Minor Observations

In chapter 5, verse 4, of his letter to the legalistic Galatians, Paul wrote, "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."

So what does it mean to be "estranged from Christ"? In the whole of his letter, Paul shows that we are justified by grace through faith--apart from a person's works, to show that we are sanctified by grace through faith as well. He is especially emphatic about this in Chapter 5. If one starts trusting in legalism to give one righteousness in God's eyes, in order to be sanctified and saved, one has fallen out of the 'way' of grace, by faith in the finished work that our Savior did on the Cross. If one is doing this, one is in a state wherein one is depending on a "system" to produce positive spiritual change from the inside out. It will not. A legalistic way of life will nullify the benefits of living in complete trust in the Savior to bring about spiritual change in our hearts.

In the verses that follow, Paul talks about the change that God's grace brings, and about victory over sin, coming by the power of the Holy Spirit of God. In 5:1 through 6:10, Paul encourages the Galatians to live by the gospel, to trade the freedom to sin in allegiance to sin, for truly being free in Christ Jesus, to use their spiritual freedom for service, instead of throwing away the benefits of believing in Christ for a life squandered, chasing after sanctification through works.