C
I am very confused and need some information please.
I read an article this weekend that says keeping the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) holy is the same thing as Salvation by Works. My basic understanding of salvation by works is that we need to do something in order to be saved, as opposed to salvation being the free gift of God - salvation by faith.
Now I don't believe that we can work our way to heaven and fully believe that it is simply the Grace of God that allows anyone to be anything, so I don't subscribe to the salvation by works doctrine. However, my question is why do people equate keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy (I am NOT talking about going to church, worshiping, etc, etc) to salvation by works?
All the arguments given for NOT keeping Saturday as Sabbath can all be used for not keeping Sunday.
Example:
They say in the New Testament, it is not commanded to keep Sabbath holy. Neither is it commanded to keep Sunday.
They say the apostles met on first day of the week. Well the apostles/disciples met on Saturday, and on Sunday and on other days of the week too. So we can't just choose what verses we want and verses to support both days can be found.
Adding to that, the website then follows up add on verses like Romans 14:5
"One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."
and Colossians 2:16
"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath."
And then uses these verses to substantiate why keeping seventh-day sabbath is salvation by works.
These verses specifically say that each one should be fully convinced in his own mind about what day to regard and also that we are not to pass judgement on keeping festivals and sabbaths.
Yet, are they not doing exactly that by judging those that keep the seventh-day Sabbath as a Sabbath and esteem that day as they are fully convinced in their minds? By calling it Salvation by works (the website called it Sabbatarian or something like that), they are doing the exact thing the verse tells us not to do by passing judgement on the day people have chosen to esteem.
By that same logic, all people who keep Sunday should be called Sundarians or something and they also should have the label of Salvation by works because they are keeping a day for worship which the New Testament does not tell us to do.
I just can't understand why the attack on the Saturday Sabbath and why it is viewed in this way, when using the same logic leads us to be able to say the exact same thing about those that keep Sunday. As The Word says, "“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Matt 7:1-2).
Any answers would be welcome as I am so confused by people who use logic in one way, but fail to see how using that same logic discredits their own standpoint.
Please also note, this is NOT about going to church, day of worship, how to keep Sabbath, 10 commandments, etc, etc...
The question is why is keeping the seventh-day sabbath considered to be Salvation by Works?
I read an article this weekend that says keeping the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) holy is the same thing as Salvation by Works. My basic understanding of salvation by works is that we need to do something in order to be saved, as opposed to salvation being the free gift of God - salvation by faith.
Now I don't believe that we can work our way to heaven and fully believe that it is simply the Grace of God that allows anyone to be anything, so I don't subscribe to the salvation by works doctrine. However, my question is why do people equate keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy (I am NOT talking about going to church, worshiping, etc, etc) to salvation by works?
All the arguments given for NOT keeping Saturday as Sabbath can all be used for not keeping Sunday.
Example:
They say in the New Testament, it is not commanded to keep Sabbath holy. Neither is it commanded to keep Sunday.
They say the apostles met on first day of the week. Well the apostles/disciples met on Saturday, and on Sunday and on other days of the week too. So we can't just choose what verses we want and verses to support both days can be found.
Adding to that, the website then follows up add on verses like Romans 14:5
"One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."
and Colossians 2:16
"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath."
And then uses these verses to substantiate why keeping seventh-day sabbath is salvation by works.
These verses specifically say that each one should be fully convinced in his own mind about what day to regard and also that we are not to pass judgement on keeping festivals and sabbaths.
Yet, are they not doing exactly that by judging those that keep the seventh-day Sabbath as a Sabbath and esteem that day as they are fully convinced in their minds? By calling it Salvation by works (the website called it Sabbatarian or something like that), they are doing the exact thing the verse tells us not to do by passing judgement on the day people have chosen to esteem.
By that same logic, all people who keep Sunday should be called Sundarians or something and they also should have the label of Salvation by works because they are keeping a day for worship which the New Testament does not tell us to do.
I just can't understand why the attack on the Saturday Sabbath and why it is viewed in this way, when using the same logic leads us to be able to say the exact same thing about those that keep Sunday. As The Word says, "“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." (Matt 7:1-2).
Any answers would be welcome as I am so confused by people who use logic in one way, but fail to see how using that same logic discredits their own standpoint.
Please also note, this is NOT about going to church, day of worship, how to keep Sabbath, 10 commandments, etc, etc...
The question is why is keeping the seventh-day sabbath considered to be Salvation by Works?