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 is the New Testament Sabbath, a proof that Sabbath keeping as according to the 4th commandment is an obligation for Christ believers, AFTER HIS ASCENSION.
Please study it with prayer, as this is the only text in the Scripture that sustains the 4th commandment and its Sabbath keeping is for Christ' believers post the cross of Christ.
Matthew 24:1-3, 15, 20, 21.
1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age. 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? 15 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation,[c] spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place 20. And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.
One day, after a temple visit, sitting at the mount Olive
in private with only his disciples and no other spectators, Jesus foretold how Jerusalem and the temple in particular would be destroyed and the signs of his second coming. The temple was destroyed in AD. 70 by Titus the Roman general and his army, 37 years after Jesus ascension to heaven.
The main important issue is Jesus saying:
And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. What does Jesus has in mind?
Sabbath rest and it holy convocation will hold his disciples in the temple, and if this destruction happens at this day, many of them would have not the chance to safe themselves. Therefore they must pray that the destruction of the temple would not fall on Sabbath day, so they might escape and save their life.
This gives light to us, that the Sabbath keeping law is not nailed to the cross of Christ as many believes, that this 4th commandment exist and still an obligation for the disciples to keep it.
It never crossed the disciples minds that the Sabbath keeping would ever be done away with, especially nailed to the cross, as many folks believe, which by believing so, they had made Jesus word meaningless.
Jesus himself, the Lord of the Sabbath, told his disciples without the presence of anyone else about an event that would happen 37 years after his ascension, and the same telling us, that his Sabbath was still in effect and lawful after his ascension. Imagine, if this disciples got their own disciples, would they not tell them the same, and if the destruction didnt happen on AD. 70, and didnt happen till now, wouldnt all the disciples from generation to generation telling the same story?
Very clear, undeniable, the New testament Sabbath as according to the 4th commandment exist and lawful after Jesus ascension to heaven and till now and till the end of time, till eternity in heaven and the new world.
Jesus claimed himself as Lord of the Sabbath, the Lord God to whom his believers would worship him at that day in a holy convocation. Surely he wouldnt be Lord of a day that would come to an end one day. He is God eternal, the day he claimed to be his day, should be eternal also, and not less than that.
Therefore, he clearly made a separation between Israeli sabbaths days and his own Sabath day, you can read this in Leviticus 23.
Leviticus 23:37, 38.
37 These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day 38 besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD.
And these feast days that should be observed almost similar as observing the Lords Sabbath day, God called it
your sabbath. (verse 32).
This Israeli sabbath is not Sabbath of the Lord, this Israeli sabbath was nailed to the cross (Col 2:16,17), but His Sabbath extent its existence till the end of time. Therefore, He is Lord of the Sabbath, a day eternal in its existence as he is eternal.
And Paul knew it, his was a Sabbath keeper.
