Paul begins his letter to the Galatians, where he emphatically argues for the truth found in the Gospel, as legalistic Judaizers were trying to distort God's message of salvation. The true Gospel says that humans are incapable of being righteous before God, but through Jesus Christ they can have eternal life by asking for God's mercy to apply to them, apart from works. The false teachers Paul was combating added obedience to the law as means to salvation and growing with God, a theological debate that has plagued Christianity. The difference between works and faith is wide-spread in areas including: 1) our approach to God; 2) our acceptability; 3) our spiritual state; 4) the real issue between us and God; and 5) the power to live.