Tuesday: Paul’s Gospel
In addition to defending his apostleship, what else does Paul emphasize in his opening greeting to the Galatians? Compare Gal. 1:3-5 with Eph. 1:2, Phil. 1:2, and Col. 1:2.
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One of the unique features of Paul’s letters is the way he links the words grace and peace in the greetings. The combination of these two words is a modification of the most characteristic greetings in the Greek and Jewish world. Where a Greek author would write “Greetings” (chairein), Paul writes “Grace,” a similar-sounding word in Greek (charis). To this Paul adds the typical Jewish greeting of “Peace.”
The combination of these two words is not a mere pleasantry. On the contrary, the words basically describe his gospel message. (In fact, Paul uses these two words more than any other author in the New Testament.) The grace and peace are not from Paul but from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What aspects of the gospel does Paul include in Galatians 1:1-6?
Although Paul has little space in his opening greeting to develop the nature of the gospel, he masterfully describes the essence of the gospel in only a few short verses. What is the central truth upon which the gospel resides? According to Paul, it is not our conformity to the law — the point that Paul’s opponents were trumpeting. On the contrary, the gospel rests fully on what Christ accomplished for us through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Christ’s death and resurrection did something that we never could do for ourselves. They broke the power of sin and death, freeing His followers from the power of evil, which holds so many in fear and bondage.
As Paul reflects on the wonderful news of the grace and peace that God created for us in Christ, he falls into a spontaneous doxology, which appears in verse 5.
| In about as many words as Paul used in Galatians 1:1-5, write down your understanding of what the gospel is all about. Bring your words to class on Sabbath. |
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The good news that we have been saved through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank toe whole of the human race have been reconciled back to God and to be with him for evermore. We can live knowing that God loves us so much that he will never let us go, that is only if that is what we really want.
The gospel is about accepting the true LOVE to be the master of our lives. Ultimately, love reflects a collection of attitudes. For that, it is necessary to have at least 2 persons, one to give and one to receive! Thus Jesus gave Himself for the love of His own creatures!
This greeting is a powerful testimony to the miraculous soul-saving power and beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our heavenly Father gives us the gifts of grace (God's favor sans works) and of peace (right relationship with God) through the atoning death and resurrection of his only Son Jesus Christ. The emphasis is upon God's righteousness and his saving intervention on behalf of us sinners, who stood condemned before his holy law.
The Gospel is about Jesus living out his Father's character for thirty and a half years and then dying and living again so that all humanity would have the opportunity to live in his Father's love, his Father's peace, and his Father's grace by the power of his Holy Spirit, for now and then for all the ages throughout eternity.
It is good news that Paul is not merely using the words grace and peace as a greeting. Grace of God and Peace Christ gives us not as the world gives is very good news for us. John 14:27. Peace and Grace comes to them who's mine is stayed on Him, because they trust in Him. Isaiah 26:3.