Is your denomination misleading you?

[sparkman]

From gotquestions.org

Question: "Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?"

Answer: In Colossians 2:16-17, the apostle Paul declares, “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.” Similarly, Romans 14:5 states, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” These Scriptures make it clear that, for the Christian, Sabbath-keeping is a matter of spiritual freedom, not a command from God. Sabbath-keeping is an issue on which God’s Word instructs us not to judge each other. Sabbath-keeping is a matter about which each Christian needs to be fully convinced in his/her own mind.

In the early chapters of the book of Acts, the first Christians were predominantly Jews. When Gentiles began to receive the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Jewish Christians had a dilemma. What aspects of the Mosaic Law and Jewish tradition should Gentile Christians be instructed to obey? The apostles met and discussed the issue in the Jerusalem council (Acts 15). The decision was, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20). Sabbath-keeping was not one of the commands the apostles felt was necessary to force on Gentile believers. It is inconceivable that the apostles would neglect to include Sabbath-keeping if it was God’s command for Christians to observe the Sabbath day.

A common error in the Sabbath-keeping debate is the concept that the Sabbath was the day of worship. Groups such as the Seventh Day Adventists hold that God requires the church service to be held on Saturday, the Sabbath day. That is not what the Sabbath command was. The Sabbath command was to do no work on the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11). Nowhere in Scripture is the Sabbath day commanded to be the day of worship. Yes, Jews in Old Testament, New Testament, and modern times use Saturday as the day of worship, but that is not the essence of the Sabbath command. In the book of Acts, whenever a meeting is said to be on the Sabbath, it is a meeting of Jews and/or Gentile converts to Judaism, not Christians.

When did the early Christians meet? Acts 2:46-47 gives us the answer, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” If there was a day that Christians met regularly, it was the first day of the week (our Sunday), not the Sabbath day (our Saturday) (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). In honor of Christ’s resurrection on Sunday, the early Christians observed Sunday not as the “Christian Sabbath” but as a day to especially worship Jesus Christ.

Is there anything wrong with worshipping on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath? Absolutely not! We should worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday! Many churches today have both Saturday and Sunday services. There is freedom in Christ (Romans 8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1). Should a Christian practice Sabbath-keeping, that is, not working on Saturdays? If a Christian feels led to do so, absolutely, yes (Romans 14:5). However, those who choose to practice Sabbath-keeping should not judge those who do not keep the Sabbath (Colossians 2:16). Further, those who do not keep the Sabbath should avoid being a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 8:9) to those who do keep the Sabbath. Galatians 5:13-15 sums up the whole issue: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Read more: Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?

 

[dcontroversal]

To be sure enough I would keep both: Saturday and Sunday...

An just look at "Saturn" and "SUN" prefixes are so settled in western cultures because of the RCC has placed its man-made seal on modern culture.

PS

though I don´t agree with PETER¨s ideas on priesthood or things connected to kings.

And if Peter was inspired to write what he wrote you disagree with God and or
You are saying that Peter was not inspired to write what was written which rejects the Bibles claim on inspired men writing as they were moved by the Holy Spirit...

So what parts of the bible do you read and or believe to be inspired?

 

[RedTent]

Which law, of the 630 some odd laws, or for that matter which set of laws, moral, civial, cermonial?

Does scripture tell you to divide up law? What of the 613 laws is it you can pick out, if you read them in spirit and truth, are the ones that do not express the love of God?

They often talk about the physical temple and the high priest of the Levites. Do you think that Christ did away with us having a temple or a high priest? They often point out that if we allow these laws to be broken it would damage our world so that it is more important to keep these people out of our lives than to let them harm us. They didn't have prisons or jails then to separate them from others so they could do no more harm.

There are some pretty mixed up dudes here, and they misread scripture to make it say how holy and right they are to ignore the scripture they can't make agree with them!

In my studies, I was finding how all of us who accept Christ and receive the Holy Spirit are brothers and sisters, all of the same family. We are to accept that some of the kids are off on a tangent like this, but we are to love them anyway. But I do feel the need to stand up for the Father and Lord of this family and try to convince you all that what scripture says in spirit and truth is correct.

 

[Stephen63]

Blessings to you all...

Please don't be offended by this post, it's only here to help.

If your denomination says the Law was given to the Jews only they are misleading you.

Exodus 12:49 "One law shall be for the native-born and for the foreigner who dwells among you."

Leviticus 24:22 "You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.’”

If your denomination says the Sabbath was for the Jewish people and not for the Gentiles they are misleading you.

Isaiah 56:6-8 As for the Gentiles, the outsiders who join the people of the Lord and serve him and love his name, who are his servants and don’t desecrate the Sabbath, and have accepted his covenant and promises, I will bring them also to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and make them full of joy within my House of Prayer. I will accept their sacrifices and offerings, for my house shall be called “A House of Prayer for All People”! For the Lord God who brings back the outcasts of Israel says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel.

If your denomination says the the Sabbath was not made for all mankind they are misleading you.

Mark 2:27 And Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for mankind."

For more information on how God's people got to where they are today go here...Unlocking Bible Prophecy

To me, this is kinda like an oxymoron..... Is your denomination misleading you? If it is, & they're still in it, that means they don't know. Many threads are being written by those whose denomination is misleading them, & nobody can tell them any different. I really don't think one question will make them suddenly wake up & take notice.... just sayin'.

 

[crossnote]

Scuba wrote:
"Jesus is the end of the Law as a means to attain righteousness but He is not the end of the Law as the means to define godly love. I can guarantee you that there is not one person here who can say that breaking God's Law is an expression of love for God and man."

********

I can't help but think of this passage...

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

...and love is the fulfillment of the law...I think He defined it quite well both in His Word and actions.

 

[crossnote]

Does scripture tell you to divide up law? What of the 613 laws is it you can pick out, if you read them in spirit and truth, are the ones that do not express the love of God?

That's right we can't pick and choose them. Are you keeping all 613?

 

[RedTent]

Sparkman: You read in scripture that man is not to judge another for the day he designates as Sabbath, yet you add from your own thoughts, not God’s, that you are told by that not to keep Sabbath rather than told not to judge. You go ahead and do what this very verse says not to do, you judge those who keep Saturday Sabbath.

Then you are saying that all scripture saying to keep the Sabbath, all examples that the men of God told of in scripture, are nothing to you. Christ did, Paul did. Both said to follow them.

Going to the book of Acts when they were deciding that gentiles should be taught only the gospels (including taught about Moses as the gospels often speaks of) you tell us that even James, the brother of Jesus, said that all of Moses was only a burden! They were talking about not teaching the cutting of flesh required for spiritual circumcision, the change in food eaten instead of the spiritual instructions it represented, of using physical rituals instead of the Holy Spirit. They believed in the One True God with all their hearts, how could they do that if they did as you accuse them of? God spoke to Moses. Those words were kept right inside of the arc where God said He was, too.

Then, your teachings even twist up about them teaching to go to synagogue to learn scripture.The rules of the synagogue were so they had to obey certain rules to be accepted there, and the council wanted them to go.You posted about these rules, but not the next verse telling why they gave those rules.Act 15:21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day. They were to go to learn what God teaches.

Then you are ignoring that only Saturday Sabbath is mentioned in the bible, it is meetings talked of as happening on Sunday, not Sabbath. Check it out!! The day of the sun, or Sunday, was the day pagans picked to worship idols. They changed their God, but not the day.

You say that we should worship God every day and use that as an excuse to ignore the commandments about Sabbath.We are given freedom to choose a day in the week we can make Sabbath, and you are saying that means don’t keep Sabbath. That isn't right.

 

[sparkman]

Sparkman: You read in scripture that man is not to judge another for the day he designates as Sabbath, yet you add from your own thoughts, not God’s, that you are told by that not to keep Sabbath rather than told not to judge. You go ahead and do what this very verse says not to do, you judge those who keep Saturday Sabbath.

Then you are saying that all scripture saying to keep the Sabbath, all examples that the men of God told of in scripture, are nothing to you. Christ did, Paul did. Both said to follow them.

Going to the book of Acts when they were deciding that gentiles should be taught only the gospels (including taught about Moses as the gospels often speaks of) you tell us that even James, the brother of Jesus, said that all of Moses was only a burden! They were talking about not teaching the cutting of flesh required for spiritual circumcision, the change in food eaten instead of the spiritual instructions it represented, of using physical rituals instead of the Holy Spirit. They believed in the One True God with all their hearts, how could they do that if they did as you accuse them of? God spoke to Moses. Those words were kept right inside of the arc where God said He was, too.

Then, your teachings even twist up about them teaching to go to synagogue to learn scripture.The rules of the synagogue were so they had to obey certain rules to be accepted there, and the council wanted them to go.You posted about these rules, but not the next verse telling why they gave those rules.Act 15:21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day. They were to go to learn what God teaches.

Then you are ignoring that only Saturday Sabbath is mentioned in the bible, it is meetings talked of as happening on Sunday, not Sabbath. Check it out!! The day of the sun, or Sunday, was the day pagans picked to worship idols. They changed their God, but not the day.

You say that we should worship God every day and use that as an excuse to ignore the commandments about Sabbath.We are given freedom to choose a day in the week we can make Sabbath, and you are saying that means don’t keep Sabbath. That isn't right.

I was a Saturday Sabbatarian for 12 years as a result of belonging to a cult that taught such things were part of obedience to Christ. So, I am well informed on the whole Sabbatarian issue. I find that many Sabbatarians, if not most, are legalists who have a poor understanding of grace and are fixated on that one issue, to the exclusion of everything else, including the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In addition, they tend to deny the Christianity of those who don't keep the Saturday Sabbath. All of these are reasons why I dissociated myself from them.

If a person can be a Saturday Sabbatarian and avoid all of the above traps, more power to them...it's their choice..however I don't find that to be true of most.

 

[Scuba]

I was a Saturday Sabbatarian for 12 years as a result of belonging to a cult that taught such things were part of obedience to Christ. So, I am well informed on the whole Sabbatarian issue. I find that many Sabbatarians, if not most, are legalists who have a poor understanding of grace and are fixated on that one issue, to the exclusion of everything else, including the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In addition, they tend to deny the Christianity of those who don't keep the Saturday Sabbath. All of these are reasons why I dissociated myself from them.

If a person can be a Saturday Sabbatarian and avoid all of the above traps, more power to them...it's their choice..however I don't find that to be true of most.

I agree with you 100%. It's hard to find a Sabbath keeping fellowship without all the Old Covenant baggage. I honor the Seventh Day because it was created as a blessed and holy day. As a child of God I see value in the same things that God sees value in. I see abstaining from lying, stealing, killing, worshiping other gods and so on in the same light as honoring the Seventh Day. The Seventh Day is still a blessed and holy day, the cross didn't change that. The teachings of Jesus removed all the ritualism and legalism from Sabbath keeping that made the Sabbath a burden and bondage, the Beast changed the day. Jesus never changed the day nor did He say the Sabbath was no longer a special day. What He did do is put the Sabbath in it's place as it relates to things that come up on the Sabbath and caring for needs on the Sabbath. He can do this because He is Lord of the Sabbath. Check out my website and be blessed. Unlocking Bible Prophecy

 

[Scuba]

Scuba wrote:
"Jesus is the end of the Law as a means to attain righteousness but He is not the end of the Law as the means to define godly love. I can guarantee you that there is not one person here who can say that breaking God's Law is an expression of love for God and man."

********

I can't help but think of this passage...

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

...and love is the fulfillment of the law...I think He defined it quite well both in His Word and actions.

The Law defines love and righteousness but it can't produce it. The life and teachings of Jesus is our example of how to live the Law of love. How pleasing is it to God to lay down our life for the love of money or vain power. Jesus laid His life to save us from sin and sin is the transgression of the Law. If I reject His offer to save me from my sin and I continue to live in sin His death for me was in vain.

 

[Scuba]

To me, this is kinda like an oxymoron..... Is your denomination misleading you? If it is, & they're still in it, that means they don't know. Many threads are being written by those whose denomination is misleading them, & nobody can tell them any different. I really don't think one question will make them suddenly wake up & take notice.... just sayin'.

It's not an oxymoron if you don't know you're being misled. Let me ask you a question. You probably celebrate Sunday in light of Jesus' resurrection, right? You probably believe Jesus died on Friday and was raised on Sunday, right? If you do believe this and use it to justify Sunday observance you are being misled. Now let me show you how you are being misled with this. Tell me, when did Mary buy the spices to anoint Jesus' dead body? Was it before the Sabbath or after the Sabbath? When you find the answer to this question your eyes will begin to open.

 

[Scuba]

Which law, of the 630 some odd laws, or for that matter which set of laws, moral, civial, cermonial?

In the New Covenant God will take the Law written in stone and write it in our heart.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Hebrews 8:10-12 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Which Law is God going to write on the tablets of our heart according to in 2 Corinthians 3:3?

2 Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

It the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are perfect. Every sin and crime committed in the world have there root in God's Law.

 

[crossnote]

Those failing to rest in Christ's atonement as well as experience that peace which passes all understanding have missed the true intended Sabbath rest...even if they faithfully rest one day in 7.

 

[crossnote]

In the New Covenant God will take the Law written in stone and write it in our heart.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Hebrews 8:10-12 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Which Law is God going to write on the tablets of our heart according to in 2 Corinthians 3:3?

2 Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

It the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are perfect. Every sin and crime committed in the world have there root in God's Law.

I like to see Jer 31 and Ezek 36 etc., not so much as God's "'law'' written on our hearts (though it is) but it as that which reflects His nature...hence our new nature thru the rebirth.

 

[Scuba]

Those failing to rest in Christ's atonement as well as experience that peace which passes all understanding have missed the true intended Sabbath rest...even if they faithfully rest one day in 7.

The rest we have in Christ is a rest from our struggle to be accepted by God. In Christ we are accepted. The seventh day of creation isa memorial of God's wonderful work. It was blessed and sanctified before sin or Jew was in the world. The seventh day was created very good. There is blessing attached to honoring God's will.

 

[Scuba]

I like to see Jer 31 and Ezek 36 etc., not so much as God's "'law'' written on our hearts (though it is) but it as that which reflects His nature...hence our new nature thru the rebirth.

To me when God writes His law in our heart and mind we will obey from the heart. In other words, it will be an inward motivation through love rather than an outward motivation through fear of punishment. When God writes his law in our heart they won't be a burden. The seventh day Sabbath for me is such a joy and a blessing. Keeping any of God's commandments are a joy and a blessing. As a matter of fact, it's hard for me not to obey God because his law is written in my heart and mind.

 

[Stephen63]

Scuba, you're not a SDA, are you?

 

[phil112]

............................. If your denomination says the Law was given to the Jews only they are misleading you.......................

My bible says the law was given to the jews. Which is your problem, you don't like what the bible says.

These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the Lord made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.

What is it with you sabbath keepers??????????
Why do reject Christ? Why is your heart so hardened against Him?
Why do you not believe that Christ spoke directly to Paul and told him what Christ wanted us to know?
When we are told the new covenant replaced the old because the old was flawed, why do you not believe it?
Why do you cling to the law when you are clearly told it will condemn you, not save you?
Read post #1 here, scuba. I am talking to you.

 

[crossnote]

To me when God writes His law in our heart and mind we will obey from the heart. In other words, it will be an inward motivation through love rather than an outward motivation through fear of punishment. When God writes his law in our heart they won't be a burden. The seventh day Sabbath for me is such a joy and a blessing. Keeping any of God's commandments are a joy and a blessing. As a matter of fact, it's hard for me not to obey God because his law is written in my heart and mind.

It should also be tied in with his indwelling Spirit...

Ezekiel 36:26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

 

[RedTent]

That's right we can't pick and choose them. Are you keeping all 613?

Why is this brought up? We go to scripture for the answer. Scripture says I don't, but there is no scripture saying not to do our best to keep them because we have Christ when we don't. That is scripture's point, what is yours?