Arlene,

You had written, "We will be judged for our doctrines.  That is a HUGE responsibility for each and every one of us." That is a very powerful, and very convicting thought. If we will have to give an account, even for every idle word that we say, then how much more for the doctrines we hold, and more so for those that we teach others. Thank you for writing that.

I had also wondered, if for us Gentile Christians, for whom the council at Jerusalem had laid out only four specific things, if the following scripture would not apply for us, in the eyes of the Hebrew Christians, regarding the keeping of the sabbath?

Colossians 2:16 ¶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

There are number of Messianic Jews who consider that Gentile Christians  are wrong for worshipping the LORD on the first day of the week. Beyond that, the SDA consider that we are actually sinning, and are in peril of hell fire, for worshipping the LORD on the first day of the week. I've been told that I'm breaking the commandment by worshipping on the first day of the week. Israel was given 90% for themselves, but were to tithe the 10% as holy unto the LORD. In a similar way, 6 days of the week were for them, but they were to keep the 7th holy unto the LORD. Now for us Gentile Christians, in this new testament church age, everything that we have should be holy unto the LORD, not just 90%. Similarly, we are not to have only one holy day of the week, and 6 unholy, or profane, days of the week - no, every day for us, should be equally holy unto the LORD.

I Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

There were Hebrew Christians from a Pharisee tradition, that had try to convince Gentile Christians that they were required to be circumcised to be saved. It was a mixing of law and grace, and placing of unnecessary burdens upon the Gentiles. They convened a council at Jerusalem, and at the end, James said:

Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

 20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Nothing was mentioned about the sabbath, dietary laws, or the Hebrew feast days. He then went on to say:

Acts 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

The Gentiles were not to keep the law in order to be saved, including the law of the sabbath. They were not to lay upon the Gentiles, those very commandments which Israel themselves had failed to keep, which commandments convicted those Hebrews that they were guilty of the law, and needed a Savior to save them from the penalty of the law:

Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. And now that we are saved, the LORD places his law in our hearts, and the same Holy Ghost, who is the true author of the scriptures, dwells within us, to move us and equip us to live holy and pleasing unto the LORD, not by law, but by the gospel of grace. And in that way, everyday for us should be equally holy unto the LORD, and none of the days of the week should be unholy, or profane.

Thank you,

Gino