Paul always had a purpose in his writing. When writing to the churches in the province of Galatia, he sought to correct some errors they had been led to, by men who opposed Paul just about everywhere he went.
These men were Judaizers, desiring to bind the covenant of circumcision and adherence to the law upon the Gentiles. They opposed what Paul taught, and sought to both contradict him, and delegitimize him in the eyes of others.
So, Paul began by defending his apostleship. He was not a usurper, but had been chosen by Jesus Himself (cf. Acts 9). What he taught had been accepted by the church in Jerusalem, and sanctioned by God (cf. Acts 15:1-35).
Paul admonished the Galatians for rejecting what Paul taught, and embracing the false views of these Judaizers (1:6-10). He rightly identified what they stood for to be “another gospel” and a perversion of the “gospel of Christ” (1:6-7).
Paul went into great detail showing the Lord’s acceptance of his ministry, in chapters 1 and 2, and then in the third chapter established the foundational principle upon which salvation is settled. “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Galatians 3:5-9). Redemption does not come from keeping the law, but by the hearing of faith! We are saved because we believe on Jesus.
In contrast, the law brings a curse upon those who depend upon it, because no one can be justified by it (cf. Galatians 3:11). The provision of Christ is supplied uniquely by the death of Christ, who shed His blood for the remission of our sins. In so doing, Jesus became a “curse for us” that we might receive the promise of God through faith (cf. Galatians 3:13).
Paul identified the purpose of the law was to “bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (cf. Galatians 3:24). Now that Christ and full redemption had come, the time for the law had passed (Galatians 3:25). Standing with God, regardless of whether we are Jews, Greeks, slaves, freemen, males or females, is obtained through Christ Jesus. As He said about Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
In identifying Christ as the way, he also identified the time in which redemption came. It is in the “fullness of the time” that God sent Jesus to the world (4:4-5). This grants redemption and reward to all as we inherit what is supplied to all who are received by the “spirit of adoption” (4:1-7).
He wanted to know then why the Galatians would turn again to what did not bring redemption. He was “afraid” for them, as they were allowing the Judaizers to rob them of the redemption he had supplied through faith in Jesus. It was important to Paul, as he loved them dearly. He wrote, “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?” (4:16). Their acceptance of these Judaizers caused him to have doubts about them, which as the reason for the letter (4:20).
He used a metaphor to make it clear. Sarah was the freewoman who brought through Isaac the blessing of freedom and promise. As he wrote about the Galatians, “Now we, brethren as Isaac was, are children of promise.” He wrote, “So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free” (Galatians 4:28-31).
As such, it was worth the Galatian’s efforts to stand in that freedom or liberty. Those who sought to entangle them were enemies. The Judaizers were enemies, as they sought to have circumcision as a provision of salvation. As Paul wrote, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (5:6).
So that there would be no misunderstanding, Paul made clear that liberty did not equal license to sin. He did the same in Romans 6:1-4. Provisions of the “newness of life” to which Paul referred are listed in the final two chapters of Galatians.
Paul called upon the Galatians to mature by walking in the Spirit. Things like love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self–control were to be characteristic of the Christian (cf. 5:22-26). They were to look out for one another (6:1-2) and themselves (6:3-4). They were to recognize the imperative of love by being hospitable, and by remaining steadfast in their efforts to do good to all. (6:6-9)
Paul loved the Galatians dearly. He wanted them to enjoy the blessings of faith in Christ Jesus. He wanted them to avoid the pitfalls and error brought by men. His words helped the Galatian churches, and it has helped us today as well.
He finished with these sincere words, directed toward them and us. “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen” (Galatians 6:18).
