Why the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) is the Lord's Day, in the Bible

[Leaf473]

It was not until 10 days after His ascension that the Holy Spirit was sent and descended on the Apostles. Pentecost is on the first day of the week. That was the first time the Gospel was preached to the world, and everyone heard the Apostles in their own language. The Church was established that day.

I especially like that part.

 

[expos4ever]

Now I want to return to a response I received to the following challenge I offered:

What is Paul saying in these words?:

But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the [h]Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

One response contained (essentially) the following:

Romans 3:19 tells us that the whole world is condemned by the Law

Well, this is not correct as has been shown, especially in post 218 - only Jews are subject to the Law.

We are then presented with extracts of Romans 7 and Romans 6 and the following claims are mooted:

Freedom from slavery to sinning is the context for Romans 7 - as we see in Rom 6.

Paul condemns sin -- not the Law of God

This stuff is substantially true but incomplete.

Let's recap: in Romans 7:6, Paul says we have been released from the Law and no longer serve it. On a common sense reading, this seems pretty clear - no more law. The counterargument appears to be "the law is good and the real target of Paul's critique is sin". Well, this is indeed correct.

But it changes nothing with respect to what Romans 7:6 says - no actual explanation is offered as to why these two truths - that the Law is in itself a good thing and that sin is the real enemy - justify the rather astonishing move of saying that when Paul refers to release from the Law, he is really saying release from the consequences of not following the law - no one ever uses the concept of "released from" in that way! Suppose I am released from a contractual obligation to cut the neighbour's grass - imagine how utterly absurd it would be for me to believe I am still under some sort of obligation to cut the grass! And yet this is precisely what we are being asked to believe.

Now then, back to the matter at hand. Does Romans 7 say sin is the target and that the law is good? Indeed it does, but there is something you are not being told that is absolutely critical:

But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me [m]coveting of every kind; for apart [n]from the Law sin is dead

You are not being told this - that the Law contributes to the problem of sin - how can this be denied given that Paul says that sin is dead apart from the Law! And then there is this:

I was once alive apart [o]from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was [p]to result in life, proved [q]to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it, killed me

Let's be brutally frank: there is no denying that Paul sees the Law as part of the sin problem. And this is why it is so misleading to argue "sin is the problem, not the law, so there is no basis for believing that Paul is setting the Law aside" as I believe is, in fact, being argued. And that argument does not explain why Paul says we are released from the Law, which of course would make sense given, as I have just shown, that the Law is part of the problem! Instead "released from" is arbitrarily morphed into "released from the consequences of not following".

In summary, the fact that sin is the main problem and that the law is inherently good do no work whatsoever to justify taking this:

But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound....

...and transforming it into this:

But now we have been released from the consequences of not following Law but still have to follow it anyway, having died to that by which we were bound

 

[pasifika]

Hi!

It’s a patten that God established as an example for man. We are made in the image of God to follow Him, not to do something different. God worked six days Genesis 1 and sanctified the seventh day set apart to keep holy Genesis 2:1-3

God commanded us the same pattern as Himself…

Exodus 20: 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

The Sabbath is as a memorial to Creation to remember everything God made for us without us. It is the day to honor Him on His holy day Isaiah 58:13 thus saith the Lord

Hebrews 4:10 clearly shows two rests and we enter His rest when we cease our works as God did from His Hebrews 4:10 on the seventh day Hebrews 4:4 which is why Sabbath-keeping is so important and remains for God’s people. Hebrews 4:9-11 NIV God wants to bless us when we obey Him Isaiah 58:13-14 and warns us about being disobedient Hebrews 4:6 Hebrews 4:11

Making Jesus the Sabbath is a doctrine leading people away from the Sabbath commandment the way God commanded it which cannot be edited. Deut 4:2

Hi, if you said it's a pattern to follow. Then the Rest must be achieved only when our work is DONE (fully complete) in six days, as the 7th day is a Sabbath rest. Is it possible to do all our works in 6 days? For example if your work is to build houses can you complete the work in 6 days in order to fully Rest on the 7th day?

 

[pasifika]

What did the post say? "No the text does not say when. It says he that has entered, which is past tense This person who has entered also, in addition to entering into this rest to which they have entered also cease from their own works as God did His."

If it is said in past tense then obviously some have entered as verse 3 states. This rest is the rest to which we receive in Christ Jesus which is the Gospel as verse 2 shows us. He that has entered in to this rest also, in addition to cease from their own works as God did from His. And that ceasing from work was a ceasing from labor on the Seventh Day. His creative work that He did so we can exist. And in this ceasing Exodus says, He was refreshed. So we who have entered into the Rest which is in Christ also, in ADDITION to cease from our labor, our creative work that we do to exist on the Seventh Day which is the Sabbath to be refreshed. As verse 4 and 5 states, For He spake in a certain place (Mt Sinia Ex 20, God did not speak in Gen 2:1-3) of the Seventh Day on this wise, And God did rest from all His works. And in this AGAIN (HE SPEAKS) if they shall enter into my rest. This rest which is the Gospel as verse 2 states. For he that enters into this rest cease from their own works as God did from His.


Exod 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Hi @HIM can you elaborate more on your statement above..."In ADDITION to cease from our labour, our creative work that we do to exist on the seventh day...

what exactly is our labour or creative work?

Thanks

 

[BobRyan]

Now I want to return to a response I received to the following challenge I offered:


One response contained (essentially) the following:

Romans 3:19 tells us that the whole world is condemned by the Law

Well, this is not correct

It is if we are free to actual quote Rom 3:19 rather than just talk about it. Which I think you would agree that we should be bold enough to actually quote the text.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;

There is no such thing as a child of Adam who is just fine rejecting the gospel solution to that problem - and I suspect we both know it.

This is irrefutable.

as has been shown, especially in post 218 - only Jews are subject to the Law.

Not true for the one who takes the time to read Rom 3:19 --- which reminds us that it was always a sin for even gentiles to take God's name in vain.

This is a Bible detail so glaringly obvious that scholars on BOTH sides of the Sabbath debate affirm it.

No wonder almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" for Christians today

 

[BobRyan]

Hi, if you said it's a pattern to follow. Then the Rest must be achieved only when our work is DONE (fully complete) in six days, as the 7th day is a Sabbath rest. Is it possible to do all our works in 6 days? For example if your work is to build houses can you complete the work in 6 days in order to fully Rest on the 7th day?

Not one example of that "all projects must be limited to 6 day projects and not carried over to the next week - or else Sabbath is broken" in all of scripture. And the Bible has a lot of examples of projects that lasted for more than 6 days.

Even Christian denominations who do not observe the Bible 7th day Sabbath - know this point I am making is irrefutable.

 

[pasifika]

Not one example of that "all projects must be limited to 6 day projects and not carried over to the next week - or else Sabbath is broken" in all of scripture. And the Bible has a lot of examples of projects that lasted for more than 6 days.

Even Christian denominations who do not observe the Bible 7th day Sabbath - know this point I am making is irrefutable.

Hi Bob, in that case let say we cannot achieve God's rest on the 7th day because only God can do that.

How about "another day" that we can enter into God's Rest? I mean the one in Hebrews 4.

 

[BobRyan]

The interesting facts of the Bible that are plain was that God chose to rise from the dead on the first day of the week.

True - He rested in the tomb on the 7th day and rose from the grave on the first day. Most Christians do agree with that.

No, the only member of the Church on that dark Sabbath was our Lord’s mother

Well not according to the Bible

Ok let’s review, on the Sabbath

I do prefer sticking with the topic.

The resurrection and the Descent of the Holy Spirit both occur on the first Day of the week? Seems kind of special and sanctified to me,

The Bible says that when we come to celebrate communion, the Lord's Supper -- we declare Christ's death until He comes.

1 Cor 11:24

“This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.​

 

[expos4ever]

It is if we are free to actual quote Rom 3:19 rather than just talk about it. Which I think you would agree that we should be bold enough to actually quote the text.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;

There is no such thing as a child of Adam who is just fine rejecting the gospel solution to that problem - and I suspect we both know it.

This is irrefutable.

Evasive - once again you demonstrate an avoidance behaviour that is clearly not appropriate if we are to have a serious discussion: you are not engaging my argument, at least the one in post 218 which you appear to have read.

This is not opinion - it is fact: there is no sense in which you have addressed the argument in post 218.

Now then, the fact that every mouth will be shut is clearly entirely beside the point. Why? Simply because it certainly could be the case that every mouth could be shut without all being under the Law.

I suggest you know this - it is really obvious.

If half of people in the world are condemned by the Law, and the other half condemned by, say, the witness of their consciences (Romans 1!), then, yes, all are condemned. But, clearly, not all are under the Law in this scenario!

You have to know this, so why are you evading my argument?

 

[BobRyan]

Hi Bob, in that case let say we cannot achieve God's rest on the 7th day

That is not logical.

What is logical is that all mankind even to this day knows how to work on a one month projecct and take a least one day off for rest each week.

In don't see how this is even a little bit confusing

How about "another day" that we can enter into God's Rest? I mean the one in Hebrews 4.

The "another day" statement in Heb 4 - is about David's day as the chapter reminds us. Are you suggesting that you are willing to honor the Sabbath commandment as they did in David's day???

 

[expos4ever]

Not true for the one who takes the time to read Rom 3:19 --- which reminds us that is was always a sin for even gentiles to take God's name in vain.

Romans 3:19 does no such thing.

 

[BobRyan]

It is if we are free to actual quote Rom 3:19 rather than just talk about it. Which I think you would agree that we should be bold enough to actually quote the text.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;

There is no such thing as a child of Adam who is just fine rejecting the gospel solution to that problem - and I suspect we both know it.

This is irrefutable.

Evasive - once again you demonstrate an avoidance behaviour

Not true. Once again I demonstrate that texts like Rom 3:19 are so easy to read and understand that everyone accepts the point.

No wonder almost every Christian denomination on Earth affirms the continued *"unit of TEN" for Christians today

Now then, the fact that every mouth will be shut is clearly entirely beside the point.

unless you like the rest of Christianity admit that all mankind are lost , condemned just as Rom 3:19 states and so all need the Gospel..

This glaringly obvious point is not even a little bit confusing for most readers.

You have free will and can reject all that you wish. But this is a very obvious detail.

Why? Simply because it certainly could be the case that every mouth could be shut without all being under the Law.

"whatever the LAW says - it says to those UNDER THE LAW so that.. EVERY mouth... ALL the WORLD - accountable.

So far your argument is "with the text" -- which is not a very compelling solution.

 

[BobRyan]

Not only was the Apostle Paul keeping the Sabbath but also the Greeks according to the text. And he persuaded them. Did he persuade them not to continue keeping the Sabbath? No mention of that is there.

Very good point as we see in Acts 18:4

 

[BobRyan]

The holy mountain is heaven and that is not the past…. The apostles kept every Sabbath Acts 18:4, and said what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God 1 Cor 7:19 so your argument appears not to be with me.

Exactly

 

[BobRyan]

Isaiah is a Jewish book given to Jews and from the era of burnt sacrifices.

And then we read the book -- where in Is 56:6-8 gentiles are specifically singled out for Sabbath keeping.

And we read Is 66:23 where ALL MANKIND is assigned the role of being Sabbath keepers for all eternity after the cross in the New Earth.

Your interpretation "its for us today" is just your personal view

On the contrary - IT is a case of paying attention to "the details"

No wonder that almost every Christian denomination accepts that ALL TEN are included in the moral law of God and not even remotely set aside and restricted to "just the Jews"

 

[BobRyan]

I asked you to provide clear and specific Scriptures where God gave the commandment to keep the weekly Sabbath to Gentiles

Is 56:6-8

6“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,​

To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord,​

To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the Sabbath​

And holds fast My covenant;​

7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain​

And make them joyful in My house of prayer.​

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;​

For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”​

8 The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares,​

“Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.”​

 

[BobRyan]

Where did God command us to keep Exodus 20:8? We are not ancient Israel.

Is 66:23 ALL MANKIND
IS 56:6-8 GENTILES specifically
Acts 13 - GENTILES ask for more Gospel preaching "on the NEXT Sabbath"

Mark 2:27 Jesus Christ taught "the Sabbath was MADE for MANKIND"

 

[BobRyan]

The question was clearly about if the Sabbath rest of God was temporary or permanent.

The Sabbath command of God is permanent. We are not God.

 

[pasifika]

That is not logical.

What is logical is that all mankind even to this day knows how to work on a one month projecct and take a least one day off for rest each week.

In don't see how this is even a little bit confusing

The "another day" statement in Heb 4 - is about David's day as the chapter reminds us. Are you suggesting that you are willing to honor the Sabbath commandment as they did in David's day???

Is it logical for God to achieve the 7th day Sabbath rest in creation?

Is not logical to achieve a 7th day Sabbath Rest for us humans hence why the command to keep 7th day Sabbath had been broken ever since it was given.

No, the "another day " was spoken by God at the time of David since Joshua ( one of the mediator of the old covenant ) could not be able to give Israel the Rest as God intended.

 

[BobRyan]

BobRyan said:

Agreed and New Covenant Jer 31:31-34 is New Covenant Heb 8:6-12 - where the Law of God is written on the heart for the one that is born again.

True.

IT is on the doctrine of final events we call it eschatology - the events leading up to the second coming.

2 Tim 3: "16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"

We can no more dismiss the book of revelation than we can dismiss Matt 24..

Identifying the purpose of a book and its language is not dismissing the book, its using the book properly.

The book of Revelation is scripture.

2 Tim 3: "16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"


The point remains.