Profound lessons from the first two books of Genesis.

[BrightCandle]

While reading the first two books of Genesis today, I was deeply impressed with the fact, that three of the foundational biblical principles found in the book of Genesis, have been attacked and altered to a large degree by the Christian and non-Christian world, over the last 6,000 years.

1. Evolution has trumped the biblical view of instaneous creations over a literal, 24 hour, six day creation week. (Gen.1:3-31)

2. Living together, illicit sex, and homosexuality dramactically reduced the number of men and women who are married according the biblical mandate in the book of Genesis. (Gen.2:24)

3. The vast majority of the Christian world have substituted the 1st day of week (Sunday) in place of the 7th day Sabbath. (Gen.2:1-3)

My proposition is this: The majority of professed Christians will agree that #1 and #2 should not have been tampered with, or altered, but they don't have a problem with #3 being tampered with and altered. And yet, the 7th day Sabbath was the one of the three that was made "holy" by God, (Genesis 2:3).

How do you see this issue?

 

[FijianBeliever]

Hi All,

While reading the first two books of Genesis today, I was deeply impressed with the fact, that three of the foundational biblical principles found in the book of Genesis, have been attacked and altered to a large degree by the Christian and non-Christian world, over the last 6,000 years.

1. Evolution has trumped the biblical view of instaneous creations over a literal, 24 hour, six day creation week. (Gen.1:3-31)

2. Living together, illicit sex, and homosexuality dramactically reduced the number of men and women who are married according the biblical mandate in the book of Genesis. (Gen.2:24)

3. The vast majority of the Christian world have substituted the 1st day of week (Sunday) in place of the 7th day Sabbath. (Gen.2:1-3)

My proposition is this: The majority of professed Christians will agree that #1 and #2 should not have been tampered with, or altered, but they don't have a problem with #3 being tampered with and altered. And yet, the 7th day Sabbath was the one of the three that was made "holy" by God, (Genesis 2:3).

How do you see this issue?

John 5:17Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working." 18For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God his own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Jesus did not equate the Sabbath with the last day of the week, but with something else.

BTW, something just occured to me....

Genesis 2:By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

God blessed the 7th day, because He rested from all His work.
The 2nd week, would then become the 8th, 9th, 10th ......14th day. Counting from Creation/Beginning of time, there would only be one 7th day, wouldn't there be?

I believe that what God refers to as the Sabbath, and what we understand to be the Sabbath, are two different concepts.

God Bless You All,
Isaia

 

[Splayd]

1. Evolution has trumped the biblical view of instaneous creations over a literal, 24 hour, six day creation week. (Gen.1:3-31)

Personally, I prefer to accept the literal 6 day perspective... BUT the biblical view never explicitely says they were 24 hour days or that the events were instantaneous. If they did I doubt there'd be the extent of debate on the matter there is today. What you are calling the "biblical" view is really just your interpretation (and mine) of the biblical text.

3. The vast majority of the Christian world have substituted the 1st day of week (Sunday) in place of the 7th day Sabbath. (Gen.2:1-3)

Once again, I choose to keep the 7th day Sabbath, but I can't quite agree with your comment. While the vast majority of christians that I personally know - do meet for corporate worship on Sunday, very few of them would contend it's a substitute for the Sabbath.

Personally - I dedicate the Sabbath to God at home on my own and meet with others on Sunday for corporate worship, but that's my personal choice.

 

[gorion]

Although it is possible that the creation story could be literally correct. It is also possible that to take it literally would be incorrect as well. After all if the earth was without form and the sun and moon were not created until the fourth day, how could there be a sunrise and sunset on the first three days? You must someday come to the realization that it is entirely possible that not all of the bible is absolute historical fact.

 

[BrightCandle]

Hi All,
John 5:17Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working." 18For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God his own Father, making Himself equal with God.

Jesus did not equate the Sabbath with the last day of the week, but with something else.

BTW, something just occured to me....

Genesis 2:By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

God blessed the 7th day, because He rested from all His work.
The 2nd week, would then become the 8th, 9th, 10th ......14th day. Counting from Creation/Beginning of time, there would only be one 7th day, wouldn't there be?

I believe that what God refers to as the Sabbath, and what we understand to be the Sabbath, are two different concepts.

God Bless You All,
Isaia

Jesus kept the Sabbath on the 7th day, not on the 1st day. By this is in no uncertain terms showed exactly what day the Sabbath was, and how it was to be kept. The Jews during the time of Christ kept the Sabbath on the 7th day, but had loaded the Sabbath down with a multitude of man made laws. Note, I said man made laws, not God made. That is what got Jesus in trouble with the Jews, but he never broke the Sabbath or sinned in anyway before His Father, that is the important point. And again I will emphasis, the Godhead made the 7th day a "holy" day. That has never been said of the 1st day of the week.

 

[BrightCandle]

Personally, I prefer to accept the literal 6 day perspective... BUT the biblical view never explicitely says they were 24 hour days or that the events were instantaneous. If they did I doubt there'd be the extent of debate on the matter there is today. What you are calling the "biblical" view is really just your interpretation (and mine) of the biblical text.

Once again, I choose to keep the 7th day Sabbath, but I can't quite agree with your comment. While the vast majority of christians that I personally know - do meet for corporate worship on Sunday, very few of them would contend it's a substitute for the Sabbath.

Personally - I dedicate the Sabbath to God at home on my own and meet with others on Sunday for corporate worship, but that's my personal choice.

How many hours are there in a day? 24 hours. About half is light, and about half is dark. That pattern has exisisted has far back as secular history records. Note, where it said that" an evening and morning" was a day. Note also, whenever God spoke, the phrase follows "and it was so". Secular athiestic philosophy has put the evolutionary spin on the book of Genesis to deny the divine power of the Godhead. What would be the sense of a long evolutionary process, when God has the power to create by just speaking the word?

 

[BrightCandle]

Once again, I choose to keep the 7th day Sabbath, but I can't quite agree with your comment. While the vast majority of christians that I personally know - do meet for corporate worship on Sunday, very few of them would contend it's a substitute for the Sabbath.

Personally - I dedicate the Sabbath to God at home on my own and meet with others on Sunday for corporate worship, but that's my personal choice.

It a person like yourself believes that the 7th day is the Sabbath, then why would you not want to worship with those who also believe that the 7th day is the Sabbath? Sunday is a common day, and has never been blest, or made holy in the Bible. The traditions of churchmen have tried to make it holy, but it will never be without God's blessing.

 

[GreyLeader]

My standard response to the SDA objection in short-hand form:

1. Law fulfilled.

2. Sabbath foreshadow for the reality which is Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).

3. Sabbath looked forward to a time when we cease forever from our works getting us into heaven. Works now come as a natural result of the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our want to please Jesus.

Notes:

1. Sabbath still Saturday.

2. Christians set free from law.

3. Most Christians worship Sunday to remember Christ's resurrection.

Also, when you look at the consequences of points 1 & 2 that you brought up, they are very severe on society. However, point 3 has no effect...

 

[GreyLeader]

Jesus kept the Sabbath on the 7th day, not on the 1st day. By this is in no uncertain terms showed exactly what day the Sabbath was, and how it was to be kept. The Jews during the time of Christ kept the Sabbath on the 7th day, but had loaded the Sabbath down with a multitude of man made laws. Note, I said man made laws, not God made. That is what got Jesus in trouble with the Jews, but he never broke the Sabbath or sinned in anyway before His Father, that is the important point. And again I will emphasis, the Godhead made the 7th day a "holy" day. That has never been said of the 1st day of the week.

Jesus had to keep the Sabbath in order to be sinless and complete the Law's requirements such that He could set us free from its condemnation. This is hardly an argument that we need to keep the Sabbath.

 

[BrightCandle]

Jesus had to keep the Sabbath in order to be sinless and complete the Law's requirements such that He could set us free from its condemnation. This is hardly an argument that we need to keep the Sabbath.

With all due respects, Jesus was our example, and He kept the 7th day Sabbath! If it was good enough for Jesus then it should be good enough for His followers, like you and me!

 

[BrightCandle]

My standard response to the SDA objection in short-hand form:

1. Law fulfilled.

2. Sabbath foreshadow for the reality which is Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).

3. Sabbath looked forward to a time when we cease forever from our works getting us into heaven. Works now come as a natural result of the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives and our want to please Jesus.

Notes:

1. Sabbath still Saturday.

2. Christians set free from law.

3. Most Christians worship Sunday to remember Christ's resurrection.

Also, when you look at the consequences of points 1 & 2 that you brought up, they are very severe on society. However, point 3 has no effect...

The hand writing of the ordinances were a foreshadow of things to come, but note, that was referring to the ceremonial sabbaths that Moses wrote about, not the 7th day Sabbath that was created before mankind sinned, therefore, it was not pointing forward to anything having to do with the ceremonial sacrificial services which were created after mankind sinned.

Coming from a different angle, those who keep the 7th day Sabbath show by their actions that they are resting from their works, while those who don't are by their actions showing that they are depending on thier own works, just like Cain did when he refused to offer the sacrifice that God required.

 

[BrightCandle]

Also, when you look at the consequences of points 1 & 2 that you brought up, they are very severe on society. However, point 3 has no effect...

Have you noticed the increasing lawlessness even our "Christian Nation"? If all Christians kept the 7th day Sabbath, and the rest of the Ten Commandments we would see in our nation much more respect for the secular law, let alone God's Holy Law. But, the devil now has decieved the majority of Christian churches into saying that the Ten Commandments are done away with! And what follows in its wake? Lawlessness!

 

[GreyLeader]

Have you noticed the increasing lawlessness even our "Christian Nation"? If all Christians kept the 7th day Sabbath, and the rest of the Ten Commandments we would see in our nation much more respect for the secular law, let alone God's Holy Law. But, the devil now has decieved the majority of Christian churches into saying that the Ten Commandments are done away with! And what follows in its wake? Lawlessness!

I refuse to debate or even discuss with someone who does not have a understanding of what it means when we say that "Jesus completed the Law" and being under grace because your lack of understanding will prevent us from getting anywhere productive.

But I have to say that to assert that Christians not keeping the seventh day being the source of all the world's trouble and lawlessness ... I don't think so. I'd like you to show me why you think that though.

BTW, no informed person says that the Ten Commandments are "done away with."

 

[Sunrunner]

The ceremonial law was fulfilled.

Why would the simple, eternal Law of God need fulfilling?

 

[Netopalis]

Do we even know that our modern Saturday is the 7th day from Creation? Is there any possible way to date exactly how many days we are away from Creation? No. The 7th day could be Tuesday for all we know. We just have to follow what we feel in our hearts, and if God does not convict us otherwise, I see no reason to change.

 

[Sunrunner]

The calendar has not been changed so as to confuse the days of the week. We can be positive that our seventh day is the same day Jesus observed when He was here. Pope Gregory XIII did make a calendar change in 1582, but it did not interfere with the weekly cycle. Our present Gregorian calendar was named after him when he made that small change in 1582.

What did Pope Gregory do to the calendar? Before 1582 the Julian calendar had been in effect, instituted by Julius Ceasar about 46 B.C. and named after him. But the Julian calendar had calculated the length of the year as 365 1/4 days, and the year is actually eleven minutes less than 365 1/4 days. Those eleven minutes accumulated, and by 1582 the numbering of the calendar was ten days out of harmony with the solar system. Gregory simply dropped those ten days out of the numbering of the calendar. It was Thursday, October 4, 1582, and the next day, Friday, should have been October 5. But Gregory made it October 15 instead, dropping exactly ten days to bring the calendar back into harmony with the heavenly bodies.

Were the days of the week confused? No. Friday still followed Thursday, and Saturday still followed Friday. The same seventh day remained, and the weekly cycle was not disturbed in the least. When we keep the seventh day on Saturday, we are observing the same day Jesus kept, and He did it every week according to Luke 4:16.

^ Good answer.

 

[dennis777]

Many early christians were slaves.

Many christian slaves were owned by non-christian slave-masters.

Non-christians did not "keep the sabbath", or observe the "first day of the week" (sunday) as the "Lord's Day, (i'm assuming).

My point is:
Did the Christian slaves refuse to work on Saturday? Or Sunday?
I think, they probably worked 7 days per week (as per the salve-masters' orders).

Did the christian slaves lose their salvation for working on the Sabbath or the Lord's Day?

Col 2;16
The OT (Mosaic Law) Sabbath is for OT Jews (not for NT Christains).

Christ is our Sabbath.

I work 7 days per week.

I'm a Christian , and no one can judge me concerning the "keeping of the Sabbath". Col 2;16

dennis
​

 

[dennis777]

Exodus 20;11

God made everything in 6 literal (24 hour) days, and rested on the 7th day.

That is why the Lord hallowed the 7th day.

my point is:

the 6 days od creation work were the "pattern" for our 6 day work week, plus 1 literal (24 hour ) day for rest. THIS is how we KNOW that the 7 day Creation week was not more than 7 times 24 hours = 168 hours.
(the creation week was NOT millions of years)

And again, Christians are NOT required to "keep the Sabbath". That was Mosaic Law.
Col 2;16

dennis