It’s amazing how very often complex truths can be expressed simply in a few words. One great example of this is in St Paul’s letter to the Galatians. In one verse in particular, he concisely summarises the reason Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth. It is in chapter 1 verse 4, “who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”
We notice first of all that in the previous verse Jesus is described as, “the Lord Jesus Christ.” The term “Lord Jesus Christ” is used in 61 verses in the New Testament. It reminds us that Jesus was the Christos, the Anointed One, the Messiah whose coming into the world had been prophesied centuries before. But He was also recognised as the kurios, the Lord, a title used of God Himself. Some have asked when did Jesus become “The Lord?” Some shepherds were the first to be told that a new born baby was a Saviour, the Messiah and the Lord, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11. It was a title the apostle Thomas declared when He met the risen Jesus, “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!’” John 20:28. Certainly after His resurrection, the disciples had no qualms about recognising Jesus as the Lord, and as the eternal Son of God.
What did Paul write about Jesus in verse 4?
A]. “Who Gave Himself For Our Sins.”
He gave Himself, where “gave” is from didōmi, to give, deliver (up). In the most well-known verse in the Bible the apostle John wrote, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. “Gave” here is the same word didōmi. This verse answers some critics who suggest that God cannot be a God of love if He was willing to give His Son up to death. But Jesus gave Himself to die for the sins of humans. It’s as though in the eternal counsels of God that He and Jesus His Son agreed on the mode of salvation. Their plan was that Jesus would give Himself to die for the sins of the world.
B]. “For Our Sins.”
There are many words for “sin” in the New Testament and the one used here is hamartia. It means a falling short, missing the mark or doing the wrong thing. It is universal among humans as St Paul wrote in Romans using the verb form of the word, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom 3:23.
Perhaps there has always been the belief that sin must be punished. The Jews in New Testament times would have been familiar with this verse in Ezekiel, “The one who sins is the one who will die.” Exodus 18:20. Or as St Paul would later write, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.
Forgiveness for human sin could not be earned or deserved. It could only come from the grace of God to those who put their trust in Jesus. As St Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Eph 1:7.
C]. “To Deliver Us”
“Deliver” is from exaireō, meaning to tear out, to select; to release, deliver, pluck out, rescue. Jesus’ death on the cross delivered or rescued guilty sinners from spiritual death if they trusted in Him. They are rescued from the power of the present evil age while still living in it.
D]. “From The Present Evil Age.”
“Age” here is from aiōn meaning a significant period of time, the present nature of the world in its thinking and behaviour. It’s as though humans are trapped in the world’s system with its inability to produce godly living. But Jesus came to set the captives free, to become new creatures as St Paul wrote in 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The word for “new” here is kainos rather than neos. Neos means a brushed up version of the old or recent. However kainos means something radically new, a life with new and deeper dimensions.
The Holy Spirit indwells all believers in Christ and imparts the wisdom of God to those open to receive it. So they are able to know the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to become aware of false teaching and false behaviour. The Holy Spirit also imparts the life of Christ into every believer and sets them free from the limitations of their old unregenerate lives.
E]. “According To The Will Of Our God And Father.”
The death of Christ was not an unfortunate event. His death had been planned eternally and was in accord with the will of God. It meant too that believers could know a new dimension of living, by walking according to the dictates of the Spirit rather than walking according to the dictates of their lower nature, the flesh.
So in this one verse we have so much theological truth. And it all stems from the grace of God. His grace is seen in the death of Christ so that those who believe in Him receive both forgiveness of their sins and also the gift of eternal life. His grace continues throughout the believer’s experience in enabling them to become the person God wants them to be. They are to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Phil 2:13. His ongoing grace is seen in working out in their lives what He is inwardly working within them, giving them both the willingness and the ability to please Him. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!”
Blog No. 576 posted on Tuesday 27 May 2025.
About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.
holbeck 
576. GALATIANS Chapter 1 Verse 4. Huge Salvation Truths In A Few Words.
It’s amazing how very often complex truths can be expressed simply in a few words. One great example of this is in St Paul’s letter to the Galatians. In one verse in particular, he concisely summarises the reason Jesus humbled Himself to come to earth. It is in chapter 1 verse 4, “who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”
We notice first of all that in the previous verse Jesus is described as, “the Lord Jesus Christ.” The term “Lord Jesus Christ” is used in 61 verses in the New Testament. It reminds us that Jesus was the Christos, the Anointed One, the Messiah whose coming into the world had been prophesied centuries before. But He was also recognised as the kurios, the Lord, a title used of God Himself. Some have asked when did Jesus become “The Lord?” Some shepherds were the first to be told that a new born baby was a Saviour, the Messiah and the Lord, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11. It was a title the apostle Thomas declared when He met the risen Jesus, “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!’” John 20:28. Certainly after His resurrection, the disciples had no qualms about recognising Jesus as the Lord, and as the eternal Son of God.
What did Paul write about Jesus in verse 4?
A]. “Who Gave Himself For Our Sins.”
He gave Himself, where “gave” is from didōmi, to give, deliver (up). In the most well-known verse in the Bible the apostle John wrote, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. “Gave” here is the same word didōmi. This verse answers some critics who suggest that God cannot be a God of love if He was willing to give His Son up to death. But Jesus gave Himself to die for the sins of humans. It’s as though in the eternal counsels of God that He and Jesus His Son agreed on the mode of salvation. Their plan was that Jesus would give Himself to die for the sins of the world.
B]. “For Our Sins.”
There are many words for “sin” in the New Testament and the one used here is hamartia. It means a falling short, missing the mark or doing the wrong thing. It is universal among humans as St Paul wrote in Romans using the verb form of the word, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom 3:23.
Perhaps there has always been the belief that sin must be punished. The Jews in New Testament times would have been familiar with this verse in Ezekiel, “The one who sins is the one who will die.” Exodus 18:20. Or as St Paul would later write, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.
Forgiveness for human sin could not be earned or deserved. It could only come from the grace of God to those who put their trust in Jesus. As St Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Eph 1:7.
C]. “To Deliver Us”
“Deliver” is from exaireō, meaning to tear out, to select; to release, deliver, pluck out, rescue. Jesus’ death on the cross delivered or rescued guilty sinners from spiritual death if they trusted in Him. They are rescued from the power of the present evil age while still living in it.
D]. “From The Present Evil Age.”
“Age” here is from aiōn meaning a significant period of time, the present nature of the world in its thinking and behaviour. It’s as though humans are trapped in the world’s system with its inability to produce godly living. But Jesus came to set the captives free, to become new creatures as St Paul wrote in 2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The word for “new” here is kainos rather than neos. Neos means a brushed up version of the old or recent. However kainos means something radically new, a life with new and deeper dimensions.
The Holy Spirit indwells all believers in Christ and imparts the wisdom of God to those open to receive it. So they are able to know the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to become aware of false teaching and false behaviour. The Holy Spirit also imparts the life of Christ into every believer and sets them free from the limitations of their old unregenerate lives.
E]. “According To The Will Of Our God And Father.”
The death of Christ was not an unfortunate event. His death had been planned eternally and was in accord with the will of God. It meant too that believers could know a new dimension of living, by walking according to the dictates of the Spirit rather than walking according to the dictates of their lower nature, the flesh.
So in this one verse we have so much theological truth. And it all stems from the grace of God. His grace is seen in the death of Christ so that those who believe in Him receive both forgiveness of their sins and also the gift of eternal life. His grace continues throughout the believer’s experience in enabling them to become the person God wants them to be. They are to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Phil 2:13. His ongoing grace is seen in working out in their lives what He is inwardly working within them, giving them both the willingness and the ability to please Him. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound!”
Blog No. 576 posted on Tuesday 27 May 2025.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.