Reading the book of Galatians was… whew. Eye-opening and a
little jarring. I knew Paul did not play when it came to protecting the gospel,
but the way he came at them in this letter? He was not holding back.
I had read parts of Galatians before—familiar verses like “I
have been crucified with Christ” and the fruit of the Spirit—but reading the
whole letter all the way through gave me a different perspective. This church
was wilding out. Like… seriously. They had started off in grace and somehow
ended up thinking they could earn their salvation by works. Paul was hot.
Righteously angry. And he let them know.
I felt a mixture of emotions reading it. Part of me was
shocked at how quickly they had turned from the truth. But another part of me
had to admit—I have done the same thing. I have tried to “prove” my salvation
through behavior, performance, and church activity. I have fallen into the trap
of thinking God’s love is something I have to earn. Galatians called me out.
Lovingly, but directly.
It was hard to miss Paul’s passion. He loved these people.
Deeply. That is why he spoke so forcefully. It reminded me that real love is
not always sweet or soft. Sometimes love shows up in truth-telling and rebuke.
Sometimes love gets loud, especially when someone is drifting into danger.
I also appreciated how Paul brought his own story into the
letter. He reminded them that he had been radically changed by grace. He was
not about to let anyone rewrite the gospel message. Reading his words made me
check my own foundation—am I standing in grace? Or am I mixing in law and
performance without even realizing it?
Probably the most freeing part of reading Galatians was
coming back to the simplicity of the gospel. Faith in Jesus. Full stop. Not
faith plus circumcision. Not faith plus religious tradition. Not faith plus
perfection. Just faith in Jesus Christ.
And that freedom? It hit me. Galatians made me realize how
often I live in silent bondage—tied to the opinions of others, the pressure to
“be better,” or the shame of my past. But Paul said it plainly: “It is for
freedom that Christ has set us free.” And when he said, “You foolish Galatians!
Who has bewitched you?” I had to ask myself the same question. What voices have
I allowed to whisper lies that pull me away from the truth?
Reading Galatians challenged me, corrected me, and
ultimately comforted me. It reminded me that God does not love a future, more
polished version of me. He loves me now. Because of Jesus. Period.