Galatians: Introduction

Overview and Brief Summary

Galatians is often characterized as a “short version of Romans”. True Christianity is A Way of life. Jesus said, “I am The Way, The Truth and The Life”. We are inspired to live as His followers, secure in knowing we can Trust Him to bring us to Sanctification and Glory!

The Book of Romans is considered by most scholars as the most profound piece of writing in existence. To give yourself more insight into Galatians, you may want to consider reading the Book of Romans before beginning your study. The Theme of Romans is the Grace of God Revealed. We learn of God’s Righteousness, our iniquity (sin) and God’s gracious solution (remedy) through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for our redemption (Salvation). This is God’s GRACE, God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense! Our entire culture is influenced by the Truth of this epistle. Romans is the wonderful cornerstone of our understanding of God’s unbelievable Mercy and Grace. We know and are confident that salvation is only the beginning ~ SANCTIFICATION then becomes our lifelong goal. We are hopeful and optimistic in knowing that balancing and prioritizing our lives to include daily Bible Study will allow us to reap a more dependable, cheerful, joyful, and peaceful Christ-centered satisfying life.

The emphasis in Galatians is on God’s Grace, which is His unmerited favor; versus Legalism; which is Keeping God’s Rules. Often Legalism also includes keeping man-made rules. Galatians will encourage us to be cheerfully expectant in cooperating with the Holy Spirit to attain the joyful, faith-filled life Jesus planned for us. All of this will become clearer as we see God’s Word revealed through our careful and diligent study. Jesus wants us to have more Peace, Love, Joy, Satisfaction and Success in our lives.

This book assures us that God can use anyone who seeks Him with their whole heart, mind, and soul!
Galatians is our guide to Freedom and revival of biblical Truth. It is the bedrock of spiritual freedom and responsibility. True freedom always has responsibilities.

Galatians gives us Truth in teachings on Christian Freedom which separates Christianity from Judaism. This book is the cornerstone of evangelism. It emphasizes and clarifies our salvation is by God’s Grace alone + NOTHING! We cannot add to God’s Grace or do anything to “earn” our salvation. Lest any man should boast or pride himself into falsely thinking “I’m pretty good – I did such and such” Galatians eliminates any such prideful and erroneous thoughts or claims.

Salvation frees us from the penalty of sin, which is Hell and separation from God, forever. God’s Grace enables us to become Sanctified – becoming more Christ-like in our attitude, actions and thinking. Galatians is a serious warning to us regarding cults that teach another “truth” which is, in reality, a LIE that denies that salvation is through Jesus alone. Cults nearly always deny Jesus is the one and only True Son of God and God Himself, the second Person of the Holy Trinity.

Most scholars believe that Paul wrote this epistle to the southern Galatian churches, namely Antioch of Piscidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (see Acts 13 and 14 for additional information).

For Paul it all began on the Damascus Road, and there was never a road back. We all need to take the same road: any other road leads to “another gospel”. Paul spoke of his conversion in Hebrew before the crowd at the Temple in Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-21 and Act 9:1-19) and before King Agrippa in Caesarea (Acts 26:1-32). Before both friends and enemies, he stated that his very conversion was the greatest proof of his discipleship and the truth of the doctrine that man is saved by Faith and not by works.

Paul spent some years in Arabia, presumably being trained by God. He returns to Damascus, yet former friends now make the fiercest enemies. A plot to kill him causes him to seek shelter in Jerusalem (Act 9:26-28; Gal. 1:18)
After a short visit of two weeks, enemies again try to kill him; this time believers whisk him away to Caesarea where he boarded a ship to his hometown of Tarsus (Acts 9:26-31; Gal 1: 21-24).

In Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-14:28) he traveled even further west. The church in Antioch was growing tremendously and Barnabas was sent to recruit Paul from Tarsus. After a brief visit to bring food to the believers in Jerusalem, the first mission odyssey began. However, despite much progress, Jewish opposition began. “Unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the believers.” (Acts 14:2-20.)

The “Legal men- Old Testament Christians” were called “Judaizers” which means to be or live like a Jew. These opponents of the early Christian missionaries were called Judaizers because of their belief that Gentiles must live like Jews, following the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs and traditions. These Judaizers believed that in order for the wicked Gentiles; who believed in false gods, committed immorality, drunkenness, murder, etc.; to be saved, they had to become Jews first, then they could “qualify” to become Christians. Often, we do the same thing, thinking we must “clean up our act” first, then become a believer. Paul makes it clear that Christianity was NOT an addition to Judaism, but rather the fulfillment of the intent of the law. Faith in Jesus makes the believer a New Creation; with the Holy Spirit living within the believer. The JUST shall live by Faith (Rom.1:17) The Just SHALL LIVE by Faith (Gal. 3:11) The Just shall live BY FAITH (Heb. 10:38).

Grace is God’s answer to man’s pride: A believer does good works as a natural response to God’s Grace. Grace enables believers to obey God and produce good works. The law shows us our sin and need of God’s Grace. Grace makes us Free! Legalism always turns us back to the law: do this, don’t do that. Rather than being the person God intended us to be. We become more like Jesus as we allow Grace to transform us into His image and likeness.

Paul’s letter is key to keeping True Christianity free to anyone who would accept the Truth of the Gospel and the Joy and Freedom that comes from accepting Jesus as Lord, God and Savior. Anything else perverts the Truth and destroys True Grace, and True Freedom!