Amazing Grace #1 - A Study in Galatians

The Apostle Paul begins his letter to the Galatian church with a greeting intended to remind his readers of the basis for their relationship & standing with God. He writes, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:3-5
 
God’s grace (God’s unmerited, unworked for, unearned favor)  is at the very essence & heart of the gospel – the Good News – which declares that because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, EVERYONE who calls upon His Name can be forgiven of sins & restored to relationship with God, through Christ. God’s peace (His blessing of peace, well-being, & physical/spiritual harmony) is upon our lives as a result of grace, & is at work in, through, & around our lives as evidence of God’s working in us. The gospel truly is good news!
 
In the next portion of Galatians 1, Paul confronts the church because they have forgotten the gospel of grace by which they were saved, & have embraced a different ‘gospel’ – one rooted in religion, guilt, shame which emphasized & evaluated ourrelationship with God based on performance & deeds instead of the love/faith relationship intended by God, begun with the victory of Christ’s work on the cross.
 
Grace is a big deal - & our embracing God’s amazing grace enables us to live lives free of the weight of sin, guilt, & condemnation – to live full of the power of the Holy Spirit, freely embracing the great gift of salvation, redemption, & transformation as sons & daughters of God.