Choose To Be Free - November 7

Read Galatians 4:8-11 

Formerly, when you did not God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. 

Reflect 

Like the Galatians, have you slipped back into the license or legalism that Christ died to deliver you from? What can you do about it? 

Whenever I read the story of the Exodus, I am always baffled by the Israelites. They had just seen God perform mighty miracles and save them from the oppression of the Egyptians. But, as they wandered in the wilderness, they began to complain and doubt God’s provision. They actually said that they would have rather died in Egypt (Exodus 16:3). What? Did they seriously prefer oppression and slavery to walking in freedom being led by the Lord? Did they really want to return to Egypt and live as slaves again? How foolish! 

Well, if we are honest with ourselves, we aren’t that different from the Israelites. How many times have we returned to sins that, in Christ, we have been set free from? How many times have we slipped back into old, self-destructive habits? How many times have we realized that we’ve once again bought into the lie that if we just do one more good deed or perform just one more ritual, we can add something to our salvation and earn favor with God on our own? Whenever we do this, we are subjecting ourselves, once again, to captivity.  

Paul said that, when we didn’t know God, we were held captive by things that aren’t gods like works of the law and pagan religions. But now that we do know God and have experienced salvation, redemption, and freedom in Him, why in the world would we ever want to return to the slavery of worshiping things that have no power to save us?  

If we now know that our checklists of how to be better humans can’t make us right with God, why would we continue to subject ourselves to them? If we know the One True God, why would we return to the empty religious rituals, regulations, and restrictions associated with the worship of false gods? Paul called these things “weak and worthless.” And yet, the believers in Galatia were so quick to return to the slavery of these useless and powerless things that Paul worried he had labored for them in vain.  

Remember, Paul went to incredible lengths to share the true Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. He had struggled and sacrificed and suffered for their sakes. He cared so much for their eternal souls that he was willing to endure it all for them to hear the message of Christ that had the power to set them free. But if they gave up their newfound freedom in Christ only to return to slavery, then it was all for naught.  

Friends, it is a tragedy to give up our freedom in Christ only to return to things that previously held us captive. But we have all done it at one time or another. Some of us abuse the grace of God and licentiously slide back into old sins. Others of us slide back into legalism with futile attempts to earn our righteousness. How foolish of us to want to return to slavery!  

What is the answer? In Deuteronomy 15:15, God told the Israelites: “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you….” Like the Israelites, we are a people prone to forget what God has done for us. If we want to walk in the freedom of Christ, we have to remind ourselves every day that we were once slaves but now, Christ has redeemed us. Then, we have to choose to walk through our days in the spiritual freedom He bought for us. 

Respond  

Lord, I confess that at times I slip back into slavery. I act as if I’ve forgotten what You’ve done for me and return to the things that once held me captive. Remind me every day of what You’ve done for me. Let me never forget how You’ve saved me and redeemed me and what it cost You. By Your Spirit, help me walk in Your freedom all of my days. Amen. 

Reveal  

Choose one pressure-filled “should” you keep to feel acceptable—overworking, rigid routines, people-pleasing, or a religious checkbox—and invite a trusted friend who doesn’t share your faith to help you trade it for freedom this week. Tell them, “I’m trying to stop living by this rule that keeps me stressed—would you check in on me?” Then suggest one simple swap you can do together: take a slow phone-free walk instead of one more overtime hour; share a relaxed meal instead of hustling for approval; write (and send) a short apology you’ve put off; or set a small boundary you’ve avoided. Ask what unhelpful rule they’d like to lay down, and offer to check in on them too. By walking alongside each other in these gentle shifts, you’re loosening the grip of old chains and showing a kind of freedom that’s good news to weary hearts.