Some argue that since the fourth commandment is not repeated verbatim in the New Testament that shows that it had been abolished. That is the most ignorant argument I have ever heard put forth by those who wish to discourage honoring the Sabbath day. When looking forward in time to the Great Tribulation, Jesus said, “Pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day,” showing that He Himself saw the Sabbath as still being holy time even past our own day! (See Matthew 24:20).
Also, just days before His crucifixion when asked “What good thing shall I do that I might have eternal life?” Jesus replied, “If you will enter into life, keep the commandments.” He was then asked, “Which?” Jesus then quotes five of the Ten Commandments. Since He omitted quoting the other five, does that mean half of the Ten Commandments are no longer in force? (See Matthew 19:16-22). In telling this man to keep the commandments in order to be saved, Jesus was merely saying, “Repent!” What does one repent of? Sin! What is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law.” (See I John 3:4). Anyone who thinks they can inherit eternal life while breaking the Ten Commandments is deceived!
In Colossians 3:16, Paul tells these believers to “let the words of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Imagine the impact on the minds of these Colossian believers as they sung such Psalms as Psalm 103:17-18, “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him and His righteousness unto children’s children to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them.” Or, Psalm 111:7-8, “The works of His hands are verity and judgment. ALL His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” Or, Psalm 112:1, “Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, that delights greatly in His commandments.”
Remember, the Colossians didn’t have nineteen hundred years of Sunday observance to sway their thinking. Early believers saw no reason to abandon the Sabbath as in Acts 22:19 we read that when Jesus appeared to Paul in a vision and commanded him to leave Jerusalem, Paul’s argument to Jesus for remaining there was, “Lord they (these rulers in Jerusalem) know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee.” There was no synagogue worship on Sunday! These early believers were sabbath keepers.
In the 8th chapter of Luke, we are in the early part of Christ’s earthly ministry, and we read: “He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with Him, and certain women…Mary called Magdalene…and Joanna.” And then in the 23rd chapter of Luke it is recorded that these women, after seeing Christ’s crucified body laid in the tomb, “returned (to Galilee), and prepared spices and ointments, AND RESTED THE SABBATH DAY ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT” (verse 56). Nothing Jesus had said during His three year ministry even hinted that God’s holy Sabbath would be changed in any manner. These women wouldn’t violate the sacredness of the Sabbath even to anoint the Messiah’s mutilated body even knowing time was of the essence to do so as putrefaction would be setting in immediately! The blinding POWER of Satan is staggering in these matters.
I wouldn’t give the average preacher a copper penny for his chances of escaping the discipline of God at the judgment of believers. I am not saying they will not inherit eternal life. I AM saying their loss will still be staggering.
And what do you think James meant when he wrote, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point (let’s say the fourth commandment), he is guilty of all.” (See James 2:10). James knew that a willful commandment breaker has a tenuous hold on the Holy Spirit of God, or, more accurately, the Holy Spirit has a tenuous hold on that person’s mind and life. He might not break all ten of the commandments literally and overtly, but he will break the other nine either in thought, word of deed at some time. He will commit adultery in his heart, or covet, or idolize something or someone, etc. He will be guilty of all as he, at one time or another, will break them all in thought, word or deed.
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley