Yes — Galatians clearly teaches that believers are under grace, not under the law, and warns them not to become entangled again in the yoke of legalism.
Paul wrote the letter to Gentile believers who were being pressured to return to the law. He tells them in Galatians 5:1 to stand fast in the liberty Christ made for them, and in Galatians 4:8-9 he rebukes them for turning back to 'weak and beggarly elements,' which Les identifies as the law. The allegory of Hagar and Sarah shows that the bondwoman's son cannot be heir with the free woman's son, so law and grace cannot be mixed.
Galatians 5:1 — Paul commands believers to stand fast in liberty and not be entangled in the yoke of bondage, directly answering what Galatians teaches about law versus grace.
Galatians 4:30-31 — The allegory of the bondwoman and the free woman shows the law (bondage) cannot share the inheritance with grace (freedom).
Galatians 4:8-9 — Paul asks how believers who have known God can turn back to weak and beggarly elements — the law — and be in bondage again.
In Galatians 5:1, Paul commands, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." The contrast is between liberty in Christ and the bondage of the law. Paul also writes in Galatians 4:30-31, "Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." Here the Scripture pictures the law as the bondwoman and grace as the free woman, and believers are children of the free. In Galatians 4:8-9, Paul asks the Galatian believers, "Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" This passage plainly questions any return to the law after coming to know God by grace.
Les explains that Galatians was written because Jewish believers, whom he calls Judaizers, were following Paul and insisting that Gentile believers had to come under the law, practice circumcision, and embrace Judaism in order to be saved. Paul wrote this little letter to refute that pressure and to admonish the Galatians not to give in, because they were not under the law — they were under grace (Clip1, Clip3, Clip5, Clip6). Les points to Galatians 4:8-9, where Paul calls the law 'weak and beggarly elements,' and says that the whole thrust of the book was to prove that these Gentile believers were not under the Mosaic Law. He also teaches from Galatians 4:30 that the bondwoman and her son had to be cast out, because law and grace cannot mix; believers are children of the free woman, not of the bondwoman (Clip2, Clip7). Finally, Les stresses Galatians 5:1 — stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage, which he calls legalism. He adds that this liberty is not license: being under grace does not give permission to sin, but the law no longer has power over us (Clip1, Clip4, Clip7).
Les says the Galatian believers were being 'hammered' by Jewish believers to come back under the law, to practice circumcision, and to embrace Judaism to the fullest extent. Paul had to write this little letter to refute all that, because the Judaizers were following him everywhere. The letter was written to the Gentile churches of Galatia for the purpose of telling them they are not under the law, but under grace, so they should not give in to legalism (Clip1, Clip3).
Paul quotes Scripture in Galatians 4:30, "Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman." Les explains that this is an allegory showing that law and grace cannot mix. Just as Hagar and Ishmael could not share the inheritance with Sarah and Isaac, legalism cannot be brought into grace. Paul's conclusion is that believers are not children of the bondwoman but of the free (Clip2, Clip7).
Paul asks, "Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." Les repeats this same point and says being under grace does not give us license. Liberty is not license. The law has no power over us, but we are under a completely different set of circumstances — grace does not give permission to sin (Clip4, Clip7).
Les says Paul is talking about the law. The Galatian believers, who were Gentiles saved by grace, were being tempted to go back under the law. Paul calls the law 'weak and beggarly elements' and asks them why they would desire again to be in bondage. Les emphasizes that this was the whole thrust of Galatians — to prove to these believers that they were not under the Mosaic Law, but under grace (Clip5, Clip6).
Faith Plus Nothing
Les contrasts Abraham's salvation by faith plus nothing with the period in between, and says Paul's gospel is also faith plus nothing — the same basis believers stand on under grace.
Galatians Refutes Legalism
Les explains that Galatians was written to refute Jewish believers who wanted Gentile believers to come back under the law, and he applies Galatians 5:1 to warn against being entangled with legalism.
Allegory of Hagar and Ishmael
Les uses Galatians 4:30 to show that the bondwoman and her son had to be cast out, meaning legalism cannot be brought into grace and the son of the bondwoman cannot be heir with the son of the free woman.
Purpose of Galatians
Les says Paul wrote Galatians to the Gentile churches in Asia Minor because Judaizers were pressuring them; the letter's purpose is to tell them they are not under the law but under grace.
Grace Is Not License
Les draws on Paul's rhetorical question about sinning because we are not under law but under grace, and insists that grace does not give license — the law has no power over us, but we are not free to sin.
Weak and Beggarly Elements
Les shows that Galatians 4:9 refers to the law as 'weak and beggarly elements,' and that the Galatian believers were tempted to return to that bondage after being saved by grace.
Whole Thrust of Galatians
Les says the whole thrust of the book of Galatians was to prove that these Gentile believers were not under the Mosaic Law but under grace, since the law was weak and beggarly.
Law and Grace Cannot Mix
Les stresses that law and grace can't mix; the bondwoman and her son must be cast out. He then cites Galatians 4:30-31 and Galatians 5:1, adding that liberty is not license.
Galatians 4:8: Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Paul reminds the Galatians of their former bondage before they knew God, setting up his question about returning to the law.
Galatians 4:9: But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Paul asks how believers could turn back to the law after being known by God; Les identifies the law as the weak and beggarly elements.
Galatians 4:30: Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
This verse is the foundation of Paul's allegory showing that law and grace cannot share the inheritance.
Galatians 4:31: So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Paul applies the allegory directly to believers: they are not children of the law but of grace.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
This is Paul's explicit command to remain in the liberty of grace and avoid returning to the bondage of the law.
Romans 6:15: What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Paul's rhetorical question, cited by Les, shows that being under grace does not give license to sin.
Yes. Paul writes in Galatians 5:1 to stand fast in the liberty Christ has made for them and not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Les explains that the whole thrust of Galatians is to prove that Gentile believers were not under the Mosaic Law but under grace.
Les says Jewish believers, called Judaizers, were following Paul and insisting that Gentile believers had to practice circumcision and embrace Judaism. Paul wrote Galatians to refute this and to admonish the believers not to give in to legalism.
Les identifies it as legalism. The yoke of bondage is the attempt to put believers back under the law, which Paul says is incompatible with the liberty Christ has provided.
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