What happens if you tie good works, baptism, or church membership to your salvation?
If anyone ties church membership, baptism, the Lord's Supper, or good works to salvation, they cancel the work of the cross, because God finished it. Christ becomes of no effect, and the person falls from grace by turning from God's provision. Such a person is not accepted by God because they are not satisfied with His finished work.
Les teaches that circumcision was the big issue in Paul's day, but the principle applies to anything done in the energy of the flesh—joining a church, being baptized, taking the Lord's Supper, or good works. If you tie any of these to salvation, you cancel the work of the cross, because God is adamant that He finished everything needed. If we are not satisfied with that, He is not accepting us. Paul repeats that every circumcised person becomes a debtor to do the whole law, which only Christ could do; it is impossible for anyone else. Christ becomes of no effect to those justified by law, legalism, or fleshly effort, and they have fallen from grace—not by losing salvation, but by turning their back on what God provided.
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.