November 24

Galatians 1-3 (biblegateway.com)

Grace, Not Law: The True Gospel of Freedom

After the Jerusalem Council affirmed that salvation comes by grace through faith alone, Paul writes to the Galatian churches to defend the true gospel against false teachers who sought to mix law with grace. His message calls believers back to the freedom found only in Christ. Galatians 1–3 form Paul’s passionate defense of the gospel of grace.

Galatians 1 — The Divine Gospel of Grace Defended

Paul writes to the churches in Galatia with urgent concern. These congregations, formed during his missionary journeys, now face pressure from teachers who insist that Gentile believers must adopt the Mosaic law to be fully accepted by God. The controversy is not minor; it threatens the very nature of the gospel itself. Before addressing the error directly, Paul grounds his authority and message in God's work, not in human origin. He wants them to understand that drifting from grace is not merely theological confusion but spiritual danger, for to alter the gospel is to abandon the only message that saves. His opening establishes the foundation for everything that follows: salvation is by grace, not works, and the gospel cannot be altered without destroying it.

He identifies himself as “an apostle, not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead” (v. 1). His calling is rooted in divine appointment rather than human validation. The brothers with him join in writing to the churches of Galatia (v. 2). He extends his customary greeting of grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of God (v. 3–4). Christ’s self-sacrifice defines the gospel: salvation rests on what He has done, not on what we can do. Paul frames the entire letter around this truth: deliverance comes through Christ’s initiative, not human performance. Paul rightly ascribes glory to God forever (v. 5).

Abruptly, Paul’s tone shifts to astonishment: “I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ to a different gospel” (v. 6). The Galatians are abandoning grace for a distortion. There is no other true gospel, but some are troubling them and altering the message of Christ (v. 7). Any attempt to add human effort to the gospel destroys its essence. Salvation cannot be earned or sustained by works; it is entirely the work of grace enabled by God and received by faith.

Paul declares that even if he or an angel from heaven preaches a gospel contrary to what they originally received, that messenger stands under God’s curse (v. 8–9). Divine truth is not flexible; it does not evolve with culture or opinion. Paul insists that he is not seeking human approval but the approval of God, for if he were still trying to please people, he would not be a servant of Christ (v. 10). Genuine ministry requires loyalty to Christ above all.

He then explains that the gospel he proclaims is not a human invention nor the result of human instruction; it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ Himself (v. 11–12). Paul reminds them of his former life in Judaism, and how he persecuted the church violently, seeking to destroy it, advancing in Judaism beyond many of his peers, zealous for the traditions handed down to him (v. 13–14). Yet God, who set him apart before birth and called him by grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in him, so that he might preach Christ among the Gentiles (v. 15–16). His conversion illustrates that salvation and calling begin with God’s initiative, not with human effort, yet God’s grace does not override the human will but enables a real and willing response of faith, consistent with the freedom God extends to all people. His dramatic transformation stands as living proof that the gospel he preaches cannot be explained by human influence or religious tradition.

After his conversion, Paul does not immediately consult anyone nor go to Jerusalem. Instead, he withdraws to Arabia and then returns to Damascus (v. 17). His understanding of the gospel develops under divine instruction rather than dependence on the apostles. After three years, he goes to Jerusalem to visit Peter, staying with him fifteen days (v. 18). He sees no other apostle except James, the Lord’s brother (v. 19). He affirms before God that his testimony is true (v. 20). By stressing this independence, Paul shows the Galatians that the gospel they received from him carries the same authority as that proclaimed by the Jerusalem apostles, because both come from Christ Himself. His message is independent of human origin and aligned with divine revelation.

Paul then travels into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, areas shaped by a blend of Jewish communities and Greco-Roman culture (v. 21). His ministry there marks the early years of his preaching work after leaving Damascus. During this period, the churches of Judea do not know him personally; they only hear reports of what God has done in him. The testimony spreads that “he who once persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy” (v. 22–23). The contrast is significant. The man who once sought letters to arrest believers is now proclaiming the gospel he opposed, demonstrating how thoroughly grace reshapes a person’s life and purpose.

The response of the Judean churches is not suspicion but worship. They glorify God because of him (v. 24), recognizing that such transformation cannot be explained by human effort but by God’s gracious work in a heart that freely responds to truth. Paul’s name, once feared, becomes a testimony to grace, reminding the Galatians that the gospel creates real, observable change that exalts God rather than human achievement.

Galatians 1 establishes the foundation for the entire letter: the gospel is divine in origin and sufficient in power. Salvation comes by grace through faith, not by works of the law. Any attempt to modify or add to that message corrupts it. Paul’s transformation from persecutor to preacher demonstrates that the gospel he defends is not of man but of God. The true gospel calls believers to cling to Christ alone, who gave Himself for our sins and rescues us from this present evil age.

Galatians 2 — The Gospel Affirmed and Preserved Against Legalism

After recounting his early years in ministry, Paul continues defending the divine nature of his message by describing a pivotal moment in his relationship with the apostles in Jerusalem. This chapter forms a bridge between his personal testimony and his theological arguments, showing that the gospel he preached among the Gentiles was not only revealed by Christ but also affirmed by the leaders of the early church. The context demonstrates that unity in the church is not built by compromising the gospel but by submitting to the truth Christ has revealed.

Fourteen years after his previous visit, Paul returns to Jerusalem with Barnabas, bringing Titus with them as a living example of a Gentile believer transformed by grace (v. 1). He goes in response to a revelation, not human pressure, demonstrating again that his ministry is shaped by divine guidance (v. 2). In a private setting, he explains the gospel he proclaims among the Gentiles to those who were recognized as leaders, including Peter, James, and John. His purpose is not insecurity but clarity; he seeks to ensure that no misunderstanding undermines the unity of their mission. The heart of the matter emerges when Titus, a Greek believer, is not compelled to be circumcised (v. 3). This decision becomes a watershed moment affirming that Gentile believers stand fully accepted by God without adopting Jewish law, reinforcing that salvation rests on grace alone.

Paul explains that false brothers had secretly infiltrated the community, attempting to impose legal requirements and bring believers back into bondage (v. 4). These teachers insisted that Gentiles must adopt Jewish customs to be fully accepted by God. Paul refuses to yield for even a moment, preserving the truth of the gospel for the Galatians (v. 5). Salvation cannot rest on works without undermining grace itself. Theologically, this is a decisive moment; the apostles’ response confirms that the gospel extended to the Gentiles stands independent of the law.

Those recognized as leaders add nothing to Paul’s message (v. 6). Instead, they see that God has entrusted Paul with the gospel to the uncircumcised just as He entrusted Peter with the gospel to the circumcised (v. 7). The same God who worked powerfully through Peter works through Paul as well (v. 8). James, Peter, and John extend the right hand of fellowship, acknowledging that Paul and Barnabas are called to the Gentiles, while they minister primarily to the Jews (v. 9). The only request is that Paul remember the poor, something he is already eager to do (v. 10). Their unity rests not in uniformity of ministry but in fidelity to the same gospel and the same grace.

Paul then recounts a difficult but crucial moment in Antioch, where he confronts Peter publicly (v. 11). Before certain men arrive from James, Peter freely eats with the Gentile believers. But when they come, Peter draws back, fearing criticism from those who insisted on strict adherence to Jewish customs (v. 12). His withdrawal influences others, first the rest of the Jewish believers and then Barnabas, who is carried away by their hesitation (v. 13). The problem is not cultural practice but the theological implication: Peter’s actions suggest that Gentiles must adopt Jewish customs to be fully included in the people of God.

Paul confronts Peter because his conduct is “not in step with the truth of the gospel” (v. 14). By withdrawing from Gentile believers, Peter’s actions denied in practice what the gospel teaches, that Jew and Gentile alike are justified before God on the same basis: faith in Christ alone. Paul reminds him that the law cannot make anyone righteous; no matter how many commandments, rituals, or traditions are observed, it cannot justify a sinner. Justification comes only through trusting in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross (v. 15–16). If righteousness could come through the law, then Christ’s death would be unnecessary. Because salvation is impossible through human effort, the gospel rests entirely on His grace from start to finish. Peter’s behavior unintentionally implied a two-tiered system within the church, something Paul could not allow, because it undermined the heart of justification by faith.

Paul explains that his life is now defined by union with Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (v. 20). His new life is sustained by faith in the Son of God, who loved him and gave Himself for him. To return to law-keeping as a means of righteousness would set aside grace and deny the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice (v. 21).

Galatians 2 demonstrates that the gospel must be guarded not only in doctrine but also in conduct. Paul’s defense of grace protects the church from drifting into legalism, and his confrontation with Peter shows the importance of living in a way that reflects the unity Christ creates. The chapter challenges believers to hold fast to the truth that justification comes through faith alone, and to walk in fellowship shaped by grace, not by external requirements. It prepares the reader for Paul’s full theological argument in the chapters that follow, where he unfolds the nature of the law, the promise, and the freedom found in Christ.

Galatians 3 — Justification by Faith, Not by Works of the Law

Paul now turns from recounting his past to addressing the Galatians directly. His tone is urgent and pastoral, pressing them to see how they have drifted from the very foundation of their faith. The issue is not minor; adding law to grace nullifies the gospel. Galatians 3 becomes one of Paul’s clearest explanations of justification by faith and the true purpose of the Mosaic law. He knows that if the Galatians misunderstand justification, they will misunderstand the entire Christian life and fall back into spiritual bondage.

Paul begins by asking how the Galatians could be so foolish as to turn from the truth they first embraced (v. 1). Christ had been publicly portrayed before them as crucified; the gospel had been declared with clarity and power. He asks whether they received the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith (v. 2). Their own experience should answer the question. God’s life-giving Spirit came not through ritual but through believing the message of Christ. If they began by the Spirit, Paul asks, how could they now think they would be perfected by the flesh (v. 3)? The Christian life cannot start in grace and then shift to human effort.

Paul reminds them of their early hardships endured for the gospel, including suffering that would be meaningless if they now abandon the foundation on which they first stood (v. 4). He asks again whether the miracles they witnessed came through works of the law or through faith (v. 5). God’s work among them was not produced by law-keeping but by believing. Their own story testifies that salvation and sanctification flow from trusting Christ, not from earning God’s favor through effort.

To ground his argument in Scripture, Paul turns to Abraham. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (v. 6). Faith, not law, made Abraham righteous. Those who share Abraham’s faith are the true children of Abraham (v. 7). Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed” (v. 8). From the beginning, God intended a worldwide family united not by ethnicity or law but by faith in His promise. Those who believe are blessed with Abraham, the man of faith (v. 9). By grounding his argument in Abraham, Paul shows that the gospel of grace is not new but rooted in God’s original covenant purpose.

Paul contrasts this blessing with the curse that comes from relying on the law. “All who rely on works of the law are under a curse” because the law demands perfect, continual obedience (v. 10). No one can meet that standard. Scripture testifies, “The righteous shall live by faith” (v. 11). The law is not of faith; it operates on the principle of doing, not believing (v. 12). Yet Christ has redeemed believers from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for them, fulfilling Deuteronomy’s declaration that one who hangs on a tree is cursed (v. 13). Christ bears what sinners deserve so that the blessing promised to Abraham might come to the Gentiles and that believers might receive the promised Spirit through faith (v. 14). Redemption is rooted entirely in Christ’s work, not in human performance.

Paul then illustrates the unchanging nature of God’s covenant. Even a human covenant, once confirmed, cannot be annulled or added to (v. 15). God gave the promise to Abraham and to his “offspring,” not to many, but to one, who is Christ (v. 16). The law, given 430 years later, does not cancel the promise (v. 17). If the inheritance depends on the law, it no longer rests on the promise given by grace. But God gave it to Abraham through a promise (v. 18). Paul emphasizes that God’s plan has always centered on Christ and His redeeming work.

This naturally raises the question: What purpose does the law serve? Paul answers that the law was added because of transgressions, functioning as a guardian until the promised offspring came (v. 19). It revealed sin, restrained sin, and pointed toward the need for a Savior, but it was temporary. The law was given through angels and a mediator, emphasizing its subordinate and preparatory nature (v. 19–20). The promise, however, comes directly from God.

Is the law opposed to God’s promises? Paul insists it is not. If a law could have given life, righteousness would indeed come through the law (v. 21). But Scripture confines all under sin so that the promise might be given to those who believe (v. 22). Before faith came, Paul says, the law held people in custody, preparing them for the revelation of Christ (v. 23). The law was a guardian, not a giver of life. But now that faith has come, believers are no longer under that guardian (v. 24–25).

Paul brings the argument to its climax: in Christ Jesus, believers are all sons of God through faith (v. 26). They have put on Christ in baptism, identifying with Him and receiving new life (v. 27). In Him, distinctions of Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female do not determine standing before God (v. 28). These categories remain socially real but not spiritually determinative. Believers are one in Christ, united by grace. If they belong to Christ, they are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise (v. 29). God fulfills in Christ what He pledged to Abraham, forming one redeemed people by grace through faith.

Galatians 3 anchors the Christian life firmly in faith rather than in law. Paul shows that both Scripture and experience testify that righteousness comes through believing God’s promise, not through human performance. Christ’s redeeming work frees believers from the law’s condemnation and makes them heirs of the promise. The chapter challenges believers to reject every form of legalism and walk in the freedom that comes from trusting Christ alone, resting in the Spirit’s work, and living as children of God united in Him.

Conclusion

Galatians 1–3 boldly proclaim that the gospel is a message of grace, not law. Salvation cannot be earned by religious effort or obedience to rituals; it is received by faith in Jesus Christ alone. The law reveals our need for a Savior, but only Christ provides righteousness.

For believers today, these chapters remind us that our standing before God is not based on what we do, but on what Christ has done. The Christian life is not lived in our own strength but by the power of the Spirit. We are justified, adopted, and made new through faith in the Son of God. True freedom is found not in rules but in relationship, with Christ living within us.