Paul was confronting false teaching from Judaizers who insisted that faith in Christ was not enough — circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses were also required to be saved.
Les Feldick shows from Paul's letter that the Galatians were being told 'you can't be saved' by Paul's message alone; instead, the false teachers demanded they also practice circumcision and keep the Law of Moses. Paul called this false teaching a pollution, corruption, and perversion of the gospel of Christ, and wrote the entire letter to correct them.
Galatians 1:6-7 — Paul identifies the false teaching as a perverted 'other gospel' that was troubling the Galatians.
Galatians 5:1 — Paul calls the false teaching a 'yoke of bondage' from which Christ had set believers free.
Galatians 5:2 — Paul names circumcision as the specific flesh-based requirement that would make Christ profit nothing.
Galatians 1:6-7 says Paul marveled that the Galatians were 'so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel,' and that this is 'not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.' Scripture therefore identifies the problem as a perverted gospel that troubled the believers. Galatians 5:1-2 gives the content of that false teaching: Paul commands 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage,' and warns 'if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.' Galatians 2:4 also mentions 'false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty... that they might bring us into bondage.' These passages show the false teaching involved adding law-keeping and circumcision to the gospel.
Les Feldick teaches that the Galatian churches were 'being bombarded with legalism,' and the false teachers were 'the Judaizers, the Jewish element from Jerusalem.' They 'were hung up on the fact that you had to keep the Law, and you had to practice circumcision, or you couldn't be saved.' Les states Paul's gospel is 'you are saved by faith, plus nothing.' The Judaizers were polluting and corrupting that gospel 'like mixing water with wine' by insisting that believers also practice circumcision and keep the Law of Moses. Paul had to write the whole letter to the Galatians 'to correct them from this error of believing something that was corrupt, because it was perverted.' Les also explains that Paul's word 'pervert' means any truth twisted far enough off-center that it misleads people. Telling the Galatians they had to keep the Mosaic Law was exactly that. He points to Galatians 5:1 as Paul's remedy: 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage,' which he identifies as 'legalism, the law, Judaism.'
Les Feldick identifies them as 'the Judaizers, the Jewish element from Jerusalem' — whether they were orthodox Jews who rejected Jesus of Nazareth or Judaizers who had embraced Christ as the Messiah. Both groups 'were hung up on the fact that you had to keep the Law, and you had to practice circumcision, or you couldn't be saved.' He also says these false teachers came in 'privately, or secretly, to spy out our liberty.'
Les says Paul's gospel is 'you are saved by faith, plus nothing.' The false teachers were polluting and corrupting it 'like mixing water with wine' by telling the Galatians that they could not be saved unless they also practiced circumcision and kept the Law of Moses. Paul called this 'a pollution, a corruption of the truth,' and Les says Paul wrote the whole letter to correct the Galatians from believing something 'corrupt, because it was perverted.'
Les highlights Paul's instruction in Galatians 5:1: 'Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.' He identifies the 'yoke of bondage' as 'legalism, the law, Judaism.' He also notes that if the Galatians depended on circumcision in the flesh for salvation, Paul said 'Christ shall profit you nothing.' In addition, Les points out that because the Galatians gave in to false teaching, Paul left an important part out of his address to them.
Why Paul Persecuted the Early Church — Galatians Chapter 1
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, an Oklahoma rancher and farmer. Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for over 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say, time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Paul's Altered Greeting
Les notes that because the Galatians gave in to false teaching, Paul intentionally left a key part out of his greeting to the Galatian churches.
False Teachers Spying on Liberty
Les says the false teachers came in privately or secretly to spy out the Galatians' liberty, using the same method as false teachers today.
Saved by Faith Plus Nothing
Les gives the central contrast: Paul's gospel is 'saved by faith, plus nothing,' but the Judaizers polluted it by demanding circumcision and the Law of Moses for salvation.
Galatians Under Legalistic Assault
Les explains that the Galatian churches were being bombarded with legalism, while the Corinthian church faced paganism and immorality.
Liberty vs. Yoke of Bondage
Les teaches Galatians 5:1-2 as Paul's answer: stand fast in Christ's liberty, and do not depend on circumcision in the flesh for salvation, or Christ profits nothing.
Judaizers' Message: Law and Circumcision Required
Les identifies the troublemakers as Judaizers from Jerusalem who insisted that keeping the Law and practicing circumcision were necessary to be saved.
Another Gospel Means Perversion
Les explains Paul's amazement that the Galatians were removed from grace into another gospel, and defines 'perversion' as truth twisted off-center that misleads people.
Galatians 1:6-7: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Paul directly identifies the false teaching as a perversion of the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 2:4: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
This verse reveals the secretive tactics of the false brethren who wanted to bring believers into bondage.
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.
Paul commands the Galatians to remain in Christ's liberty rather than returning to the bondage of law-keeping.
Galatians 5:2: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Paul warns that depending on circumcision for salvation nullifies the profit of Christ.
Galatians 1:11: But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Paul emphasizes that his gospel was not of human origin, contrasting it with the false teaching from men.
According to Les Feldick, the Judaizers from Jerusalem insisted 'you had to keep the Law, and you had to practice circumcision, or you couldn't be saved.' They told the Galatians that Paul's message of faith alone could not save them and that they had to add circumcision and the Law of Moses.
Paul wrote 'I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel' (Galatians 1:6). Les explains that the Galatians had gone from grace into a 'gospel' that was actually a perversion — the truth had been twisted off-center by teachers telling them to keep the Mosaic Law.
In Galatians 5:1, Paul commands believers to 'stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.' Les Feldick identifies the yoke of bondage as 'legalism, the law, Judaism,' against which the Galatians were to stand fast.
Watch the Teaching: Why Paul Persecuted the Early Church — Galatians Chapter 1