Throughout this study in Galatians one shining fact has rang true,we cannot work for our salvation, but God gave us a gift of salvation by His grace through faith. In Chapter 5, Paul reminds use that we are free and not to get bogged down with slavery.
Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
We know that we are already free from sin and condemnation. However, Paul tells us that we need to stand firm in this freedom. If we do not, we will easily become burdened by living in the lie that we have to work for God’s love and forgiveness. How do we actually do that? How do we stand firm in the freedom that Christ died for us to have?
Galatians 5:4 (NIV)
“You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”
It’s the word “alienated” that got to me. It means a separation or a destroyed fellowship. If we are putting our faith in anything other that salvation through grace, we are separating ourselves from God. Why do we cheapen grace in such a way. Are we so prideful and arrogant to think that we could work enough, and fight long enough, and hustle fast enough to come close to what God has done for us. You can’t! Salvation is based in Grace. Don’t waste your lives trying to get something that God gives for free. Our trying to work for God is the very thing that distances us from God.
So how do we not lose the freedom that we already have? We stop trying to work for it or change it. We place our faith in the finished work of Christ, and we rest in the truth that God’s grace is enough. Do we mess up? Yes. Do we still need to turn away from sin? yes! But God’s grace is sill there to cover our sins and hisa mercy forgives us when we repent.
I don’t know about you, but I want it all. I don’t want to be alienated from anything that is rightfully mine in Christ. So we must stand firm. We must live like we are loved and accepted and we must not allow any person, system, or thought to allow us to believe otherwise.