Do you observe the Sabbath?

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posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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I think the below passages, at minimum, show that Paul and his companions regarded the Sabbath, entering synagogues, reading the scripture, talking about Jesus. Do you think it's safe to say the below are examples we should follow? Didn't Paul say to imitate him?
If you are going to synagogues to preach the gospel to Jews, I agree that a pro tip is to show up on sabbath.
 
Mar 4, 2020
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If you are going to synagogues to preach the gospel to Jews, I agree that a pro tip is to show up on sabbath.
That’s also a way to keep the Sabbath, something people are saying Christians don’t do, but Acts shows they did. Scripture reading is a common Sabbath activity and it’s something Jesus did as well:

Luke 4
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
 
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Like this, maybe?

Romans 7:6
we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not the oldness of the letter.
I mean, just reading that verse and shutting the Bible has probably caused a lot of confusion. Keeping reading a bit further:

Romans 7
25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
 
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For a minute i thoughr you were on to something. Christ is our sabbath it is in Him that we rest. Which is why He allowed His disciples to break sabbath traditions.( Also the tradition had carried the law beyond what is written but thats another conversation. )
I am onto something though. There’s a lot of proof for Sabbath keeping in the New Testament. Some don’t want it to be so and they just reinterpret it. Anyway, I’ve used many pages trying to discuss and lay all of that out. There’s still people who reject it even though Hebrews 3-4 should be enough to get people to see it, but they just spiritualize or allegorize what they don’t want to be literal. God will be the judge and glory to God.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
I am onto something though. There’s a lot of proof for Sabbath keeping in the New Testament. Some don’t want it to be so and they just reinterpret it. Anyway, I’ve used many pages trying to discuss and lay all of that out. There’s still people who reject it even though Hebrews 3-4 should be enough to get people to see it, but they just spiritualize or allegorize what they don’t want to be literal. God will be the judge and glory to God.
I think you are missing the meaning of Hebrews 3 and 4. The writter is comparing the israelites who did follow the law of keeping, saying they did not enter into "the rest". to those who enter His rest via Christ.
If you read other passages such as Romans 14 and Colosians 2. You would find that they contradict your interpretation of Hebrews.
In Romans 13 he calls those who hold such moring weak in faith, in colosians he calls it self imposed religion, and false humility.
Im not telling you this to insult or harm you, or even to be argumentative, but to keep you from stumbling.
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
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If you are going to synagogues to preach the gospel to Jews, I agree that a pro tip is to show up on sabbath.
Exactly. It's nice to see that somebody gets it. ;)

Acts 13:43 - Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

Acts 14:1 - "In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks."

Acts 17:4 - "And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

Acts 18:4 - "And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks."

Again, Paul's work here was evangelism and not sabbath worship, but don't expect Judaizers to understand.
 

TMS

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2015
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The same way we replaced physical circumcision with circumcision of the heart? No point keeping the Sabbath as a law unless you're going to keep all 613 of them. And I know you're going to fail at doing that.
I will fail.. i can do nothing without Christ.
Joh 15:5-10
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing......
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

By myself i will fail.
So do you have any fruit?
I am promised i will have fruit if I'm connected to Christ.
If i believe there is no point keeping the laws. I should let my fleshly, selfish nature have its way and murder and, steal, and lie, and do what ever i feel like doing.

But no... vs.. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
Jesus kept the law perfectly and wants to live in me.
I want to glorify Jesus by letting the Spirit work in me.

I have become dead to the law through Jesus (Jesus paid the debt).
So do i transgress the law and sin? Do i bear fruit of lawlessness or fruit of righteousness?

Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

.....Serve in newness of Spirit....
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
.....11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

We are all sold under sin.
But that does not mean we give into sin willfully or on purpose. We connect to Jesus and see the fruits He can produce.

When your connected to Jesus, can He help you to keep the Sabbath holy?
 

TMS

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2015
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Again, Paul's work here was evangelism and not sabbath worship, but don't expect Judaizers to understand
Pauls work was Evangelical, the gospel was the center.

How is the sabbath day only for Jews?
God made the sabbath holy at creation and there was no Jews.

Just because God asked the Jews to keep it holy does not mean it is only for them. God also asked the Jews to not murder, and not lie, or commit adultery. If i say God does not want you to lie does that make me a Judaizer?
 

TMS

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2015
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Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

If the sabbath was removed at the cross, why did Jesus say the above.

He would have known if the sabbath was no longer important.
But after His death this even happened and it can be applied the the final tribulation yet to come. (Dual meaning).

Pray that your flight isn't on the sabbath.

The sabbath must still be important.
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
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Pauls work was Evangelical, the gospel was the center.

How is the sabbath day only for Jews?
God made the sabbath holy at creation and there was no Jews.

Just because God asked the Jews to keep it holy does not mean it is only for them. God also asked the Jews to not murder, and not lie, or commit adultery. If i say God does not want you to lie does that make me a Judaizer?
Did God call it the "Sabbath day" at creation and establish a Sabbath day law? Does the Bible teach that from Adam from Moses people were keeping the Sabbath day? Where in the OT is the word "Sabbath" first mentioned?

As for Paul, evangelism/sharing the gospel was his mission here. Acts 18:4 - "And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

You seem to mix the old with the new covenant.
 

Inquisitor

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Mar 17, 2022
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I agree with all of the verses you’re providing, but I’m understanding them in a broader, more expansive, way than you are because the New Testament says a lot more than what you’re providing in the verses.

I don’t want to derail this the thread, but I believe it’s important to correct issues of misunderstanding eternal life/salvation since so much may be at stake.

Chew these verses over, take your time to let them digest, and see if you still think there’s no work required on your part.

John 6
29Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Acts 26
20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.

Romans 2
7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Philippians 2
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

2 Thessalonians 2
11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.

James 2
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
You said.

"I agree with all of the verses you’re providing".

No you don't, you deny salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), that is a direct denial.

Paul said, "and this is not of yourselves" (Ephesians 2:8).

Your in denial because you say that you must obey the law, Paul does not say that. Paul states your salvation relies on Christ alone, and you make no contribution to that process.

Here is another simple narration of the gospel by Paul.

Romans 10:9-10
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Well runningman, your again in a clear denial of what Paul said.

You will then say let's look at in a more expansive way.

You refuse to accept that salvation is granted, as a gift, through that belief in Jesus Christ.

Where you have been derailed in your understanding of the gospel is straight forward.

You have been taught that faith plus the works of the law (sabbath), results in salvation.

That is not what Paul said in Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 10:9.

Can you see where you have been derailed?
 
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You said.

"I agree with all of the verses you’re providing".

No you don't, you deny salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), that is a direct denial.

Paul said, "and this is not of yourselves" (Ephesians 2:8).

Your in denial because you say that you must obey the law, Paul does not say that. Paul states your salvation relies on Christ alone, and you make no contribution to that process.

Here is another simple narration of the gospel by Paul.

Romans 10:9-10
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Well runningman, your again in a clear denial of what Paul said.

You will then say let's look at in a more expansive way.

You refuse to accept that salvation is granted, as a gift, through that belief in Jesus Christ.

Where you have been derailed in your understanding of the gospel is straight forward.

You have been taught that faith plus the works of the law (sabbath), results in salvation.

That is not what Paul said in Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 10:9.

Can you see where you have been derailed?
I’ve showed you plenty of other things Paul said, but you seemed trapped on just a few verses.

Okay let’s take a different angle. How do you explain the clear works-based salvation requirements Paul and others taught, turn back to Ephesians 2, and conclude that all you had to do was have faith? Could it be you’re misinterpreting what Paul said because you don’t really understand it?
 

Inquisitor

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Mar 17, 2022
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I’ve showed you plenty of other things Paul said, but you seemed trapped on just a few verses.

Okay let’s take a different angle. How do you explain the clear works-based salvation requirements Paul and others taught, turn back to Ephesians 2, and conclude that all you had to do was have faith? Could it be you’re misinterpreting what Paul said because you don’t really understand it?
I do not interpret.

Ephesisans 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Your interpretation is the opposite.

SDA 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith and legal works (sabbath obedience), that is the gift of God.

"How can I explain the clear works-based salvation requirement?"

Any works, any fruit, is the result of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is not from you.

Yet, everyone is still saved directly by the blood of Christ, the reconciliation that Christ accomplished.

You are in direct conflict with what Paul said. Your still in the state of heresy.
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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Did God call it the "Sabbath day" at creation and establish a Sabbath day law? Does the Bible teach that from Adam from Moses people were keeping the Sabbath day? Where in the OT is the word "Sabbath" first mentioned?

As for Paul, evangelism/sharing the gospel was his mission here. Acts 18:4 - "And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

You seem to mix the old with the new covenant.
Don't tell me their pouring new wine into old wineskins?

The outcome is the old wineskin swells and destroys the old wineskin.

The new covenant must be totally free of the old covenant.

No law in the new covenant, the Holy Spirit is the new wine.

Not the old law, the new commandments of Jesus Christ, the law of Christ.
 

Cameron143

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Mar 1, 2022
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Don't tell me their pouring new wine into old wineskins?

The outcome is the old wineskin swells and destroys the old wineskin.

The new covenant must be totally free of the old covenant.

No law in the new covenant, the Holy Spirit is the new wine.

Not the old law, the new commandments of Jesus Christ, the law of Christ.
Don't mean to sidetrack you so I'll understand if you choose not to answer. But what are the new commandments of Christ?
 

Inquisitor

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Mar 17, 2022
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Don't mean to sidetrack you so I'll understand if you choose not to answer. But what are the new commandments of Christ?
1 John 3:23-24
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
 

Cameron143

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1 John 3:23-24
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Much thanks.
 
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Ephesisans 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
is doing the works God requires your work that you can boast about?

As I said, you’re not understanding the verse you’re quoting because it it’s being isolated from the rest of the Bible. And the very next verse says you were created to do good works. I’ll show you why.

Let’s look at some more things the Bible says:

Not of works?
1 John 2
17The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Matthew 7
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Not of works?
2 Corinthians 5
10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

James 2
20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Revelation 19
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Revelation 22
12“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

Let me guess. Your answer to all of this is do nothing? And you’re calling me a heretic? That’s absurd. Now your judgement returns to you.

You just told me that works are not required when at least a dozen verses say otherwise. What is your agenda here?