Saturday Sabbath - Why does it matter?
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Ezekiel 20:12
Moreover I also gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I [am] the LORD who sanctifies them.
It is the sign of the Mosaic covenant of law and works, and its explicit purpose is to teach Israel that it is God who sanctified them, not them who sanctified themselves.
See also Exodus 31:13
Moreover I also gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I [am] the LORD who sanctifies them.
It is the sign of the Mosaic covenant of law and works, and its explicit purpose is to teach Israel that it is God who sanctified them, not them who sanctified themselves.
See also Exodus 31:13
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I agree with this. I believe the Sabbath is still blessed until this day. However, note there is no commandment.
Remember that this command and the penalty for breaking it was made to circumcised Israelites. The penalty for uncircumcision also was death (or being cut off). To argue that Christians are still obligated to keep the Sabbath logically would require them likewise to keep circumcision, which is a heresy.
Genesis 17:9 - 14
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
This statement seems to imply that our salvation (qualification or disqualification for the kingdom of God) depends on our keeping the Sabbath and other works. Such a belief is heresy. The works God requires of us is to believe in the sacrifice of His Son, who kept the law in our place, and died for our sins. I think the Sabbath was created for our benefit (and likewise circumcision). But to imply keeping the Sabbath is a work of God which qualifies or disqualifies us for the kingdom of God is just as much a heresy as claiming circumcision is.
Remember that this command and the penalty for breaking it was made to circumcised Israelites. The penalty for uncircumcision also was death (or being cut off). To argue that Christians are still obligated to keep the Sabbath logically would require them likewise to keep circumcision, which is a heresy.
Genesis 17:9 - 14
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
This statement seems to imply that our salvation (qualification or disqualification for the kingdom of God) depends on our keeping the Sabbath and other works. Such a belief is heresy. The works God requires of us is to believe in the sacrifice of His Son, who kept the law in our place, and died for our sins. I think the Sabbath was created for our benefit (and likewise circumcision). But to imply keeping the Sabbath is a work of God which qualifies or disqualifies us for the kingdom of God is just as much a heresy as claiming circumcision is.
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Dear Friend,
You say there is no commandment? Yet, you quoted the 4th commandment from my post:
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11.
* Exodus 20 contains the ten commandments
Circumcision
The rite of circumcision is here introduced as an obligation in connection with the covenant. It was to be the sign of the covenant with literal Israel as baptism is for spiritual Israel (Gen 17:11; Col 2:11, 12; Titus 3:5; I Pet 3:21). The one was related to physical birth (circumcision); the other accompanies the spiritual rebirth (baptism).
Circumcision, the token of God's covenant with Abraham, became a sign to Israel that they were God's people, and every male Israelite, therefore, received that sign. However, with the rejection of literal Israel as God's chosen people, circumcision ceased to have significance as a religious rite, according to the scripture texts provided (Acts 15:5, 10, 19, 20, 24, 28, 29; Gal 2:3-5; 5:2-6; Rom 2:28, 29).
Grace & Works
We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). It is grace on God's part and faith on man's part. Faith accepts the gifts of God. It is through the act of entrusting ourselves to Him that we are saved, not that faith is the means of our salvation but simply the channel Rom 4:3). But faith manifest in actions and deeds.
Faith Without Works Is Dead!!!
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.
In James 1 & 2 the apostle has stressed the importance of Christian deeds. He now directly confronts those who neglect the duty of pure religion James 1:27 under the pretense of faith. And what is pure religion? 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. These are Christian works in action.
Jesus and the Father did Works
But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.
Joh 5:17.
If Jesus and the Father has been working for salvation, don't you think we have a work to do for Him? We are supposed to let our light shine and win souls for Christ. We are required to keep His moral law (ten commandments). James stresses the necessity of both faith and works in a genuine Christian experience.
Works become the conduct of a converted Christian life! Faith that does not find find expression in good deeds will never save any man, but neither will good deeds without without genuine faith. Rom 3:28.
God's People
Rev 14:12 "Here are the patience of the Saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Jesus kept His own commandments and did a great work for us that we should follow as doers of his word, not just hearers.
Keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus that manifest in works is the combination to a successful Christian experience. We are saved by faith in the grace Jesus (Eph 2:8,9); then because we love Him, we desire holiness (be holy for I am holy) and strive to keep the Ten Commandments through the power of Christ working in us Deu 30:16;Lk 10:25-28; Eph 2:8,9; Jam 2:17-26.
It has always been divinity and humanity working together: God speaks to man and he in turn obey His will by acts of faith.
Joseph had faith and obeyed God's law even unto death and was rewarded with greatness.
Daniel had faith and obeyed God's law even unto death and was rewarded with greatness.
Paul, Peter, James and John had faith and obeyed God's law even unto death.
You say there is no commandment? Yet, you quoted the 4th commandment from my post:
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11.
* Exodus 20 contains the ten commandments
Circumcision
The rite of circumcision is here introduced as an obligation in connection with the covenant. It was to be the sign of the covenant with literal Israel as baptism is for spiritual Israel (Gen 17:11; Col 2:11, 12; Titus 3:5; I Pet 3:21). The one was related to physical birth (circumcision); the other accompanies the spiritual rebirth (baptism).
Circumcision, the token of God's covenant with Abraham, became a sign to Israel that they were God's people, and every male Israelite, therefore, received that sign. However, with the rejection of literal Israel as God's chosen people, circumcision ceased to have significance as a religious rite, according to the scripture texts provided (Acts 15:5, 10, 19, 20, 24, 28, 29; Gal 2:3-5; 5:2-6; Rom 2:28, 29).
Grace & Works
We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). It is grace on God's part and faith on man's part. Faith accepts the gifts of God. It is through the act of entrusting ourselves to Him that we are saved, not that faith is the means of our salvation but simply the channel Rom 4:3). But faith manifest in actions and deeds.
Faith Without Works Is Dead!!!
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.
In James 1 & 2 the apostle has stressed the importance of Christian deeds. He now directly confronts those who neglect the duty of pure religion James 1:27 under the pretense of faith. And what is pure religion? 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. These are Christian works in action.
Jesus and the Father did Works
But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.
Joh 5:17.
If Jesus and the Father has been working for salvation, don't you think we have a work to do for Him? We are supposed to let our light shine and win souls for Christ. We are required to keep His moral law (ten commandments). James stresses the necessity of both faith and works in a genuine Christian experience.
Works become the conduct of a converted Christian life! Faith that does not find find expression in good deeds will never save any man, but neither will good deeds without without genuine faith. Rom 3:28.
God's People
Rev 14:12 "Here are the patience of the Saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Jesus kept His own commandments and did a great work for us that we should follow as doers of his word, not just hearers.
Keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus that manifest in works is the combination to a successful Christian experience. We are saved by faith in the grace Jesus (Eph 2:8,9); then because we love Him, we desire holiness (be holy for I am holy) and strive to keep the Ten Commandments through the power of Christ working in us Deu 30:16;Lk 10:25-28; Eph 2:8,9; Jam 2:17-26.
It has always been divinity and humanity working together: God speaks to man and he in turn obey His will by acts of faith.
Joseph had faith and obeyed God's law even unto death and was rewarded with greatness.
Daniel had faith and obeyed God's law even unto death and was rewarded with greatness.
Paul, Peter, James and John had faith and obeyed God's law even unto death.
Not just "work". God requires hard labor.
Those who wish to observe the seventh day Sabbath must commit themselves fully to the Law of Moses. Every one of those commandments applies. All of a sudden they will discover that it is impossible to do so.
Those who wish to observe the seventh day Sabbath must commit themselves fully to the Law of Moses. Every one of those commandments applies. All of a sudden they will discover that it is impossible to do so.
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Even then it must be difficult. Imagine! You cannot even adjust your easy chair .
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Jesus Christ favoured the “first day of the week.
But legalists like to be self righteous.
The church followed the example Jesus gave us.
24/7 REST
Hebrews 4:1,3-5,8-11 KJV
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
[3] For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
[4] For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. [5] And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
But legalists like to be self righteous.
The church followed the example Jesus gave us.
24/7 REST
Hebrews 4:1,3-5,8-11 KJV
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
[3] For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
[4] For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. [5] And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
[8] For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[9] There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[10] For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[11] Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
I'd be very interested to find out at least two of the commandments you feel it's ok to break and that you are comfortable breaking on a daily basis. If your reply is too scary then just dont reply.
Seventh day adventists do not live under the law but under grace. They dont believe it is correct to break the ten commandments whether you are under grace or not.
Seventh day adventists do not live under the law but under grace. They dont believe it is correct to break the ten commandments whether you are under grace or not.
The Pharisees were very angry too,
they wanted to destroy Jesus
for breaking the sabbath law.
Mark 2:27 KJV
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mark 3:4-6 KJV
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
[5] And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
[6] And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
they wanted to destroy Jesus
for breaking the sabbath law.
Mark 2:27 KJV
And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mark 3:4-6 KJV
And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
[5] And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
[6] And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
I think you missed the point. You justified the Sabbath by referring to the Creation week. There was no commandment to observe the Sabbath then. When the commandment to observe the Sabbath was given, it was given to those who had were already participants in the covenant of circumcision. The commandment was therefore not binding on all mankind, but the Israelites only. If the covenant of circumcision is fulfilled, therefore also is the commandment to observe the Sabbath. If the commandment to observe the Sabbath is still in place, then so is the commandment that all males shall be circumcised. You can't have it both ways.
I'm not saying people can't observe the Sabbath or get circumcised. But to say either of these are commandments to the New Testament church is the same heresy.
I'm not saying people can't observe the Sabbath or get circumcised. But to say either of these are commandments to the New Testament church is the same heresy.
Mankind will keep the Sabbath even after the wicked are no more and God resides with His faithful and obedient children:
Isa 66:22-23 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. "
The Sabbath was established at the week of creation, circumcision was not, but a rite that was exclusive to the Israelites. It distinguishing the Jews from the Gentiles. It faded away with the identity of the Jews as God's chosen people. The Sabbath was kept by all mankind and the Jews lost sight of it during 430 years of slavery to the Egyptians, which is why it is reintroduced to them.
We see the consistency with the keeping of the Sabbath from the beginning of creation (Gen 2) to the end of time (Isa 66:22-23). Jesus kept it. Jews and Gentiles kept it.
The Keeping of the Sabbath is the 4th commandment. The ten commandments are moral laws that reflet the character of God. He wrote them with His own finger in stone, which represents permanency, perpetual, no change. Do you think any of the commandments of God will ever change? No. He said 'I change not.' For I am the Lord, I change not... Malachi 3:6.
And he gave unto Moses... two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." "And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables." Exodus 31:18; 32:16. Answer: Yes, the great God of heaven wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone with His own finger.
Isa 66:22-23 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. "
The Sabbath was established at the week of creation, circumcision was not, but a rite that was exclusive to the Israelites. It distinguishing the Jews from the Gentiles. It faded away with the identity of the Jews as God's chosen people. The Sabbath was kept by all mankind and the Jews lost sight of it during 430 years of slavery to the Egyptians, which is why it is reintroduced to them.
We see the consistency with the keeping of the Sabbath from the beginning of creation (Gen 2) to the end of time (Isa 66:22-23). Jesus kept it. Jews and Gentiles kept it.
The Keeping of the Sabbath is the 4th commandment. The ten commandments are moral laws that reflet the character of God. He wrote them with His own finger in stone, which represents permanency, perpetual, no change. Do you think any of the commandments of God will ever change? No. He said 'I change not.' For I am the Lord, I change not... Malachi 3:6.
And he gave unto Moses... two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." "And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables." Exodus 31:18; 32:16. Answer: Yes, the great God of heaven wrote the Ten Commandments on tables of stone with His own finger.