Those who insist that we keep the Sabbath are like the Judaizers who caused Paul so much grief in Antioch.
First of all, the judaizers who caused Paul so much grief in Antioch (as superdave says) was insisting that the new believers be
CIRCUMCISED.
I think it is important if we want to quote scripture, that we do it in context.
Acts 15:1 starts off with these words:
Some men came fown from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved" This brought Paul and Barnabas in sharp dispute with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this.
This question was settled by the Apostles at the Jerusalem conference. A letter was penned to the church at Antioch, letting them know that they were not under the Mosaic Law (10 commandments).
The 10 commandments
ARE NOT the Mosaic Laws. The mosaic laws were stored on the OUTSIDE of the ark of the covenant (signifying their temporal status) and the 10 commandments were stored on the INSIDE of the ark (signifying the permanent status they have). What the letter from Jerusalem to Antioch DID do was to clarify which of the laws (health and moral) was to be adhered to. It was never even ADDRESSING the 10 commandments, because that was not the dispute. The dispute was over
CIRCUMCISSION which was a moral law.
This letter was intended to put to rest the divisive opinion of those Jews who wished to force a law which was done away with onto the Gentiles. The part that was imposed was actually the Noahic covenant. The Mosaic covenant is done away with (fulfilled).
I agree, it was to put to rest that ideaology which was done away with -
THE CIRCUMCISSION.
The part that was imposed was actually the Noahic covenant. The Mosaic covenant is done away with (fulfilled).
Jesus said ..
Matt5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have NOT come to abolish them but to fulfill them. It would seem that JESUS says He has not come to do away with it. So I will rather listen to Jesus and what He teaches than listen to the world and what they teach.
The meaning of the GREEK word for FULFILL, that is used in the passage above is
ginomai
1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being
2) to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen
a) of events
3) to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage
a) of men appearing in public
4) to be made, finished
a) of miracles, to be performed, wrought
5) to become, be made
Let us not focus on one meaning, but let us focus on the bigger picture of what is being taught here.
Jesus DID come to fulfill the LAW ... He came to give it its PROPER MEANING. Not to do away with it. The remainder of that scripture reads as follows:
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Isa 58:13,14 .."If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the Lord has spoken.
To God be the Glory. Forever and ever. AMEN