“You have been severed from Christ, you who are
seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4).
If we were to make a list of things that would sever one from Christ most
would put sin at the top of the list and the law would not even make the list. In Galatians 5 Paul is talking about circumcision and how some of the Jews were going back to this practice, back to the law for justification, trying to find favor with God by obeying the law. Paul says that if we go back to the law then we are under obligation to keep the whole law.
Paul is explaining that those who teach you to adhere to the law and not to walk by faith in love are false teachers (Galatians 5:10-12). He says these teachings are severing people from Christ and the people who are teaching these things are causing people to stumble (Galatians 5:12). Paul writes we are to "live by the Spirit waiting to
receive by faith the righteousness God has promised" and what is important is "faith expressing itself in love" (Galatians 5:5-6).
"You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you" (Galatians 5:7-8). We can be slaves to the law as if we were slaves to sin (Galatians 5:1). Jesus
said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain
faithful to my teachings. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set
you free” (John 8:31-32). The truth sets us free from the law.