Any scriptural evidence that evangelized Gentiles are to keep the Sabbath?

[eleos1954]

So you agree that there are things that Jesus did that evangelized Gentiles do not have to do (for example, circumcision). How do you know that keeping the the sabbath is not also in the list?

All believers ARE circumcised (spiritual) ... a different way.

Circumcision of the Heart

In the Bible, circumcision almost always refers to a physical act. And this is true of Paul’s writings as well. But in at least three passages he alludes to a circumcision of the heart, a spiritual circumcision. In Romans 2:28-29, Philippians 3:3 and Colossians 2:11 he discusses this spiritual circumcision. This circumcision, rather than cutting off a small part of the flesh, is a cutting off of the fleshly nature.

Colossians 2:11 especially illustrates this circumcision. “In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ.” This circumcision is not done by human hands but by Christ. And it is not just males. All believers have experienced this circumcision of the heart by Christ.

How do you know that keeping the the sabbath is not also in the list?

Are any of the other commandments within the 10 dismissed? They are the law. Without the law we would not know what sin is. It is the law that brings us to repentance ... we are saved by Jesus .... not condemned by the law ... but does not do away with the law. The reminder to keep the Sabbath holy being right in the middle of the law.

Romans 3

Righteousness through Faith in Christ
(Philippians 3:1–11)

21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

25God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. 26He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

What is the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer? To help them overcome sin. What is sin? Transgression of the law.

Jesus reaffirms the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:8

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Mark 2

27Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man (mankind not just Jews), not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

What does it mean to you when Jesus states He is Lord of the Sabbath?

Jesus is God and He did NOT change the 7th day Sabbath (He reaffirmed it) ... the day He created for all of mankind (Adam & Ever were not Jews). He blessed it and sanctified it .... made it holy (keep separate) separated from what? From all other days. And again he tells us to remember it and keep it .... keep it holy/separated from all other days.

 

[TruthSeek3r]

• It was given to Adam, the head of the human race. (Mark 2:27; Genesis 2:1-3.)
• Hence through him, as our representative, to all nations. (Acts 17:26.)
• It is' not a Jewish institution, for it was made 2,300 years before ever there was a Jew.

Two things:
1) Claiming that Acts 17:26 is talking about the Sabbath makes absolutely no sense given the context. Paul is in an Areopagus preaching to Athenians, and in that verse he is talking about history, not weekly sabbaths. The word sabbath is not even used.
2) Are you trying to say that the Sabbath is a commandment since the creation? I'm afraid some people disagree with this. Check out this site: Did Abraham Observe the Sabbath?. It raises interesting points against this view. For example:

• Did Abraham observe the Sabbath?
• Did Joseph keep the Sabbath?
• Did Israel keep the Sabbath in Egypt?

Check out that site.

• God has pronounced a special blessing on all the Gentiles who will keep it. (Isaiah 56:6, 7.)
• This is in the prophecy, which refers wholly to the Christian dispensation. (See Isaiah 56.)
• God has promised to bless all who keep the Sabbath. (Isaiah 56:2.)

Isaiah 56 is clearly talking about the Old Covenant, not the New Covenant. This can be evidently inferred from the text:

4 For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant— 5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. 6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” 8 The Sovereign Lord declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”​

The text clearly refers to a covenant in which burnt offerings and sacrifices are expected. That's unmistakably the old covenant. If you claim that burnt offerings and sacrifices should be interpreted symbolically and not literally, then why don't you also interpret keeping the sabbath symbolically rather than literally too?

• After the holy Sabbath has been trodden down "many generations,” it is to be restored in the last days. (Isaiah 58:12,13.)

Isaiah is prophesying to the Israelites, not to Gentiles, as Isaiah 58:14 clearly indicates:

​

then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

• When the Son of God came, He kept the seventh day all His life. (Luke 4:16; John 15:10.) Thus He followed His Father's example at creation. Shall we not be safe in following the example of both the Father and the Son?

Jesus got physically circumcised too. Should we conclude that evangelized Gentiles have to be circumcised as well?

• The seventh day is the Lord's Day. (See Revelation 1:10; Mark 2:28; Isaiah 58:13; Exodus 20:10.)

1) Any proof that Revelation 1:10 is talking about the Sabbath?
2) Also, Mark 2:28 says "So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”, meaning that is just one among many things Jesus is Lord of (Jesus is Lord of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, the Universe, etc.)

1. The Gentile converts called it the Sabbath. (Acts 13:42.)
   
2. In the great Christian council, A.D. 49, in the presence of the apostles and thousands of disciples, James calls it the "sabbath day." (Acts 15:21)
   
3. It was customary to hold prayer meetings upon that day. (Acts 16:13.)
   
4. Paul read the Scriptures in public meetings on that day. (Acts 17:2, 3.)
   
5. It was his custom to preach upon that day. (Acts 17:2,3.)
   
6. The Book of Acts alone gives a record of his holding eighty-four meetings upon that day. (See Acts 13:14, 44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4. 11.)

These passages show that the Jews had the habit of gathering in the synagogues on the Sabbath, and that Paul and other disciples simply took advantage of the fact to get their attention and preach the gospel to them. And consequently the Gentiles were drawn to hear. However, nothing in these passages indicate that the Gentiles were ordained by commandment to keep the Sabbath. Instead, the most obvious and direct interpretation is that the Gentiles were simply hearing the preaching that was conveniently taking place on Sabbath and nothing more.

• God has never given permission to any man to work upon it. Reader, by what authority do you use - the seventh day for common labor?

John 5:16-18
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

• As the Sabbath was kept in Eden before the fall, so it will be observed eternally in the new earth after the restitution. (Isaiah 66:22, 23.)

Isaiah 66:22-24:
22“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. 24“And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

So, should Gentiles observe New Moon's also? I think you are misinterpreting the text. The message I get from this passage is that people will adore God full-time. Think of it as a rhetorical way of saying 24/7/365.

 

[Junia]

I used to feel condemned because I did things on saturdays like switch on central heAting or cook a.simple meal or do any we had activities then I learned that the Sabbath was given as a day of rest Nd relaxation for our benefit. So I just try to make it a.fun relaxing day plenty of sleep and chilling, keeping household chores to a minimum, and avoiding paying bills, banking or shopping if possible.

 

[Junia]

Sorry that was meAnt to say secular activities

 

[Junia]

Anyway since I started making it about a day of rest and enjoyment for my.own benefit rAther thAn a rule I find I enjoy it more aNd don't feel condemned over it.

 

[HappyHope]

Is there any evidence in the Bible indicating that evangelized Gentiles are expected to keep the Sabbath? If not, is there any scriptural evidence against it? Or are the Scriptures rather silent in this regard?

The principles from the OT rules are still there. It comes back to the spirit behind the law not the letter of the law. And the Sabbath was made for man as Jesus said. One should definitely understand his/her limits and rest as needed. How you interpret rest may not be the same as someone else but you need to rest regularly when needed.

I used to work various shifts in the military (2 days/2 swings/2 mids + 4 days off) and lost track of the days and sometimes even whether it was night or day when I stepped outside my dorm room on such a schedule. Strictly adhering to a Sunday or Saturday only Sabbath would have got me kicked out of the military possibly with a dishonorable discharge. So I highly doubt one has to strictly adhere to one very specific day of the week without fail or else. Pastors often take Mondays off I understand.

Find your own rest groove and praise the Lord for the time of rest.

 

[Junia]

The principles from the OT rules are still there. It comes back to the spirit behind the law not the letter of the law. And the Sabbath was made for man as Jesus said. One should definitely understand his/her limits and rest as needed. How you interpret rest may not be the same as someone else but you need to rest regularly when needed.

I used to work various shifts in the military (2 days/2 swings/2 mids + 4 days off) and lost track of the days and sometimes even whether it was night or day when I stepped outside my dorm room on such a schedule. Strictly adhering to a Sunday or Saturday only Sabbath would have got me kicked out of the military possibly with a dishonorable discharge. So I highly doubt one has to strictly adhere to one very specific day of the week without fail or else. Pastors often take Mondays off I understand.

Find your own rest groove and praise the Lord for the time of rest.

I

Amen! All Gods principles are for our benefit and enjoyment. The were never meant to be chains round our necks

 

[TruthSeek3r]

All believers ARE circumcised (spiritual) ... a different way.

Circumcision of the Heart [...]

Awesome, so you agree that a literal, physical practice from the Old Covenant (i.e. circumcision) was symbolic and shadow of a spiritual practice in the New Covenant (i.e. circumcision of the Heart). Similarly, doesn't Hebrew 4 reveal the same about the Sabbath? Check out this discussion.

Are any of the other commandments within the 10 dismissed? They are the law. Without the law we would not know what sin is. It is the law that brings us to repentance ... we are saved by Jesus .... not condemned by the law ... but does not do away with the law. The reminder to keep the Sabbath holy being right in the middle of the law.

Several things:

1) ONE: Again, read this very informative discussion on Hebrews 4 regarding the Sabbath. In short: the literal weekly sabbath is symbolic of the real rest in Jesus Christ.

2) TWO: The 10 commandments are not all the law. In fact, the two most important commandments are not even among them:

Deuteronomy 6:4-5
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Leviticus 19:18
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

According to Jesus these are the two most important commandments of the Law, and they are not found among the 10 commandments:

Matthew 22:35-40
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

3) THREE: as @Kenny'sID correctly explained in a previous post (I recommend you to go read it), breaking the sabbath is never mentioned in the New Testament as a reason for which someone might end up in hell. If keeping the Sabbath is so pivotal, surely the apostle Paul would not have forgotten to mention it in at least one of his exhaustive enumerations of sinful acts.

4) FOUR: Another example of a commandment being disregarded in the New Covenant is tithing. Tithes were part of the law, but in the New Testament cheerful offering is the new norm (we will go off-topic if we start discussing about tithing though).

Jesus reaffirms the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:8

8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Mark 2

27Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man (mankind not just Jews), not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

What does it mean to you when Jesus states He is Lord of the Sabbath?

Jesus says that he is Lord even of the Sabbath, meaning that is He is Lord of many things, namely, Jesus is Lord of: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sabbath, the Universe, etc.

Jesus is God and He did NOT change the 7th day Sabbath (He reaffirmed it) ... the day He created for all of mankind (Adam & Ever were not Jews). He blessed it and sanctified it .... made it holy (keep separate) separated from what? From all other days. And again he tells us to remember it and keep it .... keep it holy/separated from all other days.

Again, do you have any evidence that Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Israel in Egypt and basically anyone before Moses observed the Sabbath? Once again, I invite you to check out this site: Did Abraham Observe the Sabbath?

 

[Tone]

there any evidence in the Bible indicating that evangelized Gentiles are expected to keep the Sabbath? If not, is there any scriptural evidence against it? Or are the Scriptures rather silent in this regard?

Matthew 24
"19How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again."

 

[Junia]

Matthew 24
"19How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again."

I
This is addressed to the Jews, yes

 

[Tone]

I
This is addressed to the Jews, yes

If that's how you feel about His words...I guess...for you.

Matthew 24:14
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

 

[TexFire316]

God told us to keep the Sabbath in the Commandments. Jesus is the obediant Son, and He kept the Sabbath. The church is the false shepherd, who delights in leading God's people away from God.

And rest assured, when persecution starts, all of those 'helpers' for the church will run away in fear and let the sheep be destroyed by the wolves.

The church didn't begin in the New Testament, it began in Babylon, when all of those Jews that returned to Jerusalem decided to bring a "quait way of worshipping God" with them. They returned to rebuild the Temple of God, but brought their organized religion with them. This is the system that Paul was raised in.

It stands to reason, that the gentiles 'need' to seperate their religion and very way of life from anything "Jewish". Today, the church system claims that they have replaced Israel. That their "church laws" have replaced the Law of Yahweh. And that Jesus (their Jesus, not necessarily the Son of God) has replaced the Father. This more cool God is a lot more tolerant than the mean old God of the Old Testament.

I suppose they actually think that Jesus, our Savior is going to rise up and rebel against the Father. But wait. Wasn't there already a rebellion? And doesn't that god have a different name than Jesus? Just wondering.

"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets..."

 

[Junia]

If that's how you feel about His words...I guess...for you.

Matthew 24:14
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Sorry I don't understand what you mean about how.I feel about His words?

 

[klutedavid]

God created the 7th day Sabbath .... can man or "culture" change that which God created? No ... of course not.

Daniels 7

25He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.

1 Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also SUFFERED for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”

Simple ... follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

To follow in the footsteps of Jesus would require you to be circumcised. If you are not circumcised then you are transgressing the law.

The question reduces to whether the Gentiles are under the law. The answer is a firm no to that question.

We are saved by grace through faith.

Galatians 3:12
However, the Law is not of faith...

We are in a new covenant in Christ and that is by faith.

 

[Tone]

Sorry I don't understand what you mean about how.I feel about His words?

You feel like some words He spoke are not for you, correct?

 

[klutedavid]

God told us to keep the Sabbath in the Commandments. Jesus is the obediant Son, and He kept the Sabbath. The church is the false shepherd, who delights in leading God's people away from God.

And rest assured, when persecution starts, all of those 'helpers' for the church will run away in fear and let the sheep be destroyed by the wolves.

The church didn't begin in the New Testament, it began in Babylon, when all of those Jews that returned to Jerusalem decided to bring a "quait way of worshipping God" with them. They returned to rebuild the Temple of God, but brought their organized religion with them. This is the system that Paul was raised in.

It stands to reason, that the gentiles 'need' to seperate their religion and very way of life from anything "Jewish". Today, the church system claims that they have replaced Israel. That their "church laws" have replaced the Law of Yahweh. And that Jesus (their Jesus, not necessarily the Son of God) has replaced the Father. This more cool God is a lot more tolerant than the mean old God of the Old Testament.

I suppose they actually think that Jesus, our Savior is going to rise up and rebel against the Father. But wait. Wasn't there already a rebellion? And doesn't that god have a different name than Jesus? Just wondering.

"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets..."

Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets. That you could not do. You break the law continuously because you are not a good person.

The law only grants the knowledge of sin not righteous.

The law does not grant salvation.

The law condemns all who gaze upon it.

Unless of course you believe that you are a good person?

 

[Tone]

To follow in the footsteps of Jesus would require you to be circumcised. If you are not circumcised then you are transgressing the law.

The question reduces to whether the Gentiles are under the law. The answer is a firm no to that question.

We are saved by grace through faith.

Galatians 3:12
However, the Law is not of faith...

We are in a new covenant in Christ and that is by faith.

Every believer is circumcised...even females.

This is because we have the reality of it explained to us. We have the object of the "shadows" revealed.

But the Messiah's statement in Matthew 24:20 seems to suggest that the full reality of the Sabbath day has yet to be revealed.

 

[Junia]

God told us to keep the Sabbath in the Commandments. Jesus is the obediant Son, and He kept the Sabbath. The church is the false shepherd, who delights in leading God's people away from God.

And rest assured, when persecution starts, all of those 'helpers' for the church will run away in fear and let the sheep be destroyed by the wolves.

The church didn't begin in the New Testament, it began in Babylon, when all of those Jews that returned to Jerusalem decided to bring a "quait way of worshipping God" with them. They returned to rebuild the Temple of God, but brought their organized religion with them. This is the system that Paul was raised in.

It stands to reason, that the gentiles 'need' to seperate their religion and very way of life from anything "Jewish". Today, the church system claims that they have replaced Israel. That their "church laws" have replaced the Law of Yahweh. And that Jesus (their Jesus, not necessarily the Son of God) has replaced the Father. This more cool God is a lot more tolerant than the mean old God of the Old Testament.

I suppose they actually think that Jesus, our Savior is going to rise up and rebel against the Father. But wait. Wasn't there already a rebellion? And doesn't that god have a different name than Jesus? Just wondering.

"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets..."

Well I am of Jewish descent though I wasn't raised in the Jewish faith. I sort.of keep.the Sabbath but in a new covenant way

I light fires and use electricity
I cook dinner and wash up afterwards
I sometimes.get.a bus to a local beauty spot or town but I'd not do my shopping
I don't pay.bills
I do very.few. Household chores
I just sleep or.rest.or.read.a.novel or Bible or.something
I only do.relaxing or.enjoyable.things that don't use much effort


so I don't really violate any OT commands 're Sabbath except for lighting fires. I use electricity and heating because as a disabled person who is chronically very ill I need warmth and oxygen tank

But I don't really use it.for much else but rest and sleep because Jesus said Sabbath is for man . It is for our benefit like all His laws. So it is meant to be.not. Burdensome but beneficial and enjoyable

 

[Junia]

At the end of the day this is not a huge issue and certainly doesn't affect salvation but I do think God must have given us this law because some benefit.to us for keeping it. We are.blessed if we obey God.

 

[Junia]

The principles from the OT rules are still there. It comes back to the spirit behind the law not the letter of the law. And the Sabbath was made for man as Jesus said. One should definitely understand his/her limits and rest as needed. How you interpret rest may not be the same as someone else but you need to rest regularly when needed.

I used to work various shifts in the military (2 days/2 swings/2 mids + 4 days off) and lost track of the days and sometimes even whether it was night or day when I stepped outside my dorm room on such a schedule. Strictly adhering to a Sunday or Saturday only Sabbath would have got me kicked out of the military possibly with a dishonorable discharge. So I highly doubt one has to strictly adhere to one very specific day of the week without fail or else. Pastors often take Mondays off I understand.

Find your own rest groove and praise the Lord for the time of rest.

Amen!!! We all need to do what is most.helpful.for.us