Bible Study SUNDAY

[John the Baptist]

John here:
Here is an old post that I penned to Henry some months ago. :wink: Anyway, surely you are not saying that God's ten Commandment Eternal Covenant of Hebrews 13:20 has feast day's there in???

And about your posts? Please notice that I like to include question marks for a person to clarify.

_____________

John here:

Just what are you folk confused about? Are you telling me that Paul is talking about Gods 10 Commandments being a curse??

If so, you best check out Galatians 2:11-13 to see what 'the subject' being addressed was about? 'of the circumcism'! Then Galatians 2:16-18 was still pointing to this same topic!

And if that is not clear, read verse Galatians 2:11 for where Paul called Peter down? The reference is seen in Acts 5:1-2 & has absolutely NOTHING to do with God Royal Law or ten commandments written in stone!

Notice the verse:
"And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, [and said,] Except ye 'be circumcised' after the MANNER OF MOSES, [YE CANNOT BE SAVED]." Can you even suggest that, that was found in the 10 Commandments of God???

But not only was this the Subject, but verse 5 also includes 'other's than just Peter' as well, and take notice that it C-L-E-A-R-L-Y
states in this 'inspired' verse.. COMMAND them to keep 'THE LAW OF Moses'!

"But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them [AND] to command them to keep the [Law of Moses]."

It goes on to say that the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter! What matter was that? READ IT AGAIN until you get it right! (no offence meant!) But you, my friends seem to be just as dense as they? You remind me of Peter's Vision of Acts 10, with the reams & reams of PhD stuff penned! And it seems that most of these come out with tainted understanding.

Now: What were the Laws of Moses? Paul stated that:

'But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are [found sinners], is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For [if I build the things which I destroyed, I make myself a trangressor].'

[This verse] tells of the Universal Covenant 10 commandment law. For where 'NO LAW IS, THERE IS NO TRANSGRESSION. (Rom. 4:15) How could Paul say we could be 'found sinners' if there were [now], no law?

OK: Back in Deut. 31 were see Moses with a LAW contained in a book. Called the [Book of the Law!] We also see it placed in the side of the Ark of God! Not inside of the Ark of God, where His 10 Commandments Royal Universal Covenant was & IS LOCATED!!

It was the law of Moses that was nailed to the Cross! [ALL of the CEREMONIAL LAWS] that pointed to Christ's death on the Cross. These were all added because of sin. Gal. 3:19. What were these laws?? God does not leave us ignorant if we will search as He commanded. (2 Tim. 3:16-*Matt. 4:4-Matt. 28:20)

Paul also includes Col. 2:9-20 & Ephesians. 2:12-15 with these Laws of 'ordinances' and 'holy day' and 'the new moons, and the Sabbath day's'! These 'holy days' are the Sabbath of Moses law. NEVER ARE THEY THE 4TH COMMANDMENT OF THE TEN!!Notice Deut 30:10 for the [plural] of commandment's'! "If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep [his commandments] and His statues which are written [in THIS BOOK of the law, ..." (both the statues & these commandments are written in the BOOK OF THE LAW)

Again take note in Deut. 31:9 & verses 24-26. And note verse 26 closes with .. "Take [this book of the law] and [put it in the 'side of the Ark'] of the covenant of the Lord (notice these Words, & the Col. 2:14's Words of 'Against us') your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee".

And Paul's choice of Words.. Sabbath day's' plural, feast day's' plural, holy day's' plural? We even see in Acts 12:1-5 that Herod had James killed & Peter was locked up, and it was the Jews of old Israel that were keeping [this Feast Day] that you all keep today, you call it EASTER! (verse 3-4 ibid..) And you say that you are.. 'cursed with a curse'. Gal. 1:6-9! :wink:

You can understand Paul if you become the spiritual Jew of Rom. 2:28-38! Born Again.
Notice again the Law of Moses!! 2 Chronicles.. 8:13
"Even after a certain rate [every day], offering according to the [*commandments of Moses], on [the Sabbath's], and on [the new moon's'], and on the [solemn feast's'], (Easter, huh?) three times in the year, even the [feast of unleavened bread] and the [feast of week's'] and the feasts of [tabernacle's']."

These laws ALL pointed to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin's of the world. When the Vail rent from top to bottom by an unseen hand, these laws of Moses were FINISHED, (Gal. 3:19) and the way was made into the Most Holy Place itself! Here is where the Ark of God was seen that had His 'TESTIMONY inside of His Ark! See Rev. 11:19.

NOW: Bottom line! Notice real good.
"And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a SIGN between [Me and you], that ye [may know that I am the Lord your God]. Notwithstanding the children rebelled [against me: they walked not in my 'STATUES' ... WHEREFORE I GAVE THEM [ALSO] STATUES THAT WERE NOT GOOD, AND JUDGEMENTS WHEREBY THEY SHOULD *NOT LIVE.." Ezekiel . 20:verse 20 & verse 25.

What did that say?? Read it AGAIN! :wink:

 

[cyberjosh]

John, you are throwing out way too much material for me too look at at the moment. Could you please first address my posts and then question me from there? I tried to give a Scriptural defense in my second to last post. If you could please read it I would be much obliged.

God Bless,

Josh

 

[SputnikBoy]

But, it is still ingrained in the minds of most Christians that Sunday is the Sabbath day or at least 'a holy day' ...is it not? Thanks for the PM, by the way.

It has become commonplace but I can hardly call it a bad observance. Many Churches also usually have "church" though more than one day out of the week, similar to how the Jews would go to the synagogues just about everyday for the reading of Scripture.

But, wouldn't God take exception to 'man' having initiated 'a holy day' in lieu of and to the exclusion of the Creation Sabbath, do you think? I'm not sure.

Yes, I know. I don't REALLY have an accurate answer on that one. But, tradition has played a huge part in Christianity and, unless issues such as this are brought to one's attention, most would not think about it. You yourself have admitted that you read and study the scriptures. And yet, you have somehow arrived at Sunday as being some kind of a 'holy day'. The actual scriptures say no such thing. In the minds of many, however, they believe that the Bible DOES state that Sunday is the Sabbath. Many even believe that Sunday is the 7th-day!

You are missing the point, I'm not declaring any day as a specific day to observe the Sabbath. I've observed it on Saturday and Sunday before. Sometimes in the past I have actually been too busy that I didn't go to church. The point is not being legalistic about it. What God really wants is our heart to be right before Him and for us to have a personal relationship with Him, submitting to His will according to His Word.

Yes, but would not a personal relationship with Jesus not include obedience? In fact, as I've said many times previously, I don't see how one can even profess to be a Christian UNLESS they adhere to commands 1-4. Even nonChristians keep commands 5-10 because the moral law is 'written on their hearts' whether they know it or not. Moreover, I personally don't see observing the Sabbath as being any more or less legalistic than observing Sunday

The majority of Christians only read their Bibles superficially. Furthermore, their understanding of the scriptures is tempered by the teachings and the traditions of mainstream Christianity ...much of which is the influence of the RCC.

Luckily I am not one of those people. Ever since I was 13 God has drawn me closer and closer to Him and has impassioned me to read His Word more and more. I take God seriously and I agree with the lyrics of the song "Fields of Grace" by Big Daddy Weave which says "there's a place where religion finally dies". Religion has become the biggest ritualistic, legalistic trap ever set before men because it becomes dead and empty quickly. God has real power and has put His very real Holy Spirit in us, and we were truely "meant to live for so much more, but we lost ourselves" (Switchfoot) in dead religion where God is no longer real to us and His power is dumbed down in ceremonies. I have over the last 6 years become awakened to the history of the Bible as God has preserved it over the centuries and I have sought to study the Bible in the original languages, and I would like to become an amatuer Hebrew Scholar eventually.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the songs to which you refer. While I AM a musician (ex-rock/country rock) I'm not really into the Christian 'pop' culture of today. Many of the Christian artists have become as idolized by Christian fans as have the secular artists and this raises a few red flags for me. Another thing, so-called Christian lyrics are not necessarily divinely inspired. They are most often the personal interpretation (right or wrong) of the author. I realize that this doesn't make all of the songs bad, however. I also am not implying that you are necessarily promoting Christian 'pop' culture. Another thread topic, perhaps.

Anyway, if it be a case of 'Thou MUST observe the Sabbath' then that's a different story to one's choosing to be obedient to the 4th-command. I'm rather surprised that you haven't become MORE convinced toward continued Sabbath observance and the 'Sunday sabbath sham' since you don't appear to be a 'slouch' when it comes to the Bible. This again indicates that 'experts' often disagree on the same issues.

I am now also currently writing a book on the life of Jesus which was inspired by watching the two powerful Christian media productions "The Passion" and "The Gospel of John". I love God and his Word intimately and I think I've discovered the fire that David had for God. And I think I now understand personally the verse which David wrote and Jesus demonstrated "Zeal for Your house has consumed me." (John 2:17; Psalm 69:9)

Well, that's good. What else can I say?

Most don't give the issue another thought and perhaps go to church to mainly socialize.

I know! Using Church as just a social setting is my biggest pet-peave in the Church. Our old Church's youth group fell into that. I tried to step up a leader in the Youth Group and start a Bible trivia time every Wednesday night to inspire people to read their Bible more, and it did work...to the extent that it really brought out those who were really there to learn about God's Word and which ones were there just to socialize and goof around. You could tell by the participation and attention given to the trivia. It was a blessing though, while it lasted.

Yes, it would seem that the serious are very much the minority. I would think that this is much the case in all denominations.

If you do a history study as to how and why transference of the 7th-day Sabbath to Sunday came about I think you might take the issue more seriously. I did.

I have. I'm not ignorant to it. I am not detered though, just as the "Origins of Easter" discussions do not phase me. I'm still going to observe it as a day to worship the one true God and celebrate my Risen Lord; regardless of what someone thinks it might have been established for.

To me, cyber, the Sabbath command was one of 10 that were carved into stone. Christmas and Easter were not and observance of these traditions don't bother me. I kinda like Christmas, actually, and usually lead a few Christmas Carol events in my home town each December. I've often wondered WHY God chose to include TEN commandments to carve into stone. And why stone? Well, here's a theory. Stone will last for ever and ever if left alone and respected. On the other hand, if tampered with, picked up and thrown to the ground it will break because it's brittle. So, it can either remain intact forever or it can be broken in an instant. Hmmm . . .

Rhetoric? Perhaps. :wink:

 

[John the Baptist]

John, you are throwing out way too much material for me too look at at the moment. Could you please first address my posts and then question me from there? I tried to give a Scriptural defense in my second to last post. If you could please read it I would be much obliged.

God Bless,

Josh

*******

John here: Hay friend, I did read it! And I have read the same 'theology' over the years many many times! (see Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 & Ecclesiastes 3:15) Did you not say to another that you were going to get into some Bible Commentaries? (That is a danger signal to me! We need to get it from the Word & not the arm of flesh! Matthew 4:4)

That post to Henry is exactly the answer for your verses! Ask yourself how you come up with feast day(s), new moon(s), sabbath day(s) from only the ten Commandments??? (and all in the plural) And, as you say, God WROTE the ten Commandments in Stone, yet, these were not the laws from Moses pen that were put into a book.

Study the material, your questions are answered mostly in the verses given. Hay, don't be an 'Lukewarm' one of Revelation 3:16-17. :wink:

 

[cyberjosh]

Paul also includes Col. 2:9-20 & Ephesians. 2:12-15 with these Laws of 'ordinances' and 'holy day' and 'the new moons, and the Sabbath day's'! These 'holy days' are the Sabbath of Moses law. NEVER ARE THEY THE 4TH COMMANDMENT OF THE TEN!!Notice Deut 30:10 for the [plural] of commandment's'! "If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep [his commandments] and His statues which are written [in THIS BOOK of the law, ..." (both the statues & these commandments are written in the BOOK OF THE LAW)

Again take note in Deut. 31:9 & verses 24-26. And note verse 26 closes with .. "Take [this book of the law] and [put it in the 'side of the Ark'] of the covenant of the Lord (notice these Words, & the Col. 2:14's Words of 'Against us') your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee".

I can't believe you are attempting to divorce the Ten Commandments from the book of the law. The book of the law is how we even know of the Ten Commandments. You also say that since they are set in stone, written by God's own hand, that they cannot be changed. Why then did Jesus assert His authority over the Sabbath then? Also the book of the law can no less be seen as written by God himself, unless you charge God's process of inspiring human authors with error. And the material that it was written on hardly matters. Also the NT clearly states that the law was a shadow of those things to come, and Hebrews deal specifically with this. one of the things that was superceded was manna, because Christ came in person as the living manna. Now manna was in the ark along with the ten commandments. So things that were in the Ark don't necessarily have some special status over a written law on papyrus.

Hay friend, I did read it! And I have read the same 'theology' over the years many many times!

Thanks for the vote of no-confidence.

Did you not say to another that you were going to get into some Bible Commentaries? (That is a danger signal to me! We need to get it from the Word & not the arm of flesh! Matthew 4:4)

Now hold it just a minute, everything that we have said in this forum is discussion and commentary to our beliefs on the meaning of the Word. How would getting yet another person's input hurt?

Study the material, your questions are answered mostly in the verses given. Hay, don't be an 'Lukewarm' one of Revelation 3:16-17.

Once again thanks for the vote of no-confidence. And if I was luke wark I do not believe that I would be saved.


I don't mean to sound gruff but I have to disagree with some of your remarks. I realize your good intentions. Infact I don't think that there is one of us in here that doesn't respect the Bible full-heartedly, we just tend to disagree on certain points of interpretation.

 

[John the Baptist]

Hi, one more only! :fadein: (on this subject at least, unless other's might like Matthew 4:4's food?)

Read Titus 3:9-11 in the K.J.. We (the two of our postings) are going nowhere. Romans 8:14. Regardless of whom it is, me or you.

---John

 

[cyberjosh]

Romans 8:14. Regardless of whom it is, me or you.

Who said anything about 'or'. I'm your brother in Christ whether you like it or not. *Gives John a noogie* :P And I love you as my brother in Christ, so we just have to show temperance, patience, and understanding. If you wish to quit here that is ok. But if you wish to continue I'd be more than glad to endure with you.

At the very least I still intend to show Sputnik those commentaries I mentioned.

God Bless,

~Josh

 

[Preacher Boy]

...Just found an interesting article, figured I'd post it,,,

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THE SABBATH

This law of the sabbath day, the fourth commandment of the Decalogue was written upon tables of stone, and given to the nation of Israel while they were in the wilderness, by the hands of Moses, their leader. We find it in Exodus 20:8-11.

Vs 8 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Vs 9 "Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:"
Vs 10 "But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:"
Vs 11 "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11

Notice carefully what God has to say in this passage, concerning this sabbath:

1. This sabbath always fell on the seventh day of the week, corresponding to our Saturday. It began at 6 o'clock or sundown, and ended at sunset the next evening. As we reckon days now, it would be from about 6 P.M. Friday to 6 P.M. on Saturday.

2. It was a day of absolute rest for everyone, both man and beast. The entire family, parents, children, servants and guests, even the animals were to refrain from every sort of physical labor and work, and to observe a day of complete and uninterrupted rest.

3. The pattern for this sabbath was creation, in which God after He had completed His work in six days rested on the seventh day. The sabbath given later to the nation of Israel was based on the principle that one day in seven is for resting, for the benefit of humanity.

4. The principle of the sabbath is that one day in seven is to be set aside for rest from physical labor.



WHO CHANGED IT?

Everyone who believes the Bible will agree to the four foregoing facts. From the record of the Old Testament, it is also apparent that no other day than the seventh day was ever observed as a sabbath from Moses to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fifteen hundred years after the law was given to Israel, the sabbath was still in effect, and no change in the day is even mentioned in the entire Bible.

Today, however, the great majority of Christendom does not observe the seventh - day sabbath, but instead observes the first day of the week instead of the seventh, and call this the Christian sabbath. The questions therefore arise: "Who changed the sabbath? When was it changed? and Why was it changed from the seventh to the first day of the week? "These then are the three issues which should be answered. Now there are at least three views held by three different schools of thought, concerning this sabbath in answer to these questions which are asked over and over again.

There are those who teach that the sabbath was changed by man without any Scriptural authority whatsoever. These people teach and claim that the church some three centuries after the Cross of Christ, changed the sabbath from the seventh to the first day, contrary to the Word of God. Those who make this charge, however, hold that man and the church had no right to change the sabbath day, and it is therefore binding upon us today just as it was upon Israel, and all of its rules and regulations still apply. Some go so far as to make the observance of the seventh day sabbath a condition of salvation, an indispensable condition for salvation. Those who observe the seventh-day sabbath are said to have the seal of the living God, while those who observe the first day as the New Testament sabbath constitute the mark of the beast. This is a false view.

THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH

The second school of thought concerning the sabbath question teaches that after the resurrection of Christ the sabbath was changed to the first day in commemoration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. These call the first day of the week the "Christian" sabbath. They assert that the sabbath was changed to the first day by the Lord and His apostles. The laws, rules, regulations, and restrictions of the sabbath are transferred and applied to the first day of the week, although a strict observance of all of its details and practice is not followed by them. This is a false view.

NO SABBATH

The third group of Believers hold that the sabbath was given to Israel sixteen hundred years before Calvary, that it was only a shadow of things to come, and was completely fulfilled by Christ, and ceased as a sabbath day at His resurrection. Today, these Believers claim the Church has no sabbath, but instead by common precedent and example rather than by specific commandment, we observe the first day of the week as a day of commemoration and worship, assembling together, preaching of the Word, and ceaseless activity in spiritual things. This day, it is claimed by those who hold this view, is not a matter of legal duty, but a glorious privilege under grace, a voluntary service in gratitude to God. It is not observed because it is commanded but because they delight in gathering together to remember the Lord's death and celebrate His resurrection. This view is in harmony with the Scriptures.

MEANING OF SABBATH

We want to present the basic facts concerning this sabbath day. These basic facts are:

1. The meaning of the word, "sabbath."

2. The various sabbaths mentioned throughout the Scriptures.

First of all then, notice the meaning of the word itself. The first time the word "sabbath" as such occurs anywhere in the Bible is Exodus 16:23. The word, "sabbath" is an untranslated Hebrew word which was carried over literally without translation from the Hebrew and from the Greek. The Hebrew word is "shabbath," and the Greek word is "sabbaton." It means simply "a cessation, an intermission, a resting." It means to "cease" or to "stop" with special reference to physical labor, and therefore means to "rest" after a period of activity. If the word has been translated into the English language, it would read like this:

"Remember the REST day, and keep it holy." (All Bible authorities are agreed on this point.)

Now the second thing to remember is that God gave to Israel under the law a number of sabbath days of which the weekly sabbath is only one. A few references will suffice to show this. In Leviticus 16, God gave Israel the ordinances for the Feast of Trumpets, which fell on the first day of the seventh month, and it is called a "sabbath."

"In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein." Lev. 23:24-25

You will notice that this is called a sabbath, but it was not the seventh-day, weekly sabbath. Again, the next feast, the Day of Atonement, is called a sabbath as we read in Lev. 16:29, 31

"In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you." Lev. 16:29, 31

Again concerning the Feast of Atonement, we read in Leviticus, "Ye shall do no manner of work. . . Lev. 23:31

"...from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." Lev. 23:31-32

Then again concerning the Feast of Tabernacles, we read the following:

"Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eight day shall be a sabbath." Lev. 23:39
Here the Feast of Tabernacles was called a sabbath, though it had nothing to do with the weekly sabbath. The seventh year in Israel was also called a sabbath, for God says in Lev. 25:2 "then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord."

Every seventh year the land was to rest. From these and other passages it becomes clear that the word, sabbath, means "rest", and a sabbath could be any day of the week, not necessarily the seventh day. Only the weekly sabbath must always be on this day, which corresesponds to our Saturday. The important thing was not the DAY, but the REST, which the Lord commanded. It is the Spirit, and not the day which is most important.
Now the question is, Do these laws apply to us today? Is the Believer under the law of the sabbath? If the law applies, must he then keep all the sabbath days, or only the one weekly sabbath. Where does the Bible say that we need to keep the sabbath of unleavened bread, or the sabbath day of the tabernacles, or the atonement? Are we required to observe the seventh-day weekly sabbath? Where does the Bible teach that there is a difference between the ceremonial laws and the moral laws given upon tables of stone? It does not.

MEANING OF "SABBATH"

The word "sabbath," as it occurs in the Bible means simply, "rest." All of the sabbaths, including the weekly, seventh-day sabbath, were REST days, the main thing being a strict command to refrain from all manner of physical labor. And so we come now to the question, When did the sabbath begin? The first mention of the word "sabbath" is found in Exodus 16:23, in connection with the giving of the manna. It is definitely given as the fourth commandment in Exodus 20:8-11.

1. The sabbath was a commandment given by the Lord God Himself, and ordained in the beginning of Israel's history, as binding upon them during their entire national existence.

2. It was to be the seventh day of the week.

3. It was to be a day of absolute rest.

4. It was to begin at sundown, and end at sundown on the following day.

5. It was to be binding upon everybody in the nation of Israel, even including the animals.

6. It was addressed to Israel, only after their deliverance from the land of Egypt.



Now the simple answer to the question, When was the sabbath changed to the first day of the week? is simply this: The sabbath never has been changed at all by Almighty God. It still is and remains the seventh day of the week, and calling any other day the sabbath is completely without Scriptural proof, and the result of a confusion concerning the Christian's place under the grace of God, and his relationship to the law. The only one who can change the sabbath is the One who gave it, even Jehovah. The first day of the week therefore cannot be the sabbath day. Calling it a sabbath, or a Christian sabbath, does not of necessity make it so. The Scriptural evidence shows that the sabbath still remains the seventh day of the week, corresponding to our Saturday, and so the Christian does not observe a sabbath at all when he observes it on the first day of the week. Remember also that it must be from sundown to sundown, and unless the details are observed, then there is no use in observing the day. If the day has been carried over from the seventh to the first, then, of course, all of the requirements and legal restrictions and limitations of the sabbath day as they appear in the Old Testament, would have to apply to our first-day sabbath. It would mean that no work of any kind was to be performed in any manner from sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday, by either man or beast, and of course, in this highly technological age in which we are living, such an arrangement would disrupt the entire economy of the nation, and of the world. To apply all the legal restrictions and laws governing the Old Testament sabbath to the world today, would make everyone in the world a sabbath breaker, and since the penalty of a broken law was death, it would mean that all of us would be under the sentence of death, and no one could possibly be saved.

The issue therefore becomes very simple. It is not a matter of the sabbath at all, but is a question of law or grace. If we are under the law, then by all means we are bound to keep the sabbath as the seventh day of the week, but we must be sure that we keep all of its restrictions and commandments. If, however, we are under grace, we have no sabbath by way of commandment; but under the grace of God, we count every day sacred as Lord's day. The first day is a special memorial after the custom and example (not the commandment) of the early church, but merely as precedent and example. It is a memorial feast, a privilege to assemble with God's people, remember His death, study His Word, engage in prayer and receive courage, strength and power to make the other six days all day long, to His praise and glory, an dedicated to His service.

If we are under the law, then of course we are under the entire law. If we are under grace alone then we can be saved because grace excludes the law. Romans 3:28. If we are still under the sabbath then we are under the entire law and cannot be saved. No one has ever been saved by the law. Galatians 2:16. If we are under grace we are saved apart from the law. By studying carefully the Book of Acts, we find that the Believers invariably met on the first day and never once on the seventh day. Their weekly day of worship was always the first day. In Acts 20, verse 7, we read a conclusive statement, which alone, and standing by itself, without any other support, should establish the fact that the first day was the customary day of assembling of Believers.
"And upon the FIRST DAY of the week, when the disciples came to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." Acts 20:7
Notice very carefully these clear statements:

1. It was the custom of the disciples to gather together on the first day of the week.

2. It was the occasion for the breaking of bread and the remembering of the Lord.

3. It was the day on which they gathered for their preaching services.

Now these three things are perfectly evident to anyone who is willing to read the verse carefully. In complete harmony with this is Paul's admonition to the Corinthian Believers.

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." I Cor. 16:1-2

If we are under the law, then we are also under the law of the sabbath. If the Believer is under the law in any sense, then the seventh day sabbath is binding on him, and vice versa. If the sabbath is for the Christian, then he is also a debtor to do the whole law. We may not, we dare not, and we shall not lift the fourth commandment out of the tables of the entire body of the law. They are one. We do not read of the "laws" of God, but the "law" of God. If any part of the law is for us, then all of the law is for us, and he that offends in one point is guilty of all. It is impossible to break one commandment, and not break the entire law, for it is a unity as given by Almighty God. And so the issue is one of law or grace, and not a question of the sabbath day at all. Look up James 2:10. Breaking the law in one point makes you guilty of breaking all the law. The Scofield reference Bible has an excellent footnote on the sabbath which summarizes what we have said. This note is invaluable in the study of the sabbath question. Please read this Scofield note very carefully.

The sabbath ("cessation") appears in Scripture as the day of God's rest in the finished work of creation (Gen. 2. 2, 3). For 2500 years of human life absolutely no mention is made of it. Then the sabbath was revealed (Ex. 16.23; Neh. 9. 13, 14); made a part of the law (Ex. 20. 8-11); and invested with the character of a "sign" between Jehovah and Israel, and a perpetual reminder to Israel of their separation to God (Ex. 31. 13-17). It was observed by complete rest (Ex. 35.2,3), and by Jehovah's express order a man was put to death for gathering sticks on the sabbath day (Num. 15. 32-36). Apart from maintaining the continued burnt-offering (Num. 28. g) ,and its connection with the annual feasts (Ex. 12. 16; Lev. 23. 3,8; Num. 28. 25), the seventh-day sabbath was never made a day of sacrifice, worship, or any manner of religious service. It was simply and only a day of complete rest for man and beast, a humane provision for man's needs. In Christ's words, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" '(Mk. 2. 27). Our Lord found the observance of the day encrusted with rabbinical evasions (Mt. 12. 2) and restrictions, wholly unknown to the law, so that He was Himself held to be a sabbath-breaker by the religious authorities of the time. The sabbath will be again observed during the kingdom-age (Isa. 66. 23). The Christian first day perpetuates in the dispensation of grace the principle that one-seventh of the time is especially sacred, but in all other respects is in contrast with the sabbath. One is the seventh day, the other the first. The sabbath commemorates God's creation rest, the first day Christ's resurrection. On the seventh day God rested, on the first day Christ was ceaselessly active. The sabbath commemorates a finished creation, the first day a finished redemption. The sabbath was a day of legal obligation, the first day one of voluntary worship and service. The sabbath is mentioned in Acts only in connection with the Jews, and in the rest of the New Testament but twice (Col. 2. 16; Heb. 4. 4). In these passages the seventh-day sabbath is explained to be to the Christian not a day to be observed, but a type of the present rest into which he enters when "he also ceases from his own works" and trusts Christ. [Scofield reference Bible Note on Matthew 12:1]

Remember that a person is saved by faith alone in Christ alone. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

http://www.biblelineministries.org/arti ... HE+SABBATH

 

[SputnikBoy]

Here are several texts that blow the above comments out of the water. The above post claims that the disciples customarily observed the 1st-day for worship (i.e. a replacement for the Jewish Sabbath) to the exclusion of the 7th-day sabbath. Other than the fact that there is NO scriptural basis for the above claim, Jesus Himself knew that the Sabbath would still be a VERY important issue to His followers. Relating to the fall of Jerusalem in AD70, which occurred some 30 years after His death & resurrection, Jesus told the disciples to pray that their flight from the city not take place in the winter or on the Sabbath Day (Matthew 24:20). That hardly sounds as though Jesus' disciples would have forsaken the Sabbath by then!

In Acts 13:27; Acts 13:42; Acts 13:44; Acts 15:21; Acts 16:13; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:4 we find Paul, Jews, and Gentiles alike applying the Sabbath 'command'. In Acts 17:2 we're even told that it was Paul's CUSTOM to keep the Sabbath. Do we REALLY get the idea that Paul observed the 1st-day and rejected the 7th-day from those texts? Also, the 4th-command is less a 'command' and more a 'memory jog'. It asks us to 'remember'.

Is that enough for now to refute the above post or should we also tear apart the 'tithes and offerings' and the 'breaking of bread texts' that are supposed to approve Sunday observance?

 

[SputnikBoy]

Remember that a person is saved by faith alone in Christ alone. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

Hmm . . .Satan and his angels believe IN the Lord Jesus Christ. Are they saved? What does 'believing ON' actually mean?

 

[scutato]

The Sabbath has been important in my family for a few years, thanks to my Dad's initial studying on the subject, so I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

The 7th Day Sabbath is Sanctified

Gen 2:2 "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

The seventh day is much more than just a command, it's sanctified by God. What does it mean to "sanctify" something?

sanctify, v. 1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.

The 7th day is a holy, sacred day set apart by God Himself. God did not "unsanctify" the Sabbath day when Christ was crucified. In fact, because the 7th-day Sabbath shows up in the Ten Commandments, there's no way it's been done away with! Paul says so himself at the end of Romans 3, that even though we're saved by God's grace through faith, the law is NOT done away with:

Rom 3:31 "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."

Can we be saved by the law? Absolutely not. But the things that please God have been the same since the beginning, and one of those things is the 7th day Sabbath.

Christ as Lord of the Sabbath

Three of the four Gospels include an instance where Jesus and his disciples plucked ears of corn as they passed through a field, and the Pharisees were angered because it was the Sabbath day (again, Saturday). Many people use Jesus' words as an example of Him changing the Law of the Sabbath in some way.

Looking at it in cultural context, Jesus was exerting his authority over Jewish tradition. When the Pharisees complained, Jesus replied that David ate the shewbread in the temple when he was hungry (reserved for the priests), and that priests themselves are excepted from the Sabbath. If these things be true, Jesus surely should be excepted, as He is Lord of the Sabbath.

Here's the thing though: the Sabbath Law doesn't say you can't pick kernels of corn to eat as you pass through a field on the Sabbath Day. Jews added bucketloads of traditions on top of the original law which made it much more difficult to bear, and Jesus rebuked them by saying that he would be excepted not only from their traditions, but from the Sabbath law itself.

Through the entire ordeal, no where does Jesus say that the Sabbath is of no concern to us, however. This is further proven by the fact that the early church kept the 7th-day Sabbath as previously mentioned in the conversation. Finally, and I shouldn't have to point this out but I will just in case: Jesus Himself said that He by no means removed any of the Law from existence.

Jesus's Observation

Some people claim that there's no way to tell if our Saturday is the same day God finished His creation. However, there's no need to travel that far back in time. Jesus Himself observed the Sabbath from the 6th day sundown to the 7th day sundown (present-day Saturday), and the Jews every week since then.

To conclude, I find it a very strong case that we should keep the Sabbath on the day God sanctified. Besides, no one ever said you can't worship on Sunday. When I look at the arguments for keeping the Sabbath day on any day of the week (or not at all, the "every day is Sabbath day for me" argument), all the "proof" is flimsy at best. If Christ observed Sabbath on Sunday, however, we would have something to argue.

 

[John the Baptist]

Remember that a person is saved by faith alone in Christ alone. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

Hmm . . .Satan and his angels believe IN the Lord Jesus Christ. Are they saved? What does 'believing ON' actually mean?

*******

And there is another group who really had this Eccl. Prophecy 'repeated' 'type' of believing in Christ! Full knowledge & yet, this was not ENOUGH! And 'many' of these ones are hearing the same TRUTH OVER & OVER AGAIN WITH THE SAME SHOWERS OF REFRESHING FATAL DECISIONS being made. John 9:39-41

John 12:42-43
Nevertheless among the chief rulers [also many BELIEVED ON HIM]; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, least they [should be put out of the synagogue;] For they [LOVED THE PRAISE OF MEN MORE THAN THE PRAISE OF GOD]."

And again, what is New??? Compare the FACTS!! See Isaiah 5:3 for what these 'only believe' ones really love? "JUDGE BETWIXT ME AND MY VINEYARD". If not the Vineyard over Christ, it are these ones of Jeremiah! So on & on they run to their church's Arm Of Flesh of Only Believing!! Jeremiah 17:5 These ones LOVE DOCTRINE OVER CHRIST! :

SO: The statement of Christ that 'IF ye love Me, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS' finds what these ones love.

--John