Galatians 5: 1 - 6

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,^[a] and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

Galatians 5:1-6

If you read in context, the freedom that Paul was talking about is freedom from circumcision, from keeping the law, from being justified by law. Wow!! The audience to whom this letter was adressed somehow had a liberty that isn't really liberty, a freedom that isn't really freedom. It sounds weird, yet many Christians have settled for that sort of 'freedom'. I've been guilty of that myself. That's why the writer had to emphasize on the need to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. 

Verse 2 & 3 says that if you try to be justified by fulfilling the law, the sacrifice of Christ would be of no profit to you, & therefore, once again, you become a debtor to keep the whole law. And if in case you didn't notice, no one in the bible could keep the whole law, except Jesus. Even Pharisees come to Jesus to ask for a way to enter into heaven, because they KNOW they can't keep the whole law & calm the warth of God. Wouldn't it be foolish of us, to not accept the free gift of God - eternal life by faith in Jesus - & subject ourselves to the punishment of the law?

Verse 4 is a shocker too. It says if you try to be justified by law again, you would have fallen from grace!! How can anyone fall from grace? Isn't grace unmerited favour - given to those who don't deserve it? How far or deep can a man fall that he would completely severed from grace? Could Paul be saying that judgement will fall upon those who think they can keep the law & fulfill it on their own efforts? 

Friends, our righteousness comes only by faith in Jesus Christ. And in Him, the only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through LOVE. 

More to come...