Galatians Chapter 1 — Defending the True Gospel

In Galatians 1, Paul addresses the churches in Galatia, asserting that his apostleship is not of human origin but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. He expresses deep concern that the Galatians are quickly turning away from the Gospel of grace to a 'different' gospel, which he declares is actually a perversion of the truth. Paul uses strong language, stating that anyone—even an angel—who preaches a message contrary to the one he delivered should be accursed. He emphasizes that he does not seek human approval but serves as a servant of Christ. To validate his message, Paul recounts his personal history, including his former zeal for Jewish traditions and his persecution of the church. He explains that his conversion and the Gospel he preaches came through direct revelation from Jesus Christ. Following his calling, he did not immediately consult with the other apostles but spent time in Arabia and Damascus, eventually visiting Peter and James in Jerusalem three years later.