Lutheran Sabbath Teaching

godenver1

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The Third Commandment is perhaps the one commandment I greatly struggle with, biblically. If you told some one that 'sanctifying the holy day' meant to not despise preaching and God's Word, and they asked you for biblical evidence to support that, where would you turn?

If an SDA asked you for biblical evidence as to why you don't observe the Sabbath, how would you respond? I'm familiar with Colossians 2:16, Galatians 4:10, Romans 14:5, etc., but it's just not clicking for me.
 

tampasteve

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I identify as both Messianic and Lutheran and observe the Sabbath as best that I can. I don't feel the two be have to be be mutually exclusive.
 
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Tigger45

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What is "His rest", and would you biblically justify your position?
This is a good place to start.

Hebrews 4:9-16 King James Version (KJV)
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
 
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BobRyan

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The Third Commandment is perhaps the one commandment I greatly struggle with, biblically. If you told some one that 'sanctifying the holy day' meant to not despise preaching and God's Word, and they asked you for biblical evidence to support that, where would you turn?

If an SDA asked you for biblical evidence as to why you don't observe the Sabbath, how would you respond? I'm familiar with Colossians 2:16, Galatians 4:10, Romans 14:5, etc., but it's just not clicking for me.

There is a quote I have found from Luther on this subject.

Martin Luther, The Creation, A Commentary on Genesis,” Vol. I, pp. 138-140
http://www.wolfmueller.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Genesis1-4Study.pdf


So then you could quote this to them -- I am sure they would see common ground to agree with Martin Luther on some of his thoughts here --


=========== page 110 begin

GENESIS 2:

3. And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it, because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made.

Christ says, Mark 2:27, that “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath

But Moses says nothing here about man. He does not even say positively that any commandment concerning the Sabbath was givento man. But what Moses here says is that God blessed the Sabbath and sanctified it to himself. It is moreover to be remarked that God did this to no other creature. God did not sanctify to himself the heaven nor the earth nor any other creature. But God did sanctify to himself the seventh day. This was especially designed of God, to cause us to understand that the “seventh day” is to be especially devoted to divine worship.

For that which is appropriated to God and exclusively separated from all profane uses is sanctified or holy. Hence the expression “to sanctify, ” “to choose for divine uses or for the worship of God, ” is often applied by Moses to the sacred vessels of the sanctuary.


It follows therefore from this passage, that if Adam had stood in his innocence and had not fallen he would yet have observed the “seventh day ” as sanctified, holy and sacred; that is, he would have taught his children and posterity on that day concerning the will and worship of God; he would have praised God, he would have given him thanks, and would have brought to him his offerings, etc., etc.

On the other days he would have tilled
his land and attended to his cattle. Nay, even after the fall he held the “seventh day” sacred; that is, he taught on that day his own family. This is testified by the offerings made by his two sons, Cain and Abel.

The Sabbath therefore has, from the beginning of the world, been set apart for the worship of God. In this manner nature in its innocency, had it continued unfallen,would have proclaimed the glory and blessings of God. Men would have talked together on the Sabbath day concerning the goodness of their Creator, would have prayed to him,and would have brought to him their offerings, etc. For all these things are implied and signified in the expression “sanctified.


================================='

Page 111

Adam therefore, had he not fallen, would have lived a certain time in paradise, according to the length of time which God pleased; and afterwards he would have been carried away into that rest of God, which rest God willed not only to intimate unto man, but highly to commend unto him by this sanctification of the Sabbath. Thus had Adam not fallen his life would have been both animal and happy, and spiritual and eternal. But now we miserable men have lost all this felicity of the animal life by sin; and while we do live, we live in the midst of death.

Yet since this command of God concerning the Sabbath is left to the Church, God signifies thereby that even that spiritual life shall be restored to us through Christ. Hence the prophets have all diligently searched into these passages, in which Moses obscurely indicates also the resurrection of the flesh and the life immortal

Further by this sanctification of the Sabbath it is also plainly shown that man was especially created for the knowledge and worship of God. For the Sabbath was not instituted on account of sheep or oxen, but for the sake of men, that the knowledge of God might be exercised and increased by them on that sacred day. Although therefore man lost the knowledge of God by sin, yet God willed that his command concerning the sanctifying of the Sabbath should remain.

He willed that on the seventh day both the Word should be preached, and also those other parts of his worship performed, which he himself instituted;


I identify as both Messianic and Lutheran and observe the Sabbath as best that I can. I don't feel the two be have to be be mutually exclusive.

Nice!


Well given what Luther wrote above in his commentary on Genesis - I don't blame you.
 
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Paidiske

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FireDragon76

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Lutherans are free to gather to worship on any day of the week, however, traditionally we choose Sunday, following the historic Church.

It is erroneous to think Luther would have been in accord with Seventh-Day Adventism. Luther understood the 2nd Commandment just as he explained it in his catechism. Lutherans, like the historic Church, agree that Christ fulfilled for us all the Law requires in all its religious requirements. We participate in mystical union with Christ through the mysteries he ordained and which we faithfully receive, not through adherence to the Law.
 
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ViaCrucis

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Luther explains the 3rd Commandment this way:

"The word holy day (Feiertag) is rendered from the Hebrew word sabbath which properly signifies to rest, that is, to abstain from labor. Hence we are accustomed to say, Feierabend machen [that is, to cease working], or heiligen Abend geben [sanctify the Sabbath]. Now, in the Old Testament, God separated the seventh day, and appointed it for rest, and commanded that it should be regarded as holy above all others. As regards this external observance, this commandment was given to the Jews alone, that they should abstain from toilsome work, and rest, so that both man and beast might recuperate, and not be weakened by unremitting labor. Although they afterwards restricted this too closely, and grossly abused it, so that they traduced and could not endure in Christ those works which they themselves were accustomed to do on that day, as we read in the Gospel; just as though the commandment were fulfilled by doing no external, [manual] work whatever, which, however, was not the meaning, but, as we shall hear, that they sanctify the holy day or day of rest.

This commandment, therefore, according to its gross sense, does not concern us Christians; for it is altogether an external matter, like other ordinances of the Old Testament, which were attached to particular customs, persons, times, and places, and now have been made free through Christ.
" - Large Catechism

More here.

Luther goes on to write in the Large Catechism that the meaning we should glean from this command is that we enjoy those days long already established in the Church for good order and our mutual benefit as Christians (not by divine command, but for good order). God does not command us as Christians to gather for divine service on any specific day, but we have always gathered together on the first day of the week; in an ideal world we would come together every day to hear the Word and receive the Sacraments, but the strains of life don't make that possible for most of us--we should at least be in the habit of coming together once a week at least. This does not mean that the first day of the week is the sabbath, it just means that we should take time out of our busy lives and schedules to participate in the gifts and mysteries of God, together, as God's people. We could do this on any day, and ideally it would be every day. Luther here takes a very pragmatic approach, it's not about stipulations, rules, and legalese--but instead to acknowledge the busyness of life and also to remind us that it is okay to take time off from our labors and celebrate God. This could happen on a Monday, or a Tuesday, or a Friday, or a Saturday, or a Sunday; the day of the week is not what matters here. But obviously, since the beginning, the practice of the Church has been to gather at least on the first day of the week, and there is no good reason to break from this tradition as it exists for our mutual good and benefit as God's people.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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BobRyan

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And as for the OP

The Third Commandment is perhaps the one commandment I greatly struggle with, biblically. If you told some one that 'sanctifying the holy day' meant to not despise preaching and God's Word, and they asked you for biblical evidence to support that, where would you turn?

If an SDA asked you for biblical evidence as to why you don't observe the Sabbath, how would you respond? I'm familiar with Colossians 2:16, Galatians 4:10, Romans 14:5, etc., but it's just not clicking for me.

I think this reference would clearly appeal to the SDA folks you mention.

Jan 8, 2019 #6

Where we see Luther commenting on Genesis and Mark 2:27 regarding the Sabbath and "mankind"

This is not to say that every single detail that Luther ever wrote is also in line with the Bible understanding that SDAs have. It is just one data point.
 
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