Sabbath Law and Rest

[LT]

There is a division in the Christian community regarding what is required and what is desired by God for man's earthly rest.

1. Some say that God clearly requires a Friday sunset - Saturday sunset Sabbath.
2. Others say that God desires this Saturday Sabbath for us and blesses that specific day.
3. Others say that God desires a weekly day of rest, and blesses those who rest one day per week.
4. Others say that we are to ignore the idea entirely.

Which views are appropriate, and which views oppose Scripture?

 

[WomanLovesTX]

There is a division in the Christian community regarding what is required and what is desired by God for man's earthly rest.

1. Some say that God clearly requires a Friday sunset - Saturday sunset Sabbath.
2. Others say that God desires this Saturday Sabbath for us and blesses that specific day.
3. Others say that God desires a weekly day of rest, and blesses those who rest one day per week.
4. Others say that we are to ignore the idea entirely.

Which views are appropriate, and which views oppose Scripture?

Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

I chose the above verse because I believe in "doing his commandments" and truly this has given me "good understanding". If one feels that the Sabbath has never changed from being the 7th day and that the Holy Spirit is tugging at you to keep the Sabbath and rest, then in doing so, it is like walking on water, just step out of the boat, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and the "good understanding" happens, the beginning of wisdom happens.

If one feels no urgency to rest on the Sabbath, has lots of excuses why not to, then the law has not been written on their heart yet. They should pray to have the stoney heart removed and replace it with a pliable soft heart, ready to accept the laws to be written on their heart. I think it grieves the Holy Spirit to keep on finding every excuse possible to not Remember the sabbath and keep it holy.

 

[LT]

To ignore the principle of the Sabbath is to ignore the wisdom of God.
To say it is requirement is to deny the work of Christ.


We should feel confident that taking a day of rest will be blessed by God, and refusing a day of rest will cause consequences (either physical, spiritual, or both).



Does God bless a Saturday Sabbath more than a Sunday Sabbath?

I don't know. That's why I have been testing Saturday Sabbath.
This is my 3rd week in a row keeping Saturday as holy and restful.

 

[ChosenbyHim]

Hello there LT,

While the Sabbath is not required for Christians to keep in the Dispensation of Grace, the principle of the Sabbath is still important and beneficial.

That is it will benefit us to take a day to just rest from our Labours. Because if we don't, we'll eventually burn out. And that's true for anybody. Working 24 hours, 7 days a week, with no time of rest would obviously be detrimental to one's health and well-being, especially in the long run.

Having said that; again, keep in mind that the Sabbath is not required as Law for Christians. The Sabbath is a Sign for Israel.

The Jews require a Sign (1 Cor. 1:22):


Ezekiel 20:11-20 KJV
And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. [12] Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. [13] But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. [14] But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. [15] Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them , flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; [16] Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. [17] Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. [18] But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: [19] I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; [20] And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

 

[KohenMatt]

Good stuff, LT. You nailed it with your 1st 2 sentences; it truly is a balance.

I think God blesses Saturday as the Sabbath over Sunday as a Sabbath because that's the Biblical precedent. All throughout Scripture, the Sabbath is the 7th days, or Saturday. Sunday is never referred to as the Sabbath, and there is no reference to God changing the Sabbath to Sunday. The NT Christians talk about the "Lord's Day", but it's never meant as a replacement for the 7th Day Sabbath.

So what have you learned, or what has God taught you (if anything) by keeping a Saturday Sabbath? What practical things have you been doing to keep it holy and restful?

 

[LT]

Good stuff, LT. You nailed it with your 1st 2 sentences; it truly is a balance.

I think God blesses Saturday as the Sabbath over Sunday as a Sabbath because that's the Biblical precedent. All throughout Scripture, the Sabbath is the 7th days, or Saturday. Sunday is never referred to as the Sabbath, and there is no reference to God changing the Sabbath to Sunday. The NT Christians talk about the "Lord's Day", but it's never meant as a replacement for the 7th Day Sabbath.

So what have you learned, or what has God taught you (if anything) by keeping a Saturday Sabbath? What practical things have you been doing to keep it holy and restful?

as for keeping it restful: I've been doing leftovers and pre-pack food to avoid cooking, I've stayed home, I cleaned my space Friday so I wouldn't need to Saturday.

as for keeping it holy: i've spent most of the day either in the Word or in prayer, I've been in fellowship with other Christians through online (skype and CC) and on the phone, and have abstained from TV and games.

any other suggestions?

 

[KohenMatt]

as for keeping it restful: I've been doing leftovers and pre-pack food to avoid cooking, I've stayed home, I cleaned my space Friday so I wouldn't need to Saturday.

as for keeping it holy: i've spent most of the day either in the Word or in prayer, I've been in fellowship with other Christians through online (skype and CC) and on the phone, and have abstained from TV and games.

any other suggestions?

Sounds good. The practicals are up to you though, so it's whatever the Spirit lays on your heart.

What have you learned spiritually?

 

[Jay1]

God does not bless Sunday Sabbath because Sunday sabbath is in direct violation of God's 4th commandment. You can worship God every day of the week but there is only one Holy Sabbath Day and that day is Saturday. Sunday was instituted by the Catholic church because they believe that a man, the pope, has authority over God's word and can change it. www.godssabbathtruth.com

 

[posthuman]

And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
(Genesis 2:2-3)

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
(John 19:30)

spiritually, i consider every day a sabbath now. is there a day that we don't set aside our old works and seek to enter His rest?

 

[posthuman]

God does not bless Sunday Sabbath because Sunday sabbath is in direct violation of God's 4th commandment. You can worship God every day of the week but there is only one Holy Sabbath Day and that day is Saturday.

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He 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.
(Romans 14:5-6)

 

[RedTent]

as for keeping it restful: I've been doing leftovers and pre-pack food to avoid cooking, I've stayed home, I cleaned my space Friday so I wouldn't need to Saturday.

as for keeping it holy: i've spent most of the day either in the Word or in prayer, I've been in fellowship with other Christians through online (skype and CC) and on the phone, and have abstained from TV and games.

any other suggestions?

When we physically do what the spirit of God leads us to, we are in complete harmony with God, and you are doing that. You are living out that you spend six days working best you can for yourself, but for one day you give over everything to relax in the blessings and care of the Lord. And your doing on that day is only in expressing love for God and others, and just having a good time in the Lord, accepting the joy He gives.

I don't think God is all caught up in how we do that, but I don't think we can physically take over the care for ourselves that day and just think about doing it only and say that is enough. When we believe something, our doing follows.

God is such a balance! People who give excuses and quote scripture as saying they don't have to listen to some of it are really just not listening. People who make rules to follow without the spirit of the Lord aren't able to listen, either. God watches our heart not our doing. But we are kidding ourselves when we offer our heart and say that is enough. If we have a heart for the Lord, our doing follows.

 

[Jay1]

I understand what you are saying and you are partly right. The principle is important and beneficial but it is so much more than that. As christians we are required to keep all ten commandments. If the keeping of the Sabbath, the weekly sabbath, was just for the Jews then the other nine commandments are also just for the Jews. God set the example for mankind at the end of creation (Genesis 2:2) and there were no Jews at that time. All who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior are spiritual Jews (Galations 3:27-29). We even keep the Sabbath in paradise (Isaiah 66:22-23). The yearly sabbaths are not required because they were done away with when Jesus died on the cross but the weekly Sabbath, Saturday, is forever. God bless.

 

[RedTent]

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He 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.
(Romans 14:5-6)

Another way of saying this is that God watches our heart, not our acts. These verses are often used by those who look for an excuse to ignore God in their lifes, saying God tells them they can live anyway that their flesh guides them. But it isn't saying that at all, it is saying that our lifes are to be God centered. It would be pretty hard to be God centered when our days are spent being "me" centered. Our acts follow our heart, we can't act one way while our heart directs another way.

I was reading the story of a lady who had to live with her mother in law, and she didn't like her one little bit. Someone told her to act in a way she would if she loved her, listening to her and doing kind things for her. After a time of doing this, her heart changed toward her mother in law. Our heart and actions work in together.

 

[Jay1]

Romans 14:5-6 is Paul's response to the Jewish converts that were criticizing the Gentile converts because they (the Gentiles) were not observing the Jewish ceremonial laws (yearly sabbaths) and were eating the meat that was offered as a sacrifice. These laws were no longer required after Jesus died on the cross.

 

[RedTent]

Romans 14:5-6 is Paul's response to the Jewish converts that were criticizing the Gentile converts because they (the Gentiles) were not observing the Jewish ceremonial laws (yearly sabbaths) and were eating the meat that was offered as a sacrifice. These laws were no longer required after Jesus died on the cross.

I don't think that we can ever say of any scripture that Christ said to ignore that scripture. Rather, Christ gave a new way to understand some scripture. The ceremonial part of many instructions are not required, but the spiritual purpose of all scripture is expressing how God is, and we are to understand. A simple illustration is the food laws. We don't have to physically be sure the meat we eat is from only animals who only eat food not from garbage, but we are to know to only let clean things in our mind. We can let the spirit of Christ guide us, rather than the physical rules. But the spiritual rule is the same.

 

[posthuman]

Another way of saying this is that God watches our heart, not our acts. These verses are often used by those who look for an excuse to ignore God in their lifes, saying God tells them they can live anyway that their flesh guides them. But it isn't saying that at all, it is saying that our lifes are to be God centered. It would be pretty hard to be God centered when our days are spent being "me" centered. Our acts follow our heart, we can't act one way while our heart directs another way.

amen!

whether you set aside tuesday or every third thursday or saturday or sunday or every day or the month of july to God, the important thing is that you honor the Lord, not an hollow regulation.
Paul here isn't giving license to ignore devotion, but emphasizing that devotion is to the Lord, not to the ritual.

 

[Josh321]

Good stuff, LT. You nailed it with your 1st 2 sentences; it truly is a balance.

I think God blesses Saturday as the Sabbath over Sunday as a Sabbath because that's the Biblical precedent. All throughout Scripture, the Sabbath is the 7th days, or Saturday. Sunday is never referred to as the Sabbath, and there is no reference to God changing the Sabbath to Sunday. The NT Christians talk about the "Lord's Day", but it's never meant as a replacement for the 7th Day Sabbath.

So what have you learned, or what has God taught you (if anything) by keeping a Saturday Sabbath? What practical things have you been doing to keep it holy and restful?

what are you talking about? no one ever said the sabbath was sunday? and why does it matter which day someone worship, really? i'm honestly tired of seeing this saturday sunday thing it's ridiculous,

[h=3]Romans 14:5-10[/h]King James Version (KJV)

5 One 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.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.




why are you judging other people? let everyman be persuaded in their mind, when your condemning others because they don't worship on the day you worship your pretty much condemning yourselves and you will be judged for it, because it's plainly written let everyman be persuaded in their minds for whatever day to choose to worship weather it be Mon, tues, wed, thurs, fri, sat, sun so STOP with this foolishness it's meaningless and pointless ( Not fully directed at you matt )

 

[CRUCIFIEDWITHCHRIST]

Post human you are right. Jesus is the sabbath. We keep it holy and rest in him . That's everyday.

 

[RedTent]

Post human you are right. Jesus is the sabbath. We keep it holy and rest in him . That's everyday.

I have heard this before, that Christ is now explained with "He is the Sabbath", but I have never been able to understand. The Sabbath I read about in scripture is a day God blessed, not the Son of God who saves us. I don't understand this "everyday" either, unless Jesus told us that He didn't complete what the Father said, but took over from the Father so we aren't to listen to Him any more. The Father said to work for six days, you are saying Christ said that we are to do this everyday. Like telling the boss that you can't work any more, for everyday has to be absolutely holy, giving up doing for yourself any more for you have Christ doing all for you. I can't make sense of it.

 

[danschance]

Sabbath is a part of the old obsolete laws given to Jews. To Christians Jesus is our Sabbath and we are not to obey the old mosaic laws. We are to obey the moral laws of Christ only. The Judaizers and nomian nuts wants us to mutilate our foreskin, stop eating pork and strictly observe the few laws they observe which have no hold on Christians.