Galatians 1-3

1
This is Paul, an apostle directly by Jesus Christ's authority, not through men.
You are leaving the Gospel I gave you for another message, and will be damned for it.
When I was converted I spent most of my time apart from the church leaders.
Jesus called me directly, to preach to the Gentiles, and the church didn't contradict me.

2
When I DID go to Jerusalem for apostolic "approval," they didn't stand in the way of my calling, even though they were lobbied hard by the circumcision zealots.
I opposed Peter when he caved to their pressure and wouldn't eat with Gentiles.
Neither Jew nor Gentile are justified by the law, but by faith in Christ.
We are dead to the law, crucified with Christ.

3
You're being foolish.  Did you believe at first by the Spirit, or did you start with Christ by doing the law?  You started like Abraham: by faith.  You have Abraham's faith, trusting in his Descendant, and are blessed.
If you rely on the law for blessing, all you have is curse, since all have sinned.
Christ redeems you from this curse.
The law came 430 years after the promise, and cannot annul the promise.
The law was there to hold back sin, to keep us under guardianship, until Christ came and showed clearly how we are justified.  It has nothing to do with being Jew or Greek, male or female; it's faith and baptism that mark you.


How this is about Jesus
Paul claims his authority directly from Jesus, not through the other apostles.  Jesus spoke to Paul on the Damascus Road and revealed Himself alive and Lord after the resurrection.
Jesus has a specific message for the world given to the apostles, and if we believe a different message we aren't following Jesus.


Application
One wrong message it's easy to follow: if we follow these rules then God approves of us.
- Reliance on rules rather than a Redeemer.