Do you observe the Sabbath?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
Your premise that the 10 Commandments aren't part of the Old Covenant, is incorrect. In fact, the 10 Commandments are called the stones or tablets of the Covenant.
QUESTION: WHAT IS THE OLD COVENANT, AND WHO WAS IT MADE WITH?

[A.] Exo 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;​
Exo 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.​
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:​
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.​
Exo 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.​
Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.​
Exo 19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.​
Exo 19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,​
Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.​
[B.] Exo 24:2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.​
Exo 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.​
Exo 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.​
Exo 24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.​
Exo 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.​
Exo 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.​
Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.​
Exo 24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:​
Exo 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.​
Exo 24:11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. (“the Old” Covenant meal on the mountain, just like at the Last Supper with Jesus on the mountain where Jerusalem sat, in the New Covenant; Mat. 26:28; Mar. 14:24; Luk. 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25)
[C.] Exo 34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.​
Exo 34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.​
Exo 34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:​
Exo 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:​
Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:​
Exo 34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;​
Exo 34:16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.​
Exo 34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.​
Exo 34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.​
Exo 34:19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.​
Exo 34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.​
Exo 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.​
Exo 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.​
Exo 34:23 Thrice in the year shall all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel.​
Exo 34:24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.​
Exo 34:25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.​
Exo 34:26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.​
Exo 34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.​
 
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
Your premise that the 10 Commandments aren't part of the Old Covenant, is incorrect. In fact, the 10 Commandments are called the stones or tablets of the Covenant.
...
[D.] Deu 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.​
Deu 5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.​
Deu 5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.​
[E.] Deu 5:27 Go thou [Moses] near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.​
Deu 5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.​
[F.] Deu 5:31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I [the LORD] will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.​
Deu 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.​
Deu 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.​
[G.] Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.​
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:​
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.​
[H.] Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.​
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,​
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.​
Nowhere in any of those texts, neither in all of scripture (Genesis to Revelation), are “the Ten Commandments” (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13, 10:4) ever called, or identified, as “the old covenant”. The Ten Commandments are not the old covenant. The “old” covenant is the agreement that God made with the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai – Horeb, when God said, “if … then … and …” (Exodus 19:5-6), and the peoples, without ever hearing what they were to do, said, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.” (Exodus 19:8), and again, later, “All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.” (Exodus 24:3), and “All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7), and again, “we will hear it, and do it” (Deuteronomy 5:27).​
Moses was the mediator between God and the elders of the people (Exodus 19:3,6,-7,11), for all the statutes, judgments, etc, and the ‘old’ covenant is seen in Exodus 34:10-27. However, when God spoke the Ten Commandments out loud, Moses did not stand between God and the people, for God spoke directly to the people those Ten, but everything else that was written in a book and sprinkled with blood of an animal, Moses mediated for.​
The Ten Commandments are never at “fault”, for they are “perfect” (Psalms 19:7), but what God found “fault” with, was with “them” (Hebrews 8:8), the peoples who had said they would “do” all that God spoke through Moses in covenant agreement. In other words, their “promises”, which they broke (golden calf incident; Exodus 32:1-35). God’s Ten Commandments (all perfect promises in the New, Eternal and Everlasting Covenant, that could not ever be ‘bettered’ or ‘improved upon’; Ephesians 6:2) weren’t even heard spoke aloud by God until three days after the ‘old covenant’ was made in Exodus 19:8.​
EXAMPLE: If I, as an adult, come to a child, and ask, “If you (child) do all that I (adult) say, and accomplish it before noon, then I (adult) shall take you (child) to the park to play.” The child, without even asking what it is they are to do, or if they will be able to accomplish it without help, simply says, “I (child) will do all that you (adult) say.” They may even shake (hands) on it. That is a covenant struck. If the child fails in any of the commands given before noon, the child will not have met the terms of the covenant (agreement to ‘do all the adult says to do before noon’), and the adult will have no obligation to take the child to the park.​
The children of Israel knew that they messed up, and their children’s children complained about their ancestors making such an agreement (covenant) with God:​
[A.] Jer 31:29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.​
Jer 31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.​
[B.] Eze 18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,​
Eze 18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?​
Eze 18:3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.​
Eze 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.​
 
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
Your premise that the 10 Commandments aren't part of the Old Covenant, is incorrect. In fact, the 10 Commandments are called the stones or tablets of the Covenant.
QUESTION: DID GOD MAKE ANY OTHER COVENANTS BESIDES THE ONE AT HOREB WITH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL?

[A.] Deu_29:1 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.​
[B.] Rom_9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;​

QUESTION: DOESN’T THE OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS OF EXODUS 19:5, 34:28; NUMBERS 10:33; DEUTERONOMY 4:13, 9:9 ALL SAY THAT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE THE OLD COVENANT?

No. Read them very prayerfully, slowly and carefully.

[A.] Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:​
[B.] Exo_34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.​
[C.] Num_10:33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.​
[D.] Deu_4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.​
[E.] Deu 9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:​

There is no doubt that the “Ten Commandments” are a “covenant”, but nowhere are they ever referred to as the ‘old covenant’. The Ten Commandments are referred to as “my [God’s] covenant”, and “his [God’s] covenant”, which existed before God and children of Israel made their agreement (‘old covenant’) in Exodus 19:8; and in fact are as eternal as the sapphire (Eze. 1:22,26 10:1; Exo. 24:10,12, “häeven”, “the stone”; Exo. 21:16, 39:21-22,31; Num, 15:38-40, “blue”; Legends of the Jews, Volume 3, page 258; & Volume 6; page 49 [see also page 59]; & The Aramiac Bible, the Targums; by Phillip Alexander, page 89-90 [especially see Note 85]) Throne of God from which the originals were cut by God.

There is no question that the Ten Commandments existed as foundational terms for the children of Israel to obey, or “to perform”, along with many other regulations.

However, the Ten Commandments, and all the other regulations are never the ‘old covenant’ it self (the agreement, the promises of the people and God to one another), but rather the duty to be carried out by the peoples based upon their words and vow to God. The Two Tables were ‘cut’, and given to the children of Israel, as a reminder of what they had agreed (covenanted, promised) to “perform” and “do” (and not just those Ten). Not only was it sin (1 John 3:4; Romans 7:7) to break the Ten Commandments, but it also violated their agreement (covenant) with God, yet even if they had never made such an agreement with God, it would still have been sin to transgress them (Genesis 4:7, 18:20, 20:6,9, 26:5, 31:36, 39:9, 42:22, 50:17; Exodus 16:4; 2 Peter 2:4; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; Exodus 9:27,34, 10:16; Job 1:5,22, 2:10, 5:24, 7:20, 8:4, 10:6,14, 13:23,26, 20:11, 22:5, 24:19, 31:30,33, 33:27, 34:37, 35:3; Romans 2:12, 3:23, 5:12,14; 1 Timothy 2:14; Isaiah 3:9; Lamentations 4:6; Ezekiel 16:49-50, 28:15-16,18; Colossians 2:13; 1 John 2:2; Ecclesiastes 7:20; &c). The words “tables of”, “words of”, and “covenant” are not the same thing. Related, but not the same.

EXAMPLE: If I said give me the “sheets of the bed” (like “tables of the covenant” or “words of the covenant”), did I ask for the sheets (bedding) or the bed (tables, words or covenant)?

In Exodus 19, two distinct covenants are seen.

[1] Everlasting Covenant of God: “my covenant”, Ten Commandments (to be performed); Exodus 19:5.​
[2] The agreement covenant: (covenant, old) between God “if … then … and …” and the peoples of Israel, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.”; Exodus 19:8, &c.​

In other words, the children of Israel entered into an agreement (covenant (old), faulty promises) with God about “perform[ing]” God’s own eternal covenant (Ten Commandments, eternal perfect promises), three days before they had even heard them spoken out loud by God, and all else God would command them to do through Moses.

EXAMPLE: Adult comes to child, and says, “If you (child) agree to keep my (adult) rules of the house, I (adult) will give you (child) my (adult) reward.” The child says, “Ok”, and they shake on it. Are the “rules of the house” the covenant? No. They are simply that which is to be “performed”. The covenant is the actual agreement made between adult and child, based upon the terms (keeping the rules of the house).
 

Ted01

Well-known member
May 14, 2022
1,055
447
83
@ItsAdventageous - frankly I am amazed at the way you've handled Scripture in dealing with this issue... it's abhorrent.
There are, in no way, two separate covenants given in those Scriptures... just one. (And the covenant at Horeb is the covenant at Sinia.)
I also noticed that in post#1442, you purposely left out the giving of the 10 Commandments! Why is that?

And of course, nobody used the term "old covenant" in the Old Testament... as there was only the one. In the New Testament the term old covenant is used sparsely, it's normally addressed as the "old", but the context is in regard to the change of covenants since Christ.

For some reason, 1Tim. 4: 1-8 comes to mind.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

If you want to hold to your silly myths, that's fine by me. I'm just concerned about the warnings that are given to us in the Epistles about people preaching a gospel of works or returning to the Law/Old Covenant... which Paul says is no gospel at all and makes Christ's work of no effect.

Gal. 2:21
I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Gal. 5:1-12
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

Have a nice day!!
 

TheDivineWatermark

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2018
10,887
2,113
113
You mean all of the two examples of Christians meeting in the first day of the week to donate money to Jerusalem or to share a meal? Thats descriptive rather than prescriptive.
One of those two examples (highlighted above ^ ) actually states this (instead):

"in the first of the WEEKS [PLURAL]" -- referring to a very specific time of year (Acts 20:7)

-- https://biblehub.com/text/acts/20-7.htm




(IOW, it's not describing every week [singular] of the year! Nor any random week [singular] of the year! Rather, "in the first of the WEEKS [PLURAL]" [specific set of "WEEKS," at a particular TIME OF YEAR])
 
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
I also noticed that in post#1442, you purposely left out the giving of the 10 Commandments! Why is that?
I addressed the Ten Commandments in the other posts. So they are not "purposefully left out". The focus of post#1442, is specific to the other covenant that God made with Israel, not the Ten Commandments, which are God's eternal covenant, and distinct from the other.
 
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
Gal. 2:21
I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Gal. 5:1-12
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
I agree with the texts. The Law of God, the Ten Commandments are never meant for justification. I have never said, taught, intimated, wrote, spoke that the Ten Commandments are for justification with God. They are not. That was never their function. They are the moral standard of all living mankind, and the written transcript of God's own perfect character (Ex. 33:12-23, 34:1-9, 20:5-7).

The "yoke of bondage" is never the Ten Commandments as they begin with Freedom, and are Mercy (Ex. 20:2,6, see connection with john 14:15).

The "yoke of bondage" was the peoples Israel agreement, which bound them in contract.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
Don Fortner: The Sabbath That Remains.
Difficult to listen to. I can’t imagine any preacher worth his or her salt would advise a congregation to disobey God and disregard the 10 commandments.

I attended a church like that once. The sermon began something like “Don’t obey the 10 commandments and here’s why…” that’s all I heard before I was standing up in front of everyone, turning my back on them, and walking out the front door.
 
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
No, I don't, every day is the same to me!
It would probably be pretty easy to show that is not true on a practical level.

Do you celebrate any holidays (secular, like Christmas, Easter, Presidents (if American) day, New Years, etc, on the day everyone else does, or do you choose any other day to celebrate, or not at all)?

Do you celebrate any birthdays (on the day, or do you say it's all good and choose any other day to celebrate a brithday in a given year)?

Do you celebrate anniversaries of anything, anyone (on the date to be remembered, or do you choose any ol' day, or none at all)?

What is the day in the week, or month that you, along with the like-minded believers that you personally associate with, attend a building/area for worship?

Do you "rest" every day of the week (if so, that's laziness)?

Do you not "rest" every day of the week (if so, that's a violation of the commandment)?

Do you randomly choose a given day in a week (Tuesday one week, Friday another, etc), differently 4-5 times a month to "rest"?

Do you treat your 'job' in the manner, that "every day is the same to [you]", and if so, how does your 'boss' react to this (for instance is 'Mon' the same in your mind as 'Thurs', etc)?

If "every day is the same to [you]" do you not keep track of any 'days' of the week (Sun, Mon, Tues ...) or Month (Do you acknowledge Months, Jan, Feb, Mar, ... etc)?

When you need something repaired, and need to call a special technician, do you tell them to show up whenever, as "every day is the same to [you]", or do you specify a specific date/time for the person, and what if the person you called says, "every day is the same to [them]" and show up on a day they claim is the date/time you wanted (ie. identifying the day as they choose, instead of how you chose)?

When you attempt to meet with family, friends, neighbours, business associates, how does that take place if you treat "every day is the same to [you]", when they either believe the same thing as you or not?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,844
13,558
113
Do you treat your 'job' in the manner, that "every day is the same to [you]", and if so, how does your 'boss' react to this (for instance is 'Mon' the same in your mind as 'Thurs', etc)?
of course.
when there is work to be done, i do it.
i don't check the calendar or the clock first.
 
Oct 28, 2022
322
53
28
of course.
when there is work to be done, i do it.
i don't check the calendar or the clock first.
I was not asking yourself. I was asking the person who made the comment.

Some jobs are very time sensitive, and schedule, task, orientated, specific to their day, month, hour.
 
Dec 29, 2022
31
18
8
What is the new Covenant according to the bible?
That's a fairly broad question, and the book of Hebrews gives a fairly comprehensive answer. In short, the New Covenant is the promise of entering by faith into God's eternal Sabbath.
 
Dec 29, 2022
31
18
8
QUESTION: DOESN’T 2 CORINTHIANS 3 TEACH THAT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE THE MINISTRATION OF DEATH AND ARE “DONE AWAY”?

No. Again, read carefully:

2Co 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

Regarding 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, nowhere does the passage state that the Ten Commandments are the Old Covenant. Many simply assume, by a priori, that position, but no text is given to substantiate that the Ten Commandments are the Old Covenant. They will rightly link the Ten Commandments as they were written upon stone, as the ministration of death, but fail to see the opposite corollary, in that the Ten Commandments written upon the two fleshy tables of the heart, is the ministration of life and greater glory, thus seen reflected in the Christian's face, as it was in Christ's face. The “ministration” (how it was carried out in the life) needed to change. Not merely external laws written on stone tables, but internal and experienced laws written upon the heart. The Law remained the same. The ministration (how they are carried out, and seen) changes.

The law of God (The Ten Commandments, God's eternal covenant) merely written upon external cold stone tables, as duties to perform, based upon Israel after the flesh's old covenant agreement with God (Exo. 19) could never bring the change necessary to obey God in them fully. However, those same laws, as promises, in the New Covenant, written and sealed in the heart by the Holy Ghost would bring about the required change, even unto perfect obedience (Rev. 12:27, 14:1-12). Consider:

Two Glories in 2 Corinthians 3:7
[1] The glory of the Law of God, the Ten Commandments

“glory”, “that which remaineth”; 2 Corinthians 3:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6​

[2] The glory of Moses’ face, as reflecting the Law of God, the Ten Commandments on Two Tables of Stone (administration, ministration)

The “glory” as seen reflected in Moses’ “face”, “done away”; 2 Corinthians 3:7 (the koine Greek is clear), “abolished”; 2 Corinthians 3:13​

2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.​
2Co 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:​
2Co 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?​
2Co 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.​
2Co 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.​
2Co 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.​
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.​
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.​
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.​

2 Corinthians 3-4; The Law of God – The Ten Commandments; 2 Ministrations (Change of one to the other), Same Law (Never Changes)

Old Testament – Old (temporary) Covenant; Exodus 19:8
New Testament – New (Everlasting, Eternal) Covenant;
Mal. 2:5; Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-13, 10:16

The Letter (externally written by Holy Ghost (finger of God)) (ministration)
The Spirit (internally written by Holy Ghost (finger of God)) (ministration)

Killeth (death)
Giveth Life (life)

Engraven in stones
Written in our hearts

Two Tables of Stone (external)
Two fleshy Tables of the Heart (two hemi-spheres of brain/mind) (internal)

Moses’ face glorious (fallen short of perfect example of obedience)
Jesus’ face glorious (perfect example of obedience) (Exo. 33:12-23, 34:1-9, 20:5-7)

“glory” - “done away”
“glory” - “remaineth”

Abolished; 2 Corinthians 3:13
Established; Romans 3:31

Mediator - Moses
Mediator – Jesus (better)

“promises” (people, faulty), “we will”
“promises” (God, perfect), “I will”

Mt. Sinai – Horeb on earth (location)
Mt. Zion in Heaven (location)

Lack of faith (doubt) in God
Faith (trust) in God, of Jesus, & Victory

Shed Blood of bulls and goats, calves, sheep, oxen
Shed Blood of Jesus

Sacrifice of clean animals
Sacrifice of the Son of God, His perfect Life

Golden Ark of the Covenant made by Moses
Golden (faith & love) Ark of the Heart made by God; Psalms 40:8

Levitical (Aaronic) priesthood (lesser, temporary)
Melchizedical (Jesus) priesthood (greater, eternal)

Bondage, slavery
Liberty, freedom

Works of the law (sacrifices, etc)
Faith which works

Works for righteousness
Grace through faith unto good works, accounted and made righteous

THAT WHICH STAYS THE SAME IN BOTH MINISTRATIONS

God (the Father); JEHOVAH, the Ancient of Days

Jesus (JEHOVAH), the Son of Man

The Holy Ghost/Spirit

Law of God – The Ten Commandments

Angels being present

The Sabbath of the LORD – the 7th Day – The Lord’s Day (Isaiah 58:13; Revelation 1:10), Sign of God’s eternal love; Isaiah 56:1,8; John 10:16; Isaiah 56:2-7. Creation - Redemption​

See Study 10: https://archive.org/details/study-1...ay-why-is-there-so-much-confusion-and-disagre
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? Matthew 12:5

Do you think that could have been said of the other Nine? Do you think a priest could set up an idol, profane God's name, steal, lie or otherwise suspend any other commandment while in the temple, and be considered blameless?

What does that tell us about the object and scope of the Fourth one?
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,482
13,421
113
58
If you want to hold to your silly myths, that's fine by me. I'm just concerned about the warnings that are given to us in the Epistles about people preaching a gospel of works or returning to the Law/Old Covenant... which Paul says is no gospel at all and makes Christ's work of no effect...
Amen! Salvation by "grace plus law, faith plus works" is no gospel at all. (Galatians 1:6-9)
 

gb9

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2011
12,327
6,696
113
Amen! Salvation by "grace plus law, faith plus works" is no gospel at all. (Galatians 1:6-9)
they try to make Sabbath keeping a " optional requirement".

saying that it is not required, but at the same time saying one is not right with God if one does not keep it.

just double talk..
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
19,315
6,643
113
62
they try to make Sabbath keeping a " optional requirement".

saying that it is not required, but at the same time saying one is not right with God if one does not keep it.

just double talk..
You can say that again.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
Sabbath keeping is not required if you're totally comfortable with rejecting what the Bible says.

Speaking to Christians, there is normally the presumption they want to obey God, do what's right, and pursue righteousness. Normally, I say.

Those who love God because they have a calling to serve Him, those who are just here for the salvation and nothing else, those who are here to see God's kingdom come, be His hands and feet, are clearly differentiated by their works and fruit.

There are sins of omission. Sinning because you didn't do what you were told to do -something fundamentally easy such as Sabbath keeping for example. This isn't a denominational teaching; Hebrews 4:9-11 bluntly states there is a Sabbath to keep. When you learn that the Sabbath was made for man then it becomes a lot easier to accept and adhere to.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
God isn't a God of lip service, false worship, or obstinate rejection of the things He said to do as revealed in the Bible.

My view is if your heart isn't right with God you can't serve Him in a way that is well-pleasing.