This episode focuses on the weakest interpretation of Galatians 5:4. "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law, you have fallen from grace." Interpretations typically follow one of the following: 1)this passage refers to unbelievers 2)this passage refers to believers who lose their salvation 3) the passage refers to believers who don't lose their salvation, but experience loss. The entire book of Galatians presumes its recipients have in fact received Christ. Galatians are called "brethren" and "children" by Paul. (Gal. 1:11)(Gal 4:19) They are described as "sons of God" who were "baptized into Christ." (Gal 3:26-27) And Paul affirms that they began "by the Spirit." (Gal. 3:3) Finally and crucially, the immediate context of Galatians 5:4 concedes that the Galatians "were running well." (Galatians 5:7) Arguing that Galatians 5:4 refers to unbelievers is untenable, based on both the immediate context and the entire book of Galatians.
Justified AND Sanctified by Faith in Christ
This episode adds more context to Galatians 5:4, a verse that COULD be interpreted as losing one's salvation. Building on the previous episode, in which Paul categorically rejects all forms of legalism as the basis of justification, Paul also rejects legalism as the basis of sanctification. The central issue of the book of Galatians is subsequent appeal to the Law for righteousness AFTER one is saved. Paul contends that Galatian believers were saved by faith in Christ, they began "by the Spirit." (Galatians 3:3) So the larger context of sanctification must be the lens by which we evaluate the troublesome verse of Galatians 5:4.
By the Works of the Law no Flesh will be Justified
This episode defines legalism in the context of the Galatian heresy. Legalism posits that one is justified or made righteous by keeping either the moral or ceremonial law. While all New Testament authors held that Christians should keep the moral law, they emphatically rejected that obedience to the moral law was the basis of salvation. As James would put it, "I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18) Concerning the ceremonial law, the Council of Jerusalem, held just prior to the writing of Galatians, maintained that Gentile converts were not bound to keep the Jewish ceremonial law. Circumcision was the primary issue among Christian legalists who insisted that Gentile converts keep the ceremonial law in order to be saved. Paul rejected legalism of all forms, maintaining that keeping the moral and ceremonial law could never be the grounds of justification, "by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." (Gal. 2:16)