Grace and Deliverance from the Present Evil Age

Paul opens by grounding his apostleship in Jesus Christ and the Father who raised him from the dead, then compresses the gospel into a few lines: Jesus “gave himself for our sins” to deliver his people from the present evil age. The letter therefore begins with resurrection, self-giving sacrifice, rescue, grace, peace, and glory before Paul ever reaches the controversy. Galatians will keep returning to this contrast between God’s saving action in Christ and every attempt to place believers back under slavery.