Sabbatarianism among the Reformed

JM · Oct 12, 2016

Br. Stenerson,

If I am a weaker brother by keeping a Lord's Day, I would not ask that you live under my tyranny. It is a matter of conviction. Also, if someone cannot keep a Lord's Day for whatever reason I should not have to live under their tyranny. Let each one be convinced in their own mind. I am not a legalist and have no desire to place anyone under the Law as a means of justification before God, rather, I wish to see people free to live a life seeking to please God by faith.

A. W. Pink taken from his commentary on Hebrews 4:

"There remaineth therefore a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God."

The reference is not to something future, but to what is present. The Greek verb (in its passive form) is never rendered by any other English equivalent than "remaineth." It occurs again in Hebrews 10:26. The word "remain" signifies "to be left after others have withdrawn, to continue unchanged." Here then is a plain, positive, unequivocal declaration by the Spirit of God: "There remaineth therefore a Sabbath-keeping." Nothing could be simpler, nothing less ambiguous. The striking thing is that this statement occurs in the very epistle whose theme is the superiority of Christianity over Judaism; written to those addressed as "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling." Therefore, it cannot be gainsaid that Hebrews 4:9 refers directly to the Christian Sabbath. Hence we solemnly and emphatically declare that any man who says there is no Christian Sabbath takes direct issue with the New Testament scriptures.

The question may arise, "How does one 'keep' a Lord's Day?" I answer, by faith.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

twin1954 · Oct 12, 2016

If you desire to devote one day a week to the worship of God and contemplation of His greatness and graciousness to sinners by all means do so. Just don't call it Sabbath keeping.

JM · Oct 12, 2016

Thank you twin.

sab·bath
ˈsabəTH/
noun

1.
a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday.
2.
a supposed annual midnight meeting of witches with the Devil.

The Sabbath Before the Command by Voddie Bauchum is really good.

Yours,

jm

stenerson · Oct 13, 2016

JM said:
B
A. W. Pink taken from his commentary on Hebrews 4:

"There remaineth therefore a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God."

The reference is not to something future, but to what is present. The Greek verb (in its passive form) is never rendered by any other English equivalent than "remaineth." It occurs again in Hebrews 10:26. The word "remain" signifies "to be left after others have withdrawn, to continue unchanged." Here then is a plain, positive, unequivocal declaration by the Spirit of God: "There remaineth therefore a Sabbath-keeping." Nothing could be simpler, nothing less ambiguous. The striking thing is that this statement occurs in the very epistle whose theme is the superiority of Christianity over Judaism; written to those addressed as "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling." Therefore, it cannot be gainsaid that Hebrews 4:9 refers directly to the Christian Sabbath. Hence we solemnly and emphatically declare that any man who says there is no Christian Sabbath takes direct issue with the New Testament scriptures.

The question may arise, "How does one 'keep' a Lord's Day?" I answer, by faith.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

I respect Pink but that is just awful exegesis.
But don't think for a moment that I'm claiming to be "the stronger brother?" Or that I'm dissing all the great Saints that enjoy keeping the Lord's Day in an OT Sabbatarian manner. Just started this thread to share my take on it and to hear/understand others.

JM · Oct 13, 2016

Brother Stenerson, I can say with you that Sabbath keeping does not save, at all. Only Jesus saves by grace through faith. We agree on that.

Amen.

1John2:4 · Oct 13, 2016

stenerson said:
I mentioned earlier that I grew up in the SDA Church (cult). They are best known for their legalism by way of strict 7th day sabbatarianism, adherence to much of the Mosaic food code and adding many other requirements not in Moses's law.
In regard to Sabbatarianism I admit some frustration in trying to pin down the NT take on the 4th commandment. It seems to me that the Puritans, Presbyterians and other Reformed folk and their creeds take the same view that I grew up with among the SDA.
They simply exchange the 7th day Sabbath for the Lord's day, making the Lord's day a "Christian Sabbath."
I guess the reason I find it frustrating is that they use the same texts, reasoning and logic to defend their Sabbatarianism that the SDA use. "It's a creation mandate" "It's in the Decalogue" etc. Except the SDA can in turn argue that there is no scriptural mandate for a change of day in scripture, and that the Protestants are simply following a relic of Papal shenanigans.
My view is more in line with John Calvin. He claimed that the Sabbath rest foreshadowed the rest we now have in Christ, and saw the regarding of any day as inherently "holy" as superstitious now that Christ has fulfilled it's shadows.
I also understand that it was a sign and seal of the 1st covenant, a covenant which we are no longer under.
I heard a sermon by Philip Johnson on the topic which mirrored my understanding of it.
Link: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=112214959168

Are you saying that the reality of the 1000 year rest is now, or is it still being foreshadowed?

gord44 · Oct 13, 2016

1John2:4 said:
Are you saying that the reality of the 1000 year rest is now, or is it still being foreshadowed?

I am guessing he means now. My boy Sten seems like he accepts sound Amillennial thinking!

stenerson · Oct 13, 2016

1John2:4 said:
Are you saying that the reality of the 1000 year rest is now, or is it still being foreshadowed?

What 1000 year rest?
Are you suggesting that the rest mentioned in Hebrews 4 refers to a future millennium?
I believe it refers to the eternal rest, the peaceful and joyous relationship Adam entered into at creation and fell from when he sinned. I believe the context of Heb 4 is that believers enter into that rest now, though it will be fully realized when we enter the eternal state.

stenerson · Oct 13, 2016

gordRedeemed said:
I am guessing he means now. My boy Sten seems like he accepts sound Amillennial thinking!

That's been my take on it for several years, but been on the fence lately with the post millennial view.

hedrick · Oct 13, 2016

Heb 3, followed by 4, refers to Ps 95, and eventually to Numbers. In the original context it referred to the entry into Canaan. The Word commentary says that Jewish tradition developed an understanding of God's rest as the world to come. So the primary reference is to eventual salvation. Although it's broadly eschatological, I don't see any particular eschatological theory being proposed. However there's also a suggestion that we can enter that rest now. This is consistent with Jesus' message, where the Kingdom of God is an eschatological concept, but it is present now among believers.

1John2:4 · Oct 14, 2016

stenerson said:
What 1000 year rest?
Are you suggesting that the rest mentioned in Hebrews 4 refers to a future millennium?
I believe it refers to the eternal rest, the peaceful and joyous relationship Adam entered into at creation and fell from when he sinned. I believe the context of Heb 4 is that believers enter into that rest now, though it will be fully realized when we enter the eternal state.

Revelation 20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Footnotes:

stenerson · Oct 14, 2016

1John2:4 said:
Revelation 20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key...........etc

Footnotes:

Yep. I'm familiar with that passage. I just never heard the argument that the rest spoken of in Hebrews 4 (which quoted Psalms and Numbers) referred to the millennium.

1John2:4 · Oct 14, 2016

Are you familiar with His Moed or Moedim His Holy Convocations or appointed times? Sabbath is a Moedim it foreshadows an event. It is a rehearsal, God seams to build upon His Holy convocations, He builds meaning into them and significance. For example Paul speaks of Christ being our Passover lamb, If you look at the Passover through spiritual lenses you will see that the Israelites were saved out of bondage with the blood of the lamb (perfect lamb without blemish no bones broken), he is the unleavened bread (bread of life, without sin). Shavuot was the day the Lord wrote the 10 Commandments with his own hand this happened to be the same day as Pentecost when he poured out His spirit on His people. We have several more in the fall which have not been fulfilled Yom Teruah(Trumpets) Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Succot (Tabernacles). If you study these days and read Revelation it really opens up some understanding. These last days may be fulfilled with His second coming. The Sabbath is one of God's holy days, his Moedim. We are supposed to keep it (rehearse) for the reality which is in the body of our Messiah

stenerson · Oct 14, 2016

1John2:4 said:
Are you familiar with His Moed or Moedim His Holy Convocations or appointed times? Sabbath is a Moedim it foreshadows an event. It is a rehearsal, God seams to build upon His Holy convocations, He builds meaning into them and significance. For example Paul speaks of Christ being our Passover lamb, If you look at the Passover through spiritual lenses you will see that the Israelites were saved out of bondage with the blood of the lamb (perfect lamb without blemish no bones broken), he is the unleavened bread (bread of life, without sin). Shavuot was the day the Lord wrote the 10 Commandments with his own hand this happened to be the same day as Pentecost when he poured out His spirit on His people. We have several more in the fall which have not been fulfilled Yom Teruah(Trumpets) Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Succot (Tabernacles). If you study these days and read Revelation it really opens up some understanding. These last days may be fulfilled with His second coming. The Sabbath is one of God's holy days, his Moedim. We are supposed to keep it (rehearse) for the reality which is in the body of our Messiah

The Day of Atone has not been fulfilled?

JM · Oct 20, 2016

stenerson, how do you understand the Sabbath command contained in the Decalogue? I'm just curious, not interested in debate...just asking.

Yours in the Lord.

stenerson · Oct 20, 2016

JM said:
stenerson, how do you understand the Sabbath command contained in the Decalogue? I'm just curious, not interested in debate...just asking.

Yours in the Lord.

Hello JM. I understand it to be the sign and seal of the Mosaic covenant.
The other 9 are shown to us, and made manifest to us by God in general revelation (Romans 1).
The fourth commandment was a sign between God and Israel.
"Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them."
Does it have significance for us today? Of course, it pointed to our eternal rest in the completed work of
Christ on our behalf. As if to say, "if you wish to add the smallest deed to the work of Christ for your reconciliation then you are condemned. " I believe this is illustrated by the seemingly harsh punishment of the guy that violated the command by picking up a few twigs.
Colosians 2 makes it clear that the Sabbaths, New Moons and Yearly festivals were fulfilled in Christ.
The Apostles loaded us up with details concerning Christian living and morals. If the Sabbath commandment was to be continued amongst the gentile converts we would have been given some direction in the matter.

"28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: ~~and from breaking the Sabbath~~ from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well."

So instead of warning and caution about profaning the Sabbath we get caution about returning to the rudiments of the world, keeping of days (in the context of Judaism which includes Sabbaths) and of judging others concerning the keeping of days which were mere shadows.

JM · Oct 20, 2016

Is the Sabbath a work or a rest? It seems you are saying it's a work.

stenerson · Oct 20, 2016

JM said:
Is the Sabbath a work or a rest? It seems you are saying it's a work.

Like circumcision, dietary laws, ritual laws etc. it was an ordinance foreshadowing the work of Christ. I'm not saying it's a work. On the contrary, I'm saying it was a rest that prefigured our "stopping of works" and resting in Christ.
The guy that was stoned for picking up sticks on the Sabbath refused to rest and trust in God's providence.
These carnal ordinances had spiritual significance.

JM · Oct 20, 2016

Is there a moral significance to setting aside a day of rest to worship God?

stenerson · Oct 21, 2016

JM said:
Is there a moral significance to setting aside a day of rest to worship God?

We (Christians) are to set aside time to gather together for the instituted ordinances and for the preaching/teaching of the word/gospel. Some do it 3 times a week (Sunday mornings included).
I , like most here have much respect for R.C. Sproul. He's a Sabbatarian. I heard one of his sermons once which made me scratch my head. He said that he makes it a habit to meet up with a friend Sunday mornings before church for breakfast and coffee at a local diner. He looked around at the people frequenting this diner and told his friend (paraphrasing ) " Wow! all these people that are lost, spending the Lord's Day clueless as to the gospel."

Can you imagine a Sabbatarian during Moses day buying product/services, being served and contributing to others breaking "the Sabbath." He would be stoned along with the workers themselves. This is just one example of the inconsistency of modern day Sabbatarians.
Many Sabbatarians will say, "I believe the Lord's Day is the NT Sabbath, but I'm not fanatical or legalistic about it." In other words they will pick and choose how stringently they will observe this Sabbath. Tell that to the guy that was stoned for picking up twigs.. Or try logic with any other of the 9 commandments. You'd be buried under a barrage of stones.

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