The reason that these two verses contradict is because they are speaking to two separate, distinct people.
Colossians 2:16-17
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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
In Colossians, Paul is talking to us today in the Church, the Body of Christ. But in the book of John, the Lord Jesus is talking to the nation of Israel. It is passages like this that show us why Paul tells us to rightly divide God's Word!
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
While it is always good to keep the "commandments" of the Lord, we must also understand which commandments of the Lord are directly to us or about us today. The commandments in the book of John have to do with the Lord's earthly ministry to Israel and they were the Law!
Matthew 5:19
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
These commandments are the Law and will be taught in the earthly kingdom that the Lord will set us in the future. But that is not what God is doing today in the dispensation of Grace.
Ephesians 3:2
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Today, Paul, the Lord's Apostle to us Gentiles, that is, all nations, tells us that we are not under the Law, but under God's Grace! Today, the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ come through Paul alone, and it is these commands found in Paul's 13 books, Romans through Philemon that we are to read, learn, and obey! Today, both Jew and Gentile are under God's commandments through Paul.
Acts 9:15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Romans 11:13
For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
1 Corinthians 14:37
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
So the book of John is speaking to Jews during the kingdom age, but Paul speaks to us believers in the Church, the Body of Christ during the age or dispensation of Grace!
So today we listen to what Paul says, and therefore, the Lord's command to Israel to observe the Sabbath (it was only for Israel), is not for us today. We are complete in Christ!
Exodus 31:13
Speak thou also unto the children of israel, saying , Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
Colossians 2:16-17
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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Colossians 2:10
And ye [grace believers] are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Hopefully this
helps!
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