Why did Galatians 5:2 scare Les?
He was shaken because the verse warns that anyone depending on fleshly works—such as circumcision—for salvation forfeits any profit from Christ. He realized millions of sincere church people were trusting in something they had done rather than relying totally on the finished work of the cross.
Les explains that Paul's admonition in Galatians 5:1 warned the Galatian believers not to fall victim to the legalizers and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, which is legalism, the law, Judaism. Then in verse 2 Paul says, “Behold, I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised... Christ shall profit you nothing.” Les says when he first saw this some 15–20 years ago, it just shook him up and scared him to death, because he understood there are millions of people this verse is talking to. Many are good people and church members who would not dream of missing a Sunday morning service, yet they are depending on something of the flesh they have done rather than relying totally on the finished work of the cross. He stresses that this is any one thing plus the cross, and that cancels the work of the cross. Therefore he says we must warn people, realizing what the Word says: if you do anything in the energy of the flesh, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.