Paul means the law, legalism, and every demand to participate in a ritual or prescribed religious route for salvation.
In Galatians 5:1 Paul tells believers to stand fast in the liberty Christ has provided and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Les Feldick identifies that yoke as the law, legalism, and Judaism, while grace says the believer simply believes the gospel.
Galatians 5:1 — This verse directly contains the phrase 'yoke of bondage' and is the foundation of Paul's admonition to stand fast in Christ's liberty.
Galatians 4:9 — Paul asks why believers would turn back to weak and beggarly elements and desire to be in bondage again, explaining the legalistic pull the Galatians faced.
The Bible uses the phrase 'yoke of bondage' in Galatians 5:1, where Paul urges believers to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. In Galatians 4:9 he asks why those who have known God would turn again to the weak and beggarly elements and desire to be in bondage. Paul then warns that if a person is circumcised for salvation, Christ shall profit him nothing (Galatians 5:2).
Les Feldick teaches that the yoke of bondage is legalism, the law, and Judaism. It is anything that says a person has to do a ritual, go through a prescribed route, or add a work of the flesh to be saved. Galatians was written because Jewish believers were pressuring Gentile believers to come back under the law, and Paul refuted that by telling them to stand fast in the liberty Christ provided. Les emphasizes that grace says you do nothing but believe the gospel and let God do everything that needs to be done.
Les Feldick explains that Galatians was written because these believers were being hammered by Jewish believers to come back under the law, to practice circumcision, and to follow Judaism to the fullest extent. Legalizers were making inroads into the congregations Paul had established in Asia Minor, and Paul told the Galatians to stand fast so the Judaizers would not destroy their faith.
Les Feldick says that being free does not mean we are free to do as we please, but it does mean we are free and under the full exercise of our free will. He adds that whenever someone says you have to do something to be a child of God, that is false teaching. Grace says the believer does nothing but believe the gospel and let God do everything that needs to be done.
Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained
ago in the house of that Gentile Cornelius? Now there is another good example, just like you remember I told you a couple of weeks ago, God sent Hagar back to the tent of Abraham and Sarah even before the child was born, just to have to go through the same thing thirteen years later. Why? So that we could have a New Testament lesson. Now the same thing here.
The Admonition Against Legalism
Les says the yoke of bondage is legalism, and he explains that Galatians was written because Jewish believers were pressing the Galatians to return to the law and circumcision.
The Legalizers' Inroads
Les teaches that the Galatians were being drawn back into a yoke by legalizers, and if they depended on circumcision for salvation, Christ would profit them nothing.
Defining the Yoke of Bondage
Les defines the yoke as the law and legalism — anything that says you have to perform a ritual or go through a prescribed route — while grace says do nothing but believe the gospel.
Weak and Beggarly Elements
Les uses Galatians 4:8-9 to show that returning to the law is returning to weak and beggarly elements and to bondage.
The Danger of the Judaizers
Les says the Galatians were experiencing Christian liberty but needed to stand with their feet in concrete so the Judaizers would not destroy their faith.
Freedom, Not License
Les explains that freedom from the yoke does not mean doing as we please, and any demand to perform a work to be a child of God is false teaching.
Liberty vs. Bondage
Les says the Jewish believers spied out the liberty believers have in Christ Jesus in order to bring them into bondage, meaning back under the law.
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 the key verse that defines the yoke of bondage as something believers must not return to.
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 reveals that turning back to the law is returning to weak and beggarly elements and bondage.
Galatians 5:2: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Paul warns that depending on a fleshly work for salvation cancels the profit of Christ.
Les Feldick teaches that the yoke of bondage is the law, legalism, and Judaism. It is anything that tells a person he must perform a ritual or follow a prescribed religious route to be right with God.
No. Les says being free does not mean we are free to do as we please. It means we are free in Christ and under the full exercise of our free will, but grace still calls the believer to simply believe the gospel.
Les says to run, because that is false teaching. The yoke of bondage is legalism in any shape or form, and grace says do nothing but believe the gospel.
Watch the Teaching: Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained