Galatians is one of the earliest of the Pauline letters and is therefore among the first documents written by Christians in the first century. Paul's letter to the Galatians deals with the first real controversy in the early church: the status of Jews and gentiles in this present age and the application of the Law of Moses to gentiles. Paul argues passionately that gentiles are not ""converting"" to Judaism and therefore should not be expected to keep the Law. Gentiles who accept Jesus as Savior are ""free in Christ,"" not under the bondage of the Law. Galatians also deals with an important pastoral issue in the early church as well. If gentiles are not ""under the Law,"" are they free to behave any way they like? Does Paul's gospel mean that gentiles can continue to live like pagans and still be right with God? For Paul, the believer's status as an adopted child of God enables them to serve God freely as dearly loved children. Galatians: Freedom through God's Grace is commentary for laypeople, Bible teachers, and pastors who want to grasp how the original readers of Galatians would have understood Paul's letter and how this important ancient letter speaks to Christians living in similar situations in the twenty-first century. ""This slim commentary on Galatians will have a big impact on the lay person and pastor alike. The introduction is relevant, the discussion questions are helpful to further study, and standing behind the explanation of the text is the responsible exegesis I have come to expect from Phil. This is surely a resource I will turn to when teaching and preaching Galatians in my church "" --Aaron W. White, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, South Charleston, Ohio ""Dr. Phillip Long's brief commentary on Galatians is a breath of fresh air. Refusing to be bogged down with debates over minutia, Long chooses to focus on Paul's main thrust--freedom believers have in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile."" --Cory M. Marsh, Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Southern California Seminary ""Engaging with the most recent scholarship, and cognizant of the massive shifts in Pauline studies over the last several decades, Phillip Long has written an accessible, helpfully clear, and very useful introduction to Galatians for students and those wanting some guidance into the complexities of what is probably Paul's most vigorous and passionate letter."" --Timothy Gombis, Professor of New Testament, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary Phillip J. Long is the dean of the School of Biblical Studies at Grace Christian University. He is the author of Jesus the Bridegroom (Pickwick, 2012), and he has contributed several articles and book reviews for theological journals. He currently serves as editor of the Journal of Grace Theology. He has served as an interim pastor in Michigan and California and currently serves as the pastor of teaching at Rush Creek Bible Church.
