A friend's comment on the 4TH commandment

For the record, I am not an SDA adherent.  I have never attended their church and do not subscribe to their teachings that are outside of Scripture.  I based my "sabbath keeping" on reading the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation.  

It was 1 John 5:2-3 that really opened my eyes up. By this we know that we love the children of God (we are to love one another), when we love God and obey His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome."

Even Paul says to keep the commandments in 1 Cor 7:19.  The call for the endurance of the saints in Revelation 14:12 - those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.  

Jesus says in 15:10 - If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.  Jesus said He and the Father are One, if you have seen Jesus you've seen the Father.  The Word is God, and was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Once my eyes were opened, I saw it all over the NT. Jesus kept the Sabbath, Paul kept the Sabbath, the NT saints kept it too.  I am familiar with the proof texts in Colossians and Romans 14 that seem to make the 4th commandment not important. But consider Deuteronomy 13:5.  Basically, if a prophet comes and makes you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk, purge the evil person from your midst.  This was "the test" for false prophets and teachers back in the day of Jesus and Paul.  Remember the times Jesus was tested by the Pharisees?  They asked him questions about the Torah (law), trying to trap Him so they could stone Him as a false teacher or prophet.  He came to fulfill the law - teach it fully and properly. That's what the word means.  To destroy a word is to teach it improperly, to destroy it's intended purpose.

I hope this is a blessing to someone.  God wants us to obey Him. Jesus died on the cross to wipe away the sins of His people, sins defined as breaking Torah.  How is that any different than our call to obey? If not, then whom are we to obey?