Galatians— the Law versus Grace
03.08.23
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)
Much like 2 Corinthians, this is a defense of Paul’s authority. But where to the Corinthians he needed to defend himself personally, here we have a defense of the gospel.
The book has been dubbed as ‘the Magna Carta of Christian Liberty’—the battle cry of the Reformation. Luther had a special love for this Epistle.
Paul is without question the author. He is writing this epistle to a group of churches. These are likely some of the churches he visited on his first missionary journey. They would include Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. This is the only epistle that is addressed to a group of churches.
Galatia is an area, a district, not a city. Its exact boundaries are uncertain. It was settled in the north by the Gauls [ a group of Celts] who gave it its name.
This is the earliest of Paul’s epistles. He wrote it shortly before the convening of the Jerusalem Counsel (Acts 15) which helped to solidify the truth that salvation is by faith alone apart from works.
The theme, as noted, is ‘the Law versus Grace.’ False teachers were entering the early church, encouraging them to revert back to Judaism. They insisted that the observance of the ceremonial law, especially circumcision, was an essential part of the plan of salvation. Paul pointed them to the finished work of Christ.
They also taught that sanctification was accomplished by the keeping of the OT Law. Paul pointed to the Holy Spirit and his sanctifying work in the life of the believer.
He also sought to vindicate his apostleship. Before the poison of the false teachers could take root, they needed to undermine his authority. In order for the clear message of the gospel of grace to be believed, Paul needed to vindicate himself.
The Book of Romans was written soon after to establish more clearly the doctrines of justification and sanctification. Galatians has been likened to ‘the sketch for the finished product of Romans.’ Someone well said that one should read: Romans to be grounded in Christian doctrine, Corinthians to be guided in Christian practice, and Galatians to be guarded against deceptive error.
Any theology that teaches salvation by faith plus human effort is negated by this great letter. This would include adding circumcision, baptism, the rosary, philanthropy, the lighting of candles, or anything else to faith.
Here is a chain showing the current of Paul’s thought in this epistle— Galatians 1:6; 2:11-16; 3:1-11; 4:9-11; 5:1-7; 6:15.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the center of every book of the Bible. In Galatians it is shown that He, by the power of the cross, delivers from the curse of the law (3:13; 4:5), the power of sin (1:4; 5:24) and the trouble with self (2:20; 6:14).
But God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. (Galatians 6:14, 15)