Connect Galatians 1:3 to another verse highlighting God's grace and peace. Paul’s Greeting of Grace and Peace - Galatians 1:3: “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Paul’s opening line is more than polite formality; it delivers two essentials every believer already possesses in Christ—God’s unearned favor (grace) and the settled well-being that flows from reconciliation with Him (peace). Grace and Peace Amplified in Romans Romans 5:1-2 brings the same two gifts into sharp focus: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Grace: God’s Undeserved Gift - Origin: “from God the Father” (Galatians 1:3). Grace starts with Him, not us. - Means: “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1-2). The cross secures it, faith receives it. - Ongoing reality: “this grace in which we stand” (Romans 5:2). Believers live continually under God’s favor, not just at salvation. - Supporting verse: Ephesians 2:8—salvation is “the gift of God,” leaving no room for boasting. Peace: Rest with God - Nature: more than inner calm; it is objective peace “with God” (Romans 5:1), the end of all hostility. - Source: the same Christ who grants grace also secures peace; the two gifts are inseparable. - Fruit: Philippians 4:7 promises that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Permanence: peace is not fragile; it rests on Christ’s finished work. Connecting the Dots - Galatians 1:3 gives the greeting; Romans 5:1-2 explains the groundwork. - Both passages trace every blessing to “God the Father” and “our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Together they show that grace (the cause) produces peace (the effect). Because we stand in grace, we live at peace. Living It Out - Receive: take God at His Word—His grace truly is enough, His peace truly is yours. - Stand: remind yourself daily that you are already placed in grace, not trying to earn it. - Rejoice: like Paul, let joy rise from knowing that grace and peace are established facts, anchored in Christ forever. |
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