THE FORFEITURE OF CHRIST - FALLEN FROM GRACE (Galatians 2:21) - CHRIST IS BECOME OF NO EFFECT unto you...” (Galatians 5:4)

[MessageOfTheCross]

Galatians 2
“21 I do not frustrate the Grace of God (if we make anything other than the Cross of Christ the Object of our Faith, we frustrate the Grace of God, which means we stop its action, and the Holy Spirit will no longer help us): for if Righteousness come by the Law (any type of Law), then Christ is dead in vain. (If I can successfully live for the Lord by any means other than Faith in Christ and the Cross, then the Death of Christ was a waste.)”

Galatians 5
“4 Christ is become of no effect unto you (this is a chilling statement, and refers to anyone who makes anything other than Christ and the Cross the Object of his Faith), whosoever of you are justified by the Law (seek to be justified by the Law); you are fallen from Grace (fallen from the position of Grace, which means the Believer is trusting in something other than the Cross; it actually means, “to apostatize”).”

When we simply place our faith in Christ and His victory afforded by the Cross-and I speak of victory as it regards our everyday walk before God-the Holy Spirit then steps in with His power, and victory is assured.

JSM

What happens to my justification which pertains to salvation if I continue to live a life fallen from grace and Christ becomes of no benefit unto me?

 

[Dino246]

Galatians talks about people going back to the Law, not "making something other than the cross the sole object of your faith". The commentary in red is corruption, not illumination.

 

[WithinReason]

I have found these helpful:

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Question I asked Pastor Curtis:
Bible study question? If the Believer is frustrating grace by their Faith being misplace; by not placing and maintaining their Faith exclusively in Christ and Him Crucified - will gracecontinue to much more abound over sin in the life of a Believer?

Pastor Curtis answer:
No sir I do not believe that it will according to Gal 1:6, 5:1-4 and other scriptures. The word “frustrate” means to deny or to set aside. Grace only takes place “through faith”. Grace is God doing something in, for, to or through someone through their faith. Hope this helps.

To think we need something other than what God has provided for us in Christ and His atoning work at Calvary, is to tell God, “The Cross was not enough.” Until the Church returns to faith in the Cross alone, there will be no repentance granted, for repentance can only take place as one acknowledges the Truth (2 Timothy 2:24-26), which is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

 

[Prycejosh1987]

What happens to my justification which pertains to salvation if I continue to live a life fallen from grace and Christ becomes of no benefit unto me?

Then you would go to hell, We have to believe in all the bible and follow as much as we can, there are verses just talk about one thing and others that complement those verses. We are justified through faith in Jesus and that happens when we show our belief, mainly through our love for others.

 

[Dino246]

Question I asked Pastor Curtis:
Bible study question? If the Believer is frustrating grace by their Faith being misplace; by not placing and maintaining their Faith exclusively in Christ and Him Crucified - will gracecontinue to much more abound over sin in the life of a Believer?

Pastor Curtis answer:
No sir I do not believe that it will according to Gal 1:6, 5:1-4 and other scriptures. The word “frustrate” means to deny or to set aside. Grace only takes place “through faith”. Grace is God doing something in, for, to or through someone through their faith. Hope this helps.

To think we need something other than what God has provided for us in Christ and His atoning work at Calvary, is to tell God, “The Cross was not enough.” Until the Church returns to faith in the Cross alone, there will be no repentance granted, for repentance can only take place as one acknowledges the Truth (2 Timothy 2:24-26), which is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

The cross didn't do anything for me.

Jesus did everything that was needed.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

The manifestation of true biblical denial is that our faith is in the Cross of Jesus Christ

Biblical denial is not that you have denied yourself a Snickers bar, a beer, this or that, but rather that you have denied yourself so that you can take up your cross and follow Jesus DAILY.

Luke 9:23
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Pastor Curtis

 

[FlyingDove]

Chapter context is grace vs law. Those fallen from grace found here as well as in Heb 10. Were foretold of in the Parable of the Sower.

The truth was revealed to & understood by them. Yet, they rejected Christ sin payment & chose to return to serving the law. Grace was offered & rejected. They never were saved.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

Anything and everything that is not Faith in Christ and Him Crucified is "Law." You have chosen your own way (the golden calf) that becomes your law. Therefore, Grace stops!

Question for all? If Grace is being frustrated, are your sins being forgiven?

 

[Ahwatukee]

Anything and everything that is not Faith in Christ and Him Crucified is "Law." You have chosen your own way (the golden calf) that becomes your law. Therefore, Grace stops!

Question for all? If Grace is being frustrated, are your sins being forgiven?

Hello Message!

Regarding salvation by grace through faith, I have always used the following analogy: God's grace is the electrical wall out let and our faith is the plug. As long as we are plugged in we have connection to God's grace. However, when we unplug from the electrical outlet, we lose connection. And the way in which we lose connection, is when we go back into the world, willfully living according to the sinful nature. In that state we have wandered from the truth and are accumulating sin which leads to death, which is exactly what James 5:18 is describing:

"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. "

In the scripture above, James is speaking to believers which is confirmed by his addressing "My brothers and sisters." Consequently, if any of them wander away from the truth, then in that wandered state they will have been accumulating sin and are on their way to death, because they have unplugged from God's grace. However, if someone brings them back or they they themselves turn back to waking in faith, then those sins that will have been accumulating in that while in that state will be covered and they will be saved from death. This is why I oppose the OSAS group, as though no matter how you live or what you do, you are saved, which is false. Otherwise, what would be the point of all the warnings to believers throughout God's word? OSAS is dependent on continuing in faith from beginning to the end, which is also synonymous with taking up your cross daily.

 

[Dino246]

Anything and everything that is not Faith in Christ and Him Crucified is "Law." You have chosen your own way (the golden calf) that becomes your law. Therefore, Grace stops!

Question for all? If Grace is being frustrated, are your sins being forgiven?

The forgiveness of sins is complete, and has been since Jesus died on the cross. Grace doesn't "stop" for the believer.

 

[Ahwatukee]

The forgiveness of sins is complete, and has been since Jesus died on the cross. Grace doesn't "stop" for the believer.

Greetings Dino!

It does if the person stops having faith. Else, how would you explain the following:

====================================================================
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. 25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

26Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.g He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me.’

29So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

30But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

31When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

32Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

35That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
==================================================================

The King is representing God and the servant is represents the believer. He is originally forgiven for all his debt. However, after not forgiving his fellow servant (another believer) his original debt was reinstated. Jesus then ends the teaching with:

"That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you (believers) unless you forgive your brother from your heart.

We also have the example in James:

"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

And this one:

"But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

If we stop having faith, we wander from the truth (going back into the world and willfully living according to the sinful nature), then we have turned away from following Christ. In that state we are no longer taking up our crosses daily.

Our actions have to fit our confession.

 

[FlyingDove]

Anything and everything that is not Faith in Christ and Him Crucified is "Law." You have chosen your own way (the golden calf) that becomes your law. Therefore, Grace stops!

Question for all? If Grace is being frustrated, are your sins being forgiven?

I adamantly disagree:

KJV Dictionary Definition: FORGIV'EN, pp. Pardoned remitted. https://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/forgiven.html

Believers have been PARDONRD/forgiven <<< past tense, it's FINISHED!

KJV Dictionary Definition: REMISSION:
5. Forgiveness; pardon; that is, the giving up of the punishment due to a crime; as the remission of sins. Matt. 26. Heb. 9.

Again, believers have been PARDONRD/forgiven <<< past tense, it's FINISHED!

Onto grace:
KJV Dictionary Definition: GRACE:

1. Favor; good will; kindness; disposition to oblige another; as a grant made as an act of grace.

2. Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him. And if by grace, then it is no more of works. Rom.11.

3. The application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

4. A state of reconciliation to God. Rom 5:2 Through Jesus Christ we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Strong's Concordance; charis: Definition: GRACE Usage: (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ,

Ok, we all deserve to die, due to our sins. GRACE is grant/gift given by God to humanity.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
(NOTE: God's gift of grace has a name. Jn 3:16 God so loved those in this world he sent His Son Jesus)

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
(NOTE: A GIFT is given, not earned. Having said that, a gift can be rejected)

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
(NOTE: When we accept Gods GIFT of GRACE; mix it with our FAITH in Christ's redemptive sin payment & resurrection. We are SAVED & Christ Seals us with His indwelling Holy Spirit. See: Eph 1:14 & 4:30, 2 Cor 1:22 & 5: Tim 1:14)

Finally:
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Rom 8:
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Best wishes, FD

 

[Corban]

The problem with the Churches in Galatia was that they started well in their Christian walk. They had believed in and confessed Jesus. But salvation is not only having your sins set aside, possessing eternal life and becoming a son of God. It is also the transformation of the soul from a a fallen character to a Christlike character (Rom.8:29). Some ex-Jews, who had converted to Christ, came down to these Churches and taught that salvation was by faith, but that this "perfecting" of the character was achieved by keeping the Law of Moses. This was incorrect. This transformation of the soul is achieved by the Holy Spirit (2nd Cor.3:18), by the Christian denying himself and taking up his cross daily, by eating Christ (John Chapter 6), by fiery trials (1st Peter 1), by adding virtues (2nd Peter 1), by the Lord's chastening (Heb.12) and by being conformed to Christ's death (Phil.3). This whole process of transformation, or perfecting, is wrought by the Holy Spirit with the cooperation of the saint.

The Law was given for the following reasons. God was going to dwell with Israel.

• So Israel needed to be righteous
• So Israel had to be ritually clean
• So Israel had to display God's righteousness before the nations around them
• So Israel had to display God's blessing if they kept the Law and God's chastisement if they didn't
• So Israel were to have the right service to God's house
• So Israel were to treat the Land correctly

But in the New Testament God does not dwell WITH the Church. He dwells IN the Church. And the Law is inadequate for this purpose. The Law, by its very relationship with fallen man, can only condemn a man and show his sins (Rom.7). The Law cannot perfect. It appeals to the flesh (Rom.8:2), but has no power to change a man. So Christ first fulfills the Law and imputes this righteousness to the Christian. Then He takes the Law with Him onto the cross and abolishes it FOR THE CHURCH (not for Israel. They are still under Covenant). And so the Law, good as it is, God-given as it is, holy as it is, spiritual as it is, IS A TOTALLY INADEQUATE MEANS OF PERFECTING A MAN. BUT WORSE THAN THIS IS THAT A MAN WHO WOULD EMBRACE THE LAW AS A MEANS OF PERFECTING, CASTS CHRIST OUT AS INADEQUATE!

Now, you have to see this from God's point of view. He gives the Law and it is broken quickly and utterly and continuously by Israel. Though it is from God, because man is so fallen, the Law proves to be a hopeless for man's perfecting. So God allows Jesus Christ to pass through all the processes of human experience, including keeping the Law. God finally gets the Man He wanted in te beginning. A real Man, with the divine life as His essence, and obedient to the uttermost. Then, once the Man Jesus has gone through this full human experience, God withdraws the Man Jesus to heaven and sends the Holy Spirit who now incorporates Christ and His full human experience. The Holy Spirit, Who incorporates human life mixed with the divine life, now can start the perfecting process outlined above. The Book of Galatians simply CONTRASTS these TWO SOURCES - (i) The external Law given by God, and (ii) the indwelling Holy Spirit with the full measure of Christ's humanity.

Now, if this be true, you can imagine God's wrath when He has allowed His Son to establish such a costly and effective work, and some Christians JUDGE THAT AS INADEQUATE! That is why, of all the new Testament, Galatians is written so aggressively. Paul's language in Galatians is very abrupt and threatening. It is certainly not a Book of "Good News". It is a Book inspired by a God Who has been slighted and insulted. Christians have declared Christ INADEQUATE and THEIR EFFORTS superior. I cannot think of anything more provocative to the Most High than to declare the work of Jesus' LIFE (not His death) inferior to the LIFE of a Christian. And I can not, at the moment, think of a more foolish attitude in a Christian than to think he/she is pleasing God by returning to the Law. It is just playing with fire!

 

[Dino246]

Greetings Dino!

It does if the person stops having faith. Else, how would you explain the following:

====================================================================
Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. 25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

26Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.g He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me.’

29So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

30But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

31When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

32Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

35That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
==================================================================

The King is representing God and the servant is represents the believer. He is originally forgiven for all his debt. However, after not forgiving his fellow servant (another believer) his original debt was reinstated. Jesus then ends the teaching with:

"That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you (believers) unless you forgive your brother from your heart.

We also have the example in James:

"My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

And this one:

"But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

If we stop having faith, we wander from the truth (going back into the world and willfully living according to the sinful nature), then we have turned away from following Christ. In that state we are no longer taking up our crosses daily.

Our actions have to fit our confession.

I agree with your last sentence. However, grace hasn't stopped; the unrepentant person has simply rejected it.

 

[Ahwatukee]

I adamantly disagree:

KJV Dictionary Definition: FORGIV'EN, pp. Pardoned remitted. https://av1611.com/kjbp/kjv-dictionary/forgiven.html

Believers have been PARDONRD/forgiven <<< past tense, it's FINISHED!

Hi FlyingDove!

Forgiveness and eternal life is dependent upon faith. Scripture states that we are saved by grace through faith and this not by our own efforts. It is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can take credit. Therefore, the believers part is faith. If one goes back into the world and turns from his faith, then they have disconnected from God's grace and are accumulating sin and on their way to death. We are not saved by just one confession and then allows us to go back to living according to the sinful nature. What do you think all of those warnings are throughout scripture, including the letters to the seven churches in Revelation? Consider the following:

"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

In the scripture above, James is addressing "My brother/sisters" which means that was/is writing to believers. Notice that if one of those brother or sisters wanders from the truth, then they are accumulating sin and are on their way to condemnation. If those who have wandered return to God in faith, then all of those sins that they were accumulating in that wandered stated are covered over and are saved from death. Our part is faith from beginning to end. If we stop having faith and go back into the world, then we have wandered away from the truth. God to Ezekiel as the watcher over Israel:

============================================================================
If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed.

But if I tell the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right—if he restores a pledge, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without practicing iniquity—then he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be held against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.

 

[Ahwatukee]

I agree with your last sentence. However, grace hasn't stopped; the unrepentant person has simply rejected it.

I would agree that God's grace is on-going. However, since we saved by grace through faith, then if a believer stops having faith he would need to return to it in order to reconnect with God's grace, otherwise he will have wandered away, apostacy. Complete apostacy is exactly what Paul is speaking about in Hebrews 6:4-8, i.e. wandering away from faith and not returning.

The bottom line is that, we are saved by God's grace through faith. If having stop having faith, then we have disconnected from God's grace. We have unplugged our connection. If we return or someone turns us back, then those sins while in that state will be forgiven and that person will be saved from death, which is the direction he was going in that wandered state.

 

[MessageOfTheCross]

I would agree that God's grace is on-going. However, since we saved by grace through faith, then if a believer stops having faith he would need to return to it in order to reconnect with God's grace, otherwise he will have wandered away, apostacy. Complete apostacy is exactly what Paul is speaking about in Hebrews 6:4-8, i.e. wandering away from faith and not returning.

The bottom line is that, we are saved by God's grace through faith. If having stop having faith, then we have disconnected from God's grace. We have unplugged our connection. If we return or someone turns us back, then those sins while in that state will be forgiven and that person will be saved from death, which is the direction he was going in that wandered state.

The truth is, 99.9999% will disagree with this truth. 2 Timothy 2:24-26

Only one tribe of the twelve tribes of Israel came out from among the Golden Calf worshippers in Exodus 32. The Way of the Cross might feel lonely, but we are never alone!

We March On!

Out of 603,550 men who were readied for war that came out of Egypt under the power of God (Numbers 1:44-46), only two took their inheritance; Joshua (a type of Christ) and Caleb (a type of the body of Christ) (Matthew 7:14). There is only one message that changes the body of Christ into the image of Christ, and that is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

Jesus Christ and Him Crucified alone is the only answer for mankind...not human reasoning!