And here is the kicker - you don't believe the Gospel of grace.
You are absolutely into the law and works salvation.
Unfortunately you condemn yourself utterly, remember, if you fall short on any point of the law then you fail at all points:
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10
You cannot divide the law up into sections and decide which bits you want to keep.
Yet, this is what you hypocrites do!
The WHOLE law is obligatory.
As for Gal 5:7 - what a thumbsuck!!!
It does not mean anything close to what you have referenced it to - liar!
I will post the entire section of Scripture for context:
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. 4 You 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.
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! Gal 5:1-12
What has vs 7 got to with falling from grace?
Nothing!
The context is simple:
The phrase "obeying the truth" is nothing to do with the law but rather the Gospel (salvation by grace through faith).
Why is Paul not talking about the law here?
Simple - read the whole passage!
In vs 2 "2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
" the word circumcision is shorthand for obeying the law.
Paul is saying if you follow the law then, "Christ will profit you nothing.
"
Ooops! Hardly an endorsement of the law is it!
And Paul is not done!
In vs 11 he states just as unequivocally, "And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased."
Paul was being persecuted because he refused to preach that the law was necessary.
And, "the offense of the cross" that Paul refers to is the Gospel of grace through faith.
Why is it offensive?
The Gospel is offensive to those who believe that the law is necessary for salvation or maintaining salvation (it is actually the same thing), precisely because once one accepts the truth of the Gospel the law is no longer required.
Paul, in another part of Galatians actually states this:
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.Gal 3:24-25
No part of the law is binding on believers!
This includes the ten commandments.
Back to Chapter 5...
Given that the law is no longer binding what now determines our morals and ethics?
Paul gives the answer here:
16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Gal 5:15-26
Paul exhorts us to walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:16
Why?
Because, "
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
" Gal 5:18
And what is the result of being led by the Spirit?
"
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
" Gal 5:22-23
The Holy Spirit Himself is the guide to our new ethical framework - not the law!
So, Gal 5:7 cannot be a reference to anything other than the Gospel of grace.
It cannot be a reference to the law!
Furthermore law-breaking is far wider than just the transgressing the ten commandments - all 613 ordinances are in play if one places oneself under the law.
