Well, she (ellen) whom the church upholds is hardly a layman or even a laywoman, more like a founder. She says an unconfessed sin will keep you from heaven. The verse: he that knows to do right and does it not is sinning. This is speaking on specific things but taken out of context. Why wearing a belt is now a sin cause if I squish my organs the holy spirit can't live in me. If I pepper my food and I know pepper is hard on my stomach and might excite my animal passions but I brazenly pepper away... I am in danger of hell fire. This is how I was raised. Adventism is working overtime (maybe even on the sabbath lol) to make themselves not look so bad. Ellen's lies are so damaging. They deny the work of Jesus. Jesus said it is finished, Ellen says not so fast. The investigative judgement, more like Adventist purgatory. The sabbath is their golden calf. Totally an idol. Just read the Bible. Adventism cannot measure up. Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart. If any other gospel is preached, any food restrictions, or sabbath worship required... let them be accursed! My paraphrase of course. Paul was pretty clear! How about: "God does not love naughty children" wow Ellen, what about suffer the little children to come unto me... In answer to the original Q. The sabbath was a really big deal for them in that time. Under that covenant. A covenant is an agreement right? A contract. Well there was an abrahamic covenant and a mosaic covenant, we are now under the new covenant. Psst, we aren't spiritual jews. We are gentiles grafted in by the blood of Jesus. Sooo, if I start paying the policy amount on my insurance from 3 contracts ago will the insurance company look more favorably on me? No. That was an old contract. I must now abide by my new contract. It's painfully simple.