Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
Lately I have been revisiting Scripture passages that I often think about,
to study the surrounding text, in order to properly understand the context
of the passage. One of the biggest mistakes of Bible students, and one of
the biggest cause of heresies in many churches, is quoting a single passage
of Scripture by itself, without taking into consideration the surrounding
Bible verses. A classic example is Galatians 5:4b, “ye are fallen from
grace.”
Please notice the surrounding verses. ...
Galatians 5:2-5, “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
When we view these Scriptures
together, verses two through five, the passage takes on a MUCH clearer meaning. Circumcision (i.e.,
the surgical removal of the foreskin of males) was required under the Mosaic
law to be right with God. It was a ceremonial law for the Jews, which was
intended to be a constant reminder (a sign) that God's people were expected
to be separated from the ungodly world. This was also the purpose of Jews being
forbidden to mix different types of fabrics in their clothing, or eat
certain unclean animals, et cetera. These ceremonial laws were NEVER
required for salvation! The Old Testament laws reveals God's perfect
character. People have always been saved by grace through faith
in Christ! Genesis 15:6, “And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he
counted it to him for righteousness” (see also: Romans 4:1-6). Acts
10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness,
that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of
sins.”
Beware of Satan Creeping into Churches
In the church at Galatia, a satanic cult has infiltrated their group, teaching that circumcision was necessary to be saved. They taught a “partial faith in Christ plus works” counterfeit type of gospel. This is identical to the satanic “wrong repentance” and “Lordship Salvation” heresies being taught in many churches today, which add human effort to God's grace. It is important to notice that whether circumcision, repenting of sinful behavior or surrendering one's life's to Christ's Lordship to obey Him, these are ALL THE WORKS OF THE LAW! Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” As we just read, the PURPOSE of God's law (all 722 of them total) was primarily to GIVE US THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN, and never intended as a means to obtain righteousness with God. When a believer sins (and we all do), we fall IN GRACE, never FROM GRACE!!!
So the apostle Paul writes a loving letter of admonition, rebuke and education to the Galatians, informing them that they have been woefully deceived by a religious cult. Paul argues that if circumcision were necessary to be saved, then a person would also be required to obey all 722 commandments (moral, civil and ceremonial laws total) to be saved. It would be silly to teach that keeping one particular law is required, but not all of the laws of God. To the vain and proud religious man, this counterfeit type of gospel might sound good, but Scripturally it is of the Devil.
The same can be said of Seventh-day Adventists today. They have literally elevated keeping the Sabbath Day into a religion all by itself. But if observing the Sabbath Day is necessary to be saved, then so also would be keeping 722 more civil, moral and ceremonial laws from the Old Testament. The Jews were forbidden from even lighting a fire on the Sabbath Day. They were prohibited from collecting sticks. They could not travel. When Seventh-day Adventists drive to church on Saturday (i.e., the Old Testament Sabbath Day), they are horribly violating God's law. When they turn on their stove to make fire on Saturdays, SDA's are violating God's law. When they do anything on Saturdays, they are violating God's laws. How silly and ridiculous it is for SDA's to teach that keeping the Sabbath is necessary to get to Heaven. Kindly, but truthfully, Seventh-day Adventism is a satanic religious cult of unsaved reprobates!!!
I do not question Adventist's
sincerity. I believe most SDA's are very sincere. I know some Adventists,
and they are very sweet people (most of them), but despite my witness of the
truth of the Gospel to them, they are brain-locked with the concept that
good works (including keeping the Sabbath Day) are absolutely required to
complete one's profession of faith. This is NOT the Gospel. SDA's epitomize
the truthful saying: The Devil's greatest weapon is to con people into
living the Christian life without ever being born-again! The ONLY way anyone
has ever been born-again, or will be born-again, is to fully submit one's
self to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3-4), by placing one's sole
trust in the death, burial and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
(1st Corinthians 15:1-6). There is no other name by which a person can be
saved, than through childlike faith in the precious name of Jesus (Acts
4:10-12).
The Religious Cult at Galatia
Keeping in mind what I have just taught you, please read this passage of Scripture again...
Galatians 5:2-5, “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
Nothing is said in this passage of Scripture about losing one's salvation. Rather, the subject at hand is adding the works of the law to faith to be saved, which is a counterfeit gospel. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is of no benefit to them who seek justification through keeping the law. The whole reason why Jesus went to the cross, and was sacrificed, was because there is NOTHING we can do to reconcile ourselves to God. We are all ungodly sinners, and would all be hopelessly lost and on our way to the Lake of Fire, if it were not for Christ's sacrifice on the cross. THANK GOD FOR THE CROSS!!!
Anyone who is trying to merit salvation by keeping the law, or even attempting to “help” save them self by partial faith in Christ plus human effort, is not saved. They have crucified afresh the Son of God, rejecting His perfect sacrifice on the cross. The only mindset that a truly born-again believer can have is this:
I am nothing but a hopeless guilty sinner in the flesh, but my faith is 100% in Jesus Christ alone, because of what He did to pay for my sins, by dying on the cross and shedding His precious blood. Christ was buried, and three days later He bodily resurrected from the dead, justifying every believer's faith. This is my total, complete and only hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life!!!
Jesus doesn't forgive sin, He has already paid for our sins with His precious blood. Forgiveness of sins is a free gift. Jesus has already paid for everyone's sins. Anyone can have eternal life, just for the taking, by faith. God can read your mind. The very second that God sees you've placed your confidence in Christ's sacrifice on the cross for your sins, trusting God at His Word that Jesus was buried, and then raised up physically three days later, you are immediately, securely, irrevocably and forever saved. It is that simple. John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” If you'll take God on the authority of His Word, and believe on Him, He has promised “TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE” (1st Corinthians 1:21b).
The only way to “FALL FROM GRACE” is to try to enter into Heaven “SOME OTHER WAY.” John 10:1, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” There is ONLY one door into Heaven, through the Good News (i.e., Gospel) of the Lord Jesus Christ!!! My only hope for righteousness is by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ; and not by any works of the law, nor by turning from sins, nor by surrendering to Christ's Lordship, nor by any other false way. The churches are in trouble today. Satan has crept into most of the churches already—through the falsehoods of televangelists, fake Bible versions, corrupt religious colleges, thousands of ungodly religious books, et cetera. Have you been deceived?
Remember, a believer who sins (and we ALL do every day), only falls IN GRACE, never FROM GRACE. Romans 5:20, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” The unsaved person is still under the curse of God's LAW, condemned already. Ah, but the dear saint of God is under God's free GRACE. All of the false prophets today, like Paul Washer, Ray Comfort and John MacArthur, who require turning away from sinful behavior to receive the free gift of God, are not teaching GRACE! Here is a wonderful quote from Pastor Ralph “Yankee” Arnold...
“'You can't tell me you can trust Christ as Savior, and then go out here and live like the Devil, and still go to Heaven!' Yes, I can tell you that! That's what the Bible says. If you don't come to the conclusion, that—Yes, you can trust Christ as your Savior and live like the Devil, and still go to Heaven when you die—you don't get grace, because that is the exact truth! That is the truth! I do not have to change my life! I don't have to stop one sin! You say, 'I've never heard a preacher say that.' You just heard one! And you listen to me—I want to live as holy and as godly as I possibly can. I am now 70 years old. I've been saved for 52 years. ... the only reason I'm going to Heaven is because, 52 years ago in a little living room, I accepted Christ as my Savior.” —Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold, a great quote from the awesome sermon, “Calvinism And Grace Are NOT Compatible” | MP3.
Anything other than grace alone is NOT grace! Romans 11:6a, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace...” The moment that anyone adds the slightest addition to the Gospel of grace, it ceases to be grace. If you think that the life you live can affect your eternal life, you don't get grace!!! As Jonah rightly pondered in the belly of the whale in Jonah 2:9b, “SALVATION IS OF THE LORD.” No believer can ever fall from grace, it is impossible. When we sin (and we ALL still do because we are human), we fall IN GRACE! Once a person has eternal life, which is the gift of God, they can NEVER lose it!!!
