Bible Reading Plan: Galatians
Because Jesus is alive, we too can rise! This is the promise at the heart of the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Galatia. Paul wanted fellow followers of Jesus to see the vision of a new humanity, empowered by the Holy Spirit, working to bring more of heaven to earth through the way they live. Just like Paul's ancient readers, we are part of God's new family. This means that, no matter where you are or where you came from, God wants to cultivate good fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—in you.
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WEEK ONE
Key Thought/Summary
Paul picks up his pen and writes to the Galatian churches because the Gospel he proclaimed to them is being undermined, and he refuses to back down. Some Jewish Christians have swept into town, badmouthing Paul and telling a “different gospel” that demands circumcision. In response, Paul defends the truth that salvation is by faith alone. He reminds them that the good news he preaches isn’t man-made—it came straight from Jesus. Even the apostles in Jerusalem have affirmed it. Like the Galatians, the grace of Jesus, which is big enough for everyone, continues to challenge and shape us. Whose voice are we listening to, and what Gospel are we living by? Are we offering the same open-armed grace that God has extended to us?
WEEK TWO
Key Thought/Summary
Meals were about more than just food in the early Church. They were statements about who belonged. So when Peter stops eating with Gentile believers, Paul sees it not as a mere social misstep but a betrayal of the gospel’s radical welcome. By challenging Peter, Paul is making a bigger point: God is creating a new family not built on law, heritage, or human effort but on faith in Jesus. In this family, old divisions fall away, and grace gives us equal status as beloved children of God. This means there is no need to earn what Jesus has freely given and no room for self-righteousness. As you read, consider: Are there ways you’ve been rebuilding walls that God has already torn down?
WEEK THREE
Key Thought/Summary
Ever feel like you're stuck proving yourself? That’s what Paul is warning the Galatians about. Though they have already been welcomed as God’s children by faith, they are starting to believe they need to do more to belong, adding religious performance to what Jesus has already completed. Paul reminds them that belonging to God has never been about law or lineage, but about promise. And now, in Jesus, that promise has been fulfilled, so we are invited to live in freedom. As you read, consider: Are there places where you are still trying to earn what God has already given you? How might you embrace your identity as a beloved child of God?
WEEK FOUR
Key Thought/Summary
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the fruit of a life shaped by the Spirit. They don’t appear overnight but grow gradually as we keep in step with the Holy Spirit, who nurtures Christlike character within us and prunes away the destructive habits of our old life. And this transformation isn’t just for us; it also reshapes our communities. We become people who bear one another’s burdens, gently lift each other up when we fall, and seek to honor God’s name together. So, as you finish this letter, take a moment to reflect: what fruit have you seen God growing in your life lately? And is there a fruit He might be inviting you to cultivate now?