Please explain how the sabbath is a moral issue.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4)
"...for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:23;p)
"All unrighteousness is sin..." (1 John 5:17;p)
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)
The 4th Commandment [the 7th Day Sabbath] is very Moral and fits under each definition.
For instance, take the one about Faith.
Hebrews 11 defines what Faith is:
"Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1);
...and moving further in Hebrews 11 we see that Creation is by Faith:
"
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that
things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:3);
...which hearkens right back to the 4th Commandment and Genesis:
"For [in] six days
the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and
rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:11); and "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them." (Genesis 2:1); "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." (Genesis 2:2); "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." (Genesis 2:3).
Let's take another one, "knowing to do good".
In the Greek, the word "good" is from "Kalos" "καλός" and it means: "morally excellent, honorable, pure and good, beautiful, delightful, better" [Strong's Concordance, Thayer's Lexicon, Vine's Expository].
JESUS said in the Gospels, "How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore
it is lawful [meaning: law fulfilling]
to do [to act, action, works, deed]
well [in the Greek: “kalōs” “καλῶς”; meaning: “morally excellent, good, pure, beautiful, delightful, honorably, well”] on [during, at that time, then]
the sabbath [The (definitive, not “a”
Holy, Blessed and Sanctified 7th Day of the LORD GOD] days." (Matthew 12:12).
Taking that Greek word, meaning to honor, etc., lets look at an Old Testament passage: "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:" (Isaiah 58:13).
What do we notice? If we honor the Sabbath day, we Honor the LORD GOD as well. If we dishonor the Sabbath, we then dishonor the LORD GOD as well. Also notice that the Sabbath is delightful, holy, and in not doing our pleasure on that day we are then pleasing HIM. And what does further scripture say?: "
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasingin his sight." (1 John 3:22).
We already know that in not keeping any commandment, it is sin as attested to by 1 John 3:4 (above) and it should be clear to any, that the 4th Commandment is part of the Ten Commandments.
What of unrighteousness?:
"But unto them that are contentious, and
do not obey the truth, but
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath," (Romans 2:8).
It is unrighteousness to not obey the TRUTH, and how does the Bible define TRUTH in one aspect?: "
Thy righteousness [is] an everlasting righteousness, and
thy law [is] the truth." (Psalms 119:142) and "Thou [art] near, O LORD; and
all thy commandments [are] truth." (Psalms 119:151); etc...
People will sometimes generally say that, "Yes, the Commandments are Moral, except the 4th Commandment, and that it alone is not Moral, but merely ceremonial." This is an incorrect assertment. The 4th Commandment is indeed very Moral, as it specifically deals with Faith, Trust and Belief as already shown above. GOD said HE created in 6 days and rested the 7th and Hallowed it. What could be Moral than Trusting in and Taking HIM at HIS WORD, in what HE has said HE has done?
HE who Commands to Keep: “Remember, the Sabbath Day to Keep it Holy”
HE who Created in 6 Days: “For [in] six days”
HE who Grants Rest: “thou shalt not do any work”
HE who IS our Example: “and rested the seventh day”
HE who IS the I AM, The name of GOD: “the LORD” [“YHVH”]
HE who IS our Creator-Maker (Re-Creator): “made”
HE who owns All Things (by Creation and by Redemption): “Heaven and Earth, the Sea and All that in them [is]”
HE who Blesses: “blessed the Sabbath Day”
HE who Hallows and Sanctifies: “and Hallowed it”
HE who Sets us Free from the Slavery to Sin; to then Obey HIM in Love: “thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt”
HE who Saves and Redeems: “the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm”