Fall From Grace

When you hear the words fall from grace, you may think of people who committed really serious sins.  You may even think of a preacher or an evangelist who has committed sexual sin or fraud.  But how the Bible speaks of falling from grace may surprise you.  Galatians 5:4 says, "you are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."  When we try to save our selves by following the law, we fall from grace.

But who would want to do that?  Surprisingly, many Christians know that they are saved by grace but try to live the Christian life by their works.  We can substitute many things for grace.  Some of us substitute grace with formalism.   As long as I attend church, carry my Bible, give my offering, I am growing in grace.  Doing these things may be important but it doesn't change our lives.

Others of us substitute legalism for grace.  We want a set of rules to follow.  The good thing about our rules is that they reflect what we find easy to keep.  A good Christian doesn't drink, play cards, chew tobacco, go to movies.  Just fill in the blank with something that does not tempt you and you keep the rule.  But rules do no change our lives.

Some of us what to substitute grace with Bible knowledge.  We know what the Bible says, but do not live it.  The list goes on of things that we do rather than trust.  Christian growth does not happen when we focus on what we do, keep the rules, or increase our knowledge.  Christian growth happens when we obsess about Jesus.  The greatest work we have to do as a believer is to believe, trust and love Jesus.  When we do we remain in grace.