God wrote very little on the Sabbath, and we have 82 pages of dialogue , with no clear position ,just division and useless wranglings , which Paul specifically told us not to do. Hmmmm....
The conclusion of the matter:
Like with marriage and tithing , Jesus took us back to the beginning when God established the institutions. Notice, Jesus ,God Himself in human flesh.
God created everything then He rested on the7th day and (the Bible says) He hallowed it. It is part of the Commandments of God(the10) so it is valid for today , and we are required to keep it, just like we are required to keep the other 9. Here's why:
1) The Law and the Commandments are NOT the same. Keeping th commandments is NOT, keeping the law , they arre separate . When Jesus says , if you love me, keep my commandments. Dont forget , Jesus IS and WAS, YHVH GOD. How do we know this is1the right wayto look at this? Again , listen to Jesus . In Matthew 5 and19 when He refers to the commandments, He uses the10.
2) Jesus said, 1the two greatest commandments were, love God#1. Love your neighbor #2. The10 commandments is how we do it. The first4 is how we love God. The last six is how we love each other.
3) When writing the list of people who would not enter the kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit , thru the apostle Paul wrote everything that is not in keeping with the10 commandments . Gal. 5, Eph5, 1Cor6 a11d Rev22.
4)Jesus said, Luke 13:3, except ye repent , you will ALL likewise perish . Repent to what? Right living before God, 10 commandments . THE ONLY commandments He(Jesus ) ever refers to. HIS own personal commandments .
5)Keeping the Sabbath does not gain us favor with God. It is simple obedience , like baptism . But it is required . You are not saved or not saved because you keep it or dont , it is just LOVE for God .
Having said that, there are consequences for not keeping the Sabbath .
A)loss of fellowship with other believers
B)inconsistent church attendance , resulting in a lack of weekly instruction , hearing of the Word. In OT times they went to synanagogue to hear Moses and the law read.
C)lack of prayer with other believers and accountability , resulting in backsliding or loss of you First Love. As well as service to the Body.
E)not taking regularly of the Lord's supper(communion ) the cons tant reminder of what Jesus did for us on the cross. The ONLY reason and way anyone will ever enter heaven.
scripture reference is Acts2:42. How the early church continued .
Its no different than us, we insist our children go to bed on time, come home for dinner. Have certain family time and involvement , because we are family , we want to stay together , connect with each other and because we love each other. Love is a choice that requires decision andeffort to establish and maintain.
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:1*-3 KJV
http://bible.com/1/1jn.5.1-3.KJV
Again the Law and the commandments are not the same. Jesus' death wiped away the requirements of the Law, not our responsibility to keep the commandments . If we fail , there is forgiveness thru His Cross and Blood.
Obedience to God's commands is not legalism, its a response of love to Him, demonstrating that we are His and love Him.