Today we finished our series in Galatians with a message titled, GRACE- PEACE AND MERCY (Gal 6:16-18). Who has “peace and mercy” with God? (Gal. 6:16). Judicially, we know it is all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior (John 14:6; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 John 2:2, etc.) to include both Gentile believers (i.e. the “them” of Gal. 6:16) “and… the Israel of God,” that is, also Jewish believers in Galatia (e.g. Gal. 4:8-9 vs. Col. 4:10-11; Rom. 9:6, 8; 11:25, etc.). It should be noted that God, because of the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant, still has a future plan for national Israel (Gen 12:2; 13:15-16; 15:5, 7-18; 17:8; Gal. 3:15-16; Rom. 11:25-29; Zech. 12:10; Isa. 14:1; 41:8; Jer. 32:40-41; Acts 1:6, etc.). “The fact that God keeps His promises to Israel is… the means by which we as the church have hope today” -Dr. Pentecost (Heb. 6:13-21; Rom. 8:31-39, etc.). But the Scripture also says in Galatians 6:16 that “peace and mercy” is experienced in a present-day sense with those Christians who “behave in accordance with” the principle of “a new creation” (Gal. 6 verse 15 and 16 NET). Behave means to “walk in the Spirit,” which is not automatic (Gal. 5:16-18, 25, Rom. 8:13b, 16; James 1:22-25; Rom. 12:1-2, etc.).
Paul then points to the scars on his body that show he belongs to Jesus (Gal. 6:17). Such scars branded him as a slave to Christ and reflected his boast in the Cross/Gospel alone (Gal. 1:10; 6:12b, 14, etc.). Our identity in Christ via grace is the key to “staying free… in this present evil age” (Gal. 1:4; 2:20; 5:1; 6:14; Rom. 6:11, etc.). And that is why the Holy Spirit ends Galatians the way He started it- with GRACE (Gal. 1:1-3; 6:18; Rev. 22:21, etc.).