But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

                                                                                                                   Galatians 4:9 

Paul continues with his theme of warning the Galatians believers against growing in their faith only to return to a ritualistic, legalistic religion based on human activity rather than on faith in Jesus.

He begins by reminding them that in their former life (before their salvation), they did not know God. In fact, many of these Galatian believers were from among the Gentiles, simply meaning that they were not Jewish. The practices of these Gentiles prior to knowing Christ would have included worship and devotion to gods (idols). Paul reminds them that they were saved from that futile life of devoting themselves to something that was powerless to save. Now these believers, having been set free through their faith in Jesus, were in danger of substituting mere ceremonialism for true spiritual life in Christ. As in the beginning of this chapter, Paul refers to this legalistic approach as returning to the “elemental things”. It is important to notice that he describes these things as weak and worthless. Paul had spent his former life as a Pharisee, advancing in every way in the Jewish Law. He was no stranger to its structure and its demands. But now Paul was serving Jesus and in order to become effective in his proclamation of the gospel, he had to abandon his previous position in Judaism.

One of the ways that Paul suspected that these believers were defecting from spiritual freedom and moving back to bondage was their observance of Jewish festivals and seasons based on the Mosaic Law. For many today, the Christian life is still viewed by mere ceremonialism. For some, the Christian life is focusing on God once or twice a year when special, nationally recognized holidays come around. For others it may become a weekly exercise. This is not to suggest that observing special days has no place in the Christian life, but as we mature in our faith, we begin to understand that everyday is the Lord’s. As believers, we place our relationship with Jesus over and above anything else that may seek to compete against a simplistic devotion to Christ, religious or otherwise.

Paul ends this passage with a concern that perhaps he had labored in vain over these Galatians believers. This was a legitimate concern given the fact that receiving salvation through faith in Christ requires a casting aside of any religious requirements based on Law. The gospel is good news because it reminds us that Jesus has fulfilled the Law for us and, in Christ, we are no longer under the curse of the Law. By returning to legalism, these believers would have demonstrated that they were embracing religious bondage, proving that Paul’s preaching of the gospel was indeed in vain.

Is your life one of true devotion to Christ or is your spiritual life guided by mere ceremonialism? As believers, we have been entrusted with the simplicity of the gospel. Let’s proclaim that message today!