The Jewish leaders of the churches in Galatia had started to obligate the gentile believers with taking on the Jewish traditions and the Law. Paul is at pains to correct this drawing from Peter's experience (sometimes) of living like a gentile, and his own futile efforts to observe the law as a means of gaining God's approval. He goes onto say that is only by the grace of God that we gain the approval of God, because of Jesus "the son of God who loves us and gave himself for us".
If you read of hear nothing else then know that Jesus loves you and gave himself for you. And it's out of this position of grace that we must live for Jesus. It's too easy though to slip into the Galatian mode of thinking - to do things because its church tradition, or canon law for example! If we are living like this then as Paul goes onto say in Chapter 3, we are being "foolish". So let's not do that and instead receive afresh the grace of God in Jesus and serve him always.
Grace and Peace, Darren
