A Guide to Galatians: Key Themes and Insights for Modern Readers

Written By Rev. Paul Lawler

Explore the Book of Galatians with our introductory guide. Discover the historical context, key themes, and Paul's powerful message of grace and faith. Perfect for readers seeking a deeper understanding of this pivotal New Testament letter.

What’s the original context and background behind the Book of Galatians? Who wrote it, and what was it addressing?

No one can live up to Scripture’s expectations on our own strength. We see that through countless examples of how we’re all impressionable. During this period in church history, the Christians were also very impressionable.

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter as a circuital letter to churches in the Galatia region. They were comprised of both Gentile and Jewish-background believers. Many of those Jewish-background believers believed that to be fully Christian, one had to observe the old Torah laws, which included things like dietary restrictions, circumcision, and other covenants that were no longer in play. This is why Jesus said, “I didn’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).”

These Jewish background believers called the Judaizers, tried to influence new Christians by informing them that they still had to keep the law to be saved. Thus, in the process, they were perverting the purity of the Gospel. When the Apostle Paul heard about this, he was pretty fired up. To begin his letter, and what would become the first two chapters of Galatians, we see him offer some very stern words.

His letter begins with, “Paul, an apostle, not for men, not through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” Paul clarified that he’s not addressing them in his authority but as the one entrusted and called by God Himself. Because of that calling, he’s establishing that it’s within his authority to correct them.

While that may sound like he’s “powering up” on the Galatians, he’s actually functioning in humility, Biblical sensitivity, and responsiveness to God with a deference for other people. While there was a righteous anger stirring in him, he’s doing this in a way that honors the Galatians. He knows that if the church perverts the Gospel, it shuts down God’s capacity to manifest Himself in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The core of the issue can best be seen in Galatians 2:15-16:

“We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law, no one will be justified.”

What things may jump out at readers as they move through the six chapters of Galatians?

One of the great pinnacles of this book is Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

What this verse discusses is what some people refer to as the “exchanged life.” Let’s settle something up: Jesus isn’t interested in changing your life. While that may sound like heresy, let me explain. Jesus isn’t interested in changing your life as much as He’s interested in exchanging your life.

When Paul writes these words detailing the “exchanged life,” he explains the gift of what happens from the Gospel: “It’s not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Paul establishes that he has a new life by faith in the Son of God, who gave Himself up for all of us. This gift of the Gospel should have clarity in our understanding and hearts.

While many of us reading this may be familiar with the fact that God in Christ came to earth, went to the cross, shed blood, and died for our sins, Paul’s point is that it is a gift. You can’t earn your way to God. You receive the gift of God through faith in the person of Jesus Christ. That changes everything, and it justifies you before God. That’s what Galatians 2:20 outlines and is a hinge pin for the entire book. That verse moves us into the following chapters that outline the benefits of the law and the Old Testament.

Keep in mind that the law served a purpose for Israel during the old covenant. However, it also points out that there’s a holiness standard that none of us can meet outside of the grace of God manifested in Jesus Christ. He met that standard, and through His work on the cross, a new birth lives within us. We no longer have to produce an effort to live out the law on our own power. Instead, we have the power of Christ within us, which empowers us to live the Christian life.

One of the contrasts we see in this book is the truth of the Gospel being about grace versus works. How do we define legalism and grace? How should we view those contrasting ideas throughout this letter?

When we see God’s commands that ask us to do something, while it may be challenging, it’s a command from God; therefore, following is a response of love and obedience. In many circles, the word “legalism” will be brought up as a scapegoat to evade God’s difficult commands. However, that’s not what legalism is.

Legalism is when we add something to the Gospel that isn’t there. For instance, in Galatians, we see the Judaizers stating that despite the Gospel purity, identifying that we’re justified by what God did through the person of Jesus Christ, they also say you have to follow the Torah Laws and Old Covenant; that’s legalism.

Grace, on the other hand, is a free gift from God. That’s part of why the Bible calls it the Gospel because the Greek word for gospels means the good news. So, the good news is that you’ve been justified by grace, and you can’t earn it.

“For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

We want to make much of that because as we grow in God’s image and in our sanctification, that’s grace.

This isn’t just a first-century problem because we can still fall into these traps. Either we attempt to add to the Gospel or justify ourselves by our own goodness and efforts. How do we see these same things appear in the Christian life now?

Galatians is a hugely relevant book to modern culture, so let’s divide it into three categories.

  1. Self Talk: Behaviorists tell us that more than 70% of our self-talk is negative. So, we live in a fallen world, and as Christians, we battle our fallen nature, and much of that is through our own negative self-talk. We can gravitate out of the gift of the Gospel and into negative self-talk such as “I’ve got to do better.” We push ourselves to get back onto the treadmill of performance. That declares we’ve got to justify ourselves with God rather than lean into the gift of the Gospel, which liberates us.

  2. Bad Teaching: When the Gospel isn’t lifted up, that’s bad teaching. One thing that the Book of Galatians demonstrates is that the Gospel isn’t just for Christians. Yes, it’s our root system. Believers are reminded that their sins are forgiven and they’ve been liberated. This is the foundation we should operate out of, and that’s not the case when the Gospel is perverted.

  3. Distortion: Because we live in a world that is so full of outside voices, whether that’s through social media or other mediums, in a fallen human nature, the Gospel tends to become distorted. God’s love, displayed through the Gospel, can be distorted through the vulnerabilities of our current media consumption habits. We must reinforce the Gospel truth to avoid diminishing its power in our hearts.

Popular culture often tells us that performance is our means of justification. However, that’s contrary to the Gospel, which states it’s all grace. How is this displayed in Galatians?

In Galatians one and two, Paul reminds us of what the beauty of the Gospel is unto in this life. Yes, the Gospel births us into eternity, but in chapters five and six, the Apostle Paul discusses how the Holy Spirit gives us empowerment that enables us to live a liberated life. We see this through the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, and patience, and we’re to be mindful of the implications this has for us. This is a life-giving force in our personal, work, or community relationships.

The point is that Paul reminds us that living out of our root system in the Gospel is a gift. Galatians is a powerful, rich, and life-giving book for the Body of Christ.

What hope can someone have to read the Book of Galatians?

The hope is that we can live out of the life-giving force of God’s love through His Gospel. Our hope is that we can experience the purity of what Jesus did on the cross to justify us and bear our sins. We’ve been set free and birthed into a new kingdom.

Because we live in this new root system through the truth and the way, we can live in the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to live far beyond our own merits and supersede our circumstances to demonstrate God’s capacity, gentleness, and kindness. Believers have a holy leverage within us to know the joy and peace of the Lord and to let others see that in us so that they can also see God’s beauty. It’s a blessing within our own lives, but it’s also the blessing that empowers us to be a blessing to others for God’s glory.

TL;DR

  • The blog offers an insightful exploration of the Book of Galatians, highlighting:

    • Historical context

    • grace versus legalism

    • relevance for modern Christians

  • The central theme emphasizes that justification comes through faith in Christ, not through adherence to the law, offering readers a fresh perspective on living a life empowered by grace.

Subscribe to Christ Church Blogs Monthly Newsletter

* indicates required
Rev. Paul Lawler
Previous

Does God Love Me: Escaping Fears of Unworthiness
Next

What Does a Normal Christian Life Look Like?