who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father Galatians 1:4 WEB
In Galatia, some religious leaders attempted to corrupt the gospel message in effect Judaizing the Christian faith. Paul writes his letter to the Galatians in an effort to correct the church and dissuade them from errors in their belief. Paul warns against the perversion of the faith and reinforces the truth of the good news of Christ.
Grace and Peace
The verse from Galatians 1:4 follows Paul’s introduction in the letter. In the introduction, Paul asserts his validity as an apostle of Christ. He precedes the statement with Galatians 1:3 saying, “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. WEB” Christ gives peace and the individuals that attempt to alter his message sow discord. And so, Paul writes his letter to overcome false teaching and restore peaceful fellowship to the church
Paul goes so far as to say that if anyone, even an angel, should preach any message other than the gospel of Christ, let him be cursed. This is a strong statement. The motivation of those who corrupt the message of Christ is self-serving.
Those who change the truth of the gospel seek fame for themselves and power over others. Often, they pervert the word by seeking the favor of men. In other words, they tell people what they want to hear rather than present the truth of Jesus Christ.
Pleasing men is in stark contrast to serving the will of our God and Father. The statement from Galatians 1:4 contains elements of the revelation of the purpose and person of Jesus. First, he freely gave his life to cleanse us from sin. Second, Christ did this to deliver us from the evil of this world. Finally, Paul points out that this is the will of God.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for saving me from sin. Deliver me from evil and keep me in your way. Help me to live within your will. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: I Will Deliver Him
