What does it mean to fall from grace as it says in Galatians 5:4?

Answers to Bible questions
Scriptures are from the KJV of the Bible

(Q)  What does it mean to fall from grace as it says in Galatians 5:4?

(A)  This verse could say: You will still be separated from Christ, remain in unbelief and still be in your sins, if you try to be justified by keeping the law. However, no true Christian believer can fall from grace!!

You will forfeit the favor of God’s grace which was won for you by Jesus Christ at Calvary around two thousand years ago, if you are not wholly saved by grace alone. Then you are not saved, and still in unbelief.

Note what is says in Ephesians :13-14: ¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,¹⁴ Which is the earnest (GUARANTEE) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. This scripture is telling us that a true Christian believer is sealed by the HOLY SPIRIT and He is GUARANTEEING your salvation until the day you die or the Rapture takes place; either way, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and nothing can take away your salvation, not ever, not even you.

Who is Paul talking to in Galatians 5:4?

Galatians 5:4 does not teach the loss of salvation. Paul’s is warning against trying to mix Law and the Gospel of grace to attain justification. He says to those who let themselves be circumcised in Galatians5:2 that they are “trying to be justified by law” and have therefore “been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” It should be noted that there is no mention of salvation or the security of the believer. He is telling those who receive circumcision; in other words, attempting to justify themselves through the rites and rules of the law-that Christ will be of no “benefit” to them. Paul was talking to a mixed crowd of people; some who had already made up their minds to put their total faith in Christ alone without any works. This was the grace message being taught by Paul, but some had not made up their mind yet because Paul was teaching a different message; the grace message given to him by Christ Himself. Also, the Judaizers of that time were all about keeping the law for salvation and were attempting to lure some of them back to justification through the law, which was impossible; Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Paul expounds further in verse 3 when he says that “every man who receives circumcision”
is “under obligation to keep the whole Law.” Why is such a statement important in regards
to Christ being “no benefit to you”? See what Paul says in Galatians 3:13 concerning Christ’s sacrifice: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.”

Paul warns against setting aside the grace that comes from Christ. Those who have nullified the grace that comes through Christ shed blood and attempted instead to justify themselves by the works of the Law are still under the curse of the law.

Paul says I Galatians 5:2: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Paul is reminding them of the freedom they have in Christ: Freedom from the bondage of the law that Christ has set us free from.

God has raised up another apostle, Paul, and sent him forth with “the good news of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). That is why Paul argued with tremendous force again and again that salvation is no longer by works of any kind, but by grace  complete in Christ which ‘is the head of all principality and power: “In Whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2:9-12).

Do we “get it”? Paul told the Colossians that they were complete in Christ. He said that they have put off that body of fleshly passion and sin by the circumcision of Christ, a circumcision made without hands.

Paul also dealt with baptism. Buried with Him in baptism; no, do not put any water in here. “Buried with Him,” not like Him, not as Him. The burial with Christ was done in the baptism of Christ. (Lk. 12:50). “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God [not the operation of a minister as a baptizer], Who hath raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2: 12).

Ephesians 2:4-9: ⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) ⁶And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For the last two thousand years now, the law has been taken out of the way by the cross for salvation. Note Colossians 2:14: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

Christ called Paul a year or two after Calvary and gave him (Paul) a new message; the message of the grace of God. Ephesians 3:1-9: ¹For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, ²If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: ³How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, ⁴Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) ⁵Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; ⁶That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: ⁷Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. ⁸Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; ⁹And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

In conclusion, we will look at 1 John 2:19:  Beware of Antichrists ( those who were not real Christians), but only seemed to be. They were really against Christ. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Some in this Church, but now departed, were never really part of it. Here is a clear distinction between those who merely appeared to be Christians based on outward affiliation, and those who really were Christians, whom the Lord knows and claims as His own.  1 Corinthians 8:3: ³But if any man love God, the same is known of Him.   2 Timothy 2:19: ¹⁹Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.

No, true Christian believers cannot fall from grace; it’s impossible!!

Put your faith, trust and belief in Christs finished work at Calvary on your behalf and you shall be saved, no works, no water.

Trust Christ, have a good day,

John