What is the condition of the human race today regarding legalism?
For the most part, the human race today is groveling in legalism and good works, trying to keep the commandments, and not realizing that when Christ died He paid it all. Legalism leaves people crawling in the dust, begging to somehow make it, instead of resting in grace and freedom.
Les explains that legalism is putting people literally crawling in the dust and begging that somehow they can make it. He contrasts this with the Galatians, who were going back into that stuff, giving up their freedom and joy, and letting themselves get wrapped up again in legalism and law-keeping. Paul asks how they could desire to again be in bondage. Les says that is hard to understand, yet that is the human race: even tonight, today, the whole human race, for the most part, is just simply groveling in legalism and good works, trying to keep the commandments and not realizing that when Christ died, He paid it all. He illustrates this with a lady from a rigid religious background who came out of it and gloried in the grace of the message, living in freedom and grace, the opposite of the Galatians. He asks God to open the hearts of people that Christ has paid it all.