Why worry about the Ten Commandments, if you are disregarding the Sabbath?

[Cliff2]

As per Romans 3:25-29

25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. 28A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

This passage describes what I affectionatelly call: "Drugstore Christians". Just as "drugstore cowboys" dress and act the part in a drugstore, they couldn't ride a horse or rope a calf if their life depended on it. They might wear the hat, the jeans, the boots, the buckle--but, they are not cowboys. They are pretenders. Sadly today, there are many pretenders in the church(es)! They talk the talk, they work the work. They teach the word! But, they're just pretenders.
They 'pretend' to be righteous, by condeming adultry, yet they go out and************** (Rom 2:22) The world hasn't changed! Men are the same. A simple reading of Proverbs will prove that!

You have hit the nail right on the head. If there has been change it has not been for the better.

 

[JimfromOhio]

In the Old Testament, the sacrifices and offerings of blood of animals were ceremonial symbolism however the death of Jesus Christ replaced the weekly sacrifices with ONE sacrifice. When Jesus poured out His blood on Calvary, He guaranteed eternal redemption to all who would put our trust in Him. The manner in which the Jews under the old covenant sanctified the day involved types and symbols that pointed to the coming Redeemer. After Christ, the ceremonial weekly traditions including Sabbath (Hebrews Chapters 8 through 10 have been removed. In my opinion that concerning the fourth commandment, those who judges others regarding Ceremonial Sabbath are extreme, and interpreted it too strictly. The Sabbath is to be sanctified or set apart onto God as a day of rest from work, a day of cessation from the normal daily routine of the 7 days cycle regardless on man-made calendar (Sundays-Saturdays)(the Hebrew word for sabbath is clearly related to the Hebrew verb shabeth, which means to rest or cease). "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however,is found in Christ"(Colossians 2:15-17) basically means we are not to live in bondage to specific days and times and seasons (Romans 14:4-10; 2 Corinthians 3:5-18). Sabbath basically means a pattern of six days of labor and one day of rest must be considered universal and perpetually binding upon mankind.

In Romans 14:5-6: "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it." In this passage, Paul allows for diversity in the church over the issue of Jewish holy days (i.e., the ceremonial sabbaths) because of the unique historical circumstances. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the ceremonial aspects of the law (e.g., animal sacrifices, Jewish holy days, circumcision) were rendered obsolete and were abrogated. The Sabbath was made a perpetual covenant and sign between Jehovah and the Jewish nation.

Jesus Christ who is our Lord and Savior have provided examples regarding First Day of the week. The central reason that Christians observe the first day of the week is the historical fact that Christ rose from the dead on that day (Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:2, 9; Lk. 24:1; Jn. 20:1). Christ chose to appear repeatedly to His disciples on the first day of the week (Mt. 28:9; Lk. 24:15-31, 36; Jn. 20:19, 26). This pattern of appearance is carefully noted in the Scriptures and is obviously not arbitrary. Another example is that Jesus chose the first day of the week to strengthen the apostles' faith, instruct them in doctrine, issue commands, engage in fellowship, and partake in the breaking of bread.

Denominations causes divisions which have been around for thousands years. Beliefs that impact people's lives and the Church, but with which there can be sincere disagreements. They are important; Christians might argue for them. These are theological ideas with which there can be great latitude of belief such as this issue especially those who follow Sabbath (i.e. SDA and similar). This is often between God and the Believer. As long as we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior by responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and Repent for our sins. There are many denominations because there are Christians who will follow their conscience, feelings, beliefs and personal worship preferences. I don't have problems with those who belong to SDA, in fact, I have friends who are members and we get along just fine. This is between God and each individual believer. There are different preferences of beliefs and different style of worship. Some prefer one worship style while other prefer another worship style. The key is that we must worship God in Spirit with other believers regardless our "personal" opinion or loyalty to our denominations (or non-denomination).

John 4:23-24 (New International Version) Jesus said:
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

 

[Cliff2]

In the Old Testament, the sacrifices and offerings of blood of animals were ceremonial symbolism however the death of Jesus Christ replaced the weekly sacrifices with ONE sacrifice. When Jesus poured out His blood on Calvary, He guaranteed eternal redemption to all who would put our trust in Him. The manner in which the Jews under the old covenant sanctified the day involved types and symbols that pointed to the coming Redeemer. After Christ, the ceremonial weekly traditions including Sabbath (Hebrews Chapters 8 through 10 have been removed. In my opinion that concerning the fourth commandment, those who judges others regarding Ceremonial Sabbath are extreme, and interpreted it too strictly. The Sabbath is to be sanctified or set apart onto God as a day of rest from work, a day of cessation from the normal daily routine of the 7 days cycle regardless on man-made calendar (Sundays-Saturdays)(the Hebrew word for sabbath is clearly related to the Hebrew verb shabeth, which means to rest or cease). "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however,is found in Christ"(Colossians 2:15-17) basically means we are not to live in bondage to specific days and times and seasons (Romans 14:4-10; 2 Corinthians 3:5-18). Sabbath basically means a pattern of six days of labor and one day of rest must be considered universal and perpetually binding upon mankind.

In Romans 14:5-6: "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it." In this passage, Paul allows for diversity in the church over the issue of Jewish holy days (i.e., the ceremonial sabbaths) because of the unique historical circumstances. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the ceremonial aspects of the law (e.g., animal sacrifices, Jewish holy days, circumcision) were rendered obsolete and were abrogated. The Sabbath was made a perpetual covenant and sign between Jehovah and the Jewish nation.

Jesus Christ who is our Lord and Savior have provided examples regarding First Day of the week. The central reason that Christians observe the first day of the week is the historical fact that Christ rose from the dead on that day (Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:2, 9; Lk. 24:1; Jn. 20:1). Christ chose to appear repeatedly to His disciples on the first day of the week (Mt. 28:9; Lk. 24:15-31, 36; Jn. 20:19, 26). This pattern of appearance is carefully noted in the Scriptures and is obviously not arbitrary. Another example is that Jesus chose the first day of the week to strengthen the apostles' faith, instruct them in doctrine, issue commands, engage in fellowship, and partake in the breaking of bread.

Denominations causes divisions which have been around for thousands years. Beliefs that impact people's lives and the Church, but with which there can be sincere disagreements. They are important; Christians might argue for them. These are theological ideas with which there can be great latitude of belief such as this issue especially those who follow Sabbath (i.e. SDA and similar). This is often between God and the Believer. As long as we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior by responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and Repent for our sins. There are many denominations because there are Christians who will follow their conscience, feelings, beliefs and personal worship preferences. I don't have problems with those who belong to SDA, in fact, I have friends who are members and we get along just fine. This is between God and each individual believer. There are different preferences of beliefs and different style of worship. Some prefer one worship style while other prefer another worship style. The key is that we must worship God in Spirit with other believers regardless our "personal" opinion or loyalty to our denominations (or non-denomination).

John 4:23-24 (New International Version) Jesus said:
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

The real issue here is that are we going to keep nine of the commandments and forget one and think that God will agree to us changing the day He set aside or are we going to follow Him all the way.

Why even be concerned about any of the commandments if we are not going tollow all of them, not just nine of the ten.

 

[JimfromOhio]

The real issue here is that are we going to keep nine of the commandments and forget one and think that God will agree to us changing the day He set aside or are we going to follow Him all the way.

Why even be concerned about any of the commandments if we are not going tollow all of them, not just nine of the ten.

You are keeping the Sabbath on Saturdays as the Jewish Traditions taught.

I am keeping the Sabbath on the 7th day as God did. He worked 6 days and rested on 7th day.

Neither are wrong.

 

[humbledbyhim]

Why should we keep the Sabbath as preResurresctional Jews were commanded ? There is no need to keep the Shabbat Laws, Laws which were to set apart the Jews (a type of the Church) from the Gentiles ( at ype of the world rife with sin). Christ has brought all together in Him, through the New Creation and His one time Sabbath.

You get much rep for saying what I have been saying and thinking all along...

 

[humbledbyhim]

The real issue here is that are we going to keep nine of the commandments and forget one and think that God will agree to us changing the day He set aside or are we going to follow Him all the way.

Why even be concerned about any of the commandments if we are not going tollow all of them, not just nine of the ten.

Okay, so you condemn us for not doing the Sabbath on Saturday, but you condemn yourself by constantly berating us on something that will not be the life or death of anyone except those who sin in other ways by trying to enforce it. Read Romans 14. Why do you care about the 4th commandment while ignoring an entire chapter of the bible? THIS is the issue here.

 

[Cliff2]

Okay, so you condemn us for not doing the Sabbath on Saturday, but you condemn yourself by constantly berating us on something that will not be the life or death of anyone except those who sin in other ways by trying to enforce it. Read Romans 14. Why do you care about the 4th commandment while ignoring an entire chapter of the bible? THIS is the issue here.

To start with Romans 14 has nothing to with doing away with the 4th commandment.

Let me say here that I believe that the vast majority of those who are saved will NOT have been 7th day Sabbath keepers.

I am not condemning anyone, if anyone is condemning someone it is not me as I am quoting from the Bible.

If the Bible says not to kill, am I condemning you if I say to you, "don't kill".

I do not think so but if I say top keep the Sabbath, you think I am condemning you.

Not at all, look at the other nine commandments, am I condemning you by sayinbg to keep them.

No, not at all.

 

[jochanaan]

Okay, so you condemn us for not doing the Sabbath on Saturday, but you condemn yourself by constantly berating us on something that will not be the life or death of anyone except those who sin in other ways by trying to enforce it. Read Romans 14. Why do you care about the 4th commandment while ignoring an entire chapter of the bible? THIS is the issue here.

I for one condemn no one. Despite my vigorous defense of the seventh-day Sabbath, I believe that everyone here loves the Lord as much as I do, and I fully expect to see most of you in Heaven. I am trying to show, from the Bible, that the Bible does not command us to change the Sabbath to Sunday, or indeed to change it at all.

Show me anywhere in the Bible... where it actually names the names of the week. Where is Saturday? Where is Good Friday? Where is Sunday?

They aren't there because they aren't Godly names! God didn't name the days of the week!

Why do you keep bringing this up? We have answered you many times that the weekdays are defined sufficiently by numbers in Scripture: "first day", "fourth day", and so on. Others far more knowledgeable than I have concluded that our Saturday is indeed the Sabbath of the Bible. It makes no difference what we call the seven days of the week.

But I don't know why I'm even saying this. It seems that nothing I can say will persuade some that there is merit in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath rather than Sunday. You are my brothers--but on this issue I will continue to follow the understanding God has given me through Scripture, His Holy Spirit, and the godly counsel of many of my own Christian brothers. As I have said often, as long as we're setting aside one day in seven, it may as well be the one the Lord originally set aside.

May God bless us all.

 

[BrightCandle]

Okay, so you condemn us for not doing the Sabbath on Saturday, but you condemn yourself by constantly berating us on something that will not be the life or death of anyone except those who sin in other ways by trying to enforce it. Read Romans 14. Why do you care about the 4th commandment while ignoring an entire chapter of the bible? THIS is the issue here.

Not doing what God has clearly said to do, or not to do, is what got this whole world into the mega mess that we are in now. Let me explain, when God told Adam and Eve to not eat the apple or they would die, that didn't seem like it could be possible to die from doing such a little thing as that, but there was more to it, it was a test of their loyalty, love, and alliegence to the God of Heave, and sadly they failed, and we are still 6,000 years later suffering the results of that "little sin".

The Sabbath is what could be called a "testing truth", tithing is another one. The Sabbath tests our use of time, and tithing tests our use of money. That is why Jesus said "Remember" the Sabbath. I would like someone here in CF to reply to the question: As to why Jesus would use the word "Remember" only on the Sabbath commandment?

 

[MidnightCry]

Not doing what God has clearly said to do, or not to do, is what got this whole world into the mega mess that we are in now. Let me explain, when God told Adam and Eve to not eat the apple or they would die, that didn't seem like it could be possible to die from doing such a little thing as that, but there was more to it, it was a test of their loyalty, love, and alliegence to the God of Heave, and sadly they failed, and we are still 6,000 years later suffering the results of that "little sin".

The Sabbath is what could be called a "testing truth", tithing is another one. The Sabbath tests our use of time, and tithing tests our use of money. That is why Jesus said "Remember" the Sabbath. I would like someone here in CF to reply to the question: As to why Jesus would use the word "Remember" only on the Sabbath commandment?

Good point. The 4th commandment seems to be the only one people seem to have a problem with. I think this will be a dividing issue in the church in the future.

 

[shadowmoses]

How can we all come to an understanding?
The only answer is to open our minds up to both sides of the argument.So for anyone who holds strong to sunday.I don't want you to just have a glance at my first paragraphs of this post and shrugg it off because you don't want to hear it.I want you to read all my words,it is your choice to disagree but make sure when you disagree you have reason.Otherwise there is no reason to believe as I do.

This is my advice: Make sure to put your main focus on knowing Jesus more (Philippians 3:7-14 and 1 Corinthians 2:2). Don't let any other issues or concerns get in the way of your personal relationship with the Lord! Early in my Christian walk, I made the mistake of studying all the prophecies, doctrines, etc. when I should have been spending my time walking closer to Christ and studying His life and how I can "walk even as He walked" (1 John 2:6). Instead of learning how to abide in Him (John 15:1-8) I became a serious Bible student, but I was doing it for the wrong reasons: so that I could win debates and correct the mistakes of others, when I didn't even have a real connection with the Savior! I was truly fulfilling the words of Matthew 7:3-5 because I was looking at all the faults in everyone else's beliefs when I should have been focusing on my own sins (2 Corinthians 13:5) and how I could have victory over them (Philippians 4:13).
​

With that disclaimer, we must not forget that the Sabbath day is important in God's sight since He set it up right at creation (Genesis 2:1-3) and He included it in the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:8-10). If you look up these verses, you'll see they both tell us that God instituted His Sabbath day on the 7h day of the week. All you really need to do is pull out the calendar to see that Saturday is indeed the 7th day of the week and it always has been since God first began the weekly cycle at the beginning of time in the book of Genesis. Encyclopedias and history itself clearly show that the day we call Saturday has always been the 7th day of the week.
​

But does this still apply to us as Christians? Is this the day that we are to keep holy?
​

Many say that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday in the New Testament, but there is no Biblical evidence for this. Jesus never changed it, but the Bible tells us that He it was His custom to keep the Sabbath as a holy day (Luke 4:16) and so did His followers (Luke 23:56, Acts 13:42-44, Acts 16:13). Christ called Himself "the Lord of the Sabbath day" (Matthew 12:8) which would make it "the Lord's Day" (see also Isaiah 58:13-14, where the Lord calls the Sabbath His "holy day") and Jesus said that Christians would be keeping the Sabbath even after His death (Matthew 24:20). In fact, the Bible tells us that we will even keep the Sabbath of the 10 Commandments in heaven (Isaiah 66:22-23).
​

Some people believe that Romans 14:5-6 teaches that the Sabbath day is basically a matter of personal opinion and that we can keep any day that we want to, but the real issue here in Romans is not over the 10 Commandments, but over the yearly feast days and sabbaths of the ceremonial law, such as Passover, the Day of Atonement, and The Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Jews who had converted to Christianity were telling all the other Christians that they had to keep these days holy and they were judging them for not doing so. Paul was addressing this problem and telling the Jewish converts that those fests and yearly sabbaths didn't need to be kept any longer, but it was up to each individual whether they wanted to or not. This does not apply to the Sabbath of God's 10 Commandment law because Paul said in the same book "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." (Romans 3:31)
​

It would be very inconsistent for God to say that only 1 of His commandments were optional, but the other 9 are still binding. Jesus clearly said in Matthew 5:19 "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." Don't ever let anyone tell you that any of the 10 Commandments are not important!
​

Obviously Jesus does indeed want us to keep the Ten Commandments. Notice what He said in John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in My love even as I have kept My Fathers commandments and abide in His love." As Christians, we are to follow the example Jesus gave us (1 John 2:6) and one aspect of that is to obey His Father and live by the 10 Commandments, including the one about the Sabbath.
​

Others will say that Colossians 2:14-17 says that the Sabbath is no longer important as well. This is a misunderstanding. These verse are specifically pointing to the sabbaths which were "a shadow of things to come". Again, this is referring to the seven yearly holy days of ancient Israel since they were also called sabbaths, but they were in addition to, or "beside the sabbaths of the Lord" (Leviticus 23:38). In other words, these yearly sabbaths were not related to the Sabbath which God had given in the 10 Commandments. The yearly sabbaths ended at the cross because they foreshadowed and pointed to Christ's death. Colossians chapter 2 only mentions the sabbaths that were "a shadow" pointing forward to sin being dealt with at the cross. God's holy Sabbath didn't foreshadow anything since it was given before sin ever entered the world. (Genesis 2:1-3)
​

So why do many Christians say that Sunday is the Sabbath? It's really quite simple if you look back through history. Sunday was the day of celebration during the Roman empire as it was a time set aside to worship the sun god. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, but the pagans were used to worshipping on Sunday and they didn't want to change, especially since the Jews were known to still worship on Saturday. The Jews were under the authority of Rome and there was a lot of Anti-Semitism even back then. Christians often suffered as a result of Jewish riots and outbreaks throughout the Empire. Some early Christian writers were Anti-Jewish, such as Barnabas and Justin Martyr, and they encouraged Christians to avoid keeping the Sabbath since it made believers appear to be Jews.
​

As a way of compromise, people began to worship on both days:
"In some places no day is omitted, on which the Communion is not offered; in some only on the Sabbath and the Lord's day (referring to Sunday), and in some only on the Lord's day." Augustine, (died 430 A.D.). Letter 54 to Januarius, Ch. 2, in MPL, Vol. 33, Col. 200.
​

Over time, the Sabbath became less popular and Sunday became known as the day of Christian worship:
​

"Although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the Sabbath (Saturday) of the week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this." Socrates Schutasticus, Ecclesiastical History, Bk. 5, Ch. 22, trans. in NPNF, 2nd series, Vol. 2, p. 132.
​

In the 4th century, this proclamation was made:
"Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ." Oh. Y. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church,
Vol. 2, p. 316
​

Since the Catholic church sprang up out of Rome, they take all the credit for the Sabbath being switched from Saturday to Sunday:
"Q. Which is the Sabbath day?
A. Saturday is the Sabbath day.
​

Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."
Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic
Doctrine, p. 50.
​

"Q. How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
A. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church." Henry Tuberville, An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrines, 1833, p. 58.
​

Friends, if we truly want to live by the Bible, then we should make sure that we don't "reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:9) But if we have disagreements about this subject, let's not let that cause divisions among us as Christians! Remember that Paul said that we should avoid "strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain."
(Titus 3:9)
​

 

[Cliff2]

How can we all come to an understanding?
The only answer is to open our minds up to both sides of the argument.So for anyone who holds strong to sunday.I don't want you to just have a glance at my first paragraphs of this post and shrugg it off because you don't want to hear it.I want you to read all my words,it is your choice to disagree but make sure when you disagree you have reason.Otherwise there is no reason to believe as I do.


This is my advice: Make sure to put your main focus on knowing Jesus more (Philippians 3:7-14 and 1 Corinthians 2:2). Don't let any other issues or concerns get in the way of your personal relationship with the Lord! Early in my Christian walk, I made the mistake of studying all the prophecies, doctrines, etc. when I should have been spending my time walking closer to Christ and studying His life and how I can "walk even as He walked" (1 John 2:6). Instead of learning how to abide in Him (John 15:1-8) I became a serious Bible student, but I was doing it for the wrong reasons: so that I could win debates and correct the mistakes of others, when I didn't even have a real connection with the Savior! I was truly fulfilling the words of Matthew 7:3-5 because I was looking at all the faults in everyone else's beliefs when I should have been focusing on my own sins (2 Corinthians 13:5) and how I could have victory over them (Philippians 4:13).

With that disclaimer, we must not forget that the Sabbath day is important in God's sight since He set it up right at creation (Genesis 2:1-3) and He included it in the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:8-10). If you look up these verses, you'll see they both tell us that God instituted His Sabbath day on the 7h day of the week. All you really need to do is pull out the calendar to see that Saturday is indeed the 7th day of the week and it always has been since God first began the weekly cycle at the beginning of time in the book of Genesis. Encyclopedias and history itself clearly show that the day we call Saturday has always been the 7th day of the week.​

But does this still apply to us as Christians? Is this the day that we are to keep holy?​

Many say that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday in the New Testament, but there is no Biblical evidence for this. Jesus never changed it, but the Bible tells us that He it was His custom to keep the Sabbath as a holy day (Luke 4:16) and so did His followers (Luke 23:56, Acts 13:42-44, Acts 16:13). Christ called Himself "the Lord of the Sabbath day" (Matthew 12:8) which would make it "the Lord's Day" (see also Isaiah 58:13-14, where the Lord calls the Sabbath His "holy day") and Jesus said that Christians would be keeping the Sabbath even after His death (Matthew 24:20). In fact, the Bible tells us that we will even keep the Sabbath of the 10 Commandments in heaven (Isaiah 66:22-23).​

Some people believe that Romans 14:5-6 teaches that the Sabbath day is basically a matter of personal opinion and that we can keep any day that we want to, but the real issue here in Romans is not over the 10 Commandments, but over the yearly feast days and sabbaths of the ceremonial law, such as Passover, the Day of Atonement, and The Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Jews who had converted to Christianity were telling all the other Christians that they had to keep these days holy and they were judging them for not doing so. Paul was addressing this problem and telling the Jewish converts that those fests and yearly sabbaths didn't need to be kept any longer, but it was up to each individual whether they wanted to or not. This does not apply to the Sabbath of God's 10 Commandment law because Paul said in the same book "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." (Romans 3:31)​

It would be very inconsistent for God to say that only 1 of His commandments were optional, but the other 9 are still binding. Jesus clearly said in Matthew 5:19 "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." Don't ever let anyone tell you that any of the 10 Commandments are not important!​

Obviously Jesus does indeed want us to keep the Ten Commandments. Notice what He said in John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in My love even as I have kept My Fathers commandments and abide in His love." As Christians, we are to follow the example Jesus gave us (1 John 2:6) and one aspect of that is to obey His Father and live by the 10 Commandments, including the one about the Sabbath.​

Others will say that Colossians 2:14-17 says that the Sabbath is no longer important as well. This is a misunderstanding. These verse are specifically pointing to the sabbaths which were "a shadow of things to come". Again, this is referring to the seven yearly holy days of ancient Israel since they were also called sabbaths, but they were in addition to, or "beside the sabbaths of the Lord" (Leviticus 23:38). In other words, these yearly sabbaths were not related to the Sabbath which God had given in the 10 Commandments. The yearly sabbaths ended at the cross because they foreshadowed and pointed to Christ's death. Colossians chapter 2 only mentions the sabbaths that were "a shadow" pointing forward to sin being dealt with at the cross. God's holy Sabbath didn't foreshadow anything since it was given before sin ever entered the world. (Genesis 2:1-3)​

So why do many Christians say that Sunday is the Sabbath? It's really quite simple if you look back through history. Sunday was the day of celebration during the Roman empire as it was a time set aside to worship the sun god. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, but the pagans were used to worshipping on Sunday and they didn't want to change, especially since the Jews were known to still worship on Saturday. The Jews were under the authority of Rome and there was a lot of Anti-Semitism even back then. Christians often suffered as a result of Jewish riots and outbreaks throughout the Empire. Some early Christian writers were Anti-Jewish, such as Barnabas and Justin Martyr, and they encouraged Christians to avoid keeping the Sabbath since it made believers appear to be Jews.​

As a way of compromise, people began to worship on both days:​

"In some places no day is omitted, on which the Communion is not offered; in some only on the Sabbath and the Lord's day (referring to Sunday), and in some only on the Lord's day." Augustine, (died 430 A.D.). Letter 54 to Januarius, Ch. 2, in MPL, Vol. 33, Col. 200.​

Over time, the Sabbath became less popular and Sunday became known as the day of Christian worship:​

"Although almost all churches throughout the world celebrate the sacred mysteries on the Sabbath (Saturday) of the week, yet the Christians of Alexandria and Rome, on account of some ancient tradition, have ceased to do this." Socrates Schutasticus, Ecclesiastical History, Bk. 5, Ch. 22, trans. in NPNF, 2nd series, Vol. 2, p. 132.​

In the 4th century, this proclamation was made:​

"Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ." Oh. Y. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church,

Vol. 2, p. 316​

Since the Catholic church sprang up out of Rome, they take all the credit for the Sabbath being switched from Saturday to Sunday:​

"Q. Which is the Sabbath day?

A. Saturday is the Sabbath day.​

Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."
Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic
Doctrine, p. 50.​

"Q. How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holy days?

A. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church." Henry Tuberville, An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrines, 1833, p. 58.​

Friends, if we truly want to live by the Bible, then we should make sure that we don't "reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:9) But if we have disagreements about this subject, let's not let that cause divisions among us as Christians! Remember that Paul said that we should avoid "strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain."​

(Titus 3:9)

​

Amen!

​

 

[Nightfire]

The Jewish month was based on the cycles of the moon, while the weekly cycle is based on the 7 day cycle that originated in Genesis, with the Sabbath taking place on the 7th day. When God says Sabbath He means Sabbath! Don't try to complicate something that is simple. Remember, truth is simple, while error is complex.

Is this a way of saying "I'm not listening"? The explanation was simple enough: it wasn't only Jews who measured months by the moon, or counted seven days to a week. Certainly, Isaiah is using a Jewish timeframe - from Sabbath to Sabbath - and it makes perfect sense because the world was ordered by Israel's God and the new world would centre on Him. It's no coincidence that the Septuagint often used "sabbaton" in reference to a whole week. The Sabbath is the perfect point of reference, and that is what it was meant to be. It structured and regulated all of time around God, and as such is an ideal metaphor for eternity with God.

But the fact that, despite our assurance that the Sabbath is still the Sabbath, sabbatarians still think that we're trying to "keep nine commandments and forget one" means that they haven't been paying attention. It's fine if you've already made up your mind that we've lost the plot, but that doesn't mean you understand what we believe. Likewise, when God says "Sabbath", does that mean everybody automatically knows what He means by "Sabbath"?

Since you seem to have some respect for S. Bacchiocchi, I'll start with a quote from him:

The "regulations" advocated by the Colossian "philosophy" had to do not only with "food and drink" but also with sacred times referred to as "a festival or a new moon or a sabbath" (Col 2:16). Commentators agree that these three words represent a logical and progressive sequence (annual, monthly, and weekly), as well as an exhaustive enumeration of sacred times. This interpretation is validated by the occurrence of these terms in similar or reverse sequence five times in the Septuagint and several other times in other literature.

Some view the "sabbaths—sabbaton" as a reference to annual ceremonial Sabbaths rather than the weekly Sabbath (Lev 23:6-8, 21, 24- 25, 27-28, 37-38) [he refers to The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary vol. 7, pp. 205-206]. Such a view, however, breaks the logical and progressive sequence and ignores the fact that in the Septuagint the annual ceremonial Sabbaths are never designated simply as "sabbath" (sabbaton), but always with the compound expression "Sabbath of Sabbaths" (sabbata sabbaton). Indications such as these compellingly show that the word "sabbaton" used in Colossians 2:16 cannot refer to any of the annual ceremonial Sabbaths.

-- Chapter 6, The Sabbath under Crossfire​

I've read the rest, but since I'm not "attacking the Sabbath", I will simply try to focus on Paul's concerns in Colossians. If he, as a liberated Pharisee and a Christian, could find fault with some Christians' religious understanding of the Jewish Sabbath (whether because of overly pagan influence or Jewish superstition), it means "keeping" the Sabbath isn't as simple as hallowing (in our books or minds) a day of vague ceremonial nostalgia or abstaining from certain actions (like someone who abstains from certain food). A way that seems right might still end in death, and this seems especially likely with the "law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2), where "the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death" (Rom. 7:10). There must be a concrete reality behind it, and if we follow Paul's arguments (and Jesus' actions), it's not what day of the week a feast or celebration is that makes it sacred, or this "sacredness" that determines what may or may not be done, but what it signifies about your relationship with God, and what God means to you.

Relationships are never simple, and for the Sabbath law to be simple you have to reduce it to simply an issue of "which day is right" or to a list of actions that are forbidden, as if that's all God means by it. Because once you have thus reduced it, it becomes easy to say, "I'm keeping it and you're not". Does that sound familiar? "I haven't killed anyone, so I haven't transgressed the commandment" - but are you angry with your brother? "I haven't cheated on anyone, so I haven't committed adultery" - but have you committed it in your heart? "I rest on the Sabbath" -- but do you enter God's creation-rest? The important question Jesus asks is this: What does your keeping of the commandments say about your relationship with God and your neighbour? This question neatly summarizes the goal of all the commandments (Matt. 22:37-39).

If all it is to you is just a matter of right or wrong, regardless of the relationships involved - the divisions it causes or the faith it calls into question - while you try to keep the commandments and do everything "right" by your own calculations, you have already failed (Matt. 5:20).

On the other hand, like Paul shows in Romans 6:1, it's easy to misinterpret this and say "but why keep any commandments at all?", which is what some of you seem to think the only logical conclusion is for Sunday-keepers. But it seems you fail to realize that the very reason we don't keep the Sabbath like the Jews did - yes, even Jews like Paul and Jesus - is because we take Romans 6:2-5 to heart! Not, as some would explain it, because we wallow in the early church fathers' anti-Semiticism. We don't see the Sabbath as having been moved or cancelled or forgotten, but as another commandment that has been fulfilled by Christ, and therefore only properly found in Christ. And fulfilled doesn't mean cancelled, it means passed, obeyed, completed... It is still as in effect as it ever was to condemn our natural bodies, but our spirit has been released from it; not to return to immorality - for that can only exists under a law - but into the custody of Christ and under direction of the Spirit.

The only way that sin cannot be our master is if we free from any condemnation the law could bring against us - "because the law is the power of sin" - and transferred to grace. Because everybody is sinful and condemned to death by the law, this transference implies death and resurrection, of which Christ is the firstborn and the mediator. And when our ownership has been transferred from the law that brings death to the grace of Christ, we "have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness" (Rom. 6:18) - we know that"no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin" (Rom. 3:20), but even while we struggle to overcome sin, we can know "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:1-2).

The fourth commandment, like all the other laws, shows that we were not keeping the sabbath - nor could we if we tried. It's our death sentence. Now, apply this principle to the Sabbath, as Paul applies it to adultery:

Romans 7:1-3
Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.​

And having been "married" to Christ and sharing in His resurrection, while we are faithful to Him - according to grace, not according to the old law - nobody can call us "adulterers" if we don't hold on to the Sabbath, which prefigured our rest and exposed our sin, but to the rest itself and our relief from sin (Matt. 11:28). No, we don't remember the Sabbath of Israel's exodus ceremonially, but we do remember the Sabbath on which God's rest meant our salvation, on which He became our God, and we found Sunday to be a good day to remember it on - Today (Heb. 4:7) - because on the day God rested, we were still busy sinning.

"But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Rom. 7:6).

 

[humbledbyhim]

To start with Romans 14 has nothing to with doing away with the 4th commandment.

4th Commandment

Exodus 20

8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Romans 14


4Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

The fact of the matter is that I keep the deventh day holy, it just isn't your seventh day. As a matter of fact, I try to keep eeryday holy, but sunday is the day set asiide for the lord for me.

 

[ThreeAM]

... As a matter of fact, I try to keep eeryday holy, but sunday is the day set asiide for the lord for me.

Only God can make a day Holy. You cannot KEEP a day Holy that God has not made Holy.

NLT Gen 2:2 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it Holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation.

NLT Exo 20:8 "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy.

NLT Exo. 11 For in six days the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day. That is why the L[SIZE=-1]ORD[/SIZE] blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as Holy.

 

[wanderphilos]

Aren't we keeping it holy by not having our priests and pastors work on the Sabbath?

 

[Oblio]

Only God can make a day Holy. You cannot KEEP a day Holy that God has not made Holy.

And you cannot make a day unHoly just because your belief claims it is not. The orthodox belief is that Christ Sanctified the Eighth & First day by His Resurrection. IMO, calling it unHoly is to blashpheme the work of Christ on the Cross.

 

[jochanaan]

...The orthodox belief is that Christ Sanctified the Eighth & First day by His Resurrection. IMO, calling it unHoly is to blashpheme the work of Christ on the Cross.

Certainly that is the Orthodox and Roman Catholic belief--but if Jesus did this, why were His instructions regarding the day's sanctification not recorded in the Gospels or the Book of Acts? John the Beloved Apostle wrote, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (John 20:31) Without Jesus' express authorization of sanctification for the Lord's Day, I remain committed to the day He, as God the Father, authorized for rest and remembrance.

(The Lord's Day, in most Christians' thinking, seems not to serve the same function as the Sabbath. In Catholic and Anglican/Episcopal churches, the primary function of Sunday services is to receive the Eucharist; in other Protestant churches, it is to assemble to worship and receive teaching. One unspoken message is that doing this fulfils the entire purpose for the day, and that after you've gotten your spiritual food, you can do as you please. But this is not Sabbath-keeping as it was originally commanded; going to church on Saturday is the least of it. "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." Isaiah 58:13-14)

 

[ThreeAM]

Aren't we keeping it holy by not having our priests and pastors work on the Sabbath?

No

Christ said it was OK to do good on the Sabbath.

Mat 12:12 ... Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Christ preached on the Sabbath yet he never sinned.

Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised

21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.


Paul also preached on the Sabbath.

 

[wanderphilos]

No

Christ said it was OK to do good on the Sabbath.

Well isn't that subjective? Maybe making sure your family has enough to eat is good.
Maybe going to the zoo with your kids and spending time with them is good.
Maybe taking care of your house (or donkey in a well) is good.

What is good?