Sabbath Anxiety (PLEASE HELP)

[Neal of Zebulun]

I would have to disagree with this deeply. While I can appreciate the zeal that goes into striving to obey Moses for the sake of Christ, it is simply not necessary, nor does it make any sense.

I agree that God does delight in the good, pure, loving, humble, and compassionate choices that we make out of love for Him, and others. But to expect anyone to obey Moses in Christ is simply wrong. It is not even humanly possible, as we have no system of daily sacrifice in the Temple at this point. If Christ fulfils one aspect (the animal sacrifice one) of Moses, He fulfils all, as the Torah is One Law, just as our Savior is One Man.

If the law is done away with, then why do people who practice witchcraft not inherit the Kingdom of God? Galatians 5:18-21

 

[anna ~ grace]

If the law is done away with, then why do people who practice witchcraft not inherit the Kingdom of God? Galatians 5:18-21

Because evil spirits have always existed, have been contrary to God since the Enemy rebelled, and consorting with / honoring / getting things from them has always and always will lead one's soul away from God, from His will, and from the salvation that is only in Him.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

Because evil spirits have always existed, have been contrary to God since the Enemy rebelled, and consorting with / honoring / getting things from them has always and always will lead one's soul away from God, from His will, and from the salvation that is only in Him.

So...you're saying we can't practice witchcraft, or else we won't be saved? Or is it okay to practice witchcraft as long as you just believe Christ will save you?

I mean, is Paul just playing Moses here, telling us what we can and cannot do to get saved?

 

[anna ~ grace]

So...you're saying we can't practice witchcraft, or else we won't be saved? Or is it okay to practice witchcraft as long as you just believe Christ will save you?

I mean, is Paul just playing Moses here, telling us what we can and cannot do to get saved?

No, Sir. Please look into the entire text of the New Testament to get the over-all tenor. If we say we know Him, and yet do not keep His commandments, we are lying, and deceiving ourselves. However, what commandments do we keep in Christ?

Paul is clear that those things of Moses are past, and that the point of the Law of Moses ultimately was to point us to and ready us for Messiah. So, now that the Messiah has come, we are to obey the commandments of His *new* Covenant, in His Blood, which is clearly not the Law of Moses.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

No, Sir. Please look into the entire text of the New Testament to get the over-all tenor. If we say we know Him, and yet do not keep His commandments, we are lying, and deceiving ourselves. However, what commandments do we keep in Christ?

Paul is clear that those things of Moses are past, and that the point of the Law of Moses ultimately was to point us to and ready us for Messiah. So, now that the Messiah has come, we are to obey the commandments of His *new* Covenant, in His Blood, which is clearly not the Law of Moses.

Okay, so it's a commandment of Christ then. Can you show me where Christ commands us not to practice witchcraft? There's a verse I'm thinking of, but it's not specifically about witchcraft. Do you know one?

 

[anna ~ grace]

Okay, so it's a commandment of Christ then. Can you show me where Christ commands us not to practice witchcraft? There's a verse I'm thinking of, but it's not specifically about witchcraft. Do you know one?

What I do know, Sir, is that we are told by Him to heed His Apostles, and that to hear those He called and chose is to hear Him. I also know that the Apostle Paul, identified as an Apostle in Acts, commands us to avoid communicating with evil spirits / demons / false "gods", and that we are to love God with all our heart and soul and might, and to have no other God but Him.

Moses is quoted often, in the NT, and in the Gospels. But this does not equate to us being obliged / expected / asked by God to obey the mitzvot of Moses.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

What I do know, Sir, is that we are told by Him to heed His Apostles, and that to hear those He called and chose is to hear Him. I also know that the Apostle Paul, identified as an Apostle in Acts, commands us to avoid communicating with evil spirits / demons / false "gods", and that we are to love God with all our heart and soul and might, and to have no other God but Him.

Moses is quoted often, in the NT, and in the Gospels. But this does not equate to us being obliged / expected / asked by God to obey the mitzvot of Moses.

Well sure, I agree that Paul is an apostle, I just don't see how your interpretation follows.

Here I found the verse I mentioned:

Matthew 5:

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.​

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.​

Okay so you mentioned that the commandments about sacrifices have been fulfilled.

But not the commandments regarding witchcraft, which can be found in Leviticus 19:31.

So can you show us where the commandment regarding mixed fabrics has been fulfilled?

Perhaps this is one of those laws that won't be fulfilled "Till heaven and earth pass".

 

[bekkilyn]

The purpose of the law was fulfilled by Jesus's atonement on the cross. Then there was no further need for any more jots or tittles.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

The purpose of the law was fulfilled by Jesus's atonement on the cross. Then there was no further need for any more jots or tittles.

You know, He mentioned the prophets too, "I am [not] come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Are you saying all the prophets and their prophecies were fulfilled at the cross too?

I was just reading Isaiah today:

Isaiah 25:

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for Yahweh hath spoken it.​

1 Corinthians 15:

26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.​

Has this been fulfilled?

 

[bekkilyn]

You know, He mentioned the prophets too, "I am [not] come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Are you saying all the prophets and their prophecies were fulfilled at the cross too?

Matthew 5:17-18
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Jesus did fulfill the prophecies of the coming Messiah, but in verse 18, it is the law specifically that he refers to with the jots and tittles.

 

[BobRyan]

I really don't want this to become a debate, but I understand if it does.

I've been learning about God recently (I've only been a Christian for a couple months) and I'm some how just now realizing that I may have to do the Sabbath day. This may sound weird, but it's making me panic.
I have terrible religious anxiety and OCD, so the moment I realize something like this, I panic and think I'm going to be damned for not doing it/doing it wrong. I also panic because I'm afraid of FOLLOWING the rules. The more rules there are, the more I may mess up.

1. you know you are not supposed to take God's name in vain right? But that does not cause you to "panic" does it??

2. In the same way - rest and worship on the Bible Sabbath - which is our Friday evening to our Saturday after sundown.. is rest... and is worship time... it is not "high anxiety time"'.

Find a Bible-believing Bible-Sabbath keeping congregation and join them

I have done that -- I am Seventh-day Adventist

 

[anna ~ grace]

You know, He mentioned the prophets too, "I am [not] come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

Are you saying all the prophets and their prophecies were fulfilled at the cross too?

I was just reading Isaiah today:

Isaiah 25:

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for Yahweh hath spoken it.​

1 Corinthians 15:

26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.​

Has this been fulfilled?

It has Sir. Christ has died, and is raised up from the dead.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

Matthew 5:17-18
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Jesus did fulfill the prophecies of the coming Messiah, but in verse 18, it is the law specifically that he refers to with the jots and tittles.

Matthew 22:

37 ..Thou shalt love Yahweh thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.​

38 This is the first and great commandment.​

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.​

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.​

This passage is quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. Are you saying these are fulfilled?

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

It has Sir. Christ has died, and is raised up from the dead.

You disagree with Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that this hasn't happened yet?

 

[BobRyan]

I'm panicking because I don't want to do the Sabbath. It feels like a chore to make sure I don't do any chores. I have a problem with panicking over the rules instead of focusing on the relationship with God,

Any time your response to one of God's commandments is "I don't want to " it is a heart issue.

God calls us to repentance but also gives the New Birth through the Holy Spirit and the New Covenant miracle work of God includes the promise that HE will write His Law on your heart. The new birth is a miracle, the new heart is a miracle, the work of God in the life... is a miracle.

I know that Jesus fulfilled the law, didn't abolish it, so does that mean we still have to do the Sabbath?

We still have to refrain from taking God's name in vain.
We still have to not worship pagan idols
We still have to honor our parents
We still have to keep the Bible Sabbath holy

So then does it matter if I don't want to do the Sabbath? Do I have to force myself to do it?

You have to choose to go to the foot of the cross.

You have to choose to let God do miracles... keep your eye fixed on Christ and not self.

Let go of rebellion - embrace and trust Christ.. He works miracles.

Romans 8:4-9 says that your sinful nature and in fact the sinful nature of all mankind "does not submit to the law of God neither indeed CAN it"

I don't really feel convicted to do it, I think, but I can't tell because I'm anxious

Anxiety can be created by being convicted on some moral issue but yet determined not to comply

Then I also wonder is it on Saturday or Sunday?

Bible scholars who go to church on Saturday - the Bible Sabbath (like I do) and Scholars who promoting going to church on Sunday both admit - that Christ was keeping the Bible Sabbath - attending synagogue on Saturday - (from friday evening to Saturday after sundown).

I choose to follow Christ on that one.

Is it okay to practice the Sabbath on Saturday at home alone, and then go to church on Sunday? Or does your Sabbath have to be on the day you go to church?

You should fellowship with believers that accept the same Bible truths that you are accepting if it all possible because that lessens the sense of anxiety.

I feel like God doesn't want me to panic this much. I feel like the Sabbath should be a day I enjoy

You are right ... it is not a day of panic... it is a day of rest and re-energizing... filling up the batteries.. connecting with Christ in dedicated time that does not get derailed by secular worries or concerns.

The main reasons I don't want to do the Sabbath are as follows:
-I live with my dad (I'm physically injured and can't work right now) and if he asks me to do something on the Sabbath and I don't, I fear getting in trouble. But I don't want to put the will of my dad's before the will of God.

Ask him to study the subject with you from the Bible. It is now Sunday going into Monday God will give you time this week.. - you may find peace on this subject by asking to study with your Dad.

If your Dad knows of your tendency to become anxious - he may also be interested in helping you with this subject -- There is nothing about God's Bible Sabbath that says you cannot keep it with your Dad. But you should try to find a church that also helps rather than opposes your convictions.

 

[bekkilyn]

Matthew 22:

37 ..Thou shalt love Yahweh thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.​

38 This is the first and great commandment.​

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.​

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.​

This passage is quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. Are you saying these are fulfilled?

Yes, ALL of the law was fulfilled at the cross.

However, if you are a Christian believer and if you allow the Holy Spirit to transform you and do his work within you, a fruit of the Spirit is love, so you are going to act with love towards God and towards neighbor without a law telling you to do so. It will be a desire in your heart, and you would not desire to do otherwise.

 

[anna ~ grace]

You disagree with Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that this hasn't happened yet?

Actually, Sir, I agree with the Apostle Paul when he writes that for those who are in Christ, death has lost its power, and those things unable to fully save have been done away with.

Please see Romans 10, Galatians 2:15-21, 1 Corinthians 15, and Romans 6.

Even for those who resist unto the end and who have neither faith nor works in Christ, there shall be an end. Not all will be saved, and a Second Death is mentioned, even in eternity. But as many as have trusted and followed Him, there is life, a defeat of death, and an end to righteousness by any other means, including the Law of Moses.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

Yes, ALL of the law was fulfilled at the cross.

However, if you are a Christian believer and if you allow the Holy Spirit to transform you and do his work within you, a fruit of the Spirit is love, so you are going to act with love towards God and towards neighbor without a law telling you to do so. It will be a desire in your heart, and you would not desire to do otherwise.

That's not how it works.

Look at what Paul says:

Romans 7:

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.​

He quoting the 10th commandment, Exodus 20:17, one specifically regarding a neighbor.

He's saying that by reading and hearing the Law we learn what sin is, and why we need Yahweh's grace which he affords to us through Christ. He writes the Law on our hearts this way, which we struggle to obey. (Romans 7:12-25)

Look at this Law:

Deuteronomy 22:

5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto Yahweh thy God.​

Yahweh sees this as an abomination. Did you know that Yahweh never changes? (Malachi 3:6)

 

[anna ~ grace]

You disagree with Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that this hasn't happened yet?

Respectfully, Sir, that is also a single verse out of context. Please check out the entire chapter. And Revelation. And Galatians.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

Respectfully, Sir, that is also a single verse out of context. Please check out the entire chapter. And Revelation. And Galatians.

It's not out of context: 1 Corinthians 15:23-28.

You're going off topic. My point was that not all the prophecies have been fulfilled, and neither has the Law.