Galatians

The Gospel of Galatians​​​​

 

WHEN FREEDOM IS AT STAKE

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You've encountered Jesus. Maybe through a dream, a vision, or simply hearing the gospel. You believed. You received the Holy Spirit. You experienced God's power. You knew you were saved by grace through faith, not by following rules.

 

And then someone told you it wasn't enough.

 

Someone said you needed to be circumcised. You needed to follow Jewish dietary laws. You needed to observe special days and festivals. You needed to keep the law of Moses. Faith in Jesus was good, but you needed something more.

 

That's exactly what happened to the churches in Galatia. After Paul left, false teachers arrived telling new believers they needed to add law keeping to faith. They needed Jesus plus circumcision. Jesus plus the law. Jesus plus religious performance.

 

Paul is furious. Absolutely furious. You can feel it in every line of this letter.

 

Why? Because adding anything to Jesus plus nothing diminishes the gospel. It turns grace into a performance. It makes Jesus' death meaningless. It enslaves people who were set free.

 

Galatians is Paul's most passionate defence of the gospel: salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone, through grace alone. Period. No additions. No supplements. No extra requirements.

 

If you've ever felt like you're not doing enough for God, if you've wondered whether your faith is sufficient, if someone's told you that you need to do more to be accepted by God, read this letter. Paul will set you free.

 

A note before we begin:

Galatians is six chapters of fiery, passionate defence of grace. This summary hits the major themes, but Paul's argument is carefully constructed and worth reading in full. Don't just rely on this overview. Open your Bible and read Galatians yourself. Let Paul's defence of freedom in Christ liberate you from any religious performance that's crept into your faith.

 

No Other Gospel

 

Paul opens with an explosion. No greeting. No thanksgiving. Just straight into the problem.

 

I'm astonished that you're so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

 

They're deserting the gospel. Turning to a different gospel. Which isn't really a gospel at all.

 

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! As we've already said, so now I say again: if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!

 

Strong words. Paul pronounces a curse, twice, on anyone who preaches a different gospel. Even if an angel appeared and preached a different gospel, they'd be cursed. The gospel isn't negotiable.

 

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I wouldn't be a servant of Christ.

 

Paul doesn't care about popularity. He cares about truth. If he wanted to please people, he'd tell them what they want to hear. But he's a servant of Christ, not a people pleaser.

 

Paul's Authority

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached isn't of human origin. I didn't receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

 

Paul's gospel didn't come from other apostles. It came directly from Jesus Christ through revelation.

 

For you've heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age amongst my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

 

Paul was a zealous Pharisee. He persecuted Christians. He tried to destroy the church. He was the last person you'd expect to become a Christian.

 

But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him amongst the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I didn't go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

 

God revealed Jesus to Paul directly. Paul didn't immediately go to the other apostles for approval. He went to Arabia. Three years later, he visited Peter in Jerusalem for fifteen days. That's it.

 

Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach amongst the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I wasn't running and hadn't been running my race in vain.

 

Fourteen years after his conversion, Paul went to Jerusalem and presented his gospel to the leaders. They added nothing to his message. In fact, they recognised that God had called Paul to preach to Gentiles just as Peter was called to preach to Jews.

 

Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

 

This is crucial. Titus was a Greek believer. The Jewish leaders didn't require him to be circumcised. That set the precedent: Gentiles don't need to become Jews to be Christians.

 

This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We didn't give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

 

False believers tried to enslave them by requiring circumcision. Paul didn't give in for a moment. Why? To preserve the truth of the gospel for you.

 

As for those who were held in high esteem, whatever they were makes no difference to me; God doesn't show favouritism, they added nothing to my message.

 

The Jerusalem leaders had nothing to add to Paul's gospel. They recognised it was complete.

 

Paul Confronts Peter

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.

 

Peter was eating with Gentile believers. Then some Jewish Christians from Jerusalem arrived. Peter, afraid of what they'd think, stopped eating with Gentiles. He segregated himself.

 

The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

 

Peter's hypocrisy was contagious. Even Barnabas was pulled in.

 

When I saw that they weren't acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, you're a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

 

Paul confronted Peter publicly. Peter was sending the message that Gentiles needed to follow Jewish customs to be fully accepted. That contradicts the gospel.

 

We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person isn't justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

 

This is the heart of the gospel: you're not justified by keeping the law. You're justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Jews and Gentiles alike are saved the same way: by faith alone.

 

For if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

 

If you could be made righteous by keeping rules, Jesus didn't need to die. His death would be meaningless. But He did die, which proves that the law can't save you.

 

Crucified With Christ

I've 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 don't set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

 

This is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible. Your old self was crucified with Christ. You no longer live. Christ lives in you. The life you're living now, you live by faith in Jesus, who loved you and gave Himself for you.

 

If righteousness came through the law, Christ died for nothing. But He didn't die for nothing. He died because it was the only way to save you.

 

Faith or Works of the Law

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

 

Paul's frustrated. How did you receive the Holy Spirit? By keeping the law? No. By believing the gospel. So why would you think you need the law now?

 

Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain, if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you His Spirit and work miracles amongst you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

 

You started with the Spirit. You experienced God's power. All by faith. Why would you switch to trying to achieve through human effort what only the Spirit can do?

 

So also Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

 

Abraham is the example. He believed God. That faith was credited to him as righteousness. Not his works. His faith.

 

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: all nations will be blessed through you. So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

 

If you have faith, you're Abraham's child. The blessing comes through faith, not through keeping the law.

 

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it's written: cursed is everyone who doesn't continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because the righteous will live by faith.

 

Here's the problem with relying on the law: you have to keep all of it, perfectly, all the time. If you break one part, you're cursed. No one can do that. So everyone who relies on the law is under a curse.

 

The righteous live by faith, not by law keeping.

 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it's written: cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

 

Jesus took the curse on Himself. He became a curse for you when He hung on the cross. Why? So the blessing could come to Gentiles through faith, so you could receive the Spirit by believing, not by working.

 

The Law and the Promise

Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture doesn't say and to seeds, meaning many people, but and to your seed, meaning one person, who is Christ.

 

God made promises to Abraham and to his seed, singular. That seed is Christ. The promise comes through Christ, not through the law.

 

What I mean is this: the law, introduced 430 years later, doesn't set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in His grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

 

The law came 430 years after the promise. It doesn't cancel the promise. The inheritance comes through promise, not law.

 

Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

 

Why have the law then? It was added to show people their sin, to reveal transgressions, until Christ came. The law was temporary. The promise is permanent.

 

Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

 

The law isn't opposed to the promise. But the law can't give life. It can only show you you're a sinner. The promise gives life through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we're no longer under a guardian.

 

The law was a guardian, a custodian, until Christ came. Now that Christ has come, we're no longer under the law's supervision. We're justified by faith.

 

So in Christ Jesus you're all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There's neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you're all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you're Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

Your identity is in Christ. Not in your ethnicity, social status, or gender. You're all one in Christ. And if you belong to Christ, you're Abraham's heir. The promise is yours through faith.

 

Sons, Not Slaves

What I'm saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he's no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

 

Before Christ, you were like a child under guardians. Enslaved to spiritual forces. But when the time came, God sent His Son to redeem you and adopt you as His child.

 

Because you're His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. So you're no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you're His child, God has made you also an heir.

 

You're not a slave. You're a son. You're an heir. The Holy Spirit in you cries out, Abba, Father. You have direct access to God as your Father.

 

Formerly, when you didn't know God, you were slaves to those who by nature aren't gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you're turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You're observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I've wasted my efforts on you.

 

They're going back to slavery. Observing special religious days and festivals, thinking that will make them righteous. Paul's afraid his work was wasted.

 

I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you didn't treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

 

Paul reminds them how they used to treat him. He was sick when he first came to them. They welcomed him anyway, treated him like Christ Himself.

 

Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would've torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

 

Now they treat him like an enemy. Why? Because he's telling them the truth.

 

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It's fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I'm with you.

 

The false teachers want to win them over for their own purposes. They want to alienate them from Paul so they'll follow the false teachers instead.

 

My dear children, for whom I'm again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I'm perplexed about you!

 

Paul's in anguish. He's like a mother in labour pains, longing for Christ to be formed in them. He's perplexed about how they could turn away so quickly.

 

Hagar and Sarah

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, aren't you aware of what the law says? For it's written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

 

Paul uses an allegory. Abraham had two sons. Ishmael, born to Hagar the slave woman, born according to the flesh. Isaac, born to Sarah the free woman, born according to promise.

 

These things are being taken figuratively: the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: this is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she's in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she's our mother.

 

Hagar represents the old covenant, the law, slavery. Sarah represents the new covenant, the promise, freedom.

 

For it's written: be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labour; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.

 

Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It's the same now. But what does Scripture say? Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we're not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

 

You're like Isaac. Born according to promise, not flesh. Born free, not slave. Don't go back to slavery.

 

Freedom in Christ

It's for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and don't let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

 

This is the key verse. Christ set you free. For freedom. Not for a different kind of slavery. Stand firm. Don't go back to the yoke.

 

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he's required to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you've fallen away from grace.

 

Strong warning. If you try to be justified by law, by circumcision, you've cut yourself off from Christ. You've fallen from grace. Not lost salvation, but abandoned grace for law.

 

For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

 

What matters isn't circumcision or uncircumcision. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.

 

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion doesn't come from the one who calls you. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.

 

They were doing well. Then someone interfered. That interference didn't come from God. And like yeast, false teaching spreads through the whole church.

 

I'm confident in the Lord that you'll take no other view. The one who's throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.

 

Paul's confident they'll return to the truth. But the false teacher will face judgment.

 

Brothers and sisters, if I'm still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offence of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they'd go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

 

Sarcasm. If Paul were preaching circumcision, he wouldn't be persecuted. The cross offends people precisely because it says you can't save yourself. And as for the false teachers pushing circumcision? Paul wishes they'd castrate themselves.

 

Life by the Spirit

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But don't use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: love your neighbour as yourself. If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you'll be destroyed by each other.

 

Freedom isn't license to sin. It's freedom to love and serve. The whole law is summed up in one command: love your neighbour as yourself.

 

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what's contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what's contrary to the flesh. They're in conflict with each other, so that you aren't to do whatever you want. But if you're led by the Spirit, you're not under the law.

 

There's a battle between flesh and Spirit. Walk by the Spirit and you won't gratify the flesh. If the Spirit leads you, you're not under law.

 

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this won't inherit the kingdom of God.

 

The flesh produces death. These acts are evidence of living according to flesh, not Spirit.

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there's no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

 

The Spirit produces life. This fruit is evidence of living according to the Spirit. You've crucified the flesh. Now walk by the Spirit.

 

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

 

Don't let pride creep in. Don't provoke each other. Don't envy each other. Walk in humility.

 

Restore Gently

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you'll fulfil the law of Christ.

 

When someone falls into sin, restore them gently. Don't be harsh. And watch yourself, because you could fall too. Carry each other's burdens. That's the law of Christ: love.

 

If anyone thinks they're something when they're not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.

 

Don't think you're better than you are. Test your own actions. Take responsibility for yourself without comparing yourself to others.

 

Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with the one who teaches.

 

Support those who teach you. Share with them.

 

Don't be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we'll reap a harvest if we don't give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 

You reap what you sow. Sow to the flesh, reap destruction. Sow to the Spirit, reap eternal life. Don't give up doing good. You'll reap a harvest at the right time.

 

Paul's Final Warning

See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

 

Paul takes the pen from his scribe and writes the conclusion himself in large letters.

 

Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.

 

The false teachers want to impress people. They want to avoid persecution. They want to boast. It's all about them, not about Christ.

 

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, to the Israel of God.

 

Paul boasts only in the cross. Through the cross, the world is crucified to him and he to the world. Circumcision doesn't matter. What matters is being a new creation.

 

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

 

Paul's done arguing. He bears the scars of following Jesus. The beatings, the lashings, the stonings. Those scars prove his authenticity. Let no one question him.

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

 

What This Means for You

Galatians is Paul's fiercest defence of the gospel. Salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone, through grace alone. Adding anything to faith plus nothing perverts the gospel.

 

Here's what Galatians teaches you:

There's no other gospel. If anyone preaches a different gospel, even an angel, they're cursed. The gospel isn't negotiable.

 

You're justified by faith, not by works of the law. You received the Spirit by believing, not by working. Why would you try to finish by works what you started by faith?

 

Christ redeemed you from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for you. He took the punishment you deserved so you could receive the blessing.

 

You're a son, not a slave. You're an heir. The Holy Spirit in you cries out, Abba, Father. You have direct access to God.

 

Christ set you free for freedom. Don't go back to slavery. Stand firm. Don't let anyone burden you with a yoke of slavery.

 

Walk by the Spirit. Don't gratify the flesh. The flesh and Spirit are at war. Walk by the Spirit and you'll produce the fruit of the Spirit.

 

You reap what you sow. Sow to the flesh, reap destruction. Sow to the Spirit, reap eternal life. Don't give up doing good.

 

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Not circumcision or uncircumcision. Not religious performance. Faith that produces love.

 

Your Next Steps

Galatians challenges you to examine what you're trusting in for salvation.

 

Are you trusting in Jesus alone, or Jesus plus something? Jesus plus good works? Jesus plus religious observance? Jesus plus moral performance? If you've added anything to faith alone, you've abandoned grace for law.

 

Are you trying to finish by human effort what you started by the Spirit? You received the Spirit by faith. Keep walking by faith.

 

Are you living in freedom or slavery? Christ set you free. Don't go back to religious rules and regulations that enslave you.

 

Are you walking by the Spirit or by the flesh? The fruit in your life reveals which one you're following. Love, joy, peace? That's the Spirit. Hatred, discord, jealousy? That's the flesh.

 

Are you boasting in the cross or in your own achievements? Paul boasted only in the cross. Everything else is worthless.

 

Read It Yourself

This summary covers the major themes, but Galatians deserves your careful attention. Paul's argument is tightly constructed, building from his defence of his authority to his theological explanation of justification by faith to his practical application of walking by the Spirit.

 

Don't just read about Galatians. Read Galatians. Open your Bible to chapter 1 and work through all six chapters. Let Paul's passionate defence of grace free you from any religious performance or rule keeping that's enslaved you. Let the truth that you're justified by faith alone sink deep into your soul.

 

Stand Firm in Freedom

The world wants to enslave you. Religion wants to enslave you. Your own flesh wants to enslave you. They all want to convince you that you're not enough, that you need to do more, achieve more, perform more to be accepted.

 

Paul says no. Christ set you free. Stand firm. Don't let anyone put a yoke of slavery on you.

 

You're justified by faith. You're a new creation. You're a son, not a slave. You're an heir. The Spirit lives in you. You're free.

 

Now live like it.

 

 

Scripture paraphrased and quoted from various translations for clarity.

© The Unknown Believer