Fall From Grace (or so they say)
“He had a hard fall from grace.”
You’ve likely heard this phrase whispered in church hallways or headlined in news reports. It is almost always used to describe a moral scandal: a pastor’s affair, a leader’s embezzlement, or a public figure’s addiction. In our modern vernacular, "grace" is treated like a pedestal of moral purity; when you sin big, you fall off.
However, when the Apostle Paul coined this phrase in Galatians 5:4, he wasn't talking about moral failure at all. In fact, he was talking about its exact opposite: moral effort.
The Modern Definition vs. Paul’s Contrast
Today, we use the phrase to create a distinction between immorality and grace. We assume that staying “in grace” means living according to a code, while falling “out of grace” means violating that code.
But Paul’s contrast is not between "good behavior" and "bad behavior." It is between Law and Grace.
“You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.” — Galatians 5:4
Paul is addressing people who are trying to be "good enough" for God. According to Paul, you don’t fall from grace by being a sinner; you fall from grace by trying to be your own savior. You fall from grace when you decide that Jesus’ finished work on the cross wasn't quite enough and that you need to add your own resume of religious rules to the mix.
The Wrong Candidate
The irony of our modern usage is that the "immoral person" hasn't fallen from grace—they are the very person grace is for!
The Law makes demands. It draws lines, sets boundaries, and creates outsiders.
Grace provides what it requires. It is "one-way love" from God to the undeserving.
If you are a wretched sinner, unable to make yourself presentable to God, congratulations: you are the primary candidate for grace. Grace doesn't kick you out when it’s revealed that you are a "big sinner." It already knew that. That’s why it sought you out in the first place. And no amount of effort on your part will every change that. In fact, it will just make it worse! The harder you work, the more you prove you are trusting in yourself (and rejecting Christ!).
The Great Divide: Law vs. Gospel
The problem with misusing this phrase is that it blurs the line between Law and Gospel. These two things are mutually exclusive; they do not mix. The Gospel does not need a "little bit of Law" for good measure or to keep people from going off the rails.
The Law is total: it condemns all sin, especially the pride of self-justification. But Grace is also total: it covers all sin. It doesn’t judge some sins as "manageable" and others as "grace-shattering."
You cannot "fall from grace" in the way we usually mean it, because you aren't the one holding onto grace—Grace is holding onto you.
The "Fortunate Fall"
The Galatian church was accused of "falling from grace" because they tried to help God out. They assumed justification was a team effort. But Jesus does not want a partner; He redeems a people for himself.
We all "fall" in the Galatian sense every day. We find comfort in our "doing" for God as if it changes His disposition toward us. We fall into despair when we realize we can't fix ourselves. In both cases, we are mistakenly believing our standing hangs on our performance.
The good news of the Gospel is that in the midst of our sin, grace never lets go. So when you find yourself to be a sinner, let it be cause for praise to the One who killed your sin at the cross. Let it be a time to be amazed at the work of Jesus for you!
As the lyrics from Kings Kaleidoscope’s Felix Culpa beautifully put it:
"And all that haunts me, all that leaves a stain Only sings the sweetness of my Savior's grace My sins are stories of grace to recall A fortunate fall I glory in my sins forgiven"
Your sin—as grievous as it indeed is—is not a pit that is deeper than grace. It is a reminder that you are just as desperate for Jesus today as you were the very first day you met Him. You haven't fallen away; you’ve just been reminded of the only place where your righteousness is found- in Christ.
Hallelujah. Amen.
