What did Paul mean when he wrote that if you are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing?
Paul meant that if circumcision or any human work is added as necessary for salvation, Christ's work becomes of no profit. The gospel is grace through faith plus nothing. Adding anything man can do to merit salvation cancels the cross, because Christ's death and resurrection already did everything a holy God could demand.
Les teaches from this chapter 5 passage that Paul is warning against adding circumcision—or anything man can do to merit salvation—to the gospel of grace. After urging believers to stand fast in the liberty Christ gives and not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, Paul says that if you be circumcised, and by extension add any human merit, Christ shall profit you nothing. Les explains that this is scary, because anyone who tries to add something to faith plus nothing cancels the work of the cross. Multitudes of church people do this by saying they cannot be saved unless they do this or that. But Christ died and rose from the dead and did everything a holy God could demand; all God asks is that we believe it. If we refuse to believe, we stand under the anathema of a holy God, so faith is honestly recognizing that God has said it and saying, God, I believe it.
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
More Questions
What does Paul mean that if you are circumcised Christ profits you nothing?
If a person is circumcised as a requirement for salvation, Christ profits them nothing — the gospel of Christ's death and resurrection does them no good.