Obey the Sabbath!

[BNR32FAN]

Indeed, Jesus set a sinless example for us to follow of hue to walk in obedience to the Mosaic Law and as his followers we are told to follow his example (1 Peter 2:21-22) and that those who are in Christ are obligated to walk in the same way he walked (1 John 2:6). Being a Christian is about following Christ’s example, not about trying to turn God’s word against following Christ.

You didn’t answer the question, do you follow His example? Do you keep all 613 commandments like He did, or do you even try to keep all of them?

 

[Soyeong]

You didn’t answer the question, do you follow His example? Do you keep all 613 commandments like He did, or do you even try to keep all of them?

Indeed, I follow Christ’s example, though obviously no one has ever been required to keep all 613 commandments, and not even Jesus kept the laws in regard to having a period or to giving birth. Moreover, even if I were refusing to follow Christ’s example, then it wouldn’t change the fact that followers of God ought to follow His commandments in accordance with the example that Christ set for us to follow.

 

[expos4ever]

Sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4)

Even though this has repeatedly been pointed, posters continue to mislead readers about this text.

The majority of translations have "sin is lawlessness", or something equivalent. Lawlessness is a general concept, with no required specificity to the Law of Moses.

 

[BNR32FAN]

Indeed, I follow Christ’s example, though obviously no one has ever been required to keep all 613 commandments, and not even Jesus kept the laws in regard to having a period or to giving birth. Moreover, even if I were refusing to follow Christ’s example, then it wouldn’t change the fact that followers of God ought to follow His commandments in accordance with the example that Christ set for us to follow.

Following His commandments and following His example are two different things. Jesus never commanded anyone to observe the sabbath, yet He did observe it Himself.

Ok you’re obviously avoiding my question so let me rephrase it. Do you at least try to obey every single commandment that Jesus obeyed?

 

[John G.]

It is impossible to follow every single commandment of the Law!
For one, there is no Temple to offer sacrifices.
We are saved and justified FREELY by grace through faith not by observing Sabbaths, sacrifices or any other part of the Law.

 

[Simon_Templar]

Either Acts 15:19-21 contains an exhaustive list of everything that would ever be required of a mature Gentile believer or it does not

This is just a false statement. This is your doctrine, but it is provable neither from scripture, nor from reason.

 

[Soyeong]

This is just a false statement. This is your doctrine, but it is provable neither from scripture, nor from reason.

If that were a false statement, then it would violate the law of non-contradiction. By all means, please explain how it is in accordance with reason for that statement to be both true and false.

 

[Simon_Templar]

If that were a false statement, then it would violate the law of non-contradiction. By all means, please explain how it is in accordance with reason for that statement to be both true and false.

Ok


Here is your original statement...

Either Acts 15:19-21 contains an exhaustive list of everything that would ever be required of a mature Gentile believer or it does not

The reason your statement can be false, without violating the law of non-contradiction is because you include the word "ever".

The law of noncontradiction is great, I love it What the law of noncontradiction says is that contradictory propositions cannot both be true in the same sense, at the same time.

Notice "at the same time".

When you put the word "ever" in your sentence it makes your sentence mean "this list must be exhaustive or not exhaustive, both when it was issued and forever after."

What I am saying is that the list was exhaustive when it was issued, but later on it was changed. I'm not saying the list was both exhaustive and not exhaustive at the same time (that time being when it was issued).

Using an illustration, If I were to say "Jim is alive right now, but he is also dead" this could be correct, if I was using "alive" and "dead" in different senses. So he is alive physically, and he is dead emotionally. But it would be meaningless contradiction if I meant it in the same sense, both alive and dead meaning literally physically.

Similarly if I said "Jim is alive" and two weeks later I said "Jim is dead" that would not be a contradiction if Jim had died in the meantime, because I'm not saying it at the same time.


Another point that is worth making here, which a lot of Christians seem to no longer understand, is the difference between doctrine and discipline.
The authority of binding and loosing dealt with the application of the law. Those terms were used among the Jewish rabbis to describe their authority to allow a practice or a forbid a practice as an application of the law to daily life.

That is discipline.

Doctrine is about teaching spiritual and moral truth. That would be equivalent in the OT to saying what the Law IS and how it should be understood.

Discipline is about application of truth to moral practice based on current circumstances.
Doctrine is about elucidating moral and spiritual truth.

Disciplines can be changed and they are usually not moral absolutes in themselves.
Doctrines, can develop as we grow in understanding, but they cannot change in the sense that it was once true and now it is not true any longer.

For example, forbidding eating meat offered to idols was a discipline. It was forbidden because it was seen as a dangerous practice culturally and avoiding it was good for both individual spiritual health and the spiritual health of the community. Paul makes this clear when he talks about eating meat sacrificed to idols. He clearly teaches that it is not inherently immoral. The council forbade it because of practical reasons, not moral reasons. The same is true with eating blood and eating things strangled.

Sexual immorality, on the other hand, is not a matter of mere discipline. It is a matter of doctrine.

The Church has the authority to remove or add disciplines as circumstances change. Once sacrificing animals to idols was basically eradicated from Western Civilization, the prohibition against eating things sacrificed to idols was no longer necessary because it could not cause scandal to the Church and hurt the faith of our brothers. As a result, it was removed.

The Church cannot remove doctrines. As such the Church cannot and never has said it is now ok to engage in sexual immorality.

 

[Soyeong]

It is impossible to follow every single commandment of the Law!
For one, there is no Temple to offer sacrifices.

That's ok because it has never been required for a single person to follow every single commandment, and not even Jesus followed the ones in regard to having a period or to giving birth. Some commandments were only for the King, the High priest, priests, judges, men, women, children, those who are married, those who are widowed, those who have servants, those who have animals, those who have crops, those who have tzaraat, those who are living in the land, and those who are strangers living among them, while others were given to everyone. The Israelites were given a number of laws while they were still wandering the wilderness for 40 years that had the condition "when you enter the land...", so there is nothing wrong with not following laws that can't currently be followed. When the Israelites were exiled to Babylon after the destruction of the temple, the condition for their return to the land was to first return to obedience to God's law, which contained instructions in regard to temple practice that they couldn't follow, so God honored their faithfulness to obey the laws that they could obey.

We are saved and justified FREELY by grace through faith not by observing Sabbaths, sacrifices or any other part of the Law.

God's law was never given as a way of earning our justification (Romans 4:1-5), though it is still true that only doers of the law will be justified (Romans 2:13), so there must be a reason why our justification requires us to choose to be doers of the law other than in order to earn it as a wage, namely faith insofar as the faith by which we are justified does not abolish our need to be doers of the law, but rather our faith upholds it (Romans 3:31). In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

 

[Soyeong]

Even though this has repeatedly been pointed, posters continue to mislead readers about this text.

The majority of translations have "sin is lawlessness", or something equivalent. Lawlessness is a general concept, with no required specificity to the Law of Moses.

Sin is not the transgression of any sort of law that can be given, but rather there is a context that the lawlessness in 1 John 3:4 is in regard to, namely the Law of God. If you ask a Jew about what the means was through which God revealed what sin is, then they would tell you that it was through the Torah, which is accordance with Romans 3:20 and Romans 7:7, so that is the context of how we should understand what we are being instructed to do when the Bible calls for repentance from our sins. Sin is what is contrary to God's character, such as with righteousness being in accordance with God's character while unrighteousness is sin, and sin is the transgression of the Law of God because it was giving to divide between what is in accordance with or contrary to God's character.

 

[BNR32FAN]

If that were a false statement, then it would violate the law of non-contradiction. By all means, please explain how it is in accordance with reason for that statement to be both true and false.

Still don’t want to answer the question? Do you try to follow Jesus’ example by obeying the same commandments that He did?

 

[Soyeong]

Following His commandments and following His example are two different things. Jesus never commanded anyone to observe the sabbath, yet He did observe it Himself.

So you imagine that Jesus was hypocritically taking the position that we should do as he said, but not as he did? There is nothing in the Bible that suggests that we should only follow the commands that Jesus repeated and should reject his example, but rather we are told to follow his example (1 Peter 2:21-22), that those who are in Christ are obligated to walk in the same way he walked (1 John 2:6), and to be imitators of Paul as he was of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Jesus was not in disagreement with the Father about whether we should obey His word, but rather he is God's word made flesh, so we have no need for him to have repeated anything in order for us to know that we should still obey the Father by walking in His way, though Jesus did teach how to keep the Sabbath through his interactions with the Pharisees on the topic.

Ok you’re obviously avoiding my question so let me rephrase it. Do you at least try to obey every single commandment that Jesus obeyed?

How can anyone reasonably think that I have not directly answered your question twice now? What good will it do to repeat it for a third time?

 

[BNR32FAN]

How can anyone reasonably think that I have not directly answered your question twice now? What good will it do to repeat it for a third time?

You replied to the post but you never answered the question. Where is your answer to the question “Did you keep all 613 commandments that Jesus kept”?

Indeed, Jesus set a sinless example for us to follow of hue to walk in obedience to the Mosaic Law and as his followers we are told to follow his example (1 Peter 2:21-22) and that those who are in Christ are obligated to walk in the same way he walked (1 John 2:6). Being a Christian is about following Christ’s example, not about trying to turn God’s word against following Christ.

Below is your second reply where you pointed out the obvious that there are a couple commandments that didn’t pertain to him but obviously the context of the question was do you keep the entire Mosaic law and you keep refusing to answer because you know you don’t.

Indeed, I follow Christ’s example, though obviously no one has ever been required to keep all 613 commandments, and not even Jesus kept the laws in regard to having a period or to giving birth. Moreover, even if I were refusing to follow Christ’s example, then it wouldn’t change the fact that followers of God ought to follow His commandments in accordance with the example that Christ set for us to follow.

So because of your response above where your trying to skirt around the question I had to rephrase it to try to get a straight answer from you and again in your reply below you still refused to answer it a third time.

How can anyone reasonably think that I have not directly answered your question twice now? What good will it do to repeat it for a third time?

So just be honest about the discussion and admit that you don’t follow His example. There’s nothing wrong with not following His example because the expectations have changed and you know this, we are not required to observe the entire Mosaic law in the New Covenant. The only reason you don’t want to admit that you don’t follow Jesus’ example is because it nullifies your argument that we’re supposed to follow His example.

So you imagine that Jesus was hypocritically taking the position that we should do as he said, but not as he did?

I don’t feel like you’re thinking through your reply here before you posted it. Was Jesus circumcised? Are we still obligated to be circumcised? Did Jesus offer burnt offering? Are we still obligated to offer burnt offerings? Did Jesus observe the Passover? Are we still obligated to observe the Passover? Did Jesus observe the New Moon feasts? Are we still obligated to observe the New Moon feasts? I mean I can go all day here pointing out all of the commandments that Jesus observed that you know full well that we are not obligated to observe anymore so why dance around the issue? So let’s just put all the cards on the table, you made a mistake so just own up to it. Pretending it never happened only discredits you as being honest about the discussion.

There is nothing in the Bible that suggests that we should only follow the commands that Jesus repeated and should reject his example

Except for the fact that He observed every one of the commandments I listed above that you know we are not commanded to observe, some of which we can’t observe because there isn’t a temple for us to observe them in as God commanded. So in conclusion you should stop trying to use the argument that because Jesus observed the sabbath we must do the same because Peter said we must follow His example. Because obviously Peter didn’t use that same argument in Acts 15 in reference to circumcision, and neither did Paul, or James. The only people who would’ve used such an argument are the people Paul was refuting in the beginning of the chapter. The SDA does not follow Jesus’ example of keeping God’s commandments because they do not teach or follow all of the commandments that Jesus kept. It’s a hypocritical statement so you should stop using it.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

There are some (usually about 10% of Christians), who would say that Christians should worship/obey the letter of the law in obeying the Sabbath on a Saturday. In fact, they would say that if you go to church and worship the Lord on a Sunday, you are living in sin. Particularly those in the SDA denomination.

Are Christians required to keep the Sabbath? Keep in mind, Sabbath is observed from sundown on Friday to sundown the next day (Saturday). And the Torrah outlines the specific rules and regulations on the careful observance of the Sabbath (i.e. no baking and cooking, no travelling, no kindling fire, gathering wood, buying and selling).

Also, the Jewish works of the Mishnah detail the careful observance of the Sabbath, along with the 39 Melakhot, which details 39 categories of careful observance of the Shabbat. There are also other volume sets of books that detail precise pinpointed rules and regulations of how to not carry a burden on the Sabbath.

Where are the lines in the sand drawn with God's order/commandment with obeying the Sabbath? Is a Christian living in sin, if he works on Saturday...or goes to church on Sunday? Are 90% of Christians who go to church on Sunday, all living in sin?

Only God can reverse His blessings or commandments. Num 23:20 Exo 5:18-30 I find it ironic that most Christians believe we should keep 9 commandments, despite God writing with His own Finger Ten Commandments Deut 4:13 Exo 32:16 Exo 34:28 Exo 31:18and teach to forget the one commandment that God said to Remember. The one commandment that God blessed, sanctified and made holy. The only law that reveals God is our Creator Exo 20:11 - so I see why the devil has been attacking it from the beginning. It was even warned it would happen in scripture Dan 7:25

There is no scripture in all of God’s Word that says we can bypass the Sabbath in lieu of our own traditions. Something Jesus condemned Mat 15:3-14 Mark 7:8-13.

People use Paul’s writing and pit them against Jesus as if he taught something different. No wonder why we have this warning about Paul 2 Peter 3:16 Paul was a servant of Christ- and obeyed all of His commandments and why scripture shows Paul and all the disciples kept every Sabbath decades after the Cross Acts 13:42-44 Acts 18:4 - thats a lot of Sabbath-keeping. He was a faithful servant as should we be.

I’m sticking with Christ teachings, He will never lead us down the wrong path.

Isa 56:1 Thus says the Lord:

“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil


6,“Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant

Should we not want to keep justice and do righteousness? Should we not want to join ourselves to the Lord, to love His name and serve Him? This is what Jesus in His own Words equates to Sabbath-keeping, which He blesses. Should we not want to be blessed by Him? Only God can reverse His blessing and to me its mind blowing how people think they can reverse something God blessed and wrote with His own finger. Jesus said, not one jot or tittle can pass from His law until all is fulfilled May 5:19-30 which is when Jesus comes in the clouds and His saints meet Him in the air. He will wipe away all tears and no more sin or sinners, just peace. Isa 48:18

 

[Danthemailman]

There are some (usually about 10% of Christians), who would say that Christians should worship/obey the letter of the law in obeying the Sabbath on a Saturday. In fact, they would say that if you go to church and worship the Lord on a Sunday, you are living in sin. Particularly those in the SDA denomination.

Seventh-day Adventists teach that the near the end of time the "mark of the best" of Revelation 14 will be placed upon those who worship on Sunday instead of Saturday.

Mark of the Beast

Bible Truth Versus SDA Doctrine - Mark of the Beast

nonsda.org

 

[Bob S]

Even though this has repeatedly been pointed, posters continue to mislead readers about this text.

The majority of translations have "sin is lawlessness", or something equivalent. Lawlessness is a general concept, with no required specificity to the Law of Moses.

if only those posters would continue to read 1jn3: they would fin the following;
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of 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 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

 

[Bob S]

We are told repetitively in the New Testament that we are not under the Law yet we are told by those who believe we have to keep the Sabbath of the Law. 2Cor 3 KJV even tells us the ten commandments are done away (verse11) yet those same people deny the verse is referring to the ten commandments. OY! In Eph2 we read:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.

Those same people deny those verses because of preconceived beliefs.

 

[FirstCenturyBibleTruths]

There are some (usually about 10% of Christians), who would say that Christians should worship/obey the letter of the law in obeying the Sabbath on a Saturday. In fact, they would say that if you go to church and worship the Lord on a Sunday, you are living in sin. Particularly those in the SDA denomination.

Are Christians required to keep the Sabbath? Keep in mind, Sabbath is observed from sundown on Friday to sundown the next day (Saturday). And the Torrah outlines the specific rules and regulations on the careful observance of the Sabbath (i.e. no baking and cooking, no travelling, no kindling fire, gathering wood, buying and selling).

Also, the Jewish works of the Mishnah detail the careful observance of the Sabbath, along with the 39 Melakhot, which details 39 categories of careful observance of the Shabbat. There are also other volume sets of books that detail precise pinpointed rules and regulations of how to not carry a burden on the Sabbath.

Where are the lines in the sand drawn with God's order/commandment with obeying the Sabbath? Is a Christian living in sin, if he works on Saturday...or goes to church on Sunday? Are 90% of Christians who go to church on Sunday, all living in sin?

 

[FirstCenturyBibleTruths]

True Christians Are Not to Keep the Sabbath.

Which day is the Sabbath?

The Jewish Sabbath day commenced at sunset, so the regulations governing the sabbath operated from 6 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Aren't sabbath breakers supposed to be stoned?
The Sabbath was specifically "a sign between Yahweh and Israel, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them" (Ezek. 20:12). As such, it was never intended to be binding on Gentiles (non-Jews).

Those denominations who teach that Sabbath-keeping is binding upon their members should therefore punish those members with death when they break the Sabbath. There should be no cooking of food or use of fire in any form - e.g. in driving motor vehicles, using heating systems etc. Orthodox Jews today set an example of the kind of behavior expected on the Sabbath: they remain indoors all day except for religious reasons, and are not personally involved in cooking, transport etc. Most of those 'Christians' who claim to keep the Sabbath fall far short of this.

Ones who keep the Sabbath, must do so properly; because it is fatal to keep the Mosaic Law partially, because this will result in their condemnation because Gal. 3:10 says >>> For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. And James 2:10 says >>> For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Salvation is through keeping the law of Christ rather than that of Moses. Israel were not allowed to do any work on the Sabbath: "Whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death". They were also commanded: "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day", and therefore they were forbidden to prepare food on that day (Ex. 35:2,3; 16:23). A man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath, presumably in order to kindle a fire, was punished with death for doing so (Num. 15:32-36).
Exodus 31:14 reads, "Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people."

If the reader will turn to Deuteronomy 13:6, 10; 21:18, 21; 22: 21-28, and all of Leviticus 20, he will read there a whole series of injunctions concerning the putting to death of persons who were idolaters, who were rebellious to their parents, who committed adultery or were guilty of incest, who cursed father or mother -- in fact, who violated any part of the moral code. Indeed, someone has estimated that no less than nine of the Ten Commandments are specifically mentioned in connection with the penalty of death for their violation.

Now we would ask the Sabbath objector: do you believe that the idolater, for example, ought to be put to death, or the son who curses his father? Of course, you answer no. Then, according to your logic, if you believe that this penalty should not be enforced today, you evidently believe that it is no longer wrong to be an idolater, for example, or for a son to curse his father. But such a conclusion would obviously be monstrous, to say nothing of being unreasonable. Yet it would be no more unreasonable than the contention that because present-day Sabbath keepers do not believe Sabbath breakers should be put to death, therefore the Sabbath law is abolished. This kind of reasoning proves too much, and thus proves nothing.

We agree that if a law has no penalty, it has no force. but it does not follow that because we do not believe in stoning people therefore, we believe there will be no punishment for those who violate the Sabbath or any other part of the law of God.

The only difference between the ancient Jewish order of things and ours today is as regards the time of punishment and the executor of the punishment. When God was the direct ruler, He saw fit to have an immediate punishment inflicted. Now the evil-doer must look forward to the last great day of judgement. (See Heb. 10:26-29)

Sabbath - Should Christians keep the Sabbath Today?
What day, if any, is the true Sabbath?

The Sabbath is the "seventh day of the week." In our society, that means Saturday because we mark the new day as starting at midnight (or just after it, anyway). However, scripturally, it should be from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. It is interesting that the Bible calls sundown the end of a day and thus the new day begins after sundown. See Genesis 1 - the beginning of a day is always described as "evening." Also, see Deuteronomy 16:6 and Leviticus 23:32.

Having said that, the real question should be: "Is the Sabbath law binding on followers of Christ today?" Some groups claim that we should keep the Jewish Sabbath exactly as defined in the Law; many others feel that Christians should have a specific day of the week upon which to worship, which they often define as Sunday. The first thing to clarify is that the Sabbath was the last day of the week, when God rested after the six days of creation (Ex. 20:10,11). Sunday being the first day of the week, it would be incorrect to observe this day as "the Sabbath." The Sabbath was specifically "a sign between me (God) and them (Israel), that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them" (Ezek. 20:12). As such, it was never intended to be binding on Gentiles (non-Jews).

Through Christ's death on the cross, the Law of Moses was done away, so that there is now no necessity to observe the Sabbath or, indeed, any festival, e.g. the day of Christ's death (Col. 2:14-17). The early Christians who returned to keeping parts of the Mosaic Law, e.g. the Sabbath, are described by Paul as returning "to the weak and miserable principles (N.I.V.), whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage. Ye observe days (e.g. the Sabbath), and months, and times, and years (i.e. the Jewish festivals). I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain" (Gal. 4:9-11).

Because of this, it is understandable that we do not read of the early believers keeping the Sabbath, Indeed, it is recorded that they met on "the first day of the week", i.e. Sunday: "Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread..." (Acts 20:7). That this was a widespread practice is indicated by Paul advising the believers at Corinth to take up a collection "upon the first day of the week" (1 Cor. 16:2), i.e. at their regular meetings on that day.

In Christ, all are described as being priests (1 Peter 2:9) - who were exempt from keeping the Sabbath (Matt. 12:5) because they were doing the Lord’s work and not their own. That is our ideal. We belong to the Lord. Everything we say and do is dedicated to Him. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” As members of the Lord’s “Royal Priesthood,” we are therefore exempt from keeping the Sabbath even if it were binding on the world today. We are to show forth his works, not our own, in everything we do. That is the privilege and challenge of life in Christ.

If we are to keep the Sabbath, we must do so properly; it is fatal to keep the Mosaic Law partially, because this will result in our condemnation (Gal. 3:10; James 2:10). Salvation is through keeping the law of Christ rather than that of Moses. Israel were not allowed to do any work on the Sabbath: "Whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death". They were also commanded: "Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day", and therefore they were forbidden to prepare food on that day (Ex. 35:2,3; 16:23). A man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath, presumably in order to kindle a fire, was punished with death for doing so (Num. 15:32-36).

Again, those denominations who teach that Sabbath-keeping is binding upon their members should therefore punish those members with death when they break the Sabbath. There should be no cooking of food or use of fire in any form - e.g. in driving motor vehicles, using heating systems etc. Orthodox Jews today set an example of the kind of behavior expected on the Sabbath: they remain indoors all day except for religious reasons, and are not personally involved in cooking, transport etc. Most of those 'Christians' who claim to keep the Sabbath fall far short of this.

It is often argued that keeping of the Sabbath was one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses, and that, while the rest of the Law of Moses was done away, the obligation remains to keep all of the Ten Commandments. Seventh Day Adventists make a distinction between a 'moral law' of the Ten Commandments and a so-called 'ceremonial law', which they believe was done away by Christ. This distinction is not taught in Scripture. The Old Covenant refers to the Law of Moses, which was replaced on the cross by the New Covenant. It can be shown that the ten commandments, including that concerning the Sabbath, were part of the Old Covenant which was done away by Christ:

God "declared unto you (Israel) his covenant, which he commanded you (Israel) to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone" (Deut. 4:13). Again it should be noted that this covenant, based upon the Ten Commandments, was made between God and Israel, not Gentiles of the present day.

Moses ascended Mount Horeb to receive the stone tables upon which God had written the Ten Commandments. Moses later commented concerning this, "The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb" (Deut. 5:2), i.e. through those Ten Commandments.

At this time, God "wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments" (Ex. 34:28). This same covenant included details of the so-called 'ceremonial law' (Ex. 34:27). If we argue that keeping the covenant made in the Ten Commandments is necessary, we must also observe every detail of the entire Law, seeing that this is all part of the same covenant. It is evidently impossible to do this. Heb. 9:4 speaks of "the tables of the covenant". The Ten Commandments were written on the tables of stone, which comprised "the (old) covenant."

Paul refers to this covenant as "written and engraven in stones", i.e. on the tables of stone. He calls it "the ministration of death...the ministration of condemnation...that which is done away" (2 Cor. 3:7-11). The covenant associated with the Ten Commandments can certainly not give any hope of salvation.

Christ blotted out "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us" (Col. 2:14) on the cross. This alludes to God's handwriting of the Ten Commandments on the tables of stone. Likewise Paul speaks of "the law...being dead...the oldness of the letter" (Rom. 7:6), probably referring to the letters of the Ten Commandments which were written on the tables of stone.

Just one of the Ten Commandments is styled "the law" in Rom. 7:8: "The law... said, Thou shalt not covet". The preceding verses in Rom. 7:1-7 stress how "the law" has been done away by Christ's death; "the law" therefore includes the Ten Commandments.

All this makes it clear that the Old Covenant and "the Law" included the Ten Commandments. As they have been done away by the New Covenant, the Ten Commandments have therefore been removed. However, nine of the Ten Commandments have been reaffirmed, in spirit at least, in the New Testament. Numbers 3,5,6,7,8 and 9 can be found in 1 Tim. 1 alone, and numbers 1,2 and 10 in 1 Cor. 5. But never is the fourth commandment concerning the Sabbath repeated in the New Testament as obligatory for us.

The following list of passages documents further how the other nine are reaffirmed in the New Testament:-
• 1st. - Eph. 4:6; 1 John 5:21; Matt. 4:10
• 2nd. - 1 Cor. 10:14; Rom. 1:25
• 3rd. - James 5:12; Matt. 5:34,35
• 5th. - Eph. 6:1,2; Col. 3:20
• 6th. - 1 John 3:15; Matt. 5:21
• 7th. - Heb. 13:4; Matt. 5:27,28
• 8th. - Rom. 2:21; Eph. 4:28
• 9th. - Col. 3:9; Eph. 4:25; 2 Tim. 3:3
• 10th. - Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5

Hope This Helps

FirstCentryBibleTruths

 

[SabbathBlessings]

This is what Christ taught....which we should live by:

Christ relates keeping the Sabbath with doing righteousness. Is there no need for Righteousness anymore?
Christ relates profaning the Sabbath with doing evil? Is that how someone in Christ should live- by doing evil?
Christ relates keeping the Sabbath as a blessing from Christ- the opposite seems like a terrible idea
Christ relates keeping the Sabbath with loving His name? Do we no longer need to love His name?
Christ relates keeping the Sabbath with serving Him. Are we no longer required to be His servant?
Christ relates keeping His Sabbath with joining ourselves to Him? Should someone in Christ not want to join themselves to Him- the opposite of this seems like a terrible idea- we are either with Him or by default against Him Mat 12:30
Christ relates keeping the Sabbath as holding fast to His covenant. Should we not want to be in a covenant relationship with Him?
Christ taught the Sabbath was made for everyone and specifically calls out Gentiles


Isa 56:1 Thus says the Lord:

“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
For My salvation is about to come,
And My righteousness to be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
And the son of man who lays hold on it;
Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

6 “Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant

No wonder why Jesus taught the Sabbath was made for mankind Mat 2:27 instead of teaching there is no need for the Sabbath because man needs God’s blessing and sanctification Eze 20:12 because no man or church can sanctify only God can. I can see why Satan hates the Sabbath so much because he does not want people to join themselves to Christ. He wants to be like the Most High which is why he made a counterfeit to everything God holds sacred. Satan has been deceiving people for centuries as the apostles taught. .Acts 20:29

The Sabbath is a sign that we are God's people Eze 20:20- look at what the Sabbath provides, and this is just in one passage. The scriptures are filled with the blessing and curses it brings when we keep or not keep. Even in the last days because when Jesus told His people the sign when to flee from Jerusalem because of its destruction- which has a secondary prophesy- they were Sabbath-keepers. Mat 24:20 everyone who fled were saved. Obviously not something ended at the Cross, as this was decades later.

The Sabbath commandment is the only commandment that reveals the God of Creation and contains His seal. Removing the Sabbath commandment is really removing the Authority of Christ who created heaven and earth and everything in them Exo 20:11, without the power of Jesus Christ no one can keep any of the commandments. The Authority of Christ in Creation Gen 2:1-3 Exo 20:11 is the same in Authority of Christ in Judgement Rev 14:7 because Christ changes not. He is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow Heb 13:8 and I guess those who think there is no need for the Sabbath would not really be happy in heaven when God's Sabbath and His holy day Isa 58:13 based on His Authority Exo 20:8-11 Exo 32:16 Exo 31:18 continues forever Isa 66:23 thus saith the Lord.

Keeping nine commandments is not a teaching of scripture. God spoke and God wrote Ten Commandments Exo 34:28 Deut 4:13 and He said He would not alter His Words Psa 89:34 Mat 5:18 which is why we break one of the commandments we break them all James 2:10-12 and why Jesus taught not to break the least of these commandments Mat 5:19-30 We have free will, but my faith is in every Word of God. Only He can reverse His blessing Num 23:20 and why He said Rememer the Sabbath day, because He knew everyone would forget. Do we follow God or popular traditions of man. Jesus tells which path to take Mat 15:3-14 we all have choices.

Speaking of the Sabbath- Happy Sabbath all.