jeremiah Burroughs, a Puritan preacher in the late 1600s, said, “This is certain — either a man’s sin will make an end of his mourning, or a man’s mourning will make an end of his sin. If a man goes on sinning, he will leave off mourning, but if he keeps mourning, he will leave off sinning. The bitter aloes of mourning is the means to help against the crawling worms of sin. Mourning for sin shall one day wholly deliver you from sin, and you will never sin more against God” (Voices from the Past, v. 2, p. 290).
><> ><> PRAYER <>< <><
O Great Merciful Triune God, Thank You for delivering me from this present evil age. My precious Lord and God, please give me a hatred for sin and a desire to deny myself, taking up my cross and following You. May I always live everyday so grateful for the grace and peace You have blessed me with. Help me to bless others and tell them about Jesus and Your love. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen!
Christian Hymn: Saved, Saved by Jack P. Scholfield in 1911
