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GALATIANS - I Have Been Crucified With Christ
Studies in the Letter of Paul to the Galatians
PART 1: THE OPENING: GREETINGS AND QUESTIONS (Galatians 1:1-10)
2. The Apostolic Benediction (Galatians 1:3-5)
GALATIANS 1:3-5
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul commenced his apostolic benediction with the word “grace”, which commonly means unmerited favor shown to sinners. God has forgiven us our sins. This is the good news, with which Paul commences his epistle. God is not an angry destroyer, but he is a “forgiver” who shows mercy and pardons, who gives us his good things and gifts abundantly, in spite of our enmity to him and our disobedience to his Spirit.
Thus, we have entered into the age of peace, because the great disagreement with God was ended. Now, his merciful kindness approaches us, and the Spirit of his peace dwells in our hearts, and changes us to peacemakers, not through deadly weapons, but through patience, and forbearance with the unjust, and joyful praying for them.
God is with us. He is rather our Father who adopted us, caused us to be born again of his Holy Spirit, and made us partners in his essence that we might glorify his fatherly name.
All these privileges and spiritual rights were not brought to us automatically, or emotionally, but through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord himself, born of God before all ages, God from God, light from light, in one essence with the Father, who wishes to be your Lord as well.
He emptied his eternal glory, became incarnate for us, lived as a true man among us, served the sinners, and had no deceit in his mouth. In his great love, he gave his life for us taking away all the sins of mankind, extinguishing the wrath of God, and atoning for the sins of all men.
After this wonderful atonement, he sat down on the right hand of God, and gave us his Holy Spirit that we might not embrace the perishing, corrupt world, but rise and go to the house of our Father. Christ overcame the evil, fallen world with meekness and humility, and continued in love, faith, and hope in spite of his violent temptations.
Thus, our living Lord calls us to follow him, to deny the human dissoluteness, to consider ourselves strangers in this evil world, to take firm hold of the redemption placed before us, and to be in conformity with the will of God through deliverance from the power of evil.
When we do the will of God, who wants us to be holy and without blame before him in love, which he commenced through justifying us on the cross, and by our holding fast to the person of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit dwells in us. As such, we may stand children of God, and people may glorify his fatherly name for our good works. I would that all our life became thankfulness and praise to God and his Christ, who lives and reigns with him in eternal glory, and gains more glory whenever a sinner commits himself to him in thankfulness for the unique atoning death.
PRAYER: O heavenly Father, we glorify and praise you joyfully and thankfully because you redeemed us by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and caused us to be born again of your Holy Spirit as your children. You endow us with your favors, and care for us, for you are our Father. We thank your Son because he saved us from the evil world, and carried us to the protection of your peaceful family. Guide those who are disturbed around us to your nearness that they may participate with us in the joy of your salvation.
QUESTION:
- Which are the essential words in the apostolic benediction, and what are their meanings?