Grace and Peace (Galatians 1:1-5)
Much of scripture is not a message from God to an individual but rather messages intended for communities of people. What happens when most of our reading and study focuses on the individual rather than the community. In this series I would like to offer questions to invite curiosity into what this might look like. While, I am an individual writing this, I do plan to consider these questions in light of my own communities (church, small group, family, etc.). If our communities do not look like what God calls us to be, can we as individuals be as we were created to be? How do we begin to live the text not only as individuals but as members of a community.
To begin this I would like to start with the book of Galatians. Consider the communities mentioned at the start of the book.
“Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead – and all the brothers and sisters with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”
Galatians 1:1-5
In these first verses more than three communities are mentioned. Paul is writing with the support of other believers with him. He is writing on behalf of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Spoiler alert: the Holy Spirit will be prominent as well in Galatians.) This letter is not being sent to a single faith community in Galatia but rather to multiple churches.
For the format of this series, each entry will be broken into three sections. The first section will be some general observations of the text. The second part will be a series of questions designed to help reflect on the text, especially in light of this being written to communities rather than an individual. At the very end, I will offer some additional scriptures, a podcast or blog post, etc. that can give further perspectives.
Observations
The death of Jesus and God’s resurrecting of Jesus is mentioned twice in these first five verses. In both cases, Paul makes it clear that this was the Godhead working in tandem, not a solo act on Jesus’ part or the Father’s. We can sometimes pit Jesus and the Father against each other, but look closer at the words in Galatians.
“By Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” v. 1
“Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of God and Father.” v. 4
Our rescue from the broken, fallen world was not a work of Jesus at odds with the will of God, but rather it was in line with the desire of God and Jesus.
“Grace and peace to you” (v. 1) and “to rescue us from the present evil age” (v. 4) are our communal invitations. The first verse referenced is a blessing extended from one community of believers to other communities of believers. The care of Paul’s community is extending beyond themselves, aware of their call by God to be a blessing. Paul and his community also identify themselves with the Galatian believers as all are recipients of God’s rescue mission.
Questions for Curiosity
- How often do we send grace and peace to other faith communities? As we are about to see, the Galatian churches are not perfect. They have not earned grace and peace. Rather, it is an extension of blessing despite works.
- Do we remember that we share the rescuing work with other communities?
- How as a community do we speak of other communities? How do we work to encourage other believers?
- In verse four it is clear that the work of Jesus is what rescues us from the present evil age. How often do we find ourselves trying to rescue ourselves from the world? How often do we see the church or other communities as the great rescuers?
Further Reflection
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:1-7
