Immediately, Galatians hits you between the eyes. There’s no gentle introduction. After the initial greetings, Paul gets down to his task, to warn boldly that to depart from the message of salvation by grace alone is another gospel altogether. Another gospel cannot save and so it is of monumental importance that such a “gospel” is opposed and the true gospel proclaimed.
The letter is written to “the churches of Galatia” (Gal 1:2). Scholars at not 100% sure whether this is refering to churches in the south or in the northern part of modern-day Turkey. Paul visited the south in his first missionary journey and the south and north in his second. So they were churches that Paul had shared the gospel with. However, they has now been offered something else, another “gospel”, a false one that is not the gospel at all (Gal 1:7). This has been brought by “false believers” (Gal 2:4), who were telling them that they needed to be circumcised (Gal 5:1-12) and keep festivals and special days (Gal 4:10) in order to be saved.
The false preachers were proclaiming “Jesus plus” as the way of salvation rather than “Jesus alone.” The same problem is around today. Are people saved through faith in Christ alone, or faith plus works? Galatians is clear – if we rely on works, we are under a curse (Gal 3:10). No-one who relies on the law will be justified (made righteous) before God; the righteous shall live by faith (Gal 3:11).
If we add anything to Christ, we do not have Christ at all. “In Christ alone my hope is found.”
The whole letter is a defence of the true gospel. Chapters 1 and 2 are a defence of Paul’s own ministry: he has received the true gospel and that was confirmed by the other apostles in Jerusalem. Chapters 3 and 4 are a detailed defence of the gospel from scripture. In the first part of chapter 5, Paul addresses directly the false teachers. The remainer of chapter 5 and chapter 6 deal with the effect of believing the gospel – we grow, we bear fruit, we live godly lives.
So, we are not saved our works at all, but true faith in Christ changes us and, as we live by the Spirit, we will bear that fruit that glorifies God and points people to Jesus Christ.
Let’s be on our guard from any form of self-reliance. “Jesus only.”