Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
After knowing God and being known by God, to turn again to the weak and beggarly elements is to turn away from the righteousness of Christ to desire bondage again. It is to resolve after a time to go back to the world by remaining enslaved to carnal inclinations that have not been relinquished. It is to give up building a pure holy character in the divine likeness and to become spiritually blind to the value of eternal riches and to the sacrifice of Christ. It is to become ashamed of Jesus when scorn and ridicule come, to leave Him to associate with and honor His persecutors, and to fail to endure opposition to the end. This proves the cost was not counted and that conversion to Christ has not taken place, so no one who does this is worthy to be called a disciple, since a disciple intends always to be on the side of truth and righteousness as a brave whole-hearted soldier pressing close to Jesus without faltering or turning back.
The weak and beggarly elements include observing days and months and times and years, meaning the observance of holidays and the many traditions brought in with them. That holiday observance is a great evil that is to be given no sanction or heed. These elements are also bound up with rejecting God's precepts, especially the Sabbath commandment, and with dishonoring God by misusing what belongs to Him.
Turning to them means turning from the light graciously given when obedience involves worldly inconvenience. It is abandoning faith in Christ as the only means of justification and sanctification and communion with God for worldly selfish scheming, including disregarding God's command concerning the Sabbath and thus robbing God. By contrast, refusing to turn back and honoring the Sabbath distinguishes a person from the world and brings delight in the Lord, exaltation, and the heritage of Jacob.