A Sermon Manuscript on Galatians 1:2b–4 by Brian Mann1

Galatians 1:4 opens with the greeting of “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Man is at enmity and war against God (James 4:4). It has been so since the fall of mankind (Genesis 3). The world’s way of achieving peace is through talk and compromise, but God’s way of achieving peace is through justice and faithfulness (Rushdoony). God desires peace, acts to bring about peace, promises peace, and makes peace possible in the body of Christ called the church.

The traditional opening of a Jewish letter is “peace.” The traditional opening of a Greek one is “joy.” The apostle says, “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He says this because the word “peace” was the most characteristic term of Christianity. Peace was made with God through Jesus Christ. Without peace there is no Christianity. This “peace” is an essential aspect of combatting legalism because it is foremost an attribute of God. It is “the God of peace” who is said to put his foot on the neck of our enemies so we can have peace (Romans 16:20). In relation to Galatian legalism, the church was divided by tables of Gentiles and Jews and depending on who showed up, is who you sat with (Galatians 2:11–14). This had to be dealt with by God’s peace. In order to understand how this “peace” of God and our Lord Jesus Christ combats legalism we need to consider its priestly, prophetic, kingly, and ecclesiastical dimensions.

Outline:

1. Priestly—God desires peace with his people (Leviticus 3; Malachi 1:13)

2. Prophetic—God promises peace with his people (Isaiah 9:6–7; 1 Thess. 5:23)

3. Kingly—God acts to bring about peace with his people (The Gospels; Acts; Hebrews 7:2; Numbers 25)

4. Ecclesiastical—God makes peace possible among his people (Ephesians 2:14–16; Col 1:20; Galatians 1:2–4; 5:1, 22; 6:16)

Concl: Jesus gives peace not as the world gives—John 14:25–27. Bunyan’s Works, Vol. 3, pp.317–324 Holy War  “Mr. God’s-peace”

I. God’s Peace is a Priestly Peace—God Desires Peace With His People

God’s Peace is sprinkled throughout all of Scripture. It is especially set forth in the sacrificial system which communicates with mankind that God desires peace with humanity. The sacrificial system requires an unblemished offering. Leviticus 3 introduces the “Peace Offering.” Leviticus 3:1 says,

“If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.”

However, in Malachi we learn that these offerings were not brought forth unblemished. God says in Malachi 1:13,

“You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offspring! Shall I accept that from your hand?”

The “peace offering” assumes a regenerate and justified life. In Galatians 1:4 this is the case, as “grace” precedes “peace.” Moreover, in Leviticus the burnt and grain offerings precede. Andrew Bonar writes,

THE peace-offering is introduced to our notice without any formal statement of the connection between it and the preceding offerings. That there is a connection is taken for granted…The connection is simply this: a justified soul, devoted to the Lord in all things, spontaneously engages in acts of praise and exercises of fellowship, for the soul has been accepted, and is at peace with God.

This coincides with the announcement of Christ’s birth by the angelic host in Luke 2:14,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

God is already pleased with his justified souls. He wants them to have peace. He desires them to have peace. Do you want peace?

II. God’s Peace is a Prophetic Peace—God Promises Peace To His People

God promises peace to his people. Although his people blemished because of their sin God himself promises to give what is necessary to give them peace. We see this in Isaiah 9:6–7, where God promises to send and accomplish peace by His Son:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Herbert M. Wolf states:

“Prince of Peace” means that Christ will be a “peaceful prince,” not a tyrant. His rule will bring a cessation of war and a wholeness, or health to society. This aspect of His government is also mentioned in verse 7 because peace involves a reign of justice and righteousness, whose elements that were sadly lacking in the lives and reigns of the contemporary kings of Israel and Judah (5:7). All of this will be accomplished because God is jealous and zealous for His people.

Also in 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, he promises to send and accomplish peace by His Holy Spirit:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

F.F. Bruce says,

If there was any tendency to conflict in the Thessalonian church…the God of peace could be relied upon to heal it with his reconciling grace. “God is not a God of disorder…but of peace” (1 Cor 14:33a).

Through God’s Son and God’s Spirit according to God’s Word the Galatian churches could trust that God would give them peace. He has promised peace to his people. He states that it will be his doing, not theirs to bring it about. This must be in mind in the word of Paul to the Galatians concerning peace. Do you trust God’s promise of peace?

III. God’s Peace is a Kingly Peace—God Acts To Bring Peace For His People

The ministry of Jesus brought peace to God’s people. We have already noted this in the angelic announcement of Luke 2:14. Peace occurs throughout Christ’s ministry. He came and did what God promised He would do both in His Son and then in His Holy Spirit.

First, he came and did what God promised He would do in His Son. In Mark 4:35–41 when the disciples feared, Jesus calmed the storm saying, “peace! Be still!” In Mark 5:34 he healed Jairus’s daughter saying “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” In Luke 2:29–32 Simeon was able to depart in peace because he saw the promised Christ who would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to [God’s] people Israel!  And when Jesus was raised from the dead in Luke 24:36, he said “Peace to you!” After his resurrection, he was first king of righteousness having paid for our sins, but now also king of peace, as Hebrews 7:2 says of Melchizedek, “by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is king of peace.”

Second, he came and did what God promised He would do in His Holy Spirit. In Acts 9:31,

…the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

In Acts 10:36, The Spirit was working so in the church that we read things like this:  “the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).” The whole book of Acts may be called the Acts of God the Holy Spirit through the Apostles! God acted to bring peace! He did what he said he would do. In sending His Son and in sending His Spirit, God brought peace for His people.

In Numbers 25 we read about the Zeal of Phinehas where Israel “yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.” God demonstrated how peace is acquired through Phinehas when he took a spear through both man and woman committing idolatry. It is not an example for us to imitate literally, but seeing the zeal of the Lord accomplished, took action to bring peace, it ought to stir our thankfulness (often a word for peace offerings). Are you thankful today that God took action to bring peace for His people by doing what he said he would do by His Son’s death and Holy Spirit’s gift.

IV. God’s Peace is an Ecclesiastical Peace—God Make Peace Possible Among His People

The problem in Galatia is illustrated in Galatians 2 where God’s people divided by tables depending upon who was around. Jews and Gentile Christians were divided. Legalism was being demanded by Jews upon their Gentile counterpart. This was a central message of Paul’s ministry not just to deal with legalism but any hostility at large in the church. In Ephesians 2:14–16 we read,

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in the place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

The long-range goal of the gospel is as Colossians 1:20 says, “to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” This is what Galatians 1:2b–4 is all about in mentioning the “peace” of God. It is to not only show that peace was desired by God with his people; not only that peace was promised by God to his people; not only that peace was brought about by God for his people; but that peace was possible by God among his people. So, Paul says to them in Galatians 5:1 not to be re-yoked to the division between Jews and Gentiles, but walk in the freedom of His grace. He then says in 5:22 that among other things, “the fruit of the Spirit is…peace.” And he closes with these words in 6:15–16,

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

God’s peace is meant to be enjoyed by all of God’s people.

Conclusion

Jesus gives peace not like the world gives (John 14:25–27). God’s peace is an officer to your soul that you must have installed for your joy in God reaching every direction and nook and cranny of your lives!

In Bunyan’s work Holy War, after the plague had been stopped on that town representing the human soul, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, and great lover of Mansoul granted the beloved town of Mansoul free, full, and everlasting forgiveness of all wrongs, injuries, and offenses done by them against his Father and him and their neighbour and themselves. He gave them his law and testament for their everlasting comfort and consolation. He gave them a portion of the self-same grace and goodness that dwells in his Father’s heart and his. He gave them the world and all that is in it for their good, and power & dominion over it. He gave them free access to him in his place at all seasons to make their wants known to him. He gave them the promise to hear and redress all their grievances. He gave them full power and authority to seek out, take, and enslave all Diabolonians. And he gave them authority to accept only true inhabitants into their town of Mansoul, (being representative again of the single saved soul of a man being sanctified). He thus established “a new officer in the town…Mr. God’s-peace.” Let this officer now be installed in your souls dear church. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.