Jesus said to His followers: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" - John 8:32. Unfortunately, too many believers don't understand what "freedom" means.
The Book of Galatians is about Christian freedom. In this letter, Paul proclaims that Christians are free from the stranglehold of sin and of any "requirements" in order to be saved. Paul's letter to the Galatians is a vigorous attack against the gospel of works and a defense of the gospel of faith.
Paul had established churches in several cities in the province of Galatia during his first missionary journey. Not much later, however, the Galatian believers began to follow false teachers who taught that Christians still had to obey the Jewish laws in order to be saved. In other words, "salvation by faith alone" was being replaced by a course based on good works. Paul needed to correct this thinking, so he wrote this letter from Syrian Antioch. It was addressed to the believers in the churches in the region of Galatia and was meant to be circulated among them.
The Book of Galatians is all about Jesus. After Paul expresses astonishment that anyone set free would want to go back to slavery - Galatians 1:6, he explains that Jesus has freed believers from slavery to the law and to sin and has placed us in a position of liberty. Paul introduced Jesus to the misguided Galatians as the One in whom the message of grace is found. "When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" - Galatians 4:4, 5. Just as Jesus had told His disciples, He came to set people free.
You cannot earn your salvation; it is a free gift. So accept it! "You ae no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ" - Galatians 4:7. You are not a slave; your are God's very own child. So live like it!
God Bless,
Dan
The Book of Galatians is about Christian freedom. In this letter, Paul proclaims that Christians are free from the stranglehold of sin and of any "requirements" in order to be saved. Paul's letter to the Galatians is a vigorous attack against the gospel of works and a defense of the gospel of faith.
Paul had established churches in several cities in the province of Galatia during his first missionary journey. Not much later, however, the Galatian believers began to follow false teachers who taught that Christians still had to obey the Jewish laws in order to be saved. In other words, "salvation by faith alone" was being replaced by a course based on good works. Paul needed to correct this thinking, so he wrote this letter from Syrian Antioch. It was addressed to the believers in the churches in the region of Galatia and was meant to be circulated among them.
The Book of Galatians is all about Jesus. After Paul expresses astonishment that anyone set free would want to go back to slavery - Galatians 1:6, he explains that Jesus has freed believers from slavery to the law and to sin and has placed us in a position of liberty. Paul introduced Jesus to the misguided Galatians as the One in whom the message of grace is found. "When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" - Galatians 4:4, 5. Just as Jesus had told His disciples, He came to set people free.
You cannot earn your salvation; it is a free gift. So accept it! "You ae no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ" - Galatians 4:7. You are not a slave; your are God's very own child. So live like it!
God Bless,
Dan
