Believers walk by the grace found in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s our life, that’s our boast. Paul’s letter to the Galatians has been crescendoing to that conclusion and he concludes that we should “walk by this rule.” This does not mean Christians are obligated to follow a new set of rules in a legal sense. The underlying Greek word for “rule” is the Greek word canon. It can be translated “standard” or “measure.” Grace through faith is the standard for the Christian life, it is the overriding principle, the modus operandi for life. It is our entry into righteousness and the continuity of our spiritual experience.

The early church of the 2^nd-3^rd centuries came to use the phrase, “rule (canon) of faith.” This concept, which was important for establishing which writings were accepted into the canon, was understood as “a summary of the tenets held in common by the churches of apostolic foundation: it is closely related to what is called ‘apostolic tradition.’ ” As Christianity spread after the demise of the apostles, and as new writings appeared, the standard of accepted teachings was that which had been accepted by the churches as a whole. At its core was the doctrine of justification by grace, as asserted in this letter.

To those who live by the principle of grace, Paul wishes peace and mercy, and he likewise wishes that on the true Jewish people who trust in the Messiah. His wish for peace and mercy may find its source in his own struggles and longing for peace and mercy for himself. His life as an apostle was not easy, involving permanent physical scars to his body. He sees them as branding marks identifying him with Christ, and all for the defense of the gospel of grace. So he appeals to his detractors in Galatia, in essence, to quit striving against the message and let the truth reign in peace. One can almost hear the sigh of a life of suffering, longing for the day of peace.

Finally, he closes with his signature desire for his readers to experience the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, at a deeply spiritual level.

In conclusion, we have seen that the letter to the Galatians has involved three main movements. In chapters 1-2, Paul defends his apostleship, in chapters 3-4 he presents the doctrine of justification by grace through faith and in chapter 5-6 he presents the “duties” of a life walking in grace.