Fallen from Grace

By John Weaver

July 1, 2023

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; YOU ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE” (Galatians 5:4). 

I am astonished at the people who continue to try to keep the law for righteousness. When the Bible speaks of “the law” it is the old covenant Law of Moses. The law has been replaced by a new and better covenant. Jesus came and fulfilled the law. He was the only person who ever kept the law perfectly. 

We have the option to continue the futile attempt to please God by our efforts, and fail, or we can believe and put our full confidence and faith in what Jesus said He came to do: to save His people from their sins. 

I have been contacted privately and challenged publicly concerning us today not keeping “the law.” Some have a concern that if we are not placed under a lot of law.. either Old Testament laws, or laws of their own invention, then we will be lawless and tossed about by Satan. Others have a genuine desire to keep the old covenant laws, at least the ones they choose to. Both are wrong. 

We are called to go into all the world and make disciples teaching them to observe all the things that Jesus taught. I have never been called to teach people to keep old covenant laws. I do teach that Jesus gave us plenty of laws to keep: none greater than to love one another. I never teach that we are free to be lawless under grace. Rather it is grace that enables us to keep Christ’s commandments. Never is grace a license to sin. God forbid. 

For those who want to keep Old Testament laws, please take your Bible and read the six chapters of Galatians. Then read it again. Then pray and ask God to give you understanding as you study the message contained therein. The whole chapter deals with those who seek justification by keeping the law. As I quoted above, If we could be justified by law keeping, then Christ came in vain. 

My encouragement is that everyone becomes a disciple of Jesus. Study His teachings, His life, His commandments, everything about Jesus. Be a follower of Jesus. After all, He is the only way to God. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to God the father except by Him. 

What about the good laws like the Ten Commandments? Surely we should keep them. Right? 

I don’t make a big issue about it, but no, I do not keep the Ten Commandments. It would appear like I do, because most of the Ten Commandments have been repeated in the new covenant, and those I keep. But the old covenant, with its laws and rules and rituals and sacrifices, is no longer in effect. It is replaced by a new and better covenant. Hebrews 10 says that the first was taken away so that the second could be established. Hebrews 10 explains the new covenant and how and why it replaces the old. 

The book of Galatians and also Romans clearly tells us that we can never attain righteousness in our own power. And when we try, we are laying aside Gods grace, (fallen from grace) in order to establish our own righteousness. Roman 10 verse 3 says they are ignorant of Gods righteousness so they try to establish their own righteousness and by doing that they don’t submit themselves unto Gods righteousness. Serious stuff. 

The book of Galatians has lots of warnings about not going back into the law. I can not express it any better than the following verse.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). 

Two words that especially stand out are the words, “yoke” and “entangled.” 
The old law is a yoke and it is bondage. Law keeping tends to entangle people. Things like polygamy are an option etc.

Jesus came to save his people and to give us eternal life.

“...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Amen!

 

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