The Apostle Paul finishes his letter to his friends in Galatia. Remember, this is his first epistle. Only the book of Jesus' brother James is an older NT book.
It's really easy to blow right through the verses that open and close books of the Bible. But let's slow down. Let's drink deeply.
We'll see that these are critical words that provide a glorious summary of what Paul is trying to get across, not only to this friends in Galatia, but to his readers centuries later.
Don't forget the context. Paul and Barnabas have just returned from their first missionary expedition (Acts 13:13-14-23). God took them through the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, Derbe and Iconium, in what is now south central Turkey.
They shared the amazing news that Jesus of Nazareth is not only the long awaited Messiah of the Jews but He has opened up the door of God's salvation to the entire world.
Just after Paul and Barney returned to their home church in Antioch, Syria, they get word that a group of false teachers rode into Galatia on their coat tails twisting the Gospel into wicked works righteousness.
The Judaizers convinced these new believers that Jesus may have gotten us into His kingdom, but it's up to each of us to stay in by means of religious rule-keeping and obedience.
They specifically told Gentile Christians that they only way they could REALLY be followers of the radical Rabbi from Galilee was to be circumcised.
Paul hears about this and hits the roof. He immediately fires off this letter to put out this fire before it gets out of control.
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen" (v18). Here in the final verse of his letter, the apostle doesn't let up one bit. He keeps his foot on the accelerator.
He started with grace (Gal 1:3). He repeatedly preaches grace (Gal 1:6, 15; 2:9, 21; 5:4). And finishes here with that main them of grace. We're back where we started with grace.
Grace. Grace. Grace!
Let's dig into the Greek text for a moment. First, check out the word order in the original language. "Grace" (Gr. χαρις/charis) appears first in the sentence in the original text.
Koine uses word order for emphasis. Paul is emphasizing the importance of grace in our salvation. Grace is the lead story. Grace is what Paul hopes we hear first.
The word "grace" is the Greek noun χαρις/charis. It describes something wonderful, a goodness, a kindness or a gift that is completely and absolutely undeserved.
Through Jesus, God offers us a salvation and a relationship that we have no right or reason to receive. That's grace. We've rebelled against God since the very beginning (Gen 3). We're enemies of God (Col 1:21).
We've twisted the worship of our Creator into the worship of what he's created (Rom 1:22-23). Every last stinkin' one of us (Rom 3:10-11, 23). This doesn't exactly paint a flattering picture of us as deserving God's favor, does it? No, I didn't think so.
Despite all of this, God extends grace. Most of the Bible is the big story of God's work to restore His relationship with His rebel children through the personal embodiment of grace, His Son Jesus. Christ takes on human flesh and does for us what we could never do for ourselves.
He lives the sinless, perfect life that couldn't live. He died the bloody, brutal death that we should have died. He rose to a glorious new life that we certainly don't deserve.
The sinless One took our sin and gave us His perfection and obedience (2Cor 5:21).
Grace. Totally undeserved. A ridiculous gift.
Probably the best understanding of God's grace is found in the book of Ephesians. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph 2:8-9).
It's by grace. By faith. We don't do a dad blame thing. It is THE gift of God. Not just any gift. THE gift. That, my friends, is grace.
Literally Paul's closing verse reads, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (is) with your spirit, brothers! Amen." This seems to be less a prayer or desire of Paul for the Galatians than a statement of fact. They just need to realize His grace in their lives.
WE just need to realize His grace in our lives. If, as His followers, will remember what Jesus has done on our behalf, it would change us forever. And that's Paul's continual message throughout his letters. Remember who we in are IN CHRIST!
We must preach this truth to ourselves daily, hourly and at every moment. When we're not sure what to do, remember the words of the writer of Hebrews: "looking to Jesus, the found and perfecter of our faith" (Heb 12:2). Look to Jesus. Remember grace.
Paul signs off every letter he writes by reminding us of the grace of Jesus. We must not miss out on the necessity to understand the grace of Jesus. Grace is important. Grace is vital. Grace is essential.
Take a look at the end of each of the apostle's epistles (Phil 4:23; 1Cor 16:23; 2Cor 13:14; Eph 6:24; Col 4:18; 1Th 5:28; 2Th 3:18; 1Tim 6:21; 2Tim 4:22; Titus 3:15; Phlm 25).
Grace. Grace. Grace.
He demands that we understand that every bit of our relationship with God is through the undeserved gift of Jesus. Did Paul write Hebrews? It seems that the ending of this book give us a clue that he had a hand in it or heavily influenced its author (Heb 13:25).
And we're back where we started. Grace. Grace. Grace!!!
©2012
Jay Jennings
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