The Book of Galatians: The Charter of Christian Liberty.

Galatians is the eighth book of the New Testament and a letter from the apostle Paul. Although it’s brief, Galatians is packed with critical theological principles. The letter was written to explain and correct misunderstandings about faith in Jesus Christ as Savior that had arisen among the churches in Galatia. In this brief study of Galatians, you’ll learn more about this much-appreciated New Testament book and its main themes.

Who is the author of the Book of Galatians?

The apostle Paul wrote the letter to the churches in Galatia. He wrote it from Corinth, in Greece, where he stayed for a short time. The Book of Acts tells us about Paul’s first visit to Asia Minor, which included the churches in Galatia. Acts records that Paul stayed there for two years, during which time he preached, taught and planted churches in the cities of Lystra and Iconium. Paul’s second visit to the area began in the city of Antioch. He traveled through the region, planting churches and strengthening the ones he had founded on his earlier visit. He spent considerable time in the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. He traveled south and preached the gospel in the cities of Derbe and the seaport city of Seleucia. He then went east to the coastal city of Perga, into the interior, and southwest, to the cities of Pamna, Pisidia, and Phrygia.

What’s the occasion for the book of Galatians?

While in Asia Minor, Paul had visited the churches he had founded in Galatia, a country in Asia Minor. He had revisited them, strengthening their faith and teaching them the words of Eternal Life. When he left Galatia, he was careful to appoint leaders (see Acts 16:4-5). Returning to Antioch, he received word that some false teachers had come to Galatia and, with clever words, were leading people away from the true faith in Christ.

Theme of Galatians

The theme of Galatians is that justification by faith is the basis of Christian life and liberty. Paul’s readers were being misled by false teachers who had come to Galatia and were trying to persuade the people that they must obey the Mosaic Law and be circumcised. This would make them the true children of Abraham and the heirs of the promises made to him. The false teachers wanted to push aside the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and rely on the merits of their own good works. Paul corrected their error and corrected it firmly: Justification by faith is the basis of Christian life and liberty.

The exclusive importance of Christ’s sacrifice.

Paul stresses the exclusive importance of Christ’s sacrifice with numerous examples. - - Abraham’s attempt to sacrifice his son Isaac. - - Melchizedek’s gift of bread and wine to Abraham. - - The Israelites’ use of the bronze serpent on a pole to heal the people from snake bites. Paul uses these examples to show that God chose to remake the world by means of Christ’s sacrifice. God did not wait until humanity had performed some act of righteousness to make the world anew. Instead, God sent His Son to earth, and Christ performed the work of sacrifice and forgiveness. - - We must not seek righteousness through the Law but through Christ. - - We must not seek to be justified by our own good deeds but by the sacrifice of Christ. - - We must not seek to heal the world’s ills through human reason and action but through the sacrifice of Christ.

The result of living by faith—Christian liberty.

Paul shows that living by faith is the result of God’s gift of grace. He shows that the Christian is free from being tied down by the Law. - - We are free from being tied down to the Law. - - We are free from the shame and guilt of our past sins. - - We are free to grow in the grace of God. - - We are free to be confident of our standing before God. - - We are free to serve God without being concerned about earning His favor. - - We are free to be at peace with God and with our fellow Christians. - - We are free to enjoy the blessings of God.

Conclusion

The Book of Galatians is the charter of Christian liberty and an essential source for our understanding of justification by faith. It is a reminder that we are free in Christ and that the price for our freedom was the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. The letter is also a warning against false teachings that undermine the gospel and lead people away from the true faith. Galatians reminds us that God has offered us freedom from sin and death and that freedom comes through faith in Jesus Christ.