Why the Sabbath so Important to SDA explained

Adventist Heretic

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Many people don't understand the SDA view, that it is written from the Prophetic perspective. That a future time will come when there is widespread apostasy that God's people will not be able to tell Good from Evil and who is loyal to God and who is not.

There will be a time when evil increases so much that, Evil comes into the church from the world and Gods people must make a distinction between themselves and the world. "Come out of her My people and be not partaker of her sins. and receive not her plagues " Rev 18:4.

During the time of Apostasy, 2 characteristic emerge Gods disciples, they obey Gods commands and have faith in Jesus. "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus". Rev 14:12,

At the time of this Apostasy, God sends out a messenger to call is people to return to the Creator and Worship and Identify with Him, for the hour of his Social Justice has come." Rev 14:7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

The call to return to the Creator is a direct reference to remember our origins and God original desire us for us. His desire for us to be fruitful & multiply, biblical prosperity, where become all you were created to be, his desire for good, abundance and for us to represent Him properly in healthy relationship and authority, called the Image of God.

We believe this is best done by observing the Sabbath. It is the best way to show loyalty to the Creator, His Order, His Way and His Law. For it shows our origins, Sabbath was a sign of the Covenant with Israel and we are grafted into Israel. Sabbath was also used as a sign of Loyalty while in captivity in a foreign land, Babylon. Sabbath also reminds us of the promise of when he will rule and reign for 1000 years on earth and restore his order. Sabbath calls us to wait for this event and not try to restore things by means of the government coercion and force, loyalty to Christ must be by love and by choice.

Fullfillment of prophetic events: more on this later
 

Adventist Heretic

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Sabbath and the law posts are supposed to placed in that subforum.
ok, not sure it merits being there because was designed for GT, it is an explanation not a discussion. I noticed that this aspect get over looked, in 95% of the discussions. it is assumed by most SDA and not understood by most NON -SDA's even other Sabbath keepers miss this aspect.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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ok, not sure it merits being there because was designed for GT, it is an explanation not a discussion. I noticed that this aspect get over looked, in 95% of the discussions. it is assumed by most SDA and not understood by most NON -SDA's even other Sabbath keepers miss this aspect.
I deal with the sin that infects creation every day, not keeping the sabbath isn't so much the issue - people being unable to feel\be rested without busy-ness and noise is the issue.
 
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Adventist Heretic

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I deal with the sin that infects creation every day, not keeping the sabbath isn't so much the issue - people being unable to feel rested without busy-ness and noise is the issue.
ok not sure how that relates to what i wrote. I was wanting to make sure people understood the context of SDA teaching on the matter it is not about the law, it may include it but it is not about it. they miss the why of the mark of the beast, why is it so important to SDA's here is why
.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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ok not sure how that relates to what i wrote. I was wanting to make sure people understood the context of SDA teaching on the matter it is not about the law, it may include it but it is not about it. they miss the why of the mark of the beast
.
The mark of the beast has mimicry with the phylacteries, thus being about the law might be the wrong direction in an era of grace.

I recall SDA teachings speak of some cosmic battle between good and evil, but maybe that was someone else.

In my own experience, sin infects everything and causes it to malfunction, it infects humans and causes them to harm themselves and one another. Everything is infected.

In the bible it says that sin is magnified by the law, so reflecting on the cross and it's role in our salvation is important. The law is going backwards to Egypt where Jesus was crucified and crucifying him all over again. Grace is the way forward, and matured love within all of us is the destination.

Following rules improves nothing, sometimes the repression it brings makes the sin blots even worse. Jesus already won, so trusting in Him and His forgiveness is the way forward.
 
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BobRyan

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ok, not sure it merits being there because was designed for GT, it is an explanation not a discussion. I noticed that this aspect get over looked, in 95% of the discussions. it is assumed by most SDA and not understood by most NON -SDA's even other Sabbath keepers miss this aspect.

General theology forum is a discussion and debate forum and "Sabbath and the Law" is a subforum of it.

I don't mind wherever people would like this topic however - I am glad to discuss it anywhere I am free to post.
 
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BobRyan

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Many people don't understand the SDA view, that it is written from the Prophetic perspective.

A number of Christian denominations on both sides of the Sabbath topic agree with Seventh-day Adventists that all TEN of the Ten Commandments are written on the heart under the New Covenant of Jer 31:31-34 and so it is included in that so-called "moral law of God" in many Confessions of Faith where "honor your father and mother is the first commandment WITH a promise" Eph 6:2 in that distinct unit of Law.

So the various Ten-commandments affirming denominations will look at Rev 14:12 "as a good thing" that includes affirmation of the Ten Commandments - where we read "the saints keep the commandments of God AND their faith in Jesus" - and for them the subject of the Ten Commandments is a positive one and an important one.

And of course under the New Covenant of Jer 31:31-34, and Heb 8:6-12 they are included in that moral law of God - "written on heart and mind"

And of course even n the NT -- 1 John 3:4 also points out that "sin is transgression of the Law".

So to a certain extent many Christian denominations besides just SDA's view the topic as being important.

Of course there are many differences between denominations when it comes to the question of "How the Sabbath obligation" is fulfilled after the cross vs before the cross.

And of course there are those who prefer to either view it as "the NINE commandments continue after the cross" and others will say all TEN were nailed to the cross. So I am not saying everyone is on the same page by a long shot -- just that there is a fairly large mix of Denominations that will affirm the Sabbath obligation in one form or another continued in the New Testament and included in the Law of God written on the heart in Jer 31:31-34 and in Heb 8:6-12.

As the OP points out - some also view the future having the Rev 13 problem of a moral law being violated and mankind forced by government actors or some other actor - into making a choice between obedience to God and not obeying God.
 
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Adventist Heretic

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The mark of the beast has mimicry with the phylacteries, thus being about the law might be the wrong direction in an era of grace.

I recall SDA teachings speak of some cosmic battle between good and evil, but maybe that was someone else.

In my own experience, sin infects everything and causes it to malfunction, it infects humans and causes them to harm themselves and one another. Everything is infected.

In the bible it says that sin is magnified by the law, so reflecting on the cross and it's role in our salvation is important. The law is going backwards to Egypt where Jesus was crucified and crucifying him all over again. Grace is the way forward, and matured love within all of us is the destination.
(CTFollowing rules improves nothing, sometimes the repression it brings makes the sin blots even worse. Jesus already won, so trusting in Him and His forgiveness is the way forward.
ok you are New Covenant Theology (NCT) advocate. You are still not getting why I posted this, so I will be plain, I did not post this to have a discussion about the Law, but to explain why SDA's are so agressive about the teaching. If you want to talk about it's merits, this is not the place and I will not engage with you . If you want to discuss New Covenant Theology approach to covenants (NCT) vs Covenant Theology (CT) approach to covenants then start a new thread.
 
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Adventist Heretic

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A number of Christian denominations on both sides of the Sabbath topic agree with Seventh-day Adventists that all TEN of the Ten Commandments are written on the heart under the New Covenant of Jer 31:31-34 and so it is included in that so-called "moral law of God" in many Confessions of Faith where "honor your father and mother is the first commandment WITH a promise" Eph 6:2 in that distinct unit of Law.


And of course even n the NT -- 1 John 3:4 also points out that "sin is transgression of the Law".

So to a certain extent many Christian denominations besides just SDA's view the topic as being important.

Of course there are many differences between denominations when it comes to the question of "How the Sabbath obligation" is fulfilled after the cross vs before the cross.

And of course there are those who prefer to either view it as "the NINE commandments continue after the cross" and others will say all TEN were nailed to the cross. So I am not saying everyone is on the same page by a long shot -- just that there is a fairly large mix of Denominations that will affirm the Sabbath obligation in one form or another continued in the New Testament and included in the Law of God written on the heart in Jer 31:31-34 and in Heb 8:6-12.

As the OP points out - some also view the future having the Rev 13 problem of a moral law being violated and mankind forced by government actors or some other actor - into making a choice between obedience to God and not obeying God.
Bob, one of the problems you will continue to face is the problem of Assumptions. Meaning you are using one approach to interpret covenants and they are using another approach. Until you understand these assumptions you will not get anywhere with these people. you are using (CT) Covenant Theology approach and they are using (NCT) New Covenant Theology approach. That have different assumptions about the continuation of the Covenants.
 
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Albion

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A number of Christian denominations on both sides of the Sabbath topic agree with Seventh-day Adventists that all TEN of the Ten Commandments are written on the heart under the New Covenant of Jer 31:31-34 and so it is included in that so-called "moral law of God" in many Confessions of Faith where "honor your father and mother is the first commandment WITH a promise" Eph 6:2 in that distinct unit of Law.

My first thought was "so what?" That is to say, we all agree that the Ten Commandments are part of God's word, that they identify moral principles, and so on. No one here has said that the Ten Commandments are now of no importance.

At the same time, what you said about the Ten Commandments doesn't cast any light on the objections to Sunday worship, which is what we've been discussing.

Yet it would be interesting to compare the lists. You say that "Christian denominations on both sides of the Sabbath topic agree with Seventh-day Adventists." I agree that that is true, but the ones on the SDA side represent only one to two or three percent of the total of Christian church members worldwide.
 
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Adventist Heretic

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My first thought was "so what?" That is to say, we all agree that the Ten Commandments are part of God's word, that they identify moral principles, and so on. No one here has said that the Ten Commandments are now of no importance.

At the same time, what you said about the Ten Commandments doesn't cast any light on the objections to Sunday worship, which is what we've been discussing.

Yet it would be interesting to compare the lists. You say that "Christian denominations on both sides of the Sabbath topic agree with Seventh-day Adventists." I agree that that is true, but the ones on the SDA side represent only one to two or three percent of the total of Christian church members worldwide.
ok this not suppose to a discussion about the 10 commandment
 
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BobRyan

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My first thought was "so what?" That is to say, we all agree that the Ten Commandments are part of God's word, that they identify moral principles, and so on.

So then it certainly registers on the scale - and answers the question: "is this about a sin or not, or a custom or not"? For example someone says "I have a custom of pay no attention to anything God says about the TEN or about the Sabbath commandment" etc... .might register as "The wrong way to look at it" by someone else who thinks the Ten Commandments are still valid from God's POV (from a sola scriptura POV)

No one here has said that the Ten Commandments are now of no importance.

Which just affirms my opening statement that other Christian denominations besides SDAs agree on this detail.

Some groups are willing to admit to points in agreement.

Yet it would be interesting to compare the lists. You say that "Christian denominations on both sides of the Sabbath topic agree with Seventh-day Adventists." I agree that that is true, .

It is a point worth noting... that this idea of the TEN continued in the NT is not "just SDAs" or even "just Bible-Sabbath" groups or "just seventh-day Sabbath" groups.
 
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Albion

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Which just affirms my opening statement that other Christian denominations besides SDAs agree on this detail.

Well, duh. Yes, Christians of all stripes consider the Bible to be divine revelation. But that is not our topic, it's certainly not new to this thread in any case, and it did nothing to resolve the disagreement that is at the center in this discussion.
 
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BobRyan

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BobRyan said:
Which just affirms my opening statement that other Christian denominations besides SDAs agree on this detail.

Well, duh. Yes, Christians of all stripes consider the Bible to be divine revelation. But that is not our topic,

My statement was not "the Bible is the Word of God" (Which of course everyone accepts) -- rather it was specifically about the hotly debated topic of the "Ten Commandments" where for example in the "Sabbath and the Law" forum it is the "TEN" that are primarily being discussed. A very large part of the group that debates the Sabbath over in that forum - considers the TEN as nothing more than "Old Covenant". And of course we would all agree that we are under the NEW Covenant (of Jer 31:31-34) as Christians - and not under the Old Covenant.

That debate happens non-stop on the Sabbath-and-the-Law forum.

=============================

There are 3 main positions here.

1. The Ten Commandments continue to apply to all mankind from OT to NT and the Sabbath is not changed at all from its "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD (YHWH) " (Ex 20:10) form initially given to mankind in Gen 2:1-3 as Exodus 20:11 states when it was "made for mankind" Mark 2:27.

2. The Ten Commandments continue to apply to all mankind from OT to NT in pretty much the same form as in #1 above -- and then the Sabbath is edited and re-pointed to week-day-1 (Sunday) after the cross.

3. The Ten are nailed to the cross as "Old Covenant" or at the very least the Sabbath is nailed to the cross "as Old Covenant" and only nine remain or none remain.
 
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BobRyan

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I recall SDA teachings speak of some cosmic battle between good and evil, but maybe that was someone else.

That is true. SDAs have a lot of teaching about the War in heaven starting with Lucifer's fall and his deceiving 1/3 of the Angels in heaven then coming to Earth and causing the fall of Adam and Eve. Then opposing God's gospel plan on earth to save mankind as we see in places like Job 1 and 2, and in Matt 4. But that is not a debate about "the Sabbath" - but about Satan's claim even in Eden that God cannot be trusted His Word is not to be taken seriously, and as in Job 1 -- God is unjust etc. Many accusations against God, His justice, His Law, His plane of salvation coming from Satan. And Earth is the battlefield on which many issues (as we see in Job 1 and 2) get resolved.
 
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Albion

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My statement was not "the Bible is the Word of God" (Which of course everyone accepts) -- rather it was specifically about the hotly debated topic of the "Ten Commandments"....
Hold it. That has not been any kind of "hotly debated topic" here.

I earlier reproduced part of a link that explains the view of the Christian churches which observe Sunday worship. It's still available.

If you read it and have a case to make against the Scriptural basis for Sunday worship, go ahead. But no strategic end runs or cross-examining of the other person, please. No references to how someone else likes Saturday worship, so we all should reconsider Sunday worship or at least agree that it's without a divine mandate. None of that. Just give us your reasons and the evidence, if there is any. If not, this has gone on too long.
 
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