Galatians

I am reading Galatians right now. What should we take from this letter?

Paul starts right in with his message right there in verse one in his greeting. Paul wants his readers to know we please God, not man. We are to give glory to God and not to men.

Paul criticizes Peter for changing his behavior when the Jewish Christians come around. Privately he knows he need not live and eat like a Jew but publicly, he tried to please men by pretending to be a Jew.

The Jews were not eating with the Gentile Christians in Asia Minor. This was wrong. We are free. If we associate with sinners for the sake of the gospel this does not make us sinners. People do not have spiritual cooties. If we associate with homeless people for the sake of the gospel that does not make us homeless. If we work with prisoners or the poor to give glory to God this is a good thing. Jesus did the same thing.

Paul spends a lot of time explaining to the Galatians that he did not submit to the Jewish leaders of Jerusalem but to God. He had a separate call from God. He went to Jerusalem for a leaders meeting. He went as an equal. And they confirmed that God had called him and blessed his ministry.

His conclusion was that his teachings had equal weight with any emissaries from Jerusalem. No matter what they said, he was equal in authority.

The Jewish Christians had trouble breaking out of old habits. Paul knew he was CALLED to break out. He was free to live as a Gentile to serve the gospel. He knew that it served God and helped the Galatians if he did so.

In summary (2:16) a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus. We may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law. No man is justified by works of the law. Paul repeats it for emphasis.

This is a direct condemnation of the Judaizers who are trying to get people to live more like Jews. Paul directly condemns that. Righteousness does not come through the law. If it did then Christ died needlessly (2:21).