The Apostle Paul told the believers of Galatia that God had placed Israel under the guardianship of the Law until she was mature enough to receive her inheritance. This inheritance was a kingdom through which all of the nations of the earth would be blessed. Paul said that as long as Israel was under the Law, she was treated as a slave with no rights. When Christ came, He died for sin and gave the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to those who put their faith and trust in Him. If Israel had put her faith in Christ, she would have been brought to spiritual maturity and would have been in a position to receive her inheritance.

Gal 4:3-6
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" (NKJ)

Even Christian people often turn back to the elementary rituals and ceremonies of religion when they feel spiritually weak. However, their faith in Christ should lead them to call out to their heavenly Father for He will answer them and show them great and mighty things (Jer. 33:3). Paul told these people:

Gal 4:9
9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? (NKJ)

When Paul spoke of the weak and beggarly elements, he was primarily thinking of the practice of circumcision for there were Jews who were telling the believers of Galatia that they could not be saved without being circumcised. However, he also had in mind all of the various requirements of the Law.

Gal 4:10
10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. (NKJ)

Galatians was written during the Acts period as God was offering Israel her promised inheritance. During this period of time, Paul taught that nobody can be saved by the law (Gal 2:16). However, he made a distinction between Jews and Gentiles in terms of their observance of the law. He indicated that it was appropriate for the Jews to observe the Law (Acts 21:18-26), but he was emphatic that the Gentiles should not (Gal 2:3-5).

Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians were written after the Acts period, and in these epistles Paul revealed the Church which is the Body of Christ. Believers today belong to this heavenly Church which has no longing for Israel's kingdom inheritance. The Church is to set its affections on things above, not on the things of the earth (Colossians 3:2). We have no reason to participate in the beggarly elements of the earth for we are spiritually circumcised and spiritually baptized.

Col 2:11-12
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. (NKJ)

Paul admonishes us, as members of Christ's Church, to recognize our completeness in the fulness of Christ so that we are not cheated by a cowardly return to the rituals associated with the laws of Israel's promised kingdom.

Col 2:8-10
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (KJV)

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/