This is talking about "Initial Salvation" or "Works Alone Salvationism" (Without God's grace). A person needs to first repent (seek forgiveness with the Lord) and trust in (or receive) Jesus by faith to be saved (before they can obey or bring forth "works of faith"). Paul is fighting against "Circumcision Salvationism." Skip back a chapter and you will read this:
"What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?" (Romans 3:1).
Paul says to the Galatians in Galatians 5:2 that if they seek to be circumcised, Christ will profit them nothing. Circumcision is of the Law of Moses and not the commands given to us by Jesus Christ and His followers. This is why Paul continues to talk about how if they are justified by the Law (the Old Law), they have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4). In other words, this is talking about the Old Law from Moses (and not the New Law given to us by Jesus) because the Galatians were thinking they needed to be circumcised in order to be saved.
This was a problem that was addressed even at the Jerusalem counsel, too.
“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” (Acts of the Apostles 15:1).
“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts of the Apostles 15:5).
“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment” (Acts of the Apostles 15:24).
It's the same thing that Paul was fighting against. But you have taken Paul fighting against the Old Law (i.e. the Old Contract) that is no more and have made it to refer to the commands of Jesus Christ and His followers (When that is not the context of what Paul was referring to). Paul says if any man does not consent (i.e. does not agree) with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine according to godliness, he is proud and he knows nothing (See 1 Timothy 6:3-4). James says God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
So you have to read ALL of the Bible and not take verses out of their context, my friend. For why do you think Paul uses an example of circumcision in Romans 4:9-12? He is trying to prove that circumcision does not save first. It never did. Belief in God for salvation always came first.
9 "Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised." (Romans 4:9-12).
Circumcision was a work of faith that came later after one first believed in God and His salvation. This is how it always was. But later we find out that if a person was not circumcised (during the time of Abraham), they could be cut off and they would have broken his covenant.
"And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." (Genesis 17:14)."
So Paul's point here is that Abraham could not have just believed and then disobeyed God later and still be saved. Abraham had to also bring forth works of faith showing that his faith was true. For when Abraham obeyed God in willing to sacrifice his only son, God said something very interesting to him.
"And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only
son from me."
(Genesis 22:12).
Anyways, under the New Covenant, we do not have to be circumcised as a part of our Covenant. That was the contracts given to Abraham and Moses. Paul is condemning the Old Law to follow instead of the New Law or New Way. This New Way is by Jesus Christ. We must first enter in by Him and then follow Him. For if we are not obeying Jesus (not keeping His commandments), then we really do not love Him according to Jesus (See John 14:15).
