Galatians 1:1–5 (ESV)
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers
who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
3 Grace
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom
be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul’s greeting anticipates the Letter’s central argument. According to His Father’s will, Christ has graciously given Himself
for our sins and delivered us from this present evil age; therefore, works of the Law are not necessary for salvation. Teachings that compromise this core truth rob God of His due glory and rob us of true peace, for God brings true peace to our hearts through
the forgiveness of sins.
I pray: Heavenly Father, by the power of Your Son’s resurrection, set our hearts free and forever
at rest. Amen.
Edward A. Engelbrecht, The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 2002.