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Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: NKJV
When Paul address a church he is not speaking to people who meet in a building called a “church.” John 12:24 This is after Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus is the seed of God and can produce a fruit. Paul is talking to people who have been born again.
Gal 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? NKJV
Those in Galatia began by faith in Jesus but some Judaizers had convinced them that it was necessary to be circumcised to be saved. This is different from Timothy's being circumcised. Timothy was circumcised so he could enter Jewish synagogues with Paul. He knew that it had nothing to do with his salvation. The Galatians believe that they were not saved until they were circumcised. In other words they need to help Jesus save them by doing an act of the law.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, 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. NKJV
The only way someone can be estranged (severed, separated) from Christ is to be in Christ. The only way they can fall from grace is to be in God's grace. 1John 3:9 How can someone who cannot sin with God's seed (Jesus) in him fall from grace?
Adam in the garden was told not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He had no knowledge of good and evil. With no knowledge of good and evil he could not sin. When Adam ate the fruit he did not sin. Adam could not sin until he had knowledge of good and evil. Once Adam ate the fruit he had knowledge of good and evil he sinned. Adam could not sin as long as he believed God. He did not sin by not believing. Once he did not believe and did what he knew was wrong he sinned.
We like Adam cannot sin. We do have knowledge of good and evil. Here is the testimony of God.
John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. NKJV
God told the Galatians that they were righteous when they believed in Jesus. As long as we believe God we cannot sin. Why would they fall from grace if they become circumcised?
Hebrews 11:1 faith is the substance of what you hope for. The definition of substance is : 1. That which underlies all outward manifestations; substratum; the permanent subject or cause of phenomena
from Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language
The phenomena in faith is hope. Jesus gives us hope and that hope gives birth to saving faith. Without Jesus we have no hope to attain heaven. When our hope is born we get the Spirit of Jesus. The Galatians started with saving faith. Then the Judaizers convinced them they needed to be circumcised. If the Galatians got circumcised in the hope of salvation then Jesus is not the cause of their hope. Their saving faith would change to faith in self work. Without faith in Jesus His Spirit would depart. Then they, like Adam, could sin.
Can I get another witness?
Gal 2:17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. NKJV
People sin while in Jesus but they are not sinners.
Rom 4:5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." NKJV
Verse 5 faith in Jesus is what gives Christians righteousness. Verse 6 works have nothing to do with their righteousness. Verse 8 God does not impute sin to Christians.
As Paul stated in Galatians 2: 18 if he rebuilt his reliance on works he would become a transgressor of the law. One cannot transgress the law unless they are under the law. He would no longer have faith in Jesus .
When Paul address a church he is not speaking to people who meet in a building called a “church.” John 12:24 This is after Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus is the seed of God and can produce a fruit. Paul is talking to people who have been born again.
Gal 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? NKJV
Those in Galatia began by faith in Jesus but some Judaizers had convinced them that it was necessary to be circumcised to be saved. This is different from Timothy's being circumcised. Timothy was circumcised so he could enter Jewish synagogues with Paul. He knew that it had nothing to do with his salvation. The Galatians believe that they were not saved until they were circumcised. In other words they need to help Jesus save them by doing an act of the law.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, 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. NKJV
The only way someone can be estranged (severed, separated) from Christ is to be in Christ. The only way they can fall from grace is to be in God's grace. 1John 3:9 How can someone who cannot sin with God's seed (Jesus) in him fall from grace?
Adam in the garden was told not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He had no knowledge of good and evil. With no knowledge of good and evil he could not sin. When Adam ate the fruit he did not sin. Adam could not sin until he had knowledge of good and evil. Once Adam ate the fruit he had knowledge of good and evil he sinned. Adam could not sin as long as he believed God. He did not sin by not believing. Once he did not believe and did what he knew was wrong he sinned.
We like Adam cannot sin. We do have knowledge of good and evil. Here is the testimony of God.
John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. NKJV
God told the Galatians that they were righteous when they believed in Jesus. As long as we believe God we cannot sin. Why would they fall from grace if they become circumcised?
Hebrews 11:1 faith is the substance of what you hope for. The definition of substance is : 1. That which underlies all outward manifestations; substratum; the permanent subject or cause of phenomena
from Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language
The phenomena in faith is hope. Jesus gives us hope and that hope gives birth to saving faith. Without Jesus we have no hope to attain heaven. When our hope is born we get the Spirit of Jesus. The Galatians started with saving faith. Then the Judaizers convinced them they needed to be circumcised. If the Galatians got circumcised in the hope of salvation then Jesus is not the cause of their hope. Their saving faith would change to faith in self work. Without faith in Jesus His Spirit would depart. Then they, like Adam, could sin.
Can I get another witness?
Gal 2:17 "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. NKJV
People sin while in Jesus but they are not sinners.
Rom 4:5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." NKJV
Verse 5 faith in Jesus is what gives Christians righteousness. Verse 6 works have nothing to do with their righteousness. Verse 8 God does not impute sin to Christians.
As Paul stated in Galatians 2: 18 if he rebuilt his reliance on works he would become a transgressor of the law. One cannot transgress the law unless they are under the law. He would no longer have faith in Jesus .