Who were the legalizers that Paul warned the Galatian believers about in Galatians 5?
The legalizers Paul warned against were those promoting legalism—the law and Judaism—who were making inroads into the congregations Paul established in Asia Minor. They pressured believers toward circumcision and fleshly works for salvation, causing them to become entangled again in the yoke of bondage and canceling the profit of Christ.
Les explains that the admonition in this section is again to the Galatian believers not to fall victim to the legalizers who were making inroads into the congregations Paul had established in Asia Minor. Paul writes Galatians 5, beginning with “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Les identifies that yoke of bondage as legalism, the law, and Judaism. He then points to Galatians 5:2, where Paul says that if they be circumcised—speaking of salvation—Christ shall profit them nothing. Les stresses that if a person depends on something done in the flesh for salvation, the work of the cross is canceled. He warns that this applies to any one thing added to the cross, and notes that many good church members depend on fleshly works rather than relying totally on the finished work of the cross.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.