Jefferson Vann shares a devotional thought from Galatians 1:3-5.
Galatians 1:3-5 (JDV)
Galatians 1:3 May you experience favor and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
Galatians 1:4 who gave himself in behalf of our sins to rescue us from this present evil age,1 according to the preference2 of our God and Father.
Galatians 1:5 To him be the glory for ages and ages. Amen.
the real rescue
The common view of the fate of the lost is that they will suffer unending torment in the next age. But Paul says here that Jesus gave himself to die on the cross not to rescue us from a future hell, but to rescue us from this present evil age. God lives on for ages and ages, and he wants his children – created in his image – to do the same. But this present evil age always ends in death.
The gospel that Paul defends and explains in Galatians is about rescuing us from the mortality of this age. It offers a new chance at immortality, made possible by the substitutionary death of Christ, and the resurrection that he promises. No laws could do that – not even God’s laws.
Lord, thank you for the real rescue – the eternal life that is ours only in Christ.
References
About Jefferson Vann
Jefferson Vann pastors Piney Grove Advent Christian Church in Delco, North Carolina, USA. He is a teacher, Bible translator, and avid blogger. "My hope is that everyone who reads my writings will have an opportunity to understand the gospel, and will know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior." He has written books on theology and Bible commentary. You can read more of Jeff's writing at Devotions | Jefferson Vann | Commands of Christ | Learning Koine Greek Together
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