New Testament Sabbath

[Husky7]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

 

[sheina]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

In the New Testament epistles to the churches the sabbath is mentioned only three times.

(1) The sabbath is a symbol of salvation rest in Christ (Hebrews 4).

(2) The N.T. believer is not bound to keep the sabbath (Colossians 2:9-17).

(3) The N.T. believer has liberty in the matter of holy days (Romans 14).

To teach that the Sabbath is binding upon the Christian is contrary to what the Apostles taught.

Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath...He is our Sabbath if we have "entered into His Rest".

 

[perrfekt]

sheina's spot on. also, the sabbath was a day of rest, and scriptures says (don't know the reference off hand) that we have continual rest within Christ. Jesus said my yoke is easy, and the burden is light. this is in contrast to the law, which was wearying, and the sabbath was a day of rest from the law, not to disobey they law, but simply a law of rest. i beliee the scripture i'm thinking of is something to the effect of "come all of you who are burdened, and i will give you rest."

 

[BrotherBob]

shenia, Excellent post. God bless

 

[barryrob]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

​

For more than 1,500 years Christendoms churches has been formally keeping Sunday as a sort of so-called Christian sabbath. But Sunday is neither Christian nor Jewish. As its name shows, it is actually a pagan holiday in celebration of the Sun god.
​

Romans 10:4
For Christ is the END of the Law, so that everyone exercising FAITH* may have righteousness.
​

*True "faith" does not need "law"!​

 

[PROPHECYKID]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

This question itself is based on wrong assumptions. I am seeing many incorrect statements. What is old testament legalism? Was God promoting legalism when he gave the law? Is legalism of God or man? The purpose for many of the laws in the OT had nothing to do with legalism. They were not doing those things to be saved. Unless one understand the purpose of the law they would approach the OT and NT in the wrong way.

God didn't intend to give men a law and save them based on their keeping of it, then afterward totally change his mind about the salvation of men. Everyone is saved through the cross and not through the law. This was never the will of God to save men based on their performance and if we think this was the case in the Old testament it would distort out understanding of both the OT and NT.

The Sabbath therefore as all of God's commandments have nothing to do with legalism. If an individual adds legalism that is his problem. I would like to see the rules that Paul gave to both Jews and gentiles and then I would like to ask if these are the only things Christians should live by.

To answer your question, it is fair because Jesus' death did not change what sin is and sin is the transgression of the law.

 

[perrfekt]

the law is broken into 3 parts, there is the law given to moses on the mount ie. ten commandments, then there is the levitical law, which is detailed how a jew should live, then there is the ceremonial law in respect to sacrifices etc.

the sabbath is still supposed to be saturday. the early church comprised of jews who still observed the sabbath day as custom, but which was no longer required. the change was found in the day of worship. Christ died on a friday, and was raised on sunday. jewish tradition was that they meet at the synagouges (misspelled i'm sure) on friday evening, and then would remain at home on the sabbath day. the jewish converts instead worshipped on sunday, because that was the day Christ rose from the dead.

one does not have to worship on sunday, or saturday, or friday. it could be on thursday morning at 3am if you wanted. the purpose of coming together is for fellowship amongst believers and to teach eachother and build up the body of believers. "Church" is not the gathering together of the body, nor any one group of people that are in charge of others. the church is in and of itself the body of Christ.

 

[perrfekt]

and yes kid, paul did say that we as believers are to abide by those things paul said, but unbelievers are not. he said that himself in the epistles. and if you want to argue the point i will just find and post the scripture for you here.

 

[PROPHECYKID]

The sabbath is still supposed to be saturday. the early church comprised of jews who still observed the sabbath day as custom, but which was no longer required. the change was found in the day of worship. Christ died on a friday, and was raised on sunday. jewish tradition was that they meet at the synagouges (misspelled i'm sure) on friday evening, and then would remain at home on the sabbath day. the jewish converts instead worshipped on sunday, because that was the day Christ rose from the dead.

Did God no longer see any significance in the day that he blessed and set apart at creation? Remember that the Sabbath was not man's doing. The only reason the week has 7 days is because God intended it to be like that and he made one of those days the Sabbath knowing that the week would be a recurring thing for all people. In Mark 7, Jesus speaks of the importance of holding the commandments of God over the traditions and customs of men, and any custom we are to practice must either be in line or not be in contradiction to the word. Sabbath observance however, is a custom which came from a direct command from God and not human beings like almost every other custom out there. History shows that the Sabbath was observed by Christians long after Christ had died and long after the apostles died. Sunday observance also began to begin as well. Some folks use to observe both days but in Rome, Sunday observance was most practiced since Roman Christians tried to distance themselves much from Jewish Christians. This is what Socrates wrote in his book 5, chapter 22 concerning church history,

" For although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the sabbath of every week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and at Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this."

Socrates here is saying that at Rome because of ancient tradition have ceased to celebrate the "sacred mysteries" (Socrates was not Christian) on the Sabbath because of ancient tradition. They instead chose Sunday and their basis was their pagan tradition of Sun worship on Sunday. That is why former Pagan Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire made his Sunday Law in the 4th century commanding everyone except farmers to rest of the venerable day of the sun (signifying his pagan roots since pagans worshiped the sun on Sunday and called Sunday the venerable day of the sun). Jesus' resurrection is no basis to change the Sabbath since the Sabbath was the Sabbath before sin and before Jesus had to come to die.

one does not have to worship on sunday, or saturday, or friday. it could be on thursday morning at 3am if you wanted. the purpose of coming together is for fellowship amongst believers and to teach eachother and build up the body of believers. "Church" is not the gathering together of the body, nor any one group of people that are in charge of others. the church is in and of itself the body of Christ.

I agree that everyday is fit for worshiping God but God has set apart one day for his holy time. It is not of our doing but his. He did not remove his blessing from the Sabbath that he gave at creation. He never announced that he took out the holiness from the Sabbath. Who are we to remove it for him.

 

[PROPHECYKID]

and yes kid, paul did say that we as believers are to abide by those things paul said, but unbelievers are not. he said that himself in the epistles. and if you want to argue the point i will just find and post the scripture for you here.

Post the scripture for me and lets discuss it.

 

[VictorC]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment.

Agreed; the sabbath was given through Moses, has its origin with the manna experience, and was a component of the covenant from Mount Sinai properly known as the Ten Commandments and the book of the law.

However, after Christ's resurrection and ascension into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God.

My own thought is that John did more to document the commandments of God than Paul did, as 1 John 3 shows:

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.​

Recall that John was also the inspired author of Revelation, and it should be noted that John knew the commandments of God when he wrote passages such as "here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). John had no reason to refer to the covenant from Mount Sinai as binding commandments, since he described our redemption from that covenant in his Gospel account.

The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished.

There are a number of historical ECF's that suggest an origin for the law predating Moses' testimony that it didn't exist prior to his own generation according to Deuteronomy 5:2-3. I don't agree with these, and I consider the opinions you note above to be in error. Bear in mind that a claim to do away with sacrifices does away with the sabbath itself, since the law mandated burnt offerings that require sacrifices as a requisite to keep the sabbath holy.

Numbers 28
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Command the children of Israel, and say to them, `My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.'
3 "And you shall say to them, `This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering.
4 `The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening,
5 `and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil.
6 `It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
7 `And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the LORD as an offering.
8 `The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.
9 `And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering--
10 `this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.​

On the sabbath day four lambs were offered; two according to the daily oblations ordained at Mount Sinai (Exodus 29:39) and two more for every sabbath. Continuing in Numbers 28 reveals similar offerings for the new moons (monthly period), and a typical month required about 75 lambs alone.

These burnt offerings are mentioned in Hebrews 10 where the first covenant mediated by Moses (the law) was done away with in order to establish the new covenant.

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, `Behold, I have come----In the volume of the book it is written of Me----To do Your will, O God.'"
8 Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law),
9 then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.​

The "He" this last verse refers to is Jesus Christ, and it was by His hand that the law mediated by Moses was taken away. The "first" was the covenant from Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments and the book of the law, and it was in these the sabbath was codified as a periodic observance. You will find the same displeasure with the burnt offerings in Isaiah 1:11-14, and it is in relation to the new moons and appointed feasts, inclusive of the weekly sabbath according to Leviticus 23:3.

This passage performs a double-whammy on the sabbath, ending all ordinances requiring burnt offerings and the covenant itself that ordained them.

Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation.

Any claim to eternal life by works is an immediate identification of a false rendition of the Gospel. Leave any place where you hear what you just described. In haste with extreme prejudice, running for your life!

Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

That means they aren't cognizant of the event that initiated the New Covenant, which was the death of the Testator.

Hebrews 9
15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.​

Moses mediated the covenant from Mount Sinai.
Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant - and there is no sabbath contained in the New Covenant, but rather the permanent reality of God's rest we have entered into.

Hebrews 4:10
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.​

Bear in mind that Hebrews 4:4 quotes directly from Genesis 2:2 to document the origin of God's rest, which was about 2500 years before the sabbath Jesus stated was "made for man" (Mark 2:27) came into existence.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus?

No.

Galatians 4
9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
10 You observe days and months and seasons and years.
11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.​

The shadows (see Colossians 2:16-17) of the dietary and periodic days (including sabbaths) driven by the law have given way to the reality of God's rest.

Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

Old covenant Christianity is a oxymoron that does not exist in Scripture. Any appeal to the sabbath is a call to return to the first covenant mediated by Moses. Doing so leaves our High Priest ordained after the order of Melchisedek, because only the Levitical priesthood was authorized to make the burnt offerings keeping the sabbath holy required.

In the New Testament epistles to the churches the sabbath is mentioned only three times.

(1) The sabbath is a symbol of salvation rest in Christ (Hebrews 4).

(2) The N.T. believer is not bound to keep the sabbath (Colossians 2:9-17).

(3) The N.T. believer has liberty in the matter of holy days (Romans 14).

To teach that the Sabbath is binding upon the Christian is contrary to what the Apostles taught.

Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath...He is our Sabbath if we have "entered into His Rest".

I agree with this post, with a minor point to pick on.

Hebrews 4 never mentions the sabbath, and I already mentioned that Hebrews 4:4 quotes from Genesis 2:2 to show the origin of God's rest - a single event in history that was never repeated. God's rest has never ended, and our entrance into His rest is a picture of our eternal salvation. In addition, when Hebrews 4:9 mentions "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" it is using the Greek sabbatismos to indicate a permanent rest, rather than sabbaton used to refer to the periodic sabbath. Reviewing Hebrews 4:1 shows that God's rest remained a promise to be attained, and the recipients of this epistle already had the sabbath for the previous 1500 years. The sabbath did not provide entrance into God's "My rest".

Other than this detail, I believe Sheina's post is very accurate.
Not so those from the Adventist camp:

Did God no longer see any significance in the day that he blessed and set apart at creation?

Misplacing the origin of the sabbath causes some to rely on the shadow, rather than seeking out God's rest that never ends nor repeats.

• The Genesis account doesn't record a rest observed by any human; the seventh day is in absolute terms rather than a repetitive cycle to describe God's rest.
• Exodus 20:11 clearly delineates the seventh day apart from the sabbath, using the same sentence structure found in Deuteronomy 5:15 that lists a single event in the past as the impetus to ordain the periodic sabbath.
• Hebrews 4 calls the seventh day of creation God's "My rest" that remained to be attained by a people who were already observing the sabbath, and Hebrews 4:4 quotes directly from Genesis 2:2 to document God's rest those who had the sabbath had not attained.
• Jesus distinguishes the sabbath apart from God's rest recorded in the Genesis account when He said it was "made for man" in Mark 2:27.
• Moses testifies that the ten commandments were unknown to the generation previous to his own in Deuteronomy 5:2-3, and lists the sabbath as a memorial of deliverance from Egyptian bondage in Deuteronomy 5:15.
• Nehemiah 9:13-14 attributes the origin of the sabbath with Moses.

 

[Husky7]

Agreed; the sabbath was given through Moses, has its origin with the manna experience, and was a component of the covenant from Mount Sinai properly known as the Ten Commandments and the book of the law.

My own thought is that John did more to document the commandments of God than Paul did, as 1 John 3 shows:

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.​

Recall that John was also the inspired author of Revelation, and it should be noted that John knew the commandments of God when he wrote passages such as "here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). John had no reason to refer to the covenant from Mount Sinai as binding commandments, since he described our redemption from that covenant in his Gospel account.

There are a number of historical ECF's that suggest an origin for the law predating Moses' testimony that it didn't exist prior to his own generation according to Deuteronomy 5:2-3. I don't agree with these, and I consider the opinions you note above to be in error. Bear in mind that a claim to do away with sacrifices does away with the sabbath itself, since the law mandated burnt offerings that require sacrifices as a requisite to keep the sabbath holy.

Numbers 28
1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 "Command the children of Israel, and say to them, `My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.'
3 "And you shall say to them, `This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering.
4 `The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening,
5 `and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil.
6 `It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
7 `And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the LORD as an offering.
8 `The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD.
9 `And on the Sabbath day two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering--
10 `this is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering.​

On the sabbath day four lambs were offered; two according to the daily oblations ordained at Mount Sinai (Exodus 29:39) and two more for every sabbath. Continuing in Numbers 28 reveals similar offerings for the new moons (monthly period), and a typical month required about 75 lambs alone.

These burnt offerings are mentioned in Hebrews 10 where the first covenant mediated by Moses (the law) was done away with in order to establish the new covenant.

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, `Behold, I have come----In the volume of the book it is written of Me----To do Your will, O God.'"
8 Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law),
9 then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.​

The "He" this last verse refers to is Jesus Christ, and it was by His hand that the law mediated by Moses was taken away. The "first" was the covenant from Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments and the book of the law, and it was in these the sabbath was codified as a periodic observance. You will find the same displeasure with the burnt offerings in Isaiah 1:11-14, and it is in relation to the new moons and appointed feasts, inclusive of the weekly sabbath according to Leviticus 23:3.

This passage performs a double-whammy on the sabbath, ending all ordinances requiring burnt offerings and the covenant itself that ordained them.

Any claim to eternal life by works is an immediate identification of a false rendition of the Gospel. Leave any place where you hear what you just described. In haste with extreme prejudice, running for your life!

That means they aren't cognizant of the event that initiated the New Covenant, which was the death of the Testator.

Hebrews 9
15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.​

Moses mediated the covenant from Mount Sinai.
Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant - and there is no sabbath contained in the New Covenant, but rather the permanent reality of God's rest we have entered into.

Hebrews 4:10
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.​

Bear in mind that Hebrews 4:4 quotes directly from Genesis 2:2 to document the origin of God's rest, which was about 2500 years before the sabbath Jesus stated was "made for man" (Mark 2:27) came into existence.

No.

Galatians 4
9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
10 You observe days and months and seasons and years.
11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.​

The shadows (see Colossians 2:16-17) of the dietary and periodic days (including sabbaths) driven by the law have given way to the reality of God's rest.

Old covenant Christianity is a oxymoron that does not exist in Scripture. Any appeal to the sabbath is a call to return to the first covenant mediated by Moses. Doing so leaves our High Priest ordained after the order of Melchisedek, because only the Levitical priesthood was authorized to make the burnt offerings keeping the sabbath holy required.

I agree with this post, with a minor point to pick on.

Hebrews 4 never mentions the sabbath, and I already mentioned that Hebrews 4:4 quotes from Genesis 2:2 to show the origin of God's rest - a single event in history that was never repeated. God's rest has never ended, and our entrance into His rest is a picture of our eternal salvation. In addition, when Hebrews 4:9 mentions "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" it is using the Greek sabbatismos to indicate a permanent rest, rather than sabbaton used to refer to the periodic sabbath. Reviewing Hebrews 4:1 shows that God's rest remained a promise to be attained, and the recipients of this epistle already had the sabbath for the previous 1500 years. The sabbath did not provide entrance into God's "My rest".

Other than this detail, I believe Sheina's post is very accurate.
Not so those from the Adventist camp:

Misplacing the origin of the sabbath causes some to rely on the shadow, rather than seeking out God's rest that never ends nor repeats.

• The Genesis account doesn't record a rest observed by any human; the seventh day is in absolute terms rather than a repetitive cycle to describe God's rest.
• Exodus 20:11 clearly delineates the seventh day apart from the sabbath, using the same sentence structure found in Deuteronomy 5:15 that lists a single event in the past as the impetus to ordain the periodic sabbath.
• Hebrews 4 calls the seventh day of creation God's "My rest" that remained to be attained by a people who were already observing the sabbath, and Hebrews 4:4 quotes directly from Genesis 2:2 to document God's rest those who had the sabbath had not attained.
• Jesus distinguishes the sabbath apart from God's rest recorded in the Genesis account when He said it was "made for man" in Mark 2:27.
• Moses testifies that the ten commandments were unknown to the generation previous to his own in Deuteronomy 5:2-3, and lists the sabbath as a memorial of deliverance from Egyptian bondage in Deuteronomy 5:15.
• Nehemiah 9:13-14 attributes the origin of the sabbath with Moses.

good post. Btw, continue supporting the Constitution party

 

[PROPHECYKID]

good post. Btw, continue supporting the Constitution party

Filled with flaws might I add.

 

[Zacman]

Ironically the orthodox church for centuries has imposed Sunday laws some with the penalty of death not so far back. (1700s in the U.S. colonies)

There are still many Sunday laws on the books today. One I heard of is in Texas where it's illegal to sell swim suits on Sunday if you go back far enough in their laws. (they just never got around to cancelling them)

Now, even today many communities forbid liquor sales on Sunday, some even blatantly forbid them until afternoon until Church is out! What ever happen to the separation of church and state!

IL for instance forbids car dealers to be open on Sunday, in the entire state. This of course was a convenient day and was because of dealers over working their salesmen, but it's still a result of the church enforcing no work on Sunday so Sunday was the obvious choice for lawmakers.

Both Sunday and Saturday should not be enforced or observed at a legalistic Sabbath.

We rest in Christ everyday now. It was a type of what was to come much like all the other tabernacle worship was a type.

Cheers,
Zac

 

[Husky7]

Filled with flaws might I add.

Yes, I know. I disagree with several of his points, but it was a well detailed post explaining his belief...

 

[OntheDL]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

Here are some facts...

1. Paul kept the sabbath
2. Paul taught and evangelized the Greeks on the sabbath
3. Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest (Greek: sabbatismos) to the people of God.
4. The early church kept the 7th-day sabbath until the 4th-5th century.

Since Obama was elected into the office, I still had to pay my tax. I couldn't just assume he didn't say anything about keep paying my taxes, so I can stop paying it. Now he had stopped the taxation, we would have heard a lot about it, right?

 

[Goinheix]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

The reason for some protestant to keep some of the Moses commands over the christians are for its own benefits, benefit of the protestant church.

Protestants are unanimous in the fact that the moses law does not apply for us. Otherwisw they have to contradict Paul, all epistles of Paul. But the protestants need to keep two Moses law: sabbath and tithing. It is important for the protestant churches to keep a week day for the church. They says is a day for God, but actually means a day for asisting church. And somehow, sabbath became sunday. Because the point is not keeping the sabbath, but having a free day for asisting church.

What is the sense of having all town asisting to church on sunday? The reason is tithing. makes no good for the church having a full temple if nobody gives money. That is way we are "forced" to give money every sunday and do tithing out of our income.

Both are Moses law: sabbath and tithing. We shaul not keep no one. But out of all moses law, the protestant only keep two: asisting on sunday and tithing.

The argumentation is that both: sabbath and tithing are previous to Moses. That is not totally true. And circncicion is definetly also before Moses. Why not keeping circuncicion? Becase there is not any benefit for church in asking new christians to cut of his ...

 

[Penfire]

Romans 14:5-6 ESV
~5~ One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
~6~ The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.


Colossians 2:16-17 ESV
~16~ Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
~17~ These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.


Galatians 4:9-10 MSG
~9~ But now that you know the real God--or rather since God knows you--how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those paper tigers?
~10~ For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years.

As to whether keeping the Sabbath is required under the NT, I believe it isn't, from these verses we can also see that the specific day really doesn't matter much, some say that Sunday is in fact a pagan day, but all of our days (their names at least) are pagan, for instance...
Monday, named in honor of the Moon god, the Romans thought the poor moon was left out cause the sun got its own day
Thursday, named for the Norse god Thor
Friday, named for another god (I think it was Norse), Fria
Saturday, named for the Roman god Saturn (they named the planet after the god)

Under the OT Sabbath keeping was requirement, under the NT I believe it is indifferent

 

[σύνδουλόν]

Everyone knows that the Jews, and Jewish converts during the Old Testament were instructed by God to observe the Sabbath commandment. However, after Christ's resurrection and accession into heaven, the apostle Paul taught Jews and Gentiles alike new rules about what is required of us by God. The legalistic restrictions that the Jews had under the old law were abolished such as circumcision, and sacrificing as well as others. However, several Protestant denominations claim that the Sabbath (which is under the category of Old Testament legalism) remains intact despite the fact that all other rules were abolished. Supporters of this "New Testament Sabbath" claim that we still need to keep it in order to obtain Salvation. Supporters use verses from the Old Testament (which are before Christ's resurrection), and some from the New Testament (which are also all before Christ's resurrection), to show that the Sabbath is still in effect today.

My question to you guys is this: Did Paul instruct the Gentiles in the NT to observe the Sabbath post-Jesus? Is it fair for Sabbath supporters to use verses from before Christ's resurrection to claim that the Sabbath is still intact today?

No one is saved by any law; Ephesians 2:8-10 (see also Galatians), but a Christian is to keep (through Christ Jesus) and not forsake any of the Ten Commandments (Philippians 4:13):

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. Matthew 5:19

The text does not teach that those breaking or teaching to break will be there in the Kingdom, oh no, it merely says that they will be called "least" (lowest/shameful) by those who end up there (the saints).

The New Covenant:

"...Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:" Hebrews 8:8

For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Hebrews 8:10

This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; Hebrews 10:16

Since this is the New Covenant, let us ask, "What laws shall God write in our hearts and where was this New Covenant quoted from?":

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Jeremiah 31:31

But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:33

"What law was Jeremiah speaking about by inspiration of God?"

Shall a Christian transgress the Law of God, that Holy, Just and Good Law (Romans 7:12), in spite of Grace; or shall we sin/transgress the Ten Commandments so that Grace may abound?:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin (transgress God's Law; 1 John 3:4), that grace may abound? Romans 6:1

What then? shall we sin (transgress God's Law; 1 John 3:4), because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Romans 6:15

The Ten Commandments are all together, to transgress one is to transgress the whole law:

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all. James 2:10

Jesus is our example, did He sin? Christ Jesus died upon the Cross forever proving that the Justice of God is equal to His Love, He forever proved at Calvary that the Ten Commandments are eternal, for if He could have changed, negated, abolished or altered even one of them at any point, He then never need have died.

So, is it a sin to have another God before us?

Is it a sin to make a graven image of anything in Heaven, Earth or Sea and bow down to worship and serve them?

Is it a sin to take the name of the Lord thy God in vain?

Is it a sin to dishonour thy father and thy mother?

Is it a sin to murder?

Is it a sin to commit adultery?

Is it a sin to steal?

Is it a sin to lie/bear false witness against they neighbour?

Is it a sin to covet?

How did you know that you were a sinner, to what Mirror did you look into to see, what Law was transgressed that you knew you needed a Saviour?

Is it still then a sin to not keep holy the seventh day, the sabbath day, the Lord's Day?

To which of the laws will you point to above that reveal who the Creator of all things is that is capable of making such laws to obey?

To which of the laws will you point to which reveals who is able to sanctify us and to make us holy or to recreate us?

To which of the laws will you point to, which reveal who it is that gives rest from sin and a work to do?

Let us look at what Christ Jesus taught and what Paul taught.

 

[OntheDL]

The reason for some protestant to keep some of the Moses commands over the christians are for its own benefits, benefit of the protestant church.

Protestants are unanimous in the fact that the moses law does not apply for us. Otherwisw they have to contradict Paul, all epistles of Paul. But the protestants need to keep two Moses law: sabbath and tithing. It is important for the protestant churches to keep a week day for the church. They says is a day for God, but actually means a day for asisting church. And somehow, sabbath became sunday. Because the point is not keeping the sabbath, but having a free day for asisting church.

What is the sense of having all town asisting to church on sunday? The reason is tithing. makes no good for the church having a full temple if nobody gives money. That is way we are "forced" to give money every sunday and do tithing out of our income.

Both are Moses law: sabbath and tithing. We shaul not keep no one. But out of all moses law, the protestant only keep two: asisting on sunday and tithing.

The argumentation is that both: sabbath and tithing are previous to Moses. That is not totally true. And circncicion is definetly also before Moses. Why not keeping circuncicion? Becase there is not any benefit for church in asking new christians to cut of his ...

Hi,

Paul wrote that it's the circumcision of the heart not the circumcision of the flesh, Rom 2:28,29, Col 2:11.

However the sabbath is a part of the 10 commandments. They define our duty to God and our duty to our fellow man.

There are quite a few significant differences between the Mosaic law and the 10 commandments.

1. Mosaic law was written in book, Deut 31:24. 10 commandments were written on stone tablets, Exd 31:18.

2. Mosaic law was written by Moses, Deut 31:9. 10 commandments were written by the finger of God, Exd 31:18, 32:18.

3. Mosaic law was stored outside of the Ark of Covenant in earthly sanctuary, Deut 31:26. 10 commandments are stored inside of the Ark of Covenant in the heavenly tabernacle, Deut 10:5 Rev 11:19.

These differences speak not only the superiority of the Decalogue over the Mosaic law, but also finality and perpetuity of the Decalogue as the contractual term of the New Covenant.

The sabbath is the a part of the 10 commandments which are our moral obligations.

You argued in another thread about the lack of scriptural support of the perpetual virginity of Mary. But where is the scriptural authorization for changing the sabbath from the 7th day to the 1st day Sunday? Isn't that also human tradition?