Does Galatians 5:4 Teach Lose of Salvation?

 

One of the verse that is misinterpreted to mean loss of salvation is Gal 5:4.

Galatians 5

[4]You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

I believe this is erroneous and I will discuss why.

Galatians 5:1-7

[1]It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

[2]Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

[3]And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

[4]You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

[5]For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

[6]For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

[7]You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

1. Paul clearly taught the Galatians that justification is by grace through faith and not by law. 

Galatians 2

[16]nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

2. Yet the Galatians who where saved by grace somehow think that they can live by the law.

Galatians 3:1-3

[1]You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

[2]This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

[3]Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

3. They are saved by grace yet living in legalism. This Paul says is wrong. We are saved by grace and grace is our way of living.

Titus 2:11-14

[11]For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

[12]instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,

[13]looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

[14]who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

4. So to combat this Galatian legalism Paul wrote an epistle. In chapter 4 Paul told the Galatians that if they insist on legalistic practices like circumcision, they are in slavery, Christ is of no benefit, he is obliged to obey the whole law, hence slavery (since James said violation of one is violation of all), fallen from grace, hindered from obeying the truth. 

5. The passage:

Galatians 5

[4]You have been severed from Christ (NOT ABIDING IN CHRIST, Jn 15), you who are seeking to be justified by law (LEGALISM); you have fallen from grace (GRACE LIVING).

6. The passage does not teach lost of salvation but falling from grace living, from tge grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness and to LIVE SENSIBLY, RIGHTEOUSLY AND GODLY IN THE PRESENT AGE.

7. Finally,

Galatians 5:16-23

[16]But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

[17]For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

[18]But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

[19]Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

[20]idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

[21]envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

[22]But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

[23]gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

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