Galatia was a province in Asia Minor (Turkey) where the Apostle Paul had laboured in the gospel (Acts 16:6; 18:236Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, (Acts 16:6)
23And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. (Acts 18:23)). Maps show that Antioch Pisidia (Acts 13:1414But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. (Acts 13:14)), Iconium (Acts 14:11And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. (Acts 14:1)), Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 14:66They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: (Acts 14:6)) were in the province of Galatia. (The latter is where Timothy came from – Acts 16:11Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: (Acts 16:1)). Whether Paul was referring to assemblies in these places or cities that were north of them we do not know. Galatia had a large population of Jews, some of which had converted to Christianity (1 Peter 1:11Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Peter 1:1)).
Paul wrote this epistle because Judaizing teachers had sown their evil seeds among the Galatians and had deceived them into receiving “another gospel” (Gal. 1:44Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:4); 2 Cor. 11:44For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Corinthians 11:4)). These were Jews who professed conversion to Christianity (2 Cor. 11:2222Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. (2 Corinthians 11:22)), but Paul does not recognize them as true believers, calling them “false brethren” (Gal. 2:44And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: (Galatians 2:4)). These “false apostles” and “deceitful workers” were at work in other places besides Galatia—such as Corinth (2 Cor. 11:1313For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:13)). Sadly, they crept in among the fellowship of the saints “unawares” (Gal. 2:44And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: (Galatians 2:4)). Having infiltrated the Christian ranks and gained a footing among the Galatians, they were doing the enemy’s work of undermining the gospel (2 Cor. 11:13-1413For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:13‑14)).
In Philippians 3:22Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. (Philippians 3:2), Paul calls these Judaizers (who were probably of Jewish stock) “the concision.” “Con” means against, and “cision” means to cut. This is an appropriate appellation for them because, while they insisted on the rite of literal circumcision, they were against its spiritual meaning—the cutting off of working of the flesh in the believer’s life. They taught that the saints must keep the law of Moses to be saved (Acts 15:11And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1)). By insisting on Law-keeping for salvation, they essentially were saying that man in the flesh could obtain a righteous standing before God by his good works. Hence, they were not admitting the true bankruptcy of the human race and that the flesh cannot merit anything before God (Rom. 8:88So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8)). Christianity, on the other hand, represents true “circumcision” (in a spiritual sense) because it refuses everything to do with the flesh—even the best of the flesh, as Paul shows from the example of his own life in Philippians 3:3-83For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:3‑8).
Through the influence of these Judaizing teachers, the Galatians thought that they could apply the Law of Moses to the gospel and it would be the means by which a person could secure his acceptance with God, and also, it would be the means of perfecting holiness (practical sanctification) in the lives of believers. Scarcely could there be anything further from the truth! Hence, there was an immediate need for correcting the error that they had fallen into, and also, for setting forth the truth of Christian liberty apart from the Law.
The Corrective Nature of the Epistle
In the book of the Acts, Paul preaches the gospel; in the epistle to the Romans, he teaches the gospel, but in Galatians, he defends it. Galatians is a corrective epistle, as are the Corinthians epistles. It was written to correct legality, whereas 1 and 2 Corinthians were written to correct lawlessness. The Christian must be careful of these two opposing dangers; they are like two ditches on either side of the road—both have to do with allowing the flesh a place in the life of a believer:
• Legality is an attempt to control the flesh by rules and regulations, and thus produce holiness in the believer.
• Lawlessness is giving freedom to the flesh and is a blatant disregard for holiness.
People today add the Law to the gospel for two reasons both are erroneous:
• The first is for justification. Persons on this line are essentially trying to work for their salvation. Paul shows in chapter 2:16-17 that a person cannot be justified by keeping the Law, but only “on the principle of faith” alone. Thus, it is unlikely that anyone who holds this view is truly saved.
• The second is for practical sanctification. Those who have this idea think that keeping the Law is God’s way to restrain the activity of the flesh in the believer, and thus produce holiness in his or her life.
If these Judaizing teachers were to read these words, they would probably say that we are not properly representing what they believe and teach. Perhaps they would say, “We don’t want to trust the Law instead of Christ. We teach that it is necessary to believe in Christ and also that the believer should also keep the Law.” However, we will see in this epistle that Paul will not allow anything to be added to Christ and His finished work. Salvation is by faith in Christ alone—or it is not salvation at all. Christ and something else is not God’s way of salvation. Christ supplemented is really Christ supplanted! It is the devil’s counterfeit for God’s salvation. Mixing the Law with grace makes the blessings of the gospel depend upon man fulfilling his responsibility in his salvation. This is a serious undermining of the truth of the gospel. Essentially, it shuts out grace, making Christ’s work for us of no profit (chap. 5:4). It also sets aside the work of the Spirit in us (chap. 3:2), and changes Christianity into a religion of outward forms and duties. All such ideas set Christianity on an altogether wrong footing and make it a works-based relationship with the Lord, rather than a faith-based relationship.
A large part of the Christian profession has fallen into the Galatian error, and has put itself under the Law of Moses—not so much to be justified, but as a rule for Christian living. This epistle, therefore, is greatly needed today. Let us not be deceived; the false teachers who led the Galatians astray have a multitude of descendants today—and they are just as earnestly trying to convince Christians that they need to keep the Law as they were in those days of old. When presented with the truth of this Galatian epistle, they will say that it doesn’t apply to them because they don’t hold that a believer needs to be circumcised to be saved (Acts 15:11And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. (Acts 15:1); Gal. 5:22Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. (Galatians 5:2)), nor do they believe that a Christian should observe Jewish ordinances and holidays, as did the Galatians (Gal. 4:9-109But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (Galatians 4:9‑10)). However, they put themselves under the Law (the ten commandments) to keep themselves saved, and they use the Law in an attempt to produce practical holiness in their lives. When it is boiled down, it is really Christ and the believer’s good works for salvation and holiness. This is not the truth of the gospel.
Further to this, out of the error of mixing Law and grace comes the confusing of the God-intended distinction between Judaism and Christianity. These are two entirely different ways of approaching God in worship, designed by God for two entirely different groups of people. Invariably those who are on this Judeo-Christian line will confuse the calling of Israel and the Church with their respective hopes. Many of them will tell us that we are the spiritual Israel and that the covenants and promises made to the fathers in Old Testament times have been realized in the Church. They will also tell us that we are in the Millennium now, and that the Rapture as being distinct from the Appearing of Christ is a figment of our imagination. These erroneous ideas can be classified under what is known as “Reformed Theology,” for the reformers in the 1500s who broke away from Catholicism held these errors.
This being the case, this epistle has a very needed application for those who place themselves under the Law, even though it may not be to the degree of the Judaizing teachers in that day.
Four Things Missing in Galatians
There are four things that are usually mentioned in Paul's epistles missing in Galatians:
The first is the Lord's coming (the Rapture). It is one of only three of Paul’s epistles in which the Lord’s coming (the Rapture) is not mentioned. It is not in Ephesians because the saints are seen in that epistle as being in heaven already, and it is also not in Philemon. It is not here in Galatians because the purpose of the Lord’s coming is to take believers home to heaven, and the error that the Galatians had taken up with was so serious that it called in question whether they were even saved at all. Hence, the Lord’s coming would not be for them, and therefore, it would be pointless for Paul to mention it. The fact that Paul calls them “brethren” throughout the epistle, proves that he saw them as true believers, but the hope of the Lord’s coming is left out to exercise their consciences as to the error they had gotten into.
The second thing is that there is no commendation. What could Paul commend when they had veered so far off track?
The third thing missing in the epistle is the mention of Paul praying for them. How could he pray for their needs as Christians when there was a question as to whether they were Christians.
The fourth thing is that there is no request for them to pray for him and those who served with him. Again, if they were not saved, what point would there be in asking them to pray for him and his fellow workers?
The Main Divisions in the Epistle
The Judaizing teachers’ attack on Paul was three-fold:
Firstly, they attacked his apostleship. If they could undermine his authority, they could destroy his teaching. Therefore, Paul defends his apostleship in chapters 1-2.
Secondly, they attacked the gospel he preached. They said that it was deficient because it neglected the Law, which God had not set aside. Paul defends against this in chapters 3-4.
Thirdly, his detractors believed that keeping the Law would produce practical holiness in a believer’s life. Paul meets this error in chapters 5-6.
The three main divisions in the epistle follow this three-fold attack:
• Chapters 1-2 are personal, giving a historical defence of Paul’s apostleship.
• Chapters 3-4 are polemical, giving a doctrinal defence of the gospel Paul preached.
• Chapters 5-6 are practical, giving God’s way of holiness.