One of The STRONGEST Arguments for The Sabbath ~

Soyeong said:

If we love God and our neighbor, then we will not commit adultery, idolatry, theft, murder, breaking the Sabbath, an so forth for all of the other laws that God has given. For example, by obeying the command to help the poor we are also obeying the command to love our neighbor, so all of the commands that God has given are examples of what it means to love God and our neighbor, which is why Jesus said that those are the greatest two commandments, and that all of the other commandments hang on them, so they are all connected.

In 1 Peter 1:16, we are told to have a holy conduct for God is holy, which is a quote from where God was given instructions for how to have a holy conduct, which includes keeping God's Sabbaths holy (Leviticus 19:2-3), so following those instructions is about expressing God's holiness, and when we express aspects of God's nature through our actions, we are expressing our love for the nature of who God is, which is why there are many verses in both the OT and the NT that associate our love for God with our obedience to His commandments. What Jesus was telling us to do by quoting the greatest two commandments should not be understood as excluding things that the Israelites were being told to do when they were given those commandments.

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Understood yet I have no need to keep one day Holy when I choose to keep all days Holy. Afterall what is Holy behavior? Just keeping ten Commandments? No it goes way beyond the ten. It is ok if one esteems" one" day and others esteem "everyday". It has no bearing on our salvation however there are weightier matters that will. Thanks for engaging.

SabbathBlessings said:

You need to read Hebrews 4.

There are two rests mentioned here, the seventh day Sabbath rest and the gospel rest we receive when we are obedient to the Sabbath commandment.

Hebrews 4:6 6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,

What did the Israelites disobey?

Ezekiel 20:13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbath

You do not receive the blessings of God by disobeying Him. The Sabbath is God’s holy day (undisputed) from the very beginning Genesis 2:1-3 and will be forever Isaiah 66:23 as promised by God Exodus 31:16

Isaiah 58:13-14 is another example of conditional blessings of God when we obey His Sabbath commandment.

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"Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

...there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

This Word is not for just one day of the week.

Today means every day.

We honour Him every day not just one in seven.

We rest in Him every day not just one in seven.

By focusing on the one you miss the permanent rest He is offering.

Why would you not want a deep permanent rest with Him?

I feel sorry that you seem to have missed this special gift.

Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart and miss His permanent rest.

Maria Billingsley said:

Understood yet I have no need to keep one day Holy when I choose to keep all days Holy. Afterall what is Holy behavior? Just keeping ten Commandments? No it goes way beyond the ten. It is ok if one esteems" one" day and others esteem "everyday". It has no bearing on our salvation however there are weightier matters that will. Thanks for engaging.

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God did not command to keep every day holy, but rather He commanded to keep the 7th day holy, so we should trust in what God commanded. A day that is holy is set apart and in order for there to be a day that is set apart, there also needs to be a day that it is set apart from, so to treat every day as being the same is to treat none of them as being holy. If we did on every day what God wants us to do on the Sabbath, then we would do no work, but God also wants us to work. God has given instructions in Leviticus for how to have a holy behavior. Our salvation is from sin (Matthew 1:21), sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), and God's law says to keep the 7th day holy (Exodus 20:8-11), so part of the content of the gift of our salvation is Jesus saving us from not keeping the 7th day holy. Holiness is one of the weightier matters and keeping the Sabbath holy in an aspect of that.

It is ok if one esteems" one" day and others esteem "everyday".

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The topic of Romans 14 stated in the first verse is in regard to how to handle disputable matters of opinion, so it is in regard to issues where God has given no command. For example, God has given no command to fast twice a week, but that had become a common practice in the 1st century, and people who were esteeming certain days for fasting as a matter of opinion were passing judgement on those who did not, and were in turn being resented, so it was exactly this sort of judging each other over opinions that Paul was addressing in this chapter. On the other hand, God has commanded His people to keep the 7th day holy, so whether or not someone does that is not a disputable matter of opinion, but a matter of obedience to God. Paul was not suggesting that we are free to commit idolatry, adultery, theft, murder, break the Sabbath, or disobey any of God's other commands as long as we are convinced in our own minds that it is ok, but rather that was only said in regard to things that are disputable matters of opinion. The Sabbath was not even mentioned once in Romans 14, precisely because it had nothing to do with the topic Paul was discussing, so we should be careful not to insert the commands of God into what was only said against following the opinions of man.

Carl Emerson said:

"Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

...there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

This Word is not for just one day of the week.

Today means every day.

We honour Him every day not just one in seven.

We rest in Him every day not just one in seven.

By focusing on the one you miss the permanent rest He is offering.

Why would you not want a deep permanent rest with Him?

I feel sorry that you seem to have missed this special gift.

Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart and miss His permanent rest.

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There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, so we should continue to keep the 7th day holy. In Hebrews 4:11, we should strive to enter into that rest so that no one may fall away by the same sort of disobedience, so you trying to use entering into God's rest to justify the same sort of disobedience that they were specifically criticized for in Ezekiel 20:13 is exactly the opposite of what was being said. In Matthew 11:28-30 and Jeremiah 6:16-19, God's law is described as the good way where we will find rest for our souls, and this is inclusive of the command to keep the 7th day holy, so entering into God's rest does not exclude that command, but rather there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. God's laws are His instructions for how to enter into His permanent rest, not the way to miss doing that.

Soyeong said:

So if we correct understand a spiritual principle, then it will lead us to take actions that are examples of that principle, which means that there is not such thing as keeping God's laws in a spiritual manner apart from actually doing what it instructs.

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I agree. So that's what the People of God do.

The Narrow Way said:

"If ye love Me, KEEP My Commandments." John 14:15.

The Sabbath is the 4th Commandment, nestled in amongst the other 9. It is the ONLY one of all 10 that uses the word REMEMBER. Do you think it's maybe because God KNEW those who claim to be His followers would FORGET to keep it, so He gave them an extra reminder...and said, "REMEMBER the Sabbath Day to KEEP it Holy."

It all boils down to whether or not we LOVE God. If we LOVE Him, we'll do what He says. If we don't do what He says, it's proof our LOVE is not what it should be.

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Yes. Jesus is the Sabbath.

Soyeong said:

There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, so we should continue to keep the 7th day holy. In Hebrews 4:11, we should strive to enter into that rest so that no one may fall away by the same sort of disobedience, so you trying to use entering into God's rest to justify the same sort of disobedience that they were specifically criticized for in Ezekiel 20:13 is exactly the opposite of what was being said. In Matthew 11:28-30 and Jeremiah 6:16-19, God's law is described as the good way where we will find rest for our souls, and this is inclusive of the command to keep the 7th day holy, so entering into God's rest does not exclude that command, but rather there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. God's laws are His instructions for how to enter into His permanent rest, not the way to miss doing that.

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So a couple of questions.

Do folks who keep Sunday as a Sabbath lose their salvation?

Do folks who Sabbath Rest in Jesus everyday and dont observe one day in seven lose their salvation?

Thanks for your answers.

Carl Emerson said:

So a couple of questions.

Do folks who keep Sunday as a Sabbath lose their salvation?

Do folks who Sabbath Rest in Jesus everyday and dont observe one day in seven lose their salvation?

Thanks for your answers.

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Our salvation is from sin (Matthew 1:21) and sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), so living in obedience to God's law is the content of the gift of being saved from living in transgression of God's law, so keeping the 7th day holy is part of the content of our salvation. Whether someone refusing to come to Christ when it comes to keeping the 7th day holy is sufficient to prevent them from being saved is not my decision to make, but I pray that it is not sufficient.

In Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus said that whoever relaxes the least part of the law or teaches others to do the same would be called least in the Kingdom of God, so it would appear that there might be room for someone to relax the command to keep the 7th day holy while still making it into the Kingdom, however, that is not a good position to aim for. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of God, and the Father has made His will known through His law (Psalms 40:8). Furthermore, Jesus said that he would tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him because he never knew them, and this was said of people who were doing good things, so refusing to obey God's law can still prevent someone from entering the Kingdom, and people are much better off trusting God when it comes to keeping the 7th day holy.

In regard to Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus kept the 7th day holy, and he was inviting people to come to him for rest and to learn from him, so someone who refuses to keep the 7th day holy is also refusing to come to Jesus for rest in that regard. The reasons why God specifically chose to give all of the laws that He did teach us something about the nature of who He is, so our goal should be to represent the nature of who God is as accurately as we can through living in obedience to His law, while someone who refuses to keep the 7th day holy is denying the truth about what that law teaches us about the nature of God and is misrepresenting who He is. Again, whether that is sufficient to cause someone to lose their salvation is not my decision to make, but it's something that we would be much better off avoiding.

Carl Emerson said:

The Law forbade healing on the Sabbath

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Where is that in the Torah?

Maria Billingsley said:

It is ok if one esteems" one" day and others esteem "everyday". It has no bearing on our salvation however there are weightier matters that will. Thanks for engaging.

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That is regarding fasting...not the Sabbath day

The Narrow Way said:

"If ye love Me, KEEP My Commandments." John 14:15.

The Sabbath is the 4th Commandment, nestled in amongst the other 9. It is the ONLY one of all 10 that uses the word REMEMBER. Do you think it's maybe because God KNEW those who claim to be His followers would FORGET to keep it, so He gave them an extra reminder...and said, "REMEMBER the Sabbath Day to KEEP it Holy."

It all boils down to whether or not we LOVE God. If we LOVE Him, we'll do what He says. If we don't do what He says, it's proof our LOVE is not what it should be.

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It all depends on how religious you are and how much of a Pharisee. Also, how much you value Jesus' teaching and the New Testament. I live in the blessing of the new covenant, not under the weight of stone tablets. I found that you cannot fellowship with a stone. My life is Christ. I am led by the Spirit. Sabbatarians have no idea what the New Covenant is about. And since you place yourselves under the law, you are judged by the law. Good luck with that. I prefer God's mercy and grace. The Love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. I obey the Lord Jesus. I drove to a meeting this afternoon. Shock horror. I worked on Sunday. I'm glad there are no Sabbatarians around. I would be stoned to death.

honestal said:

To me, one of the strongest arguments, not just for the Sabbath, but for the entire law, is Matthew 5:17--"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law." {NIV}

To make it even clearer and stronger, in my mind at least, Jesus then basically repeated Himself--"I have not come to abolish [it].

Unfortunately... because He then finishes that second statement with the declaration--"I have come to fulfill them," most Christians interpret that to be ultimately saying--HE DID COME TO ABOLISH THE LAW.

To me, that's a horrible twisting of Christ's words.

How can he twice say He had not come to abolish the law, and then abolish the law?

When He said He came to "fulfill" them, He was saying He came to obey them.

"I have kept my Father's commandments." {John 15:10}

P.S.--He then went on to say: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” {vs 19}

(These words weren't even written and published till long after His death. They make absolutely no sense at all if Christ abolished the law at His death.)

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The gospels are simply a record of what Jesus did and said. They were written after the epistles. Legalists no doubt would remove the letter to the Galatians and Colossians from the Bible. Sorry, they are there, like it or not.

Aussie Pete said:

It all depends on how religious you are and how much of a Pharisee. Also, how much you value Jesus' teaching and the New Testament. I live in the blessing of the new covenant, not under the weight of stone tablets. I found that you cannot fellowship with a stone. My life is Christ. I am led by the Spirit. Sabbatarians have no idea what the New Covenant is about. And since you place yourselves under the law, you are judged by the law. Good luck with that. I prefer God's mercy and grace. The Love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. I obey the Lord Jesus. I drove to a meeting this afternoon. Shock horror. I worked on Sunday. I'm glad there are no Sabbatarians around. I would be stoned to death.

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What do you need grace for then? Sin is the transgression of the law. Do you not sin? If there is no law and no sin what need do you have of grace? Do you think the Son and the Father are not One? You say you obey Him...He obeyed The Father...

Are you under the law or under grace?
Did you fall from grace?

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:4-8

Jesus was made a curse, so we might be blessed.
Are you now making you a curse by carrying a cross? Are putting Jesus into open shame? Did He do the work, not you?
Just something to think about for all who are focused on law.

Aussie Pete said:

I live in the blessing of the new covenant not under the weight of stone tablets.

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“He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second… This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them.” {Hebrews 10:9 & 16; also 8:7-10 NLT}

Under the Old Covenant God's law was written on tables of stone.

Under the New Covenant God's law is written in our hearts.

"This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." {1 John 5:3}

Yeshua HaDerekh said:

Where is that in the Torah?

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So the Pharisees got that wrong?

If one wants to live under the law, they first have to know all 613 commandments of it . And then they have to obey all of it. Obeying 70, 80, 90% of those hundreds of commandments isn't good enough. One can remember the sabbath and keep it as holy as possible, and it will avail them not, because if they're going to live by the law, they have to live by the whole entire complete very long and complicated law. Seems some people think if they take Saturday off from work and attend a 90 minute church service they have kept the law. But they have only kept a fraction of the law. It's not anywhere near that easy to live under the law.

Carl Emerson said:

So he lied to Jesus?

I don't think so...

He kept the Law...

But to follow Jesus, for him, required much more than keeping the law.

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I think you missed the whole point of the parable.

Matthew 19 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The lesson here is the ruler wanted eternal life and was willing to do some of the things that are required, but he wanted Jesus on his terms, not on Jesus terms. Jesus told him to follow Him, but the ruler went away sad because he had great possessions he placed his “great possessions” over following Jesus which is breaking commandment #1. Had he followed Jesus there may have been another book in the Bible about him and he could have been another disciple.

Sadly many people misunderstand this very important parable, just like many people want God on their terms and not on God’s terms.

So we aren't going to see billions condemned to hell for failing to keep the Saturday for worship?