1:2 (B) What was the purpose of the letter?
1:2 (B) What was the purpose of the letter?
(cp Ga 1:6-9). The Galatians who had begun their Christian walk by faith, were now attempting to complete the walk by works.
They were deserting the simple gospel of salvation by grace, by which they were saved, for a legalistic substitute gospel of salvation by works (cpGa 3:1-5; 4:9-11; 5:7-9).
Paul feared for the Galatians because the only way anyone can be justified before God is by faith in Jesus and the redemption He has purchased for them with His blood. This is called the doctrine of justification by faith (cp Ro 3:20-26 with Ro 4:25, 5:2 and Ga 2:16).
The Galatians had turned from faith in the finished work of Christ alone, and were now caught up in all the rites and ceremonies of the old covenant trying to justify themselves before God without Jesus.
This is what happened to the Jews.
They also rejected Christ, so God rejected them.
And this is what will happen to all who try to justify themselves before God without Jesus (cp Ro 9:30-33).
Trying to justify oneself by works is taking away from the gospel of grace, which results in bringing down a curse upon oneself (cp Rev 22:18-19).