“Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age…” (Galatians 1:3-4).
“Grace and peace” are two of the most precious words in the Christian’s vocabulary, and these two words logically flow from the Gospel. Grace is something that changes our relationship with God. Grace moves us out of the sphere of darkness, death, rebellion and curse, and into the realm of light, life, righteousness and blessing. We read in Ephesians 1:7: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Grace sums up everything that makes it possible to be in a saving relationship with God. And true grace and peace can only come from God since grace implies that all men are dead in trespasses and sins, and nothing can possibly make us acceptable to a holy God except His mercy, which comes only by way of grace through the cross of Jesus Christ. And it’s important that we understand that grace is not a substance, but a person. God’s grace, mercy, love, goodness, and favor towards His elect people is, in fact, the person and work of Jesus Christ.
God’s grace is the only reason any man is saved from the guilt, penalty, and consequences of sin. Because God is gracious, loving, and merciful, He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to take upon Himself the nature of man and “give himself for our sins.” Jesus was well pleased to obey His Father by laying down His life in order to redeem sinners and “deliver them from this present evil age.” And this Gospel is something fallen, unregenerate men stumble over and consider foolishness. “But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness…” (1 Cor. 1:23). Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul teaches in our text that Jesus Christ gave himself to save sinners from the penalty and dominion of sin.
Have you received the grace of God? Has Christ translated you out of the sphere of darkness into the sphere of His marvelous light? If so, your words and works will be very different from the unbelieving world around you. You will think differently and consequently you will live differently since out of the heart are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). When your heart is cleansed your life will follow. Jesus said when the inside of the cup and dish is clean then the outside will become clean also (Matthew 23:26). So I say once again, has the grace of God transformed your soul? If so, it must be reflected in your life so that God might be glorified in and through redeemed sinners! Praise God today for His wondrous grace in Christ Jesus!