“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4 NKJV).
On several occasions I have had the privilege of trekking into the mountainous Himalayan districts of Nepal to visit congregations of believers and teach the Bible. I reflect back upon those hikes with wonder at how many times I slipped or stumbled and was literally upon the very edge of falling.
I actually did stumble and fall twice on my most recent such trip, but stayed on the trail and caught myself on my hands and knees without injury. One of my companions also had a similar fall with the same results.
Most of the time, however, had I fallen, it would have been much more serious. Those circumstances involved steep up or down rock steps where a misstep would have resulted in a hard tumble for considerable distance, or a narrow trail on an almost sheer mountain-side. A fall from that might send one down hundreds or even thousands of feet.
Some readers might remember the old country song, “Please help me I’m falling.” Whether that is an emergency plea or a simple request for a hand back up depends to a very great degree upon where or in what circumstances the fall occurs. A slip on a soft surface may result in a slight bruise; a fall from the side of a mountain usually means broken bones or death.
Spiritually, any fall is of the most serious nature.
The Galatian Christians (see the verse quoted above) were on the point of rejecting salvation by grace through obedient faith in favor of a righteousness obtained by meritorious works of the Law of Moses (cf. Romans 9:31-10:4). Paul said such a decision would result in their fall from grace. Imagine losing all of the blessings and gifts which God has prepared for us, while doing what we think will acquire those same benefits. What a tragedy.
Other spiritual falls described in the Bible include:
Falling “short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Falling “into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:9).
Falling “away” into apostasy or false teaching (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
Falling “into the same condemnation as the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6).
Falling “into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:7).
Falling “into disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).
Falling “away (from God)” (Hebrews 6:6).
Falling “into judgment” (James 5:12; compare also falling “into the hands of the living God, Hebrews 10:31).
Falling “from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked” (2 Peter 3:17).
Falling “from your first works” (Revelation 2:5).
The consequence of any of these falls is, potentially, eternal destruction (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9). Only obedient trust in Jesus can spare any human from the inevitable fall from God’s glory into sin. Only confession of and repentance from sins can spare the erring Christian from guilt and punishment (1 John 1:8- 9; 2:1-2).
One is prudent when walking on steep mountains to watch his step and avoid falls. One is much wiser who carefully avoids temptation, resisting the attempts of Satan to ensnare and condemn.
— by Michael E. Brooks