Must We Keep the Sabbath?
May 3rd, 2007
Are the Sabbath laws binding on Christians today?
We believe the Old Testament regulations governing Sabbath observances are ceremonial, not moral, aspects of the law. As such, they are no longer in force, but have passed away along with the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and all other aspects of Moses’ law that prefigured Christ.
Here are the reasons we hold this view:
In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul explicitly refers to the Sabbath as a shadow of Christ, which is no longer binding since the substance (Christ) has come. It is quite clear in those verses that the weekly Sabbath is included, with the phrase “a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day” refering to the annual, monthly, and weekly holy days of the Jewish calendar (cf. 1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 31:3; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11).
Sunday has not replaced Saturday as the Sabbath. Rather the Lord’s Day is a time when believers gather to commemorate His resurrection, which occurred on the first day of the week. Every day to the believer is one of Sabbath rest, since we have ceased from our spiritual labor and are resting in the salvation of the Lord (Hebrews 4:9-11).
So while we still follow the pattern of designating one day of the week a day for the Lord’s people to gather in worship, we do not refer to this as “the Sabbath.”
John Calvin took a similar position. He wrote,
There were three reasons for giving this [fourth] commandment: First, with the seventh day of rest the Lord wished to give to the people of Israel an image of spiritual rest, whereby believers must cease from their own works in order to let the Lord work in them. Secondly, he wished that there be an established day in which believers might assemble in order to hear his Law and worship him. Thirdly, he willed that one day of rest be granted to servants and to those who live under the power of others so that they might have a relaxation from their labor. The latter, however, is rather an inferred than a principal reason.
As to the first reason, there is no doubt that it ceased in Christ; because he is the truth by the presence of which all images vanish. He is the reality at whose advent all shadows are abandoned. Hence St. Paul (Col. 2:17) that the sabbath has been a shadow of a reality yet to be. And he declares elsewhere its truth when in the letter to the Romans, ch. 6:8, he teaches us that we are buried with Christ in order that by his death we may die to the corruption of our flesh. And this is not done in one day, but during all the course of our life, until altogether dead in our own selves, we may be filled with the life of God. Hence, superstitious observance of days must remain far from Christians.
The two last reasons, however, must not be numbered among the shadows of old. Rather, they are equally valid for all ages. Hence, though the sabbath is abrogated, it so happens among us that we still convene on certain days in order to hear the word of God, to break the [mystic] bread of the Supper, and to offer public prayers; and, moreover, in order that some relaxation from their toil be given to servants and workingmen. As our human weakness does not allow such assemblies to meet every day, the day observed by the Jews has been taken away (as a good device for eliminating superstition) and another day has been destined to this use. This was necessary for securing and maintaining order and peace in the Church.
As the truth therefore was given to the Jews under a figure, so to us on the contrary truth is shown without shadows in order, first of all, that we meditate all our life on a perpetual sabbath from our works so that the Lord may operate in us by his spirit; secondly, in order that we observe the legitimate order of the Church for listening to the word of God, for admin-istering the sacraments, and for public prayers; thirdly, in order that we do not oppress inhumanly with work those who are subject to us. [From Instruction in Faith, Calvin's own 1537 digest of the Institutes, sec. 8, "The Law of the Lord"].
In the past spiritual people have observed a strict setting aside of Sunday to be the Lord’s Day. They sanctified that day and gave it over to worship and service to others. But now there is increasingly a trend in the American church to not have Sunday sanctified. Churches have Saturday evening services so that the members can participate in whatever activities that all the worldings are running to on Sunday. Increasingly, I am seeing church members allow their children to participate in organized sporting activities on Sunday. The solution is not a legalistic keeping of the Sabbath but rather a heartfelt desire to show the world that we so love our God that we gladly lay aside work, recreation, and unnecessary activities to honor God on His Day!
The beginning of this post alludes to the moral law versus the ceremonial law. Could you please refer me to further information regarding a biblical defense of this kind of division in the law. Specifically, how does a division of the law into different aspects of moral and ceremonial square with James 2:10–”For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
@ Scott G.
Dr. Barrick an OT prof. at Master’s agrees that there are no divisions of the law (civil, moral, and ceremonial, but only one Law. He also uses the same verse to back him up.
Maybe you’re reading too much into it?
Respectfully,
-John
Please bear with me. I don’t want to start an argument (which blogs are notorious for), I am trying to sort this out.
“ceremonial, not moral, aspects of the law…”
If this is not a division, what is it?
“As such, they are no longer in force…”
Is any of the Old Testament “in force”?
Scott,
Thanks for your question. It is a good one, and it raises deeper questions about the relationship of the OT law to the NT believer. (Perhaps we will do a series on that in the near future.)
I think most would agree that the tri-division of the Mosaic law code (into moral, civil, and ceremonial) is an arbitrary division. It is not a division that OT Israelites would have readily recognized (since keeping every part of the law was a moral obligation).
At the same time, however, as those who are looking back on the Mosaic Law from a post-Pentecost perspective, the division can be helpful in distinguishing those parts of the Mosaic law code that transcend OT Israel (because they reflect God-ordained standards that apply to all believers of all time), and those parts that were only applicable for the OT theocracy. Those parts of the law that transcend OT Israel are sometimes refered to as “moral,” while those parts that do not are referred to as “civil,” or “ceremonial.”
In this case, we believe the Sabbath day regulations of the Old Testament applied only to OT Israel, in the context of the OT theocracy. They are not part of a transcendent “moral” law code that applied before Moses or after Pentecost. Rather, they were part of the “civil,” or “ceremonial” administration of the OT theocracy.
Again, I think we’ll need to do a series on the law that addresses your question more directly. In the meantime, I hope this is of some help.
Thanks again for your comments.
- NB
Scott,
In thinking more about your question, I remembered that a good discussion on this topic took place on Phil Johnson’s old Pyro blog (you can read it here and a second one here). I think you will find both Phil’s treatment of the topic, and the comments that follow, to be helpful.
Maybe instead of doing another series on the law here, it will suffice (at least for now) to point our readers to the work Phil has already done.
- NB
An interesting and I think appropriate response to the question can be found in Alistair Begg’s book, Pathway to Freedom, as he deals with the fourth commandment in the chapter Holy Day or Holiday.
Nate,
Thank you for your help. I greatly appreciate it.
As with Scott, I am not trying to be argumentative…
You argue from silence that there is no record of people keeping the Sabbath pre-Sinai. I would say that Moses does argue that this is a timeless principle from the Genesis 1 otherwise he would have just talked about the 6 days of Creation.
Furthermore, I believe that the reason that the sabbatical principle was not reinforced in the NT was that Jesus always kept the Sabbath and His followers and the early Jewish converts kept it as well. The writings against the observing of days are not directed at the idea of setting aside one day to sanctify it to the Lord but rather the attempt to keep the other Jewish holy days that were inherently part of the sacrificial system.
The article uses the words of John Calvin to bolster its view. Yet, while I love Calvin, he was remarkable among the great men of the church (in all ages) for having a relatively lax view of having a day set apart to God. In his personal defense this was a man who preached lengthy sermons 6-7 days a week in a large cathedral before many students and parishioners. I would like to see more from other men of the fathers that defend this type of parsing of the law.
I think overall the stream of church history has been that Christian men and women have made an effort to set aside a day whole to worship of God and service to their fellow men. Unfortunately the concept seems to be lost in the modern American church.
I appreciate your post but do have many questions on this topic that I would like to ask. I do not want to seem disrespectful or divisive, so I was wondering it there is another place to ask some questions. My opinion is different from yours, but I intend to show Christian love proper respect in all questions. I have thought on this topic for awhile now and would appreciate any help you could give. Thank you.
David
Jon Bell,
You asked about historical testimony that predates John Calvin. Here is an article that we hope will be of some help in that regard.
David,
Anyone is welcome to express questions and comments in this thread, provided they do so in a courteous way. Thank you for your sensitivity in asking.
Thanks,
NB
I’ve gone back and forth on this issue (Alistair Begg’s book is what first led me to agree with the Sabbath), but the more I’ve read and listened to arguments on both sides, the more I come to the no-Sabbath position.
If there is no three-fold division of the law, then there certainly can be no Sabbath law to abide by as Christians, right? Also, some have argued that the Sabbath (and a seven-day week) is a Creation Ordinance (along with marriage). Yet the seven-day week and Sabbath keeping does not meet the requirements of a a creation ordinance since it is completely descriptive, not prescriptive, unlike marriage. There are no imperatives in Genesis 1-3 that demand we keep the Sabbath. It isn’t until Exodus that it is looked to as an example (and only as an example, not as a reminder of a previously-given law).
Those two issues haven’t been adequately answered by pro-Sabbitarians (sp?) in my mind.
I would agree, though, that there is too much “freedom” in our day with so many conflicting events on Sunday. Though I would put forth that the root problem is not breaking the Sabbath but rather that people care more about sports and less about God. While it’s difficult to judge it almost seems like people would prefer playing soccer on Sunday morning than listening to the Word and worshipping God.
Another couple of points on why we don’t keep the Sabbath as they did under Old Covenant.
Exodus 31:13-14a But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, “You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. Therefore you are to observe the sabbath for it is holy to you.” The Sabbath was to be the one day of the week that they were to be totally set apart to God and not pursuing their own intersts and also we see here that the Sabbath was the OT picture of sanctification that would be fulfilled in the New Covenant. We see further evidence of this in Isaiah 58:13-14 “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the height of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
In the promise of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31:33 God says, “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it….” So we see here that in the new covenant that God will write His law in our heart and we know that the sabbath is part of that law. We keep the sabbath every day now as we are sanctied positionally, and through the power of His Spirit no longer seek our own ways, our own pleasure, our own word, but seek to please Him who died and rose again on our behalf, which is our progessive and practical sanctification. What man could not do under the Old Covenant God has done for us in the New Covenant. What a great salvation, what a complete salvation!
Do you believe that the the Sabbath command is the only ceremonial command given in the decalogue?
It is my understanding that the Sabbath has two dimensions, moral and positive. The positive part is the day in which it is observed, the moral part is the observation itself. So while the NT speaks against the seventh day Sabbath, this is only speaking against the positive aspect of the law.
The law of marriage also has had a positive and a moral aspect. The moral part would be one man & one woman, which is forever in force. But the positive part would be in how that bond was observed. For instance early in human history brothers married sisters, later that positive aspect of the marriage law changed so that one could not marry a close relative. All the while the moral aspect of one man and one woman remained unchanged.
I also have a question about this teaching. As a Jewish believer, would you say it is wrong for me to observe the seventh day Sabbath? The article points out that there were Jewish believers who observed the Sabbath, and that Paul was Scripturally forbidding them from condemning the Gentiles for not observing the Sabbath. So, does it stand to reason that Gentiles should not condemn Jewish believers for observing the Sabbath?
BZ,
I would suggest that as the Jewish Sabbath was a creation ordinance and the Christian Sabbath is a re-creation ordinance that they are applicable to all people regardless of belief. In the same way that marriage and work are creation ordinances and are applicable to all people.
So I would suggest that Jews along with everybody else should hold to the first day Sabbath.
However, at the same time, since your beliefs are rooted on the Old Testament i think that if you were to celebrate the Sabbath on the first day that you would be a hypocrite since it would not come from a believing heart.
Therefore in my view it is wrong for you to celebrate the seventh day Sabbath. But this stems from a deeper problem…your unbelief in the Yeshua Ha’Meshiac.
I would not suggest that Jews should change their Sabbath day without having a change in heart regarding Jesus. Anything less would come from hypocrisy.
Maybe theologian was unclear in my statement “Jewish believer” (which was also used in the article), but it refers to those who are Jewish who put their faith in Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah). So, what I am saying is, as a Jew who believes in Yeshua (Jesus) as my Messiah, who has taken away my sins, not by any work of my own, but by the atonement paid by Him upon the execution stake (the cross) and His resurrection from death, achieving victory over death and granting life to those who put their faith in Him. To one like that is it wrong for that person, myself, to celebrate, worship and delight in G-d’s Sabbath, the seventh day Sabbath? I would also be interested in thoughts about Isaiah 56:1-8, which speaks of Gentiles observing the Sabbath and being blessed for doing so.
This does seem to me to be a division. I don’t think you can divide the law like that. Even the laws characterized as ceremonial are moral in nature. The reason the Israelites had laws about interwoven fabrics was not because those fabrics were wrong but rather they were for the purpose of making a distinction! God is a holy God and He wanted His people to be distinct so even “ceremonial” laws are moral in nature. I just don’t think we can divide the law like that!
Nate, thank you for your excellent comment regarding the three-fold division of the law and the transcendent nature of the moral law. Covenant theologians and New Covenant theologians arguing over the perpetuity of the decalogue both seem to miss this, and you articulated it really well.
Regarding the Sabbath in Genesis, I believe the principle of a Sabbath rest has existed since creation and still exists today, but its observance changes. Yes, the creation is one of the reasons the decalogue lists for the Sabbath, but the Deuteronomy 5 account says the exodus is the reason to OBSERVE the Sabbath. If the creation by itself was enough to establish the observance of the Sabbath, then the exodus could not be used to establish Sabbath observance.
It is clear to me, then, that the creation establishes the principle of Sabbath, but the exodus established the observance of the Sabbath. Hebrews 4 says that Jesus Christ fulfills the Sabbath rest, and thus I believe that it is no longer necessary to be observed in the same manner that the Jews did, although the principle still continues in it’s fulfillment in Christ.
Scoot G Wrote:
[quote]The beginning of this post alludes to the moral law versus the ceremonial law. Could you please refer me to further information regarding a biblical defense of this kind of division in the law. Specifically, how does a division of the law into different aspects of moral and ceremonial square with James 2:10–”For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” [/quote]
I think James was referring to how important it is to remember what Jesus did on the Cross. I think James was saying that if we sin (i.e one hateful, lustful, etc. thought) then we are damned to Hell. However, our Lord Jesus Christ was the only one that could atone for our sins. That atonement allowed imputed Jesus’ grace to us. If not for him we would have already “stumbled” and be damned there would be no hope for any of us. So, I think James was pointing out the Gospel’s importance.
Ray Pevley
Elnwood,
you said: the creation establishes the principle of Sabbath, but the exodus established the observance of the Sabbath.
my response: Exodus 16 shows us that the idea of keeping the Sabbath was around before the decalogue.
you said: Hebrews 4 says that Jesus Christ fulfills the Sabbath rest…
my response: the same chapter (verse 9) says that there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. There is an “already/not yet” tension with the Sabbath and Christ’s fulfillment of it. Clearly we haven’t entered our rest as we will on the other side of glory.
theologian,
Does the event in Exodus 16 takes place before or after the exodus? It takes place after the exodus. My argument was that observance of the Sabbath was because of God’s work in the exodus, not because of the giving of the decalogue.
Deuteronomy 5:15: “You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”
Note the past tense of the word “commanded.” God commanded the Sabbath before the decalogue (i.e. Exodus 16) because God brought them out of Egypt in the exodus.
If Sabbath observance was established before the exodus, then how can the exodus be used as the reason for Sabbath observance?
Regarding Hebrews 4, I agree that there is an “already/not yet” tension, and I agree that “there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” because of the eternal nature of the principle of the Sabbath, but I believe that this Sabbath rest is resting in the finished work of Christ, not observing the seventh (or first) day as the Jews did.
Questions on my Mind…
Is it okay to mow the lawn, do the laundry, or hang out at the mall on Sunday? Must we keep the Sabbath?…
elnwood,
you said: Note the past tense of the word “commanded.” God commanded the Sabbath before the decalogue (i.e. Exodus 16) because God brought them out of Egypt in the exodus.
If Sabbath observance was established before the exodus, then how can the exodus be used as the reason for Sabbath observance?
my reply: I would disagree that the Sabbath is only to be a remembrance of the exodus, i believe it was originally to be a remembrance of creation as is specified by Ex 20:8-11. Verse 11 specifically ties creation to the remembrance of the Sabbath day not the exodus.
Mark 2:27 says that the Sabbath was made for man…when was the Sabbath made?…when was man made?
elnwood,
you said: I believe that this Sabbath rest is resting in the finished work of Christ, not observing the seventh (or first) day as the Jews did.
my reply: Look at Heb 4:9-11, we are told that there remains a Sabbath rest… for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. And that we are to “strive” to enter that rest.
Can you really say that you have rested from your works as God did from His? Reading Isa 58:13 you would have to include “not doing your pleasure” “not doing your own ways” and “not talking idly”
We still have a memorial of the Sabbath because it is not perfected yet, if it was perfected in Christ “now” then we would not still seek our own pleasures…but we do.
So do you believe that the rest of the 10 Commandments are no longer binding? Do you also feel that murder and adultry are no longer wrong because it was ceremonial, not moral?
I would also like to say that God must have thought that the 10 Commandments were pretty important to write them out on the stone with His finger. I think that is pretty awesome! And look at the 4th Commandment- what do you see? I see a word (Remember) that is not used any where else in the 10 Commandments. Just something to think about. = )
part 3 and final:
9) Galatians 4:10-11: This appears to be written to a group of non-Jews. Why do you feel they were struggling with Sabbath (Sabbath is not even mentioned)? Why was it OK for Paul himself to observe “special days” (Pentecost is just one example)
10) Romans 14:5: I think this is dealing more with how we treat (condemn or build up) those who are weak. According to this one we do not even know if it is the weak who esteems one day as better or is it the strong who does.
11) Early church fathers: Tough one! These are men that feared God and loved Him, but like all of us, they could err. I would prefer to talk from scripture before we talk from history.
Nate –
I have tried to put my questions up a few times (even breaking it up last time – only 1 part showed up), but I seem to be doing something wrong. Is there another way of asking my questions? Thank you for your help.
David
David,
Not sure what’s wrong. We appear to be having some commenting problems on another thread too. Please try posting again. If it still doesn’t work, we will arrange for you to email your comments to us — so that we can post them on your behalf.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
- Nate B.
Isa 56 is an excellent chapter which repeatedly speaks of the Sabbath. The interesting thing about this chapter is that it is speaking of the New Testament Church, not the OT. Verse 4 speaks of eunuchs having God’s house and being within His walls. This was never accepted in the OT Church.
Arnold Fruchtenbaum from Ariel Ministries has a lesson on Sabbath keeping and the Law of Moses verses the Law of Christ. He teaches that keeping a particular Sabbath day is no longer required. He also does not make any distinction between a moral and a ceremonial law. His point is that all 613 aspects of the Mosaic law was fulfilled in Christ. We now operate according to the Law of Christ. He teaches that the Law of Christ is similar but that it is an alltogether different Law. As an example using traffic laws: If you live in Ohio which has a law against running red lights and travel to Indiana and run a red light, you have violated Indiana law not Ohio law. Or if you live in a state that does not permit right turns on red and then travel to a state that does, when you make a right turn on red you have not viloated the previous state’s law because it does not apply. The same with the Law of Moses verses the Law of Christ. The Law of Moses does not apply because it has been replaced by the Law of Christ in this new dispensation of grace.
Setting aside the theological answer of if the sabbath day should be kept or not and if it is still in tact, which oddly enough will never be agreed on by all Christians, what harm can come from keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. Looking at it from a moral and philosophical standpoint wether it exists or not I think we as a Christian community can take much spiritual gain from keeping it holy regardless if it is still a law.
I appreciate you not stating that Sunday is Sabbath, but have questions on why Sabbath has passed away. I have tried to address each point, even if it is to agree, just so there is no confusion by skipping one. Not each one is a question, but if you would be willing to point out my error it would really help me. Thank you.
Paul warned of sins: OK.
1) Colossians passage: Why does the fact that Sabbath is “a shadow of things to come but the substance belongs to Christ” mean that it is no longer binding? I am not sure I understand the logic that was used there. Also, would not the shadow only be there when what is creating it is present? It seems you are understanding that because we have the substance, we no longer would have a shadow.
2) a) Sabbath was the sign to Israel: When Sabbath is given in Exodus 20, it is set because: “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy”. This seems to be tied to creation. I understand that it was later given again and set also as a sign of the covenant, for whatever reason it is the day God made holy. Can we void that? And if so, under what authority?
b) Being under the New Covenant means that “I will put my law within them”. Why is Sabbath not part of this law that is being used under the New Covenant?
3) The other nine commandments: Sabbath is the only one of the 10 that is listed as a covenant forever Ex 31:16.
4) Early church worship on the first day of the week: Agree! I knew there could be one item we agree on! I would say that what we see in Acts 20:7 appears to me to be a service at the end of Sabbath. Saturday night would be the first day of the week and it does seem to make more sense with Paul talking until midnight. Just a thought on that one.
5) Gentile nations: The Gentile nations come to God the same way as the Jewish nations do. Gentiles are graphed into the faith. Does God give Gentiles a whole other set of instructions?
6) These is no evidence in the Bible of anyone keeping Sabbath before the giving of the law : I assume you are excluding God here! (this is as sarcastic as I will get – I hope it came across in the fun manner that it was meant) I am not sure we know how much of the law was practiced before Moses. We certainly see part of it being known to the people (i.e. sacrifice, clean and unclean animals), but I agree…God is the only one seen keeping a Sabbath before He gave it to the people.
7) Apostles met at the Jerusalem council: Could I have your read on Acts 15:21? It looks to me like they did not put more onto the new converts because they would learn it as they heard it in the synagogues on Sabbath.
9) Galatians 4:10-11: This appears to be written to a group of non-Jews. Why do you feel they were struggling with Sabbath (Sabbath is not even mentioned)? Why was it OK for Paul himself to observe “special days” (Pentecost is just one example)
10) Romans 14:5: I think this is dealing more with how we treat (condemn or build up) those who are weak. According to this one we do not even know if it is the weak who esteems one day as better or is it the strong who does.
11) Early church fathers: Tough one! These are men that feared God and loved Him, but like all of us, they could err. I would prefer to talk from scripture before we talk from history.
This wasn’t written specifically about the Sabbath but the wider matter of how the Decalogue applies to Christians. Hope it is some help.
Method for resolving moral controversy where the scholars are on both sides
- Identify the original teachings
Eg Martin Luther “The Liberty of a Christian man”
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/cclib-2.html
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/cclib-3.html
and Samuel Bolton “A Treatise wherein the rights of the law are vindicated, the liberties of grace maintained”
http://www.the-highway.com/truefreedom_Bolton.html
http://www.the-highway.com/articleFeb00.html
- Prayerfully examine both teachings in the light of God’s Word
prepare Scripture indices for key teaching areas and compare overlaps
identify key passages from the above and consider other related passages (eg. Genesis 26:5, [Leviticus 23:32 ..Galatians 4:10 ..Colossians 2:16], Rev 1:10)
compare Scripture with Scripture in context (eg. The context for Romans 14 is the whole Bible, Paul’s letters to the Churches, Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome, Romans 3:31 and Romans 7:12)
.
Comments
- Compare translations for the meaning(s) of Galatians 2:17 (The NIV is different to the NASB)
- Martin Luther’s writings on “The Liberty of a Christian man” were over 100 years before those of Samuel Boulton ( a member of the Westminster Assembly ) on “A Treatise wherein the rights of the law are vindicated, the liberties of grace maintained”.
Some of my own opinions
- As I understand it, Galatians 2:16 probably refers to the weekly Sabbath (cf. 2 Kings 4:23, 1 Chronicles 23:31) as which specific day of the week is ceremonial ie. The morality consists in the ‘one-dayedness in seven’. Leaders are to assign within their responsibility, mainly by way of example and with gentleness, mercy and graciousness. Christian leaders generally regard this as Sunday but whichever day is observed it has the significance of ‘the Lord’s Day’ and ‘first day of the week’.
- Leviticus 23:32 refers to the Day of Atonement as a sabbath. This was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ.
- We would not expect Paul to say in one of his letters that “the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” and in another letter to say or imply that it doesn’t matter about keeping the Sabbath day holy anymore. Depending on the chronological sequence of his letters, Romans may have been written, in part, to correct misunderstandings on the continuity of the Decalogue.
- The pastoral situation in the early Church concerning the Sabbath was probably extremely delicate for a number of reasons. Our Lord’s own teaching to release it from Pharisaic observances, His glorious resurrection on the first day of the week and the composition of the early Churches with believers from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds would be likely to have made the matter of Sabbath observance very complex.
- Judeo-Christian influences may be the reason we have come to think of and have a weekend of two days in modern (western?) society.
- Humanism being re-inforced through UNHR influences is posing many complex considerations for the Church.
- God greatly used Martin Luther in the recovery of the vital Biblical teaching of Justification by Faith. This does not necessarily mean, however, that everything he wrote is correct. Only God’s Word is infallible (1 Peter1:20-21)
I’m a sunday goer but i have been reading the bible more and more and understanding it. Although in the Old Testament regulations governing Sabbath no longer exists and have passed away- sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and all other aspects of Moses. Those passed away when Jesus died for us but the Ten Commandments have no passed just because he died those laws are still in act and heaven and earth shall pass before the laws fall. Then we can commit murder if we wanted then and such if the laws as passed. We have grace by God but that does not mean we stop following the laws. The laws are gods character and we should model him. You can get rid of the sabbath day but want to keep the other holy, why is that? If you do not follow one of the commandments then you break all.
Moses law where ended when Jesus died for us but Gods Law The Teb Commandments are still in effect and will always be in effect even in heaven, although we will not sin, the laws still stand.
I was just wondering if you answered David’s questions because I sure would like to know the answers.. they were very good points
The reason why there is such a controversy around the true sabbath – the seventh day, is due to the spiritual warfare that Christians are in. It is the goal of the devil or either hide or pervert the Truth. The seventh day is a creation institution (Gen 2:2-3). God blessed and sanctified this day. Exodus 16:23 …rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, Exodus 20:8 remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Therefore, we have a holy day each week, since we as Christian should come together to worship, should not we come together on this holy day – sabbath and not on Sunday – the first day i.e. one of the six working days. Notice the majority of Christians and the rest of the world are working on the holy day of rest and are trying to rest on the first day of work (Once again the Devil is liar). Many Christians are wresting the scriptures to their own damnation. Letters of Paul have to be viewed in context. Paul knew the exact condition or situations he was addressing, Christians today can only speculate from the overall letter itself. Therefore, Colossian 2:16-17 and Galatians 4:10-11 need to be looked at with prayer and much study. For example, let no man judge you, is interpreted by many to mean let no one tell you which day is the sabbath, or how to keep the sabbath etc. Notice also that the Pharisees judged Christ (for healing) on many occasions and also the apostles (for gathering and eating) on how they kept the sabbath. However, the Pharisees were wrong in all cases. Now Galatians 4:10 is even more ambiguous. The passage does not say that “days” included the seventh day sabbath. However, some have speculated that the seventh day sabbath was included. What we do know is that Gentiles believers were taught in the synagogues on Sabbath (Acts 15:21, Acts 13:14&44, and Acts 18:4). Also, think about this, the apostle Paul would have missed an excellent opportunity to tell the Gentiles (Acts 13:44 … the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath) that the new sabbath was actually tomorrow i.e. the first day or Sunday. Finally, Paul was appointed to be a minister unto the Gentiles (Acts 9:15-16,Acts 26:17) and as his manner was, he went to the synagogues and taught on the sabbath days. Paul said that the Gentiles were to follow him as he followed Christ (1 Co 4:16, 1 Co 11:1, and Php 3:17). The actions of many Christians today in regards to the Seventh day sabbath now has the apostle Paul saying, do what I say (i.e. according to their interpretation – the Seventh day sabbath is no longer binding because we are under grace) and not what I do. Any parent knows that this approach never works in the rearing of children. The Lord said, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. So, we as Christians need to continually pray for each other, whilst we all continue to follow Jesus Christ and Paul as our examples. I find it strange that many Gentile believers have never followed the Apostle Paul’s command, but they are quick to say that they are Gentiles who are not under the law or that the law was Jews. Actions do speak louder than words.
Peace of Christ.
I just read your article about the Sabbath, and let me tell you this brother….I ignored it for over 50 years due to my involment with the catholic church and protestant denominations….and!!! I defecte and submited myself to Jesus, looking for an answer regarding the Sabbath-Day…..and!!! there is no Eternal Life without the Sabbath-Day…a Chruch without the Sabbath-Day is like a Christ without the cross…of no value for humans….Your article is awfuly, incorrect for Christianity, real good for christendom.
I will answer every scripture you have in your article tomorrow…
God Bless…………..Brother James