We are told to follow Christ but how?

ChristServant said:

If all that Christ did in His life was to follow GOD's commandments to the full and fulfil all things as many suggest, how do I do the things He said to do without becoming legalistic and why are somethings okay to follow what He says and not others, who decides?

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If Jesus said do it, then do it. We are called to follow in His footsteps. That doesn't mean we literally have to do every action He did. We don't have to carry an actual cross just because Jesus did it. Instead, we follow His commandments and do our best to live as He lived. Honor God above all. Show everyone God's love by being a living example of that love. Give and help those who need it. Tell the people around you about Jesus. Put your faith in the Lord.

JAL said:

Your response is completely evasive and misrepresentational - doesn't meet the force of the objections at all. Which is fine. You're only confirming my conclusions.
My beef is not with God's commandments. Each of His laws has one meaning ultimately - love. Again, that's the spirit of the law. When Sabbatarians elevate the letter of the law above the spirit of the law, they legalistically undermine love and thereby violate the law.

Dead wrong. The exegetical method relies on ignorant human scholarship. Direct Revelation must tell us God's will - we must hear the Voice (Jn 10:27) - and this can happen with, or without, the existence of the Bible. Consider Abraham.

The existence of laws isn't legalism. Legalism is a misinterpretation/misapplication of law - it's a violation of the law - born from an inordinate preoccupation with the letter of the law.

Again, here's what the letter of the law says: "Six days you shall labor and do all your work" - but I never met an SDA intent upon laboring six days a week! They seem to revel in the easy part of the letter (taking one day off) while shrugging off the hard part. How convenient. And they don't even seem to preach the hard part! Jesus noticed such inconsistencies among the Pharisees - they "obeyed" the law in ways convenient for them. And He called them hypocrites for it.

What about you. Do you ever take vacations? Do you always labor six days a week?

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I’m a bit confused. You say you don’t have a beef with the commandments, but my quote was directly from the Bible, the 4th commandant. So if God’s intention was not literal as you state, would it be okay to murder or steal or lie?

Regarding working 6 days a week God does not want us to be lazy. That ole saying idle hands is the devils workshop. (Not in the Bible) We should do all our work in 5 days and Fridays are the preparation day for Sabbath. It’s the way it’s been from the beginning of time Genesis 2:3. Nothing wrong with taking a vacation as long as Sabbath is kept.

We are supposed to follow Jesus and do as He did as He is our example. Jesus kept the Sabbath. Yes, we should love Jesus with all our hearts and we are saved by grace, but Jesus also says if you love me you will keep My commandments. John 14:15

Regarding working 6 days a week God does not want us to be lazy. That ole saying idle hands is the devils workshop. (Not in the Bible) We should do all our work in 5 days and Fridays are the preparation day for Sabbath. It’s the way it’s been from the beginning of time Genesis 2:3. Nothing wrong with taking a vacation as long as Sabbath is kept.

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Evasive. My objection to this statement has been clear for several posts now. You Sabbatarians claim to take the commandment literally but in fact you don't. Go back and read Genesis 1. How many days did God work? Five? Or Six?

imge said:

I’m a bit confused. You say you don’t have a beef with the commandments, but my quote was directly from the Bible, the 4th commandant. So if God’s intention was not literal as you state, would it be okay to murder or steal or lie?

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You're certainly not taking it literally by working only five days a week.

Here's what legalists fail to understand. Written law can only express micro-snapshots of God's specific will. Why so? Because circumstances, governments, nations,languages, customs, cultures, etc are constantly changing. That's why we need the Voice. When looking at the Bible, the only thing we can be fairly certain of is that all His commands spell love. You cannot ascertain the specifics of His will without the Voice. You can HOPE to get a general idea of His will from the written Word - but that (exegetical) process is NOT very reliable. It's better than nothing, if you don't hear His voice clearly (most of us are not yet prophets so we don't hear much that is clear).

Maybe I can shed a little light here. How were the 10 commandments originally delivered to Israel? On stone tablets? Wrong. The Voice SPOKE the words to all Israel (Ex 20). The admonition, "Obey my law" is rarely found in the OT - it is almost always "Obey my voice", about 50 times. The Hebrew word for voice is qowl, it occurs 500 times in the OT, always in sonic contexts. And the Hebrew word for "obey" actually means to hearken unto a voice.

You have NO OBLIGATION to a bunch of written laws. Your ONLY obligation is to the voice, actually the voice of conscience (even the divine Voice speaks through the voice of conscience - see my initial post on this thread). That is what Paul was trying to tell the Galatians. By returning to the rule of written law, they had once again enslaved themselves under a yoke of bondage - a bunch of burdensome regulations that were not even necessary for pleasing God.

We are supposed to follow Jesus and do as He did as He is our example. Jesus kept the Sabbath. Yes, we should love Jesus with all our hearts and we are saved by grace, but Jesus also says if you love me you will keep My commandments. John 14:15

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Whether or not Jesus kept the sabbath as religiously as you think is not worth debating. What IS clear is that He obeyed His father's voice instead of blindly and ritualistically observing a bunch of laws/ceremonies.

imge said:

I’m a bit confused. You say you don’t have a beef with the commandments, but my quote was directly from the Bible, the 4th commandant. So if God’s intention was not literal as you state, would it be okay to murder or steal or lie?

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God's intention for whom? Me? Or for a theocratic nation named Israel, situated in the greatest reviving outpouring of the Spirit in world history? Please don't try to tell me that everything that God commanded them is incumbent upon me. It's not. That's why Jesus didn't stone the woman.

Would it be okay to murder or steal or lie?

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Anything you can do with an impeccably clear conscience is righteous (see my initial post on this thread). A few examples (and there are plenty more).
(1) Abraham tried to murder his own son, as directed by the Voice.
(2) Moses and Joshua set out to slaughter 7 nations to gain Canaan, as directed by the Voice.
(3) The woman Rahab lied to protect the people of God and was praised for her righteousness.

JAL said:

Evasive. My objection to this statement has been clear for several posts now. You Sabbatarians claim to take the commandment literally but in fact you don't. Go back and read Genesis 1. How many days did God work? Five? Or Six?


You're certainly not taking it literally by working only five days a week.

Here's what legalists fail to understand. Written law can only express micro-snapshots of God's specific will. Why so? Because circumstances, governments, nations,languages, customs, cultures, etc are constantly changing. That's why we need the Voice. When looking at the Bible, the only thing we can be fairly certain of is that all His commands spell love. You cannot ascertain the specifics of His will without the Voice. You can HOPE to get a general idea of His will from the written Word - but that (exegetical) process is NOT very reliable. It's better than nothing, if you don't hear His voice clearly (most of us are not yet prophets so we don't hear much that is clear).

Maybe I can shed a little light here. How were the 10 commandments originally delivered to Israel? On stone tablets? Wrong. The Voice SPOKE the words to all Israel (Ex 20). The admonition, "Obey my law" is rarely found in the OT - it is almost always "Obey my voice", about 50 times. The Hebrew word for voice is qowl, it occurs 500 times in the OT, always in sonic contexts. And the Hebrew word for "obey" actually means to hearken unto a voice.

You have NO OBLIGATION to a bunch of written laws. Your ONLY obligation is to the voice, actually the voice of conscience (even the divine Voice speaks through the voice of conscience - see my initial post on this thread). That is what Paul was trying to tell the Galatians. By returning to the rule of written law, they had once again enslaved themselves under a yoke of bondage - a bunch of burdensome regulations that were not even necessary for pleasing God.

Whether or not Jesus kept the sabbath as religiously as you think is not worth debating. What IS clear is that He obeyed His father's voice instead of blindly and ritualistically observing a bunch of laws/ceremonies.

Click to expand...

Gods 4th commandment taken from Exodus 20:8-11
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.

It's says we should do all our labor/work in six days, that could be working a job, working around the house, working out, running errands, how we use that time to work is our choice, but very clearly God said to "Remember" the Sabbath day, keep Holy the Sabbath day and the Lord Blessed the Sabbath day. Just like He did from creation.

Genesis 2:3 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

If you think Sabbath is only for the Jews/Israel Please read these verses:

Isaiah 66:23
And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
Notice is doesn't say only Jews, it says all. That is everyone. The sabbath is clearly defined in the commandments as the seventh-day God's Holy day.

In the forth commandment it says:

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.

That's everyone.

Mark 2:27 27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Jesus again said for man (everyone) He doesn't say Jews.


The commandments were written with the finger of God:
Exodus 31:18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

These commandments are different than the laws spoken to Moses that Moses wrote in a book. The distinction is clearly made in the 10 commandments that God refers to His commandments as My commandments as shown in the Lord's 2nd commandment

Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Also note, who does God show mercy to:

6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Similar to many passages in the Bible including the ones in Revelations

Revelations 14:12 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Revelations 22:14-15 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.


Here is a good example of Moses law
1 Corinthians 9:9
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?

There is nothing in the 10 commandments about muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.

I hope these scriptures help. God bless.

imge said:

It's in God's 10 commandments and the 4th Commandment. Maybe you should re-read Exodus 20 again. Are you saying the only commandment we are supposed to forget is the only commandment that starts with the word "Remember" the only one that uses the word "Holy" and the only one that was "blessed"?

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I already showed you that the definition of the Hebrew word translated to Holy does not mean worship. Nowhere in the entire Bible are we commanded to worship on the Sabbath.

BNR32FAN said:

I already showed you that the definition of the Hebrew word translated to Holy does not mean worship. Nowhere in the entire Bible are we commanded to worship on the Sabbath.

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That's where this passage helps:


Isaiah 66:23
And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

imge said:

1 Corinthians 7:19
19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.

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Circumcision was a commandment of God until the Holy Spirit abolished it at the first ecumenical council. This is the second time I’ve told you this.

“This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants. A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭17:10-14‬ ‭NASB‬‬

This commandment was abolished in Acts 15 by the Holy Spirit who guided the apostles in their decision.

“After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, ' AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, and they sent this letter by them, "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. "Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:13-29‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Now, God did command foreigners living among the Jews to be circumcised and the first ecumenical council did, by the Holy Spirit, abolish that commandment. Now if your going to persist in your statement that the Holy Spirit does not abolish God’s commandments you need to provide evidence that either Gentiles were not commanded to be circumcised or that circumcision is still necessary for them.

ChristServant said:

We are told to follow Christ but how?

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Simple - when HE tells you to do something, then do it.

imge said:

That's where this passage helps:


Isaiah 66:23
And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

Click to expand...

Again this is not a commandment this is a prophecy that will be fulfilled. That’s why it’s called the prophecy of Isaiah. It’s a foretelling of future events not a commandment of God.

“"For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me," declares the LORD, "So your offspring and your name will endure. "And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me," says the LORD. "Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind."”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:22-24‬ ‭NASB‬‬

BNR32FAN said:

Circumcision was a commandment of God until the Holy Spirit abolished it at the first ecumenical council. This is the second time I’ve told you this.

“This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants. A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭17:10-14‬ ‭NASB‬‬

This commandment was abolished in Acts 15 by the Holy Spirit who guided the apostles in their decision.

“After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, ' AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,' SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas-Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, and they sent this letter by them, "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. "Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:13-29‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Now, God did command foreigners living among the Jews to be circumcised and the first ecumenical council did, by the Holy Spirit, abolish that commandment. Now if your going to persist in your statement that the Holy Spirit does not abolish God’s commandments you need to provide evidence that either Gentiles were not commanded to be circumcised or that circumcision is still necessary for them.

Click to expand...

Before I do, are you going to address any of the scriptures I provided to you? The scriptures were pretty clear. I'm happy to address this latest post, although I am sure it has been addressed previously on the forum.

BNR32FAN said:

Again this is not a commandment this is a prophecy that will be fulfilled. That’s why it’s called the prophecy of Isaiah. It’s a foretelling of future events not a commandment of God.

“"For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me," declares the LORD, "So your offspring and your name will endure. "And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me," says the LORD. "Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind."”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:22-24‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Click to expand...

Maybe this will help:
Is it necessary to go to church on the Sabbath? | Sabbath Truth
It's true that when God first instituted the Sabbath in Eden, He made no mention of going to church on that day; He just set it aside for a holy purpose, which He would expand upon at a later time. (See Genesis 2:1-3.) And in Exodus, He did indeed give us more details about the specifics of that holy day in the Ten Commandments. Still, the Ten Commandments give no instruction that we are to gather together for worship on that day. They just give guidelines on what it means to keep it holy. (See Exodus 20:8–11.)

But as we move forward in Scripture, we come across an enlightening verse in Leviticus: “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings” (Leviticus 23:3). The word “convocation” is from the Hebrew word—miqrâ'—which means a public meeting, assembly, or gathering. Here God added a detail about the Sabbath: It’s also to be a time for holy assemblies (i.e., worship services).

Further, in Isaiah, we read, “ ‘It shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord” (Isaiah 66:23). This is speaking of worship in eternity, but God specifically mentions the Sabbath and coming together for worship in this passage.

The main reason, though, that we associate the Sabbath with assembling for worship is the example of Jesus. Here are some scriptures that highlight this:

• “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught” (Mark 1:21).
• “When the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!’ ” (Mark 6:2).
• “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16).
• “Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered” (Luke 6:6).

Over and over again, we see Jesus in the synagogue on the Sabbath. We’re even told that it was His custom to be there on that day. The disciples also followed in the example of Jesus, as we can clearly see in the book of Acts:

• “When they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down” (Acts 13:14).
• “When the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath” (Acts 13:42).
• “He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4).

These scriptures are referring to church services, where people gathered together on the Sabbath day.

Did Jesus and His disciples worship at the synagogue every Sabbath only because they were Jews? Was it simply a cultural thing to do? God created the seventh-day Sabbath and set it apart for rest and worship when there were only two human beings on the planet—long before Abraham, the father of the Jews. Also, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). The word “man” comes from the Greek word “anthropos.” This word is where we get our word “anthropology” and means “human being.” Jesus and His disciples worshiped every Sabbath not because they were Jews but because they were human beings!

Now let’s look at this issue from a common-sense point of view. God said that we are to keep the Sabbath holy. That means no work, i.e., ceasing from secular labor, according to Exodus 20:8–11. That leaves us with a free day! What better way to spend the Sabbath than to gather together with like-minded believers and worship the God who created it?

Worship itself is an act of love. What a privilege to worship our Lord, on His holy day, surrounded by His people—that’s a triple blessing for us! Also, no person is an island—we gather strength from one another. That’s why God told us the following in Hebrews 10:24, 25: “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

If you’re looking for a verse that specifically says, “Go to church on Sabbath,” you won’t find it. However, God has given us the example of His Son, additional verses, and common sense to help us answer this question with confidence.

imge said:

Before I do, are you going to address any of the scriptures I provided to you? The scriptures were pretty clear. I'm happy to address this latest post, although I am sure it has been addressed previously on the forum.

Click to expand...

I did address both of them. The commandment to keep the Sabbath in Exodus says nothing about worship and the verse you quoted in Isaiah is a foretelling of future events, it’s not a commandment.

imge said:

Maybe this will help:
Is it necessary to go to church on the Sabbath? | Sabbath Truth
It's true that when God first instituted the Sabbath in Eden, He made no mention of going to church on that day; He just set it aside for a holy purpose, which He would expand upon at a later time. (See Genesis 2:1-3.) And in Exodus, He did indeed give us more details about the specifics of that holy day in the Ten Commandments. Still, the Ten Commandments give no instruction that we are to gather together for worship on that day. They just give guidelines on what it means to keep it holy. (See Exodus 20:8–11.)

But as we move forward in Scripture, we come across an enlightening verse in Leviticus: “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings” (Leviticus 23:3). The word “convocation” is from the Hebrew word—miqrâ'—which means a public meeting, assembly, or gathering. Here God added a detail about the Sabbath: It’s also to be a time for holy assemblies (i.e., worship services).

Further, in Isaiah, we read, “ ‘It shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord” (Isaiah 66:23). This is speaking of worship in eternity, but God specifically mentions the Sabbath and coming together for worship in this passage.

The main reason, though, that we associate the Sabbath with assembling for worship is the example of Jesus. Here are some scriptures that highlight this:

• “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught” (Mark 1:21).
• “When the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!’ ” (Mark 6:2).
• “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16).
• “Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered” (Luke 6:6).

Over and over again, we see Jesus in the synagogue on the Sabbath. We’re even told that it was His custom to be there on that day. The disciples also followed in the example of Jesus, as we can clearly see in the book of Acts:

• “When they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down” (Acts 13:14).
• “When the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath” (Acts 13:42).
• “He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:4).

These scriptures are referring to church services, where people gathered together on the Sabbath day.

Did Jesus and His disciples worship at the synagogue every Sabbath only because they were Jews? Was it simply a cultural thing to do? God created the seventh-day Sabbath and set it apart for rest and worship when there were only two human beings on the planet—long before Abraham, the father of the Jews. Also, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). The word “man” comes from the Greek word “anthropos.” This word is where we get our word “anthropology” and means “human being.” Jesus and His disciples worshiped every Sabbath not because they were Jews but because they were human beings!

Now let’s look at this issue from a common-sense point of view. God said that we are to keep the Sabbath holy. That means no work, i.e., ceasing from secular labor, according to Exodus 20:8–11. That leaves us with a free day! What better way to spend the Sabbath than to gather together with like-minded believers and worship the God who created it?

Worship itself is an act of love. What a privilege to worship our Lord, on His holy day, surrounded by His people—that’s a triple blessing for us! Also, no person is an island—we gather strength from one another. That’s why God told us the following in Hebrews 10:24, 25: “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

If you’re looking for a verse that specifically says, “Go to church on Sabbath,” you won’t find it. However, God has given us the example of His Son, additional verses, and common sense to help us answer this question with confidence.

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Ok so now you can stop telling people that God commanded us to worship on Saturday then right?

imge said:

Gods 4th commandment taken from Exodus 20:8-11
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.

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We've been over this time and again. You yourself don't heed the 4th commandment literally. Instead of laboring six days a week like commands, you fudge your away around it with compromises like this:

It's says we should do all our labor/work in six days, that could be working a job, working around the house, working out, running errands, how we use that time to work is our choice...

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Again, attempting to ascertain God's commands from a book, without the aid of Direct Revelation, is inane.

If you think Sabbath is only for the Jews/Israel Please read these verses:

Isaiah 66:23
And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
Notice is doesn't say only Jews, it says all. That is everyone.

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Exegesis is never reliable. For example Joel's prophecy was for 'all flesh' - did the Spirit fall on everyone that day? Don't bother answer that, because I anticipate it will just be another exegetically unsupportable speculation on your part. And the passage you cited seems to be both eschatological and theocratic - neither of which applies today.

Mark 2:27 27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Jesus again said for man (everyone) He doesn't say Jews.

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You missed the whole point of His statement (in addition to a faulty analysis that prematurely scopes it beyond Jews). You can paraphrase it thus:

"Man wasn't created to become a slave of the Sabbath ritual. Rather the Sabbath ritual was created to serve man."

It wasn't supposed to be a burden. In the verse you cited, the Sabbath HAD become a burden, because the disciples were hungry. Therefore the Voice (Christ) authorized them to forego it. And that same Voice speaks to use through the voice of conscience today. If your conscience tells you honor Saturday, you're obligated! I'm just trying to enlighten your conscience, as Paul did with the Galatians, not to mention the Colossians (Col 2:16). But if you want to remain under a yoke of bondage, that's your prerogative.

Here's what's really sad. About 20 years ago I attended an SDA church somewhat optimistically. After all, all the churches are pretty far off track, in my opinion, so one isn't any better than the other. I expected the usual flow and presence of the Spirit that I find at any church (which most Christians don't realize to be utterly minimal compared to a real revival).

But you know what I experienced there? Nothing. I was stunned. I was left with the distinct suspicion that SDA churches possibly suffer a spiritual drought caused by a kind of self-righteousness displeasing to God. The very nature of the doctrine creates a rift between them and other denominations because it boasts, "We are the ones who are obeying God's commandments. You other churches are falling short."

I don't plan to keep going in circles with you.

BNR32FAN said:

Ok so now you can stop telling people that God commanded us to worship on Saturday then right?

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Are you saying now we are not to worship God?

God blessed and sanctified the seventh-day Sabbath.

sanctify
[ˈsaNG(k)təˌfī]
VERB
sanctified (past tense) · sanctified (past participle)

1. set apart as or declare holy; consecrate.
   "a small shrine was built to sanctify the site"
   synonyms:
   consecrate · make holy · make sacred · bless · hallow · set apart · dedicate to God · anoint · ordain · canonize · beatify
   • make legitimate or binding by religious sanction.

I dedicate the seventh-day Sabbath to God as instructed by scriptures which includes worshipping Him in fellowship, studying the Bible (is this not considered Holy or sacred) in prayer (not Holy or sacred) and as a way of getting to know Him which the Lord says:

Mathew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

1 John 2:4 If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

I think you are getting caught up in semantics and I would be careful of that. To try to find the scriptures that prove you don't need to obey Gods commandments instead of going off the the incredible amount of scriptures that God clearly asks us to keep His commandments. There is even scripture warning of those who tell others not to keep His commandments

Mathew 5:19
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven

JAL said:

We've been over this time and again. You yourself don't heed the 4th commandment literally. Instead of laboring six days a week like commands, you fudge your away around it with compromises like this:



Again, attempting to ascertain God's commands from a book, without the aid of Direct Revelation, is inane.


Exegesis is never reliable. For example Joel's prophecy was for 'all flesh' - did the Spirit fall on everyone that day? Don't bother answer that, because I anticipate it will just be another exegetically unsupportable speculation on your part. And the passage you cited seems to be both eschatological and theocratic - neither of which applies today.


You missed the whole point of His statement (in addition to a faulty analysis that prematurely scopes it beyond Jews). You can paraphrase it thus:

"Man wasn't created to become a slave of the Sabbath ritual. Rather the Sabbath ritual was created to serve man."

It wasn't supposed to be a burden. In the verse you cited, the Sabbath HAD become a burden, because the disciples were hungry. Therefore the Voice (Christ) authorized them to forego it. And that same Voice speaks to use through the voice of conscience today. If your conscience tells you honor Saturday, you're obligated! I'm just trying to enlighten your conscience, as Paul did with the Galatians, not to mention the Colossians (Col 2:16). But if you want to remain under a yoke of bondage, that's your prerogative.

Here's what's really sad. About 20 years ago I attended an SDA church somewhat optimistically. After all, all the churches are pretty far off track, in my opinion, so one isn't any better than the other. I expected the usual flow and presence of the Spirit that I find at any church (which most Christians don't realize to be utterly minimal compared to a real revival).


But you know what I experienced there? Nothing. I was stunned. I was left with the distinct suspicion that SDA churches possibly suffer a spiritual drought caused by a kind of self-righteousness displeasing to God. The very nature of the doctrine creates a rift between them and other denominations because it boasts, "We are the ones who are obeying God's commandments. You other churches are falling short."

I don't plan to keep going in circles with you.

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I am sorry to hear that, you mention you think the SDA is far off track and maybe that's why you didn't feel the Holy Spirit because you didn't come with an open mind? I can tell you that's not the case for me and many others I know. Personally, I don't think going one time is enough to make that decision. Maybe try again with an open mind? I personally had to go to a few SDA churches to find the one I am most connected to. Even though the word is from God, some deliver it better than others in my opinion. My current pastor is Pastor Doug Bachelor and he is by far my favorite pastor to listen to. He reaches me as he is very logical, has a calm voice and preaches to you and not at you. He is also online, you may want to give him a try. AmazingFacts.com I am concerned because I am moving and I am not sure I can beat my current pastor, but I have faith God will lead me to a new SDA church I will equally enjoy. I might have to try a few though before settling in.

That's why God made the new covenant with the same commandments so they are in your heart, not something you do because you have to, we obey because we love Jesus. I'll provide scripture on this as you asked in previous posts a little later when I have more time. God bless.

imge said:

Are you saying now we are not to worship God?

God blessed and sanctified the seventh-day Sabbath.

sanctify
[ˈsaNG(k)təˌfī]
VERB
sanctified (past tense) · sanctified (past participle)

1. set apart as or declare holy; consecrate.
   "a small shrine was built to sanctify the site"
   synonyms:
   consecrate · make holy · make sacred · bless · hallow · set apart · dedicate to God · anoint · ordain · canonize · beatify
   • make legitimate or binding by religious sanction.

I dedicate the seventh-day Sabbath to God as instructed by scriptures which includes worshipping Him in fellowship, studying the Bible (is this not considered Holy or sacred) in prayer (not Holy or sacred) and as a way of getting to know Him which the Lord says:

Mathew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

1 John 2:4 If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

I think you are getting caught up in semantics and I would be careful of that. To try to find the scriptures that prove you don't need to obey Gods commandments instead of going off the the incredible amount of scriptures that God clearly asks us to keep His commandments. There is even scripture warning of those who tell others not to keep His commandments

Mathew 5:19
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven

Click to expand...

There is no commandment to worship on the Sabbath, you even said so yourself in your last comment. You keep posting verses pertaining to keeping God’s commandments when Saturday worship isn’t a commandment. Do you really think people go to church on Sunday to defy God?Your just comparing righteousness much like the Pharisee compared his to the tax collector.

imge said:

Are you saying now we are not to worship God?

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I don’t know how you could possibly come up with that idea.

BNR32FAN said:

There is no commandment to worship on the Sabbath, you even said so yourself in your last comment. You keep posting verses pertaining to keeping God’s commandments when Saturday worship isn’t a commandment. Do you really think people go to church on Sunday to defy God?Your just comparing righteousness much like the Pharisee compared his to the tax collector.

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There is no scripture to go to church on Sunday. Furthermore, Sunday is not a day that God Blessed or made Holy. God rested on the seventh day, He sanctified it, He blessed it. He asked us to "Remember" it. Jesus kept the seventh-day Sabbath. Just from a common sense perspective, that's enough for me.