Galatians 5:1-12 Fallen From Grace

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. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love....I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.

Paul is using the example of circumcision as a tenant of the law. The principle would hold true if he used keeping kosher, observing the sabbath, ritual cleansings, or any of the 613 Jewish commandments. The principle applies equally to any of the religious rules and rituals we follow.

The point being made here is that if you keep one part of the law, you are under obligation to keep the whole law. We are also told, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." [James 2:10 NASB]

Paul takes it even further, stating that those who have chosen to follow the law have fallen from grace. It's an either/or proposition. Either you are saved by grace, or you are saved by your works. If you could be saved by your works, then Jesus died in vain.

If you persist in choosing to do works as a path to righteousness, then you are denying the grace that God gave you, and are turning your back on the cross. Again, Paul goes so far as to say that if you persist in choosing to be sanctified by means of religious rituals, then you will be severed from Christ.

But Jesus did not die in vain. We are saved by grace through faith. We are also sanctified by grace through faith. All of our righteousness is from Him. We cannot progress in our Christian walk through any work of the flesh, but only as the Holy Spirit works in us, and as we work together with Him in faith.

Your religion doesn't matter. No denomination is better than another, but only your faith. "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "but the righteous man shall live by faith." [Romans 1:17]

Rules and rituals are crutches we lean on in our spiritual walk. But our crutches quickly turn into chains.

But Jesus has set us free from those chains. Throw away the rule book and walk by faith. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Therefore, walk in that freedom, and let the Spirit of Christ lead you into righteousness.