Galatians 5 is warning new believers against allowing leaders to make them participate in old rituals of sacrifice required by the law. (Galatians 5:1-4) The Christian leaders, who were Jewish, began trying to force gentile converts to do things such as circumcision and wanted them to adhere to traditions of the law. Paul tells them the old traditions were no longer required or valid as believers in Christ. In fact, he makes it sound like an insult to God. Because, man's created requirements makes it seem that what Christ offered us wasn't good enough. So if they go back to doing any of the rituals, then they might as well do the entire law!
That is why in verse 4 Paul says when we try to achieve justification through subjection to the law we, are more estranged or disconnected from Christ than ever. Why would he say this? Because when we add on a series of manmade requirements and sacrifices, we minimize Christ's sacrifice for our salvation. We are saying his perfect offering is ineffective and useless for salvation. If we need extras to ensure our salvation or even to keep it then we are calling our Savior a liar! And God is not a liar.
Any conditions man places on the gift of salvation actually alienates us from experiencing the blessings of God’s presence, love, and grace. Let’s remember, that the person who says doing or not doing certain things determines your holiness or salvation, are the people furthest from God. They have missed the point that Christ’s love for us unto death is the fulfillment of the entire law. To add anything else to it is simply adding insult to sacrifice.
Scripture References: NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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