God's 4th commandment under the new covenant is
not a ceremonial law
but a moral law as it is our moral duty of love to God to remember the Sabbath day to keep it as a holy day of rest. The first four commandments are our duty of love to God and the second six our duty of love to our fellow man *Matthew 22:36-40; Romans 13:8-10.
Under the old covenant and the Mosaic shadow laws for remission of sins under the Levitical Priesthood and the Sanctuary service, burnt offerings and sin offerings were a daily occurrence and more so on the sabbath days. For example there was sin offerings and burnt offerings every morning and evening (
Exodus 29:38-42;
Numbers 28:2); each Sabbath (
Numbers 28:9-10) the beginning of each month (
Numbers 28:11) at Passover (
Numbers 28:19); with the new grain/firstfruits offering at the Feast of Weeks (
Numbers 28:27); at the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah (
Numbers 29:1)and at the new moon (
Numbers 29:6). These are all ceremonial laws for remission of sin pointing to JESUS and God's plan of salvation for mankind in the new covenant. Under the old covenant these "shadow laws" were linked to every day of the week, the annual feast days, new moons and also the sabbath days. Obviously these ceased in the new covenant as they were "shadows of things to come" *Colossians 2:17 pointing to JESUS and God's plan of salvation for mankind under the new covenant promise of Grace.
Unlike the Mosaic "shadow laws" for remission of sins under the old covenant none of God's 10 commandments are ceremonial laws. They are all moral laws and our moral duty of love to God and man. God's 4th commandment sabbath commandment also a "memorial" of creation (Remember the Sabbath day... Exodus 20:8-11) and a celebration of God as the creator of heaven and earth.
Now unlike the Mosiac ceremonial "shadow laws" for remission of sin (sin offerings and animal sacrifices for sin) we need to keep in mind that it is impossible for God's 4th commandment to be a ceremonial law as it points backward to the finished work of creation "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy" Exodus 20:8 not forward to something to come. The ceremonial laws for remission of sin from the Mosiac book of the law were only given "
after"
the fall of mankind when man sinned as part of God's plan of salvation from sin. The Sabbath however was made for mankind "
before"sin existed and before any plan of salvation was given or needed.
The Sabbath commandment is a moral law and a part of our duty of love to God *John 14:15. It is the day that God has blessed and made a Holy day of rest for his people to remember God as the creator of heave and earth and a celebration of God as the creator of heave and earth.
All of God's 10 commandments including God's 4th commandment Sabbath are moral laws and our duty of love to God and our fellow man.
Let's look at what the scriptures teach on this subject further....
PSALMS 119:172 [172] My tongue shall speak of your word: for
ALL YOUR COMMANDMENTS ARE RIGHTOUESNESS.< tsedeq Right Doing -
MORAL>
HEBREW for Righteousness is צדק; tsedeq means;
the right natural,
moral or legal; also (abstractly) equity or (figuratively) prosperity: - X even, (X that which is altogether) just (-ice), ([un-]) right (-eous) (cause, -ly, -ness)].
RIGHTEOUSNESS is defined as the standard of
MORAL RIGHT in the Hebrew which God’s Word defines as
ALL GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. This of course includes God’s 4th commandment which is one of God’s 10 commandments written with the finger of God.
The opposite of righteousness is unrighteousness as shown in this scripture here…
1 JOHN 5:17-18 [17] ALL
UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN: and there is a sin not to death.
[18],
WE KNOW THAT WHOEVER IS BORN OF GOD SINS NOT; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not.
UNRIGHTEOUSNESS HEBREW (H5766) עול עול עולה עולה עלה ;‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh From H5765;
moral evil: - iniquity, perverseness, unjust (-ly), unrighteousness (-ly), wicked (-ness).
UNRIGHTEOSNESS GREEK (G93) ἀδικία; adikia (legal) injustice (properly the quality, by implication the act);
moral wrongfulness (of charater, life or act): - iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong
.
ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (ἀδικία Moral wrongfulness)
IS SIN which is breaking any one of God's 10 commandments. UNRIGHTEOUSNESS is the opposite of RIGHTEOUSNESS and ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS is SIN *1 JOHN 5:17 and SIN is breaking any one of God's 10 commandments *JAMES 2:10-11; 1 JOHN 3:4 then RIGHTEOUSNESS is OBEDIENCE to God's ETERNAL LAW (10 commandments) as is why it is written;
PSALMS 119:172 [172] My tongue shall speak of your word: for ALL YOUR COMMANDMENTS ARE *
RIGHTOUESNESS.<Moral Right Doing>
ROMANS 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does
good,G5544 no, not one.
Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries w/TVM, Strong - G5544
χρηστότης; chrēstotēs From G5543; usefulness, that is,
moral excellence (in character or demeanor): - gentleness, good (-ness), kindness.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:33 Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good
morals.G2239
Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries w/TVM, Strong - G2239
ἦθος; ēthos A strengthened form of G1485; usage, that is, (plural) moral habits: - manners
……………..
Christian bible dictionary definitions agree with the Hebrew and Greek scriptures shown above...
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1828
MOR'AL, a. [L. moralis, from mos, moris, manner.]
1.
Relating to the practice, manners or conduct of men as social beings in relation to each other, and with reference to right and wrong. The word moral is applicable to actions that are good or evil, virtuous or vicious, and has reference to the law of God as the standard by which their character is to be determined. The word however may be
applied to actions which affect only, or primarily and principally, a person's own happiness.
Keep at the least within the compass of moral actions, which have in them vice or virtue.
Mankind is broken loose from moral bands.
2.
Subject to the moral law and capable of moral actions; bound to perform social duties; as a moral agent or being.
3. Supported by the evidence of reason or probability; founded on experience of the ordinary course of things; as moral certainty, distinguished from physical or mathematical certainty or demonstration.
Physical and mathematical certainty may be stiled infallible, and moral certainty may be properly stiled indubitable.
Things of a moral nature may be proved by moral arguments.
4.
Conformed to rules of right, or to the divine law respecting social duties; virtuous; just; as when we say, a particular action is not moral.
5. Conformed to law and right in exterior deportment; as, he leads a good moral life.
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CEREMONIAL, a. [See Ceremony.]
1. Relating to ceremony, or external rite; ritual; according to the forms of established rites; as ceremonial exactness. It is particularly applied to the forms and rites of the Jewish religion; as the ceremonial law or worship, as distinguished from the moral and judicial law.
2. Formal; observant of old forms; exact; precise in manners.
[In this sense, ceremonious is now used.]
CEREMONIAL, n.
1. Outward form; external rite, or established forms or rites, including all the forms prescribed; a system of rules and ceremonies, enjoined by law or established by custom, whether in religious worship, in social intercourse, or in the courts of princes.
2. The order for rites and forms in the Romish church, or the book containing the rules prescribed to be observed on solemn occasions.
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So according to the God's Word (not mine) all of God's 10 commandments including God's 4th commandment are Moral laws not ceremonial laws under the new covenant.
Hope this helps.