The Book of Galatians is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the churches in Galatia. Galatia was a Roman province in central Asia Minor, which is modern-day Turkey. Paul had helped establish these churches during his first missionary journey. However, after Paul left Galatia, other teachers had come in teaching a different gospel that added requirements, like circumcision, to the free gift of salvation that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. The purpose of Paul’s letter was to defend the true gospel of justification by faith alone and to refute the false teachers who were leading the Galatian believers astray.
Paul begins his letter by establishing his authority and greeting as an apostle called by God, not by man. He expresses astonishment that the Galatians are turning to a different gospel so quickly. Paul makes it clear there is only one true gospel, the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Any other so-called gospel is false. Paul goes on to give a brief testimony of his conversion and calling as an apostle. He explains how he initially persecuted the church but was dramatically converted after encountering the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. Paul emphasizes that the gospel he preaches came directly by revelation from Jesus Christ.
In chapter 2, Paul describes his visits to Jerusalem and his communications with the apostles there. He wants to make clear that the gospel he preaches aligns fully with what the other apostles preach. The apostles in Jerusalem recognized that Paul had been entrusted with preaching the gospel to the Gentiles just as Peter had been entrusted with preaching to the Jews. At a council in Jerusalem, the apostles agreed that Gentile converts did not need to be circumcised or follow the Law of Moses. The only requirements were to abstain from sexual immorality and from eating food sacrificed to idols. Paul opposed the false teachers in Galatia because they were contradicting the decision made by all the apostles that Gentiles were not required to be circumcised or follow the Mosaic Law.
In chapter 3, Paul dives into explaining justification by faith using the example of Abraham. Abraham was declared righteous by God on the basis of his faith, before he was circumcised and before the Mosaic Law was given. Therefore, circumcision and law-keeping are not requirements for salvation. The Law was given much later to show people their sinfulness and need for a Savior. It was never intended to be the way of salvation, which can only come through faith in Christ. Those who try to be justified by works of the law are under a curse, because no one can keep the law perfectly. Christ redeemed us from the curse by becoming a curse for us when He died on the cross. Through faith in Christ, the blessing of Abraham comes to the Gentiles so that all nations are justified by faith as Abraham was.
In chapter 4, Paul continues expounding justification by faith using an allegory contrasting slaves and sons. Before Christ, people were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. But when the time was right, God sent His Son born under the law to redeem those under the law. Through faith in Christ, believers are adopted as sons and no longer slaves. Paul pleads with the Galatians not to turn back to their former slavery under the law, but to stand firm in the freedom they have in Christ. He warns them against following the false teachers who want to enslave them again under the law.
In chapter 5, Paul urges the Galatians to stand firm in the freedom of the gospel and resist the false teaching of requiring circumcision. If the Galatians receive circumcision thinking it is necessary for salvation, then Christ is of no value to them. Paul again affirms that all believers are credited righteousness solely by faith in Christ, through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, not by works of the law. But this freedom in Christ is not a license to sin. Rather, it is freedom to walk by the Spirit and manifest His fruit such as love, joy, and peace. The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit. Paul contrasts the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh and walk by the Spirit.
Paul begins chapter 6 by instructing the Galatians to gently restore those caught in sin. He then summarizes the main points of the letter. What matters is being a new creation in Christ. Following outward rituals like circumcision avails nothing. The false teachers are hypocrites who just want to boast about the outward appearance of circumcision. But Paul boasts only in the cross of Christ by which he is crucified to the world. True believers are the Israel of God, whether Jew or Gentile. Paul closes the letter by warning the Galatians not to be deceived again and by blessing them in Christ Jesus.
In summary, Galatians provides crucial teaching on salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Paul forcefully refutes those who try to add any human effort, like circumcision or law-keeping, as necessary for justification. Faith in Christ is the only requirement. Those who believe are free from the law’s condemnation and empowered to walk in the Spirit, manifesting His fruit such as love and peace. Galatians is a vital defense of the true gospel against those who would distort it with legalistic requirements. This liberating message remains critical today for proclaiming the free gift of justification that comes solely by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.