It is important to note what Paul writes about “grace” in his epistle to the Galatian churches. Note the standard greeting of “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…” The Late Calvinist Pastor James Montgomery Boice comments that this greeting,
“… seems particularly appropriate at the start of this letter. Normally, Paul alters the traditional Greek greeting (charein, a verb) to the important Christian word “grace” (charis, noun). This is always striking. But it is doubly striking here, inasmuch as it occurs in a letter to churches where the sufficiency of salvation by grace was being questioned and perhaps even denied. In the same way, “peace” (eirene, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word shalom) is also especially appropriate, for it denotes that state of favor and well-being into which men are brought by Christ’s death on the cross and in which they are kept by God’s persevering grace. To choose law, as the Galatians were doing, is to fall from grace.”[24]
Boice, who was a staunch Calvinist and believed in an “unconditional election” working through an “irresistible grace,” runs into the predictable Calvinist contradiction here in expounding this section of Galatians. Boice’s Calvinist doctrines require that God inevitably saves whom he has chosen for salvation. Therefore, Boice speaks of them being “kept by God’s persevering grace.” And yet, Boice speaks of “churches where the sufficiency of salvation by grace was being questioned and perhaps even denied,” and also about human choices, which are apparently real, that may result in a “fall from grace.” Boice writes, “To choose law, as the Galatians were doing, is to fall from grace.” How does one “fall” from an “irresistible grace” that cannot fail to save? These are the kinds of issues Calvinists simply dismiss with the standard responses discussed throughout the previous chapters.
The point here is that “grace” (and “peace”) comes “from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” And it is the Lord Jesus Christ “who gave himself for our sins.” (1:4) That is the grace of God in salvation which comes to all in the gospel message.
A major theme in Galatians is Paul’s need to defend his apostleship and ministry. He does this by emphasizing having been “set apart” by God and stating that God “called me by his grace” (cf. 2:9. This may refer to the “calling” of an individual to unique service, although not inappropriate as the call of the gospel to salvation.) Paul expresses amazement that the Galatians were “so quickly turning away from him who called you by the grace of Christ… (1:6). Note that Paul understands the Galatian’s situation as a “turning away” from God who “called” them. Calvinists view this “call” as effectual, that is, something from which the “called” or “elect” person cannot “turn away.” If there is the potential for “turning away,” the Calvinist must argue that this “turning away” is temporary. But this is to beg the question, for it does not seem that with respect to their “calling” Paul has in mind an “effectual” call, let alone “irresistible grace.” It also diminishes the integrity of Paul’s observation here and the genuineness of the warning aspect in his statement. The question for the Calvinist is, how could they be “turning away” from an effectual call and an irresistible grace? Again, Paul says they were called by “the grace of Christ” which is the gospel message or message of “good news.”
So, what did Paul mean by “him who called you by the grace of Christ?” This phrase, in contrast to “him who called me by his grace,” which is an affirmation of God appointing Paul to his mission to the Gentiles, refers to the gospel message. “The grace of Christ” is simply the message of salvation in Christ. God called the Galatians to salvation by the “good news” that God’s grace for salvation is found in Christ and is appropriated by faith. This is made clear when Paul contrasts this “grace of Christ” with turning to “a different gospel” (1:6). Paul is contrasting the real gospel of grace through faith with a false “gospel” of “works of the law.” Paul quickly adds, “not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ” (1:7). So here, the “grace of Christ” is synonymous with “the gospel of Christ.” And God calls people to salvation through this “grace of Christ” or “gospel of Christ.”
So, what is this “turning away” from “the grace of Christ?” It is the setting aside or nullifying this grace by the teaching that, although one is justified by faith in Christ, it is also required that the Gentile believer keep “the works of the law” (e.g., circumcision, special days, etc.). This attack on the freedom of the believer with respect to adding “the works of the law” to salvation by faith in Christ is firmly rejected by Paul. They are incompatible with each other. It was certainly the prerogative of the Jew, or the Gentile for that matter, to continue to observe the Mosaic laws, for “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Rom. 7:12, ESV) But this observance of the law was not to be associated with their salvation. It has no place in the gospel. It was not required because it has no efficacy for salvation by faith in Christ. With respect to one’s justification before God, Paul reasons that the Gentiles need not live like the Jews,
“…because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.” (2:16. CSB)
And Paul adds,
“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” (2:19-21. CSB)
Note that to add “the law” to “faith” would be to “set aside the grace of God.” (2:21, CSB) The NIV has “I do not nullify the grace of God.” We see here that the grace that is related to salvation – “the grace of Christ” – can be “nullified” by “those who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ” (1:7, CSB), that is, those who want to add the practices of Judaism as a requirement for being among “the people of God” and thus in a saving relationship with God. If the Galatians were to accept the teaching of these “false brothers” (2:4) or the “circumcision party” (2:12), they would be nullifying the saving grace of God in their lives. This is why Paul is so adamantly opposed to any distortion of the gospel message (cf. 1:8-9). Their salvation was at stake.
So we see that this grace, which is related to salvation and the gospel, is not something assigned unconditionally to certain chosen persons and is not irresistible. The gospel must be maintained in its purity as “good news.” Grace, in reference to salvation, is God’s mercy, kindness, and goodness in accomplishing salvation in Christ, “who gave himself for our sins” (1:4). It is therefore a grace and salvation that comes to all. It is also important to note that Paul speaks about the “Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (2:20, CSB). Paul, contrary to the Calvinist doctrines of unconditional election and limited atonement, knew assuredly that Christ loved him and died for him. He has no doubt as to Christ’s love for him and that the death of Christ applies to him. And of course, anyone who reads these scriptures can surely apply these same truths to themselves. God and Jesus love you so much that Jesus died for your sins. (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 3:23-25, 5:8, et al.)
Go to the next section: Grace in 2 Corinthians Chapters 5 and 6
The Nature of Grace in Scripture
The Truth of the Gospel 