It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:1-4
As followers of Christ, we have been set free. From what have we been set free? Is it circumcision? I personally think circumcision is a place-holder in this verse. It could be anything we use to try to earn our right standing with God.
It Is By Grace
It is by grace we are accepted, and when we try to do anything….keep the law or do good works, we are putting trust in our work and not the work of Christ.
It we do not trust in the grace of God, the only thing we have left is to keep the Law, and we have to keep the whole Law. Obviously, we cannot do that, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
So why is this verse saying we have fallen from grace? What have we done to do so? It is by trying to keep the Law, trying to live by the Old Covenant and rejecting the grace Jesus provided.
The Old and the New
In today’s church it seems, at least for me, that the mingling of the Old and New Covenant is taught. We are told we are saved by grace, but we mature in the faith and live pleasing to God by keeping the Law. This just should not be. The above verse tells us that this is the way we fall from grace.
We are free from the Law, we are free from the punishment for our old sin nature (still consequences sometimes, but not punishment), and we are free from trying to measure up by keeping rules and laws.
Jesus has already done all the work that needs to be done. We can now rest in the grace He provided. Good works will follow because of our love for him, not due to an obligation to measure up and earn his forgiveness.
Awesome post! I am kickin back out here free from that law I should have never been under, and am stuck waiting patiently for Poppa to open the eyes of His bride to the truths you have spoken here. Of course I speak it as well when opportunity arises, but the discovery of this in the inside man is up to each soul. For this saint, it is surely finished and rest and discovery is sweet. Grace and peace….Lisa
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It is so good to see so many of His children coming to see the freedom we have through His grace. You are right, we need to let the Spirit guide each of His children and allow them to come to the same conclusion as we have in their own time. Thanks for your comment.
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I need a t-shirt that reads! I stop going to church & started being the church!
Thank-you for giving us truth!
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Thanks Priscilla. I bet you can find that t-shirt somewhere. Thanks for your comment.
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I agree wholeheartedly; if we live a life of love as Jesus taught and demonstrated, then we have no need for religious rules–AT ALL!
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Yes, living by love and not rules…what a thought. Thanks for your comment.
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