What Does it Mean to Fall from Grace?
What does Galatians 5:4 mean?
“Did you hear about that celebrity pastor and his secretary? What a fall from grace!”
The fall-from-grace phrase is sometimes used to describe famous people who have fallen into sin, but that is not what fall from grace means in the Bible.
When you sin you don’t fall from grace but into grace. It’s not possible to sin yourself beyond the reach of God’s love. His best is better than your worst, and his grace is greater than your sin (see Rom. 5:20).
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:4)
What does it mean to fall from grace? We fall from the high place of grace when we start walking after the flesh. Typically, this happens by accident:
I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace. (Galatians 5:4, MSG)
Here’s how it happens. You come to Jesus because of grace.
“Thank you, Jesus. I’m saved by grace.”
But then you hear that you need to pray more, give more, serve more to produce fruit or get blessed.
“I’ll do it for you Jesus!”
There is nothing wrong with praying, giving and serving. The problem is in thinking you have to do these things to merit God’s favor.
“I’m gonna give to get. I’m gonna fast and pray until the walls come down. I’m going obey the law because it will please the Lord.”
BAM! You have just traded faith for works and you have fallen from grace.
Paul told the Galatians, “You have been severed from Christ.” This what happens when we stop trusting the Lord and start relying on our own effort. We cut ourselves off from the flow of heavenly favor.
But falling from grace does not mean you have lost your salvation. You may let go of Christ, but he will never let go of you. Even when you are faithless, he remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:13).
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
Fall from grace and you will lose your freedom, but Paul never tells the Galatians, “You are losing your salvation.” Instead, he says, “You are indulging the flesh” (Gal. 5:13).
The Galatians were becoming carnal, biting and devouring one another in vicious arguments. The danger was not that God would destroy them, but that you “will be destroyed by each other” (Gal. 5:15).
To fall from grace is just about the worst thing that can happen to a believer. Like a bird that falls from the sky, we end up broken and vulnerable.
Christ will be of no benefit to you. (Galatians 5:2)
Christ did not die to make you religious. He died to set you free. If you bind yourself with obligation, debt, and duty, what was the point?
You who are seeking to be justified by law. (Galatians 5:4)
The strange thing is we know this. We know that no one is justified or made right with God by doing good works or keeping the law (Rom. 3:20). We know that justification is a gift of grace that is received by faith (Rom. 3:28).
But we forget. We miss the telltale signs of living under law.
Some serious preacher comes along preaching practical holiness and or railing against lukewarmness and our religious flesh just gobbles it up.
“Just tell me what to do, Lord, and I’ll do it!”
Before you know it, we’re standing with the Israelites at the foot of Mt Sinai begging God for rules.
It’s like Jesus died for nothing.
How do we resist the temptation to come back under law?
Keep standing firm and DO NOT be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
We have to take a stand. We have to have zero tolerance for mixture. When the law-preachers come looking for fresh meat, we have to make a ruckus.
“Beware the wolves in sheep’s clothing!”
How much noise should we make? Well that depends on how much you value your freedom.
So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. (Galatians 5:1, MSG)
Jesus paid a high price for your freedom. Stay free.
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Want more? Check out these awesome study notes in Paul’s Library:
Escape to Reality 
The problem is when we start turning to our works, we are turning away from the perfect work of Jesus. Great article!
Loved this – punchy & full of grace. Timely for me as o have definitely been walking after the flesh recently. Thank you!
AMEN… I love Gal 5, one of my go to’s….. Ya just head back to the do do do’s of the law which is flesh living and no Heb 4, entering his rest and the Spirit flows… 😊
Elaine Urie
Great stuff Paul. Easy to read and understand. THANK YOU! 😃👍🏽
A really good article Paul. Mind you that is the normal for you bro. One thing I notice a lot in grace writings is that the “ beware wolves in sheeps clothing “ is often used to describe law preachers. But surely “sheep” refers to the group of believers . Therefore the quote perhaps should be “beware wolves in shepherds clothing?”
Interesting comment, Mark. I can tell you from personal experience that some of the most strenuous opposition to the grace message comes not from leaders but ordinary churchgoers with just enough law to make them confident of their own position and highly critical of grace. I have also heard from many pastors who have embraced grace but been rejected by members of their own church. Anyone holding stone tablets can inflict damage.
“Anyone holding stone tablets can inflict damage” LOL. You kill me! (metaphorically). Preach/teach on brother!
Glory to God in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour yet another Holy Spirit filled,inspired,anointed post from a willing believer who does not want to hinder,distort,dilute,mix grace with law or humanise”the true Gospel of grace-Gods good news by mans hands,work,interpretation or opinion. Amen
That’s good stuff brother. Galatians is one of my favorites. “When you sin you don’t fall from grace but into it”… that is worth thinking about for a whole day. Or a lifetime. 😁
What is it about we humans, Christians, even believers…what is it about us that loves a law, a rule, a regulation? Is it that we feel more in control, more secure about the outcome? Is it that rules and reg’s are so handy for judging others? Even this: the rule is…no rules. That might be the most clever one of all.
Grace looks to nothing but Jesus and His love for us and all creation. I conveniently forget that in order to embrace a rule of my own design.
It’s all for the dung heap. Pray, forgive, sing Him a song. (Sometimes He sings back.) Follow His lead. Trust Him.
When we see the checklists and flowcharts creeping back into our sights, just turn again and look instead upon Grace, our wonderful Savior, who has declared “It is finished” and be utterly blessed.
We live in a world of rules so when Someone comes offering freedom, that frightens some people. Like the emancipated slaves, they don’t know how to be free. They find the rules comforting because they don’t know how to think for themselves or make decisions or lean on the Lord. They’d prefer someone else do the thinking for them. They are like little children.
This is why we need spiritual mothers and fathers who know how to raise mature sons and daughters of God.
Thank you. A very thoughtful and compassionate response. I had never considered how freedom may be frightening to some. You have helped me greatly with a gentle conviction.