Many Christians today read Galatians as if it were primarily about personal salvation: salvation is by faith, not by works. That is certainly part of Paul’s message. But it is not the whole story. Paul’s deeper concern in Galatians is whether churches themselves are aligned with the true gospel and living in step with it as a community . The issue is not just how individuals are saved. It is whether churches are walking the straight line of the gospel . Paul states the problem bluntly at the beginning of the letter: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.” (Galatians 1:6–7) Throughout the letter, he returns to this concern, especially in Galatians 2:14, 5:2–12, and 6:12–16 . Something had shifted in the Galatian churches. The gospel had begun to be subtly redefined. “Not in Step With the Truth of the Gospel” One of the most revealing moments comes when Paul confr...