Stop Going Back to What Cannot Save You

“So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?” – Galatians 4:9 (NLT)

There is a powerful truth in this verse. Paul is writing to the Galatians, but the same question echoes into every generation. Once you have been set free by the grace of God, why would you return to things that cannot save you, cannot give you peace, and cannot give you life? Why walk back into chains when Christ has already broken them?

The Pull of the Old Ways

The human heart often struggles with freedom. We are creatures of habit, and many times our comfort is found in the familiar, even if the familiar is harmful. The Galatians had tasted the freedom of the gospel. They had experienced the reality of being loved by God, chosen by Him, and saved by grace. Yet they were being tempted to return to legalism, to rules and rituals, as if those could add to what Jesus had already done on the cross.

This is the same temptation many face today. Instead of resting in God’s grace, they go back to trying to earn His favor. Instead of trusting in the finished work of Christ, they cling to human traditions, superstitions, or worldly systems that promise much but deliver nothing.

Modern Chains That Still Enslave

Some go back to the slavery of religious performance. They measure their worth by how much they pray, how often they attend church, or how many good deeds they can list. But Paul’s words stand as a warning: those principles are weak and useless compared to Christ.

Others go back to the slavery of materialism. They chase after wealth, possessions, or status, thinking those things will satisfy. Yet every time they gain more, the emptiness only grows deeper. This too is a weak and useless principle of the world.

Still others go back to the slavery of cultural approval. They long to be accepted by people, to be seen as wise, popular, or successful. But the world’s approval is temporary, and often it pulls the believer away from the approval that truly matters: being known and loved by God.

The Freedom of Being Known by God

Notice how Paul words it: “So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you)…” This is not about your effort to climb up to Him. This is about His love that reached down to you. To be known by God is to be chosen, to be loved, and to be sealed with His Spirit. That is a freedom no ritual, no possession, no worldly system could ever give.

A Blueprint for Today

The Bible is not a history book that lost its relevance. It is the blueprint for life today. Galatians 4:9 is a mirror for each of us. Ask yourself: where am I tempted to go back? Do I drift toward rules instead of grace? Do I chase possessions instead of contentment in Christ? Do I seek the world’s approval instead of God’s?

The Call to Action

Do not let yourself be chained by what Christ has already broken. Do not trade the eternal riches of knowing God for the empty promises of the world. Stay anchored in the freedom of the gospel. Stay rooted in grace. Live like someone who is known by God.

Freedom has been given in Christ. The only question is, will you walk in it or will you return to what cannot save you?