加拉太教會出了甚麼問題？
1作使徒的保羅（不是由於人，也不是藉著人，乃是藉著耶穌基督，與叫他從死裡復活的父神）
2和一切與我同在的眾弟兄，寫信給加拉太的各教會。
3願恩惠、平安從父神與我們的主耶穌基督歸與你們！
4基督照我們父神的旨意，為我們的罪捨己，要救我們脫離這罪惡的世代。
5但願榮耀歸於神，直到永永遠遠。阿們！
6我稀奇你們這麼快離開那藉著基督之恩召你們的，去從別的福音。
7那並不是福音，不過有些人攪擾你們，要把基督的福音更改了。
8但無論是我們，是天上來的使者，若傳福音給你們，與我們所傳給你們的不同，他就應當被咒詛。
9我們已經說了，現在又說：若有人傳福音給你們，與你們所領受的不同，他就應當被咒詛！
10我現在是要得人的心呢，還是要得神的心呢？我豈是討人的喜歡嗎？若仍舊討人的喜歡，我就不是基督的僕人了。
信息分享
第一個黨派是高舉律法主義，即強調要死守傳統。他們說：「我們身為猶太人，自古以來便謹守律法，現在仍然要繼續遵守。如果有人想加入教會，他就要跟我們一樣地守律法。」律法主義者強調要學習和遵守規條，背後的理念乃是我們可以向神討價還價：「如果我們做足神的要求，神就一定要賜給我們永生。」然而，這卻並非福音。
第二個黨派雖然承認救恩是來自基督，卻認為必須同時遵守律法。「是的，我們得救是本乎恩，但要維持屬靈的生命，就必須遵守律法。換言之，基督為我們的救恩付了首期，我們卻要承擔餘下的供款。」這種取態的背後理念，是我們最終能否得救，乃在乎我們的功德善行，而不是基督為我們所成就的救恩。
第三個黨派的理念卻似乎完全相反，他們認為：「我們已經得救，以後便可以隨心所欲。」這種態度與今天放任社會的論調十分近似，就是：「只要是不傷害別人的事，就可以隨心所欲了。」其實，神的話語對基督徒的行事為人，已經提出了非常明確的標準，但他們卻置諸不理。
保羅在信中直言這三個黨派的不是。他說：「你們已遠離基督和祂的福音。當記著，除了神恩典的福音以外，就別無其他福音。」保羅在以弗所書二章8至9節亦指出：「你們得救是本乎恩，也因著信……也不是出於行為，免得有人自誇。」
我們今天要從心底感謝神，因為我們是藉著基督得蒙拯救，也是唯獨藉著信祂而得救。求神幫助我們，讓我們每天都能在聖靈裡面得享真正的自由。
WHAT WAS WRONG IN GALATIA?
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
2 and all the brethren who are with me,
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Message
From the letter itself we discover that there seemed to be several groups in the Galatian churches. Each group had a wrong slant on the Gospel (vv. 6-7). This disturbed Paul very much. He stood very strongly for the pure Gospel of the grace of God in Christ.
First, there were the legalists and traditionalists. As Jews they said, "We always have to keep the Law. We still do and if anyone wants to join the church, he will have to do it too." Legalism always says, "You have to learn the rules and keep them." It actually means we can bargain with God. "If I do this or that, then God you have to give me eternal life." That is not the message of the gospel.
A second group recognized that salvation came through Christ, but also added the need to keep the law. "Saved by grace, yes, but to maintain our spiritual life, we must keep the law." In other words, Christ made the down-payment, but we have to pay the installments on our salvation. Again this makes our ultimate salvation dependent on what we do, rather than on what Christ has done.
Another group seems to have taken the opposite view - "We are saved, so we can do what we like." It was similar to the "permissive society" of today. Anything goes as long as no one gets hurt. They disregarded the standards of the Word of God with its strong emphasis on Christian living.
Paul said it very plainly in our reading today. He wrote to all three groups, "You have deserted Christ and the gospel. Remember, there is no other gospel. There is only the gospel of God's grace. It is by grace (alone) you have been saved, through faith ... not by works, so that no one can boast." (Eph 2:8-9)
Thank God today from the bottom of your heart that you are saved by Christ and by faith in Him alone. Ask Him to help you live today in the true freedom of the Spirit.