The letter to the Galatians is probably the most singly-focused letter on correcting problems in a church that Paul wrote. 2 Corinthians is close, but Galatians is more narrowly focused.
Paul begins by stating that it is from him, an apostle. An apostle is someone who is sent - an ambassador or a messenger. In general an apostle can be sent from any person or persons such as a king or a city or a church. Paul makes it very clear though that he wasn't sent by or from men, but from Jesus Christ and God the Father. He is wanting his hearers to know that the message that he is sending is not merely man's words, but a message from God.
He then says that this is addressed to the "churches in Galatia" meaning that there are multiple churches that he is writing to. Galatia is a region, as opposed to a specific city. Evidently the problems that he is going to address in this letter are existing in the various churches in the region.
He then opens with his usual blessing of grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and adds in some additional information about what Jesus did to rescue us from our sins and then gives glory to Christ. He is focusing his attention on Christ Jesus and God the Father again because he is going to be contrasting that with the focus on man's teachings later.
He then quickly gets to his point that he is "astonished" that they are so quickly turning to a "different gospel" or different message of good news. There are evidently some who are going around in that region teaching a different message and throwing the people into confusion (v 7). He even goes to the point that if someone is teaching a different gospel than what Paul had preached that they should be eternally condemned! He says that even if he or an angel did such a thing they and he should be eternally condemned! (v 8). This is pretty strong language. Again he is wanting people to know that his message is not from men but from God. God's message of good news hasn't changed - it is the message of what Jesus Christ did for us to save us from our sins - so if there is a changed message it is not from God!
Paul then spends some time telling about his history. His message wasn't from man nor made up by man but came as a direct revelation from Jesus Christ. He wasn't always a beliver in God's good news. In fact he once fought against it.
All of this is building a foundation and a case for his later repudiation of the "perverted" gospel that he talks about in verse 7.
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