Galatians 1:2 :

and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia

Paul wasn’t by himself when he wrote this letter. There were other believers who also agreed with him and worked from the same mind-set and on the same goals. This is also an important thing to consider as we go into this letter. Paul was going to say some things that some were trying to make “controversial.” Since those same “controversies” still exist today, it is good for us to take note of the fact that Paul wasn’t standing alone for what he was saying.

This letter was written not just to one person or even to one location, but to all of the “assemblies of Galatia.” It was Paul’s intent that this letter spread to many “assemblies.” This could be translated “churches,” but the WEB translation chooses to use the meaning of the word “churches” instead. I think it is fitting here because there really is only one Church. We all meet in “assemblies” that represent only a small part of the church of Jesus Christ.

This idea can be stretched, and in fact, is stretched, too far. When Paul says “assemblies” he means “assemblies” of Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ as we shall see later. This idea that “church” can mean other things other than assemblies of Jesus Christ today is a clear perversion of history. In other words, it doesn’t include witches or the church of Satan. It doesn’t include pagans or those who believe that they can become their own Jesus like the Mormons. It doesn’t include Islam, or the “church” of science and it clearly doesn’t include the godless. There is only one church of Jesus and it is His body. It is known not by the name of the “assembly’s” building, but by the fact that the Holy Spirit lives within the members as we get to read more about later in this letter.