Galatians 4: The Old gods

Josh Laughlin | February 2, 2026

Dethroning the False Gods: A Journey to True Freedom

There's a peculiar tension in the Christian life that many of us experience but rarely discuss openly. We encounter Jesus, experience that breathtaking moment of salvation—the peace that surpasses understanding flooding our souls—and we genuinely believe our lives are forever changed. And they are. But then something happens.

Life continues. Challenges arise. Old habits resurface. And somehow, imperceptibly, we find ourselves drifting back toward the very things we thought we'd left behind.

The Galatian Problem

The early Christians in Galatia faced this exact struggle. Paul's letter to them reveals a community that had tasted freedom in Christ but was inexplicably turning back to the "weak and worthless elementary principles" of their former lives. They had the keys to the kingdom, yet they were choosing to return to their old cells.

Paul's frustration is palpable: "But now that you have come to know God, or rather 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?" (Galatians 4:9)

This wasn't just a first-century problem. It's our problem too.

The Weight We Were Never Meant to Carry

Jesus promised that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). Yet how many of us spend years—sometimes decades—feeling the opposite? We read these promises, commit them to memory, and wonder why our Christian walk feels more like trudging through mud than dancing in freedom.

The answer often lies in the gods we haven't fully dethroned.

The God of Control

Control is perhaps the most insidious false god we serve. We worship at its altar every time we refuse to trust God's plan in favor of our own schemes. We become like Abraham and Sarah, who received a clear promise from God but couldn't wait for His timing.

God told Abraham his own son would be his heir, that his descendants would outnumber the stars. It was a clear, direct promise. Yet when the waiting became unbearable, Abraham and Sarah devised their own solution involving Hagar. God's will still came to pass—Isaac was eventually born and Israel emerged from his line—but the path was filled with unnecessary heartache, conflict, and pain.

How often do we do the same? God speaks, we hear Him, and then we think, "But what if I just help things along a little?" Partial obedience isn't real obedience. It's just control wearing a religious mask.

Proverbs 3:5-6 cuts through our self-reliance: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

The all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present God who loves you individually has a better plan than you do. That's not a criticism—it's just reality. His ways are higher than our ways.

The God of Money

Money reveals where our true priorities lie. It's a diagnostic tool that shows whether we're serving the one true God or still bowing to old idols.

Statistics reveal a sobering truth: only 5-10% of Christians tithe the biblical standard of 10%, even though 80% agree it's a biblical command. The average giving hovers around 4-5%, and 25% of believers give nothing at all.

Jesus was unequivocal: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matthew 6:24).

The 10% tithe isn't arbitrary. It's just enough to hurt—just enough to force a decision. Will we trust God with our finances, or will we cling to control? The command isn't about God needing our money; it's about Him wanting our hearts. He knows He can do more with our 90% than we can do with our 100%.

The enemy wants us trapped in debt, enslaved to financial worry, unable to say yes when God calls. Breaking free requires a plan, discipline, and faith that God will honor our obedience.

The God of Sex

Our culture has normalized what Scripture calls sin, and nowhere is this more evident than in sexual ethics. Studies show that 54% of practicing Christians admit to viewing pornography, with 75% of Christian men and 40% of Christian women consuming it regularly. More troubling still, 62% of believers who use porn say they're okay with it.

We've convinced ourselves that as long as we're not committing the "worse" sin, our compromise is acceptable. But Jesus raised the standard: "Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).

The accessibility of pornography today makes this battle more intense than ever. The average age of first exposure is now 12 years old. The enemy wants to enslave people early, creating patterns of bondage that last a lifetime.

The Path to Freedom

So how do we dethrone these false gods? Three practices, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can transform our lives:

Community: We were never meant to walk alone. Proverbs tells us that iron sharpens iron. We need friends who run alongside us toward Jesus, who celebrate our victories and kick us in the behind when we're slacking. We need small groups where we can be known. We need mentors who have walked further down the road and can guide us with wisdom earned through experience.

Confession: James 5:16 instructs us to "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another." Not just silent confession to God, but outward expression to trusted believers. Secrets are toxic to the soul. Shame keeps us isolated, whispering lies that we're not good enough, that we're frauds. But confession brings darkness into the light, and only light can set us free.

You can only have as much freedom as there is light in you. The dark corners you keep hidden affect the deliverance you can experience. Confession is difficult, sometimes requiring counseling and hard work to rebuild trust. But marriages and lives where confession has occurred are consistently stronger than before.

Consistency: Real life change occurs alone with God. Church once or twice a week isn't enough. Joshua was told to meditate on God's word day and night—not as hyperbole, but as a genuine call to constant connection.

Choices lead, feelings follow. When you consistently choose to get up early, to read Scripture, to pray throughout the day, you become a different person. The living, active Word of God transforms you one encounter at a time. You never know which morning might be the one where God meets you in a way that changes everything.

Drawing the Line

Joshua issued a challenge to Israel that echoes through the ages: "Choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

Today can be a marked day in your life—a line drawn in the sand. The old gods offer nothing but slavery disguised as freedom. The one true God offers freedom that looks like surrender but feels like flying.

The gates of hell cannot prevail against the church Christ is building. The end is already written. Jesus wins.

The question is: which god will you serve?