In a nutshell, all the Commandments are reaffirmed in the NT except the 4th Commandment, so most Biblical evangelists leave it out of their Gospel messages, essentially relegating it to a lesser Commandment. After all, we are no longer required to keep the Sabbath as a matter of pleasing God, though it makes sense to take one day out of the week to rest and honor God. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
Romans 14:5-6— One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.
In actuality, Sabbaths, celebrations, festivals, etc., were all a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17—Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
The rest that we are to honor, the ultimate Sabbath we are to observe, is Christ.
Hebrew 4:1-11—Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’ “And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
Now think about the 4th Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” It’s about Christ. A shadow in the OT, the reality in the NT.
Now the least of these Commandments becomes the most important, because if you are still working for your salvation, you have not trusted Christ, you have not ceased from your labors in trying to please God.
We must rest in Him.
Christ is in the Commandments.
What do you think?
Theresa