Again, Sabbath Keepers, Law Keepers, SDA, a plea…

If one is under Law in Judaism they are commanded to keep the Sabbath lawfully as they are commanded to keep the whole Law in absolute perfection (Deuteronomy 27:26; Galatians 3:10; James 2:10); unfortunately, law keepers have already broken the Law of God and they are therefore condemned by same void atonement (Romans 3:20-23). Law Keepers live in futility and hopelessness when they trust in their own righteousness to save them from the “second death” in Hell (John 14:6).

Concerning the Sabbath and stubborn Sabbath Keepers who condemn those living in Messiah’s freedoms provided by faith in Him as God and Redeemer…

At no time was the Sabbath edict given to a Gentile, prior to and subsequent the Old Covenant. The Genesis 7-Day Sabbath was humanitarian, not Law. The first Sabbath edict was given to Israel’s children via Elohim via Moses in Exodus 16 and we know that the Sabbath was not codified prior to this time because there is no record of codification in conjunction with the truism that Moses required thorough instruction by God concerning how the Sabbath was to be honored as a ceremonial law; had the Sabbath been codified prior to Exodus 16, such instructions would not have been necessary as experiential relevance would have been extant.

Also, we see the Sabbath, once again, given specifically to Israel’s children at Sinai (Exodus 20) and once again, through Moses. The Sabbath was given only to the children of Jacob and was relevant to them specifically and all converts to Judaism…no one else. Later, in Isaiah, chapter one, we see God nullifying the Sabbath, hating its celebration by apostate Israel. Could our immutable and Holy God ever nullify a moral law by which He will judge the World? During Messiah’s 33.5-year ministry, Jesus infused nine of the ten Commandments into the New Covenant as moral law to be administered by the Holy Spirit yet the Sabbath (a ceremonial law) is absent.

The Apostle Paul, narrating by the Holy Spirit, commands us to not allow anyone to judge the faithful in Messiah concerning Sabbaths, New Moon celebrations, festivals (ceremonial law) as these were a “shadow” of Him who was to come and these have been fulfilled in our Messiah and yes, the Sabbaths spoken of by Paul in his letter to the Church at Colossae (Colossians 2:16) includes the sabbaton: the Sabbath, i.e. the seventh day (of the week), Strongs Greek #4521.

The Church Council at Jerusalem never placed the burden of Law or the Sabbath or circumcision upon the Gentile Christian, Acts 15. In Romans 14, the Apostle Paul, narrating by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, forbids judging anyone concerning food and a day of rest or worship; in fact, it is apparently disobedience, sinful, to suggest that one must keep the Sabbath Day if one is redeemed by Messiah; Jesus is our Sabbath’s Rest (Hebrews 4)…as we’re free in our Messiah to rest or worship on any day or everyday we choose.

As one who loves Jesus Christ and believes that He is God and Messiah, I don’t think my Lord is concerned about days, feasts, festivals, food, denominations, but I do believe my Lord is most concerned about “relationship” with His created human beings and intimacy with those who truly love Him and His Father and the precious Holy Spirit. When all is said and done, it is our “relationship of love” with Jesus that will last into eternity…all other things are a distant second.

In closing,

If you feel led by the Holy Spirit to keep the Old Covenant “Sabbath”…feel free in Messiah Jesus to keep the Sabbath but understand your obedience relevant to this issue of the heart has no bearing in your eternal positioning with God and also understand that you have NO AUTHORITY or right to suggest others keep a Sabbath nor do you have the right to suggest others are somehow living in sin when they don’t keep a Sabbath. Law Keepers, SDA, Legalists…please go your way and leave the faithful in Messiah alone…you are burdensome, you are a stumbling stone in the path of joy and freedom in Jesus.