The Book of Galatians is the ninth book of the New Testament and one of Paul’s most direct and passionate letters.

Written to churches in the region of Galatia, Paul confronts a serious issue: false teachers were convincing believers that they had to follow Jewish laws to be truly saved.

Paul boldly defends the gospel of grace, showing that we are justified by faith alone—not by works of the law.

Galatians is a call to return to the simplicity of the gospel and to walk in the freedom of the Holy Spirit.

No Other Gospel (Galatians 1)

Paul opens with a strong rebuke against those distorting the gospel and quickly re-establishes his apostolic authority.

Key Highlights:

• Paul expresses shock that the Galatians are turning to a different gospel
• Warns that anyone preaching a false gospel is under a curse
• Shares how his apostleship came directly from Jesus, not from man
• Describes his radical transformation from persecutor to preacher

Lesson: The true gospel is unchanging—salvation is by grace through faith, and any distortion leads people astray.

Justified by Faith, Not by the Law (Galatians 2–3)

Paul explains that righteousness comes by faith in Christ, not by observing the law, using both his experience and Old Testament examples.

Key Highlights:

• Paul recounts confronting Peter for hypocrisy regarding Gentile believers
• Declares, “I have been crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20)
• Reminds them that they received the Spirit by faith, not by the law
• Uses Abraham as the example of justification by faith
• The law was a guardian until Christ came

Lesson: Faith, not works, has always been the basis of our relationship with God—even from Abraham’s time.

Sons and Heirs Through Christ (Galatians 4)

Paul teaches that believers are not slaves to the law but adopted children of God, heirs with Christ.

Key Highlights:

• We are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God
• God sent the Spirit into our hearts, calling out, “Abba, Father”
• Paul expresses deep concern that the Galatians are turning back to legalism
• Uses the story of Hagar and Sarah to contrast law and promise

Lesson: We are not bound by religious rituals—we are free, loved, and accepted as God’s children.

Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5)

Paul emphasizes that freedom in Christ is not a license to sin but a call to love and walk in the Spirit.

Key Highlights:

• “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free”
• Circumcision has no value in Christ—what matters is faith working through love
• The whole law is fulfilled in loving your neighbour
• Contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit
• Encourages believers to walk in step with the Spirit

Lesson: True freedom is found in living by the Spirit, which produces love, peace, patience, and more—not in external law-keeping.

Doing Good and Finishing Well (Galatians 6)

Paul closes with encouragement to care for one another, avoid pride, and persevere in doing good.

Key Highlights:

• Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ
• Don’t grow weary in doing good—for in due season, you’ll reap a harvest
• God is not mocked—we reap what we sow
• Paul boasts only in the cross of Christ
• The marks of a true believer are inward, not outward

Lesson: The Christian life is one of humble service, Spirit-led living, and ongoing faithfulness to the message of the cross.

Themes of Galatians

• Justification by Faith – We are made right with God through faith, not law
• Freedom in Christ – Believers are free from legalism and slavery to sin
• Grace Over Law – The gospel is rooted in grace, not human effort
• Spiritual Transformation – The Holy Spirit produces fruit, not the law
• Unity in Christ – In Christ, there is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free—all are one

Final Thoughts

The Book of Galatians is a bold and urgent reminder that the gospel is all about grace.

Paul calls us back to the heart of our faith: we are saved by what Christ has done, not what we do.

It’s a letter for anyone who’s felt the pressure to earn God’s favour or who’s struggled to understand the freedom we have in Christ.

Galatians frees us to rest in God’s love, walk by His Spirit, and live out our faith through love.