The Legalists' Deadly Pursuit of True Believers

Paul continues his most personal appeal to the Galatians to stay with the Gospel and reject works righteousness and the legalists who have drawn them away from the Savior.

He describes how the legalists have earnestly desired the Galatian believers, but not in a good way. Their desire is more like a burning envy against the Gospel and against its preacher Paul. They are zealous to steal away believers from grace and from the apostle who brought them to Christ. Their pursuit of the Galatians is an evil thing.

Paul had first-hand experience as a zealot for the law, for he himself had formerly persecuted the believers. He had been zealous for them, but not for good.

Legalists must try to tear down the gospel and draw all men away from it, for the gospel exposes the futility and worthlessness of their own self-righteous works. They cannot stand to see believers trusting in Jesus and free from the bondage of the law.

The Lord Jesus preached against the zealousness of self-righteous works-gospel preachers, and how they would bar anyone from entering His kingdom by faith.

Paul had also experienced the wrath of those who would bind men by the law of Moses, even to the point of physical assault!

Their technique to pursue believers is to preach our exclusion from salvation unless we keep the law. In addition, the legalists will separate themselves from believers, to try to induce us to run after them and crave their acceptance. Legalists preach that those saved by faith are unclean and must be excluded until they bow before the legalists' false gospel.

Legalism claims to honor God, but in the end, it requires us to become men-pleasers and reject Christ.