Okay, I was not sure how to title this post since it is not anti-sabbath per se, which is why the quote marks are there.
When one claims to "keep the Sabbath," they make a truth-claim about themselves. There are as many ways to "keep the Sabbath" as there are Sabbatarians, especially when it comes to the more liberal Sabbatarians, so which way is the correct way, or is this subject to the modern definition of "truth?" They claim to be the ones who know how it should be kept, or else how could they claim to be keeping it?
In general, Sabbatarians all agree that the Sabbath is an important command to keep, but that is where it ends. If one tells me it is very important to keep the Sabbath, should they not explain how it is to be kept, especially in our modern day? But doesn't this all lead to a works-orientation?
I think that sometimes Sabbatarians develop a blindness to the forest because of the Sabbath trees. The issue is not the sabbath but obedience to our Father and Christ. Human nature is prone to idol worship, and once it assumes it has found a way to climb to heaven, it can easily slip into idol worship unless our desire to obey is divinely planted in us and our love for our Father and Our big Brother, Christ, is burning in us and motivating us, commandment-keeping, in general, is an empty pointless exercise in a vain attempt to scale the wall of the sheepfold.
In short, The danger or dangers of sabbath keeping can be
- Self-centered works
- Judgement of brother and sister Christians
- Pride
- Legalism
Of course, the true Sabbath is found in Christ, but a godly observance of God's law in humility and gratefulness for his salvation can allow us to experience a taste of the rest to come. God does not point the bony finger of indignation at His sheep, nor should I.
So because there are hypocrites in all parts of Christianity there can be no real Christians? The Sabbath rest is a current condition.
Hebrews 4: 4
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7
Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
This demonstrates, along with several OT verses, that true Sabbath keeping eliminates legalism.
Exodus 31: 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep:
for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.
Ezekiel 20: 12
Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.
13
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
Isaiah 1: 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
Here is proof the Israelites/Jews never really kept the Sabbath for they never allowed God to sanctify them. Here is more evidence they did not allow God to sanctify them.
Isaiah 58: 1
CRY aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
3 ¶
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
4
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.
9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
13 ¶
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
14
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.