Once free, there are so many ways we pick our chains back up and lock ourselves into them once again. After knowing freedom in Christ and walking with Jesus for some time, we can fall back into “the way things really are.” “Nice ideas, Jesus, but the real world works like this.” But we were freed from slavery to the “elemental spiritual forces of the world” (4:3, RSV) and we should not now freely enslave ourselves again to these false gods, the “weak and beggarly elemental spirits.” (v9, RSV) Even as believers we have a tendency toward idolatry. Your idol is whatever takes up the most space in mind and spirit; what you think about last at night and first in the morning. A idol promises deliverance but delivers bondage. Do not be freely bound to a false god; freely bind yourself to Jesus.