The Sabbath Day, Should You Keep or not Keep?

[Esaias]

I never saw your post, so I had not responded to it. But since you asked...

Originally Posted by mfblume View Post
There is no scripture saying anyone kept Sabbath before Moses except God. Yet sabbath keepers claim it was in effect before Moses. Where? Because God rested the seventh day in Genesis? Where does it say God commanded Adam or anyone before Moses to keep the seventh day for that reason? It doesn't.

Find ONE HUMAN BEING in the Bible who was said to REST the 7th day before the time of Moses.

The routine response to this is that they were told to REMEMBER the sabbath. That means it must have been in effect long before the commandments were given.


This was not stated because they were meant to keep it long before Moses. It was actually God reminding them of HIS REST, when HE ALONE rested the seventh day after creation, and for the first time it was being given to MANKIND to rest as well. So, remembering pointed to the time GOD RESTED ALONE, with no one ever since that day ever resting the seventh day until God gave it to Israel.

Paraphrase... "Remember the day I rested from my works after the six days. Now you, too, will rest as I did... for the first time man shall also rest the seventh day."

If this was a commandment in effect long before Moses, who wrote it for whom? Moses wrote Genesis to Deuteronomy. And he did not write it until his day.

And it was FOR ISRAEL ALONE.

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man (that would be Adam). Genesis says that on the very day God rested, the original seventh day of the creation week, God sanctified that day ("hallowed" it). It was therefore separated from the other days of the week and holy unto God before the Fall. Since it was made FOR MAN, and since it was made BEFORE THE FALL, and since it was MADE HOLY, it follows that it was made holy for man before the Fall.

If it was made holy, and it was made for man, then it is obvious that man would be expected to recognise that holiness. To be hallowed means to be separated to divine purposes. The seventh day was separated to divine purposes for man, before the Fall. Hence, it was sanctified for Adam before he ever left the Garden.

Moses told Israel to "remember the Sabbath day TO KEEP IT HOLY". The remembrance of the Sabbath day was for the purpose of keeping it holy, or hallowed, or sanctified, or separated to divine purposes. They were to remember that this day was holy, sanctified by God back in the creation week. They were to keep it holy by abstaining from profane labour on that day, in imitation of God in the creation week.

Exodus 16:21-30 KJV And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. (22) And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. (23) And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (24) And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. (25) And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. (26) Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. (27) And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. (28) And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? (29) See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. (30) So the people rested on the seventh day.

God taught Israel about His seventh day Sabbath here in Exodus 16, before Sinai. The people had a hard time getting the picture, but they eventually got it. Thus, God in Exodus 20 told them to REMEMBER the Sabbath day to keep it holy, because He had already showed them exactly WHEN the seventh day Sabbath day occurred.

It should be noted that when the people violated the Sabbath here in Exodus 16 - BEFORE the covenant made at Sinai - God asked "how long will you continue to violate my commandments and my laws?" The Sabbath was a part of God's commandments and laws PRIOR to Sinai.

Genesis 26:5 KJV Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

If the Sabbath was part of God's commandments and laws prior to Sinai, and Abraham kept God's commandments and laws (prior to Sinai, obviously) then it follows that Abraham likewise kept the Sabbath. Considering the fact that the Sabbath was sanctified before the Fall, and was made for man (Adam), it follows that Adam knew of the Sabbath. Especially considering that Adam was placed in the Garden specifically to WORK, and since Adam was made in God's image, and since Adam's work was a reflection and image of God's work, it follows that Adam would have completed the pattern by working in the Garden six days and resting the seventh as God did.

All of this is a plethora of evidence for not only the pre-Sinaitic keeping of the Sabbath, but the pre-Deluvian and even pre-Fall keeping of the Sabbath.

God's people, of course, since the days of Adam, had a long history of abandoning God's ways, commandments, laws, statutes, and ordinances. In Egypt they had given themselves over to idolatry and paganism. They apparently had lost the knowledge of the when the first month was, and even the correct seventh day of the week. Thus, upon coming out of Egypt, God had to teach them His calendar (see Ex 12:2, for example), along with all His other laws, commandments, statutes, ordinances, judgments, etc. Just like today, many professing Christians are ignorant of God's laws, commandments, statutes, ordinances, and judgments, and have need to learn them again. Nothing much new under the sun.

(continued in next post)

[Esaias]

(continued from previous)

As for being for Israel alone, this is refuted by Jesus' own words when He declared the Sabbath was made for man. The Sabbath was made prior to the Fall, therefore it was made for Adam (there was no Israel at that time). It was given to Israel as part of the covenant law made at Sinai (actually, it was given to them before that, as previously demonstrated). But was Israel alone meant to keep Sabbath?

NO.

Deuteronomy 4:5-8 KJV Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. (6) Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. (7) For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? (8) And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

Israel was given the law and was expected to live it out in the sight of the nations. The nations were to be impressed with the Divine origin and righteousness of the law (including the Sabbath commandment). To what purpose? Just to ooh and ah at Israel? No, but to LEARN TO FOLLOW ISRAEL'S EXAMPLE. That is to say, Israel was meant to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth, and that blessing was to come via transmission of the knowledge of God to all the heathen:

Isaiah 43:9-10 KJV Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. (10) Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

The nations were to learn the law of God from Israel:

Isaiah 2:3 KJV And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The nations were to blessed for keeping Sabbath:

Isaiah 56:1-8 KJV Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. (2) Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. (3) Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. (4) For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; (5) Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. (6) Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; (7) Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. (8) The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

So, the Sabbath is not just for Israel, it is for all mankind, as is all the law of God.

Israel of course largely failed in their mission under the old covenant, hence the need for the new covenant. But the new covenant did not dispense with the laws and commandments, statutes and judgments of God. Rather, the new covenant writes those laws of God upon the hearts of those who enter the new covenant through Christ:

Jeremiah 31:31-33 KJV Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: (33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And again:

Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (26) 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. (27) 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.

Under the new covenant, there is not a "new law"*, a new set of commands, but the same laws, commandments, statutes, judgments, etc that have been of old, written upon the heart of the believer who is empowered to obey and thus fulfill the righteousness of the law. Same law, in fact the same people. The difference is where the law is written. Previously it was written in tables of stone, but now it is written in our hearts.

*Note: There is a "change of the law" regarding the priesthood and the particular manner in which offerings are performed. Animal sacrifices, Levitical priests descended from Aaron, etc have been changed to the Melchizedek priesthood of Christ and the offerings that flow from that priesthood. See the epistle to the Hebrews for clarification. But the moral, civil, individual, etc laws of God which were not strictly dependent upon the Sinaitic Covenant itself with its Aaronic priesthood and system of offerings were around long before Mt Sinai, and continued long after that covenant had been subsumed into ("replaced by") the new covenant.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by mfblume

No, it does not just boil down to that. It boils down to change of covenants and what is pertinent or not.

NOT ONE TIME did any New Testament teacher tell us to keep sabbath day in the new covenant. Not one. Especially Jesus. The way you find deal with sabbath would demand a clear cut statement to avoid confusion in the bible about it still being intact despite change in covenants .

It was about to whom it was written, for what reason and to indicate what covenant. It's for Israel. Not every one in all locations of earth can keep sabbath the way it is said to be kept as was noted long ago. It's about old creation. Old Covenant. First which is natural.

You have it backwards. Not one time did any new testament teacher tell us the Sabbath had been abrogated, repealed, abolished, or so much as changed from the seventh day of the week to anything (or "anyone") else.

The abolitionist (mild antinomian) position is that "unless it is restated in the new testament it is repealed, abolished, done away with, not obligatory." The Biblical, theonomic, new testament position is that "unless it is declared to be repealed, abolished, done away with, or not obligatory in the new testament it still stands."

The new testament contains no new replacement Sinai. There was no repeal. Jesus forbids us to even think that He came to repeal, abolish, or do away with any single jot or tittle of the law of God. Unlike the Pharisees, whose religious system specialised in finding loopholes and ways and means of NOT actually obeying God's commandments, Jesus said our righteousness must EXCEED theirs or we would never inherit the kingdom of God. Our righteousness begins with the pardon of our transgressions, and culminates in our being conformed to the image of Christ by the power of His Spirit causing us to walk in His ways.

You once stated "anything that was sin before the cross is still sin after the cross." Was it sin before the cross to mow your yard or do other secular work on the seventh day of the week? Was it sin before the cross to ignore the seventh day's holiness?

Then according to yourself, it must of necessity STILL BE SIN TO DO THOSE THINGS.

[Steven Avery]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Your response to this with th s many times, and silence on my recent arguments directly against sabbath keeping, show a disengenuous manner.

Please do not fabricate. You asked me simply to respond to the Colossians verse, and I did exactly that.

Stop moving goal posts, you are swinging and accusing wildly.

Note that I never said that I would waste five or fifty hours trying to share with someone who has a heavy-duty blockage. In deference to your request, I answered exactly the question you asked me to answer.

If you want long postings, so that you can continue to be inconsistent, then work with what Esaias has above. (Not that I necessarily agree with Esaias, I like to emphasize #1 the decalogue, with non-decalogue Mosaic ordinances being minor auxiliary elements.)

Folks on this forum can run into about five different antinomian positions with which to engage. You seem to think yours is especially important. It is not, and from my perspective your straddlings are almost laughably inconsistent. And you try to mask that with a personal, social belligerence.

Steven

[Esaias]

Let's look at the term antinomian for a moment.

It is composed of two parts, "anti" and "nomian". Anti is Greek and signifies two things: "against", and "instead of" or "a replacement". Thus, antichrist is both "against Christ" and "a replacement for or something instead of Christ". It is a replacement in the sense that the "anti" is set in apposition or "over against" the thing it replaces.

Nomian comes from "nomos" and means law. In theological discussions the "nomos" is the law of God. So then antinomianism would mean "against and instead of the law of God".

In contrast to antinomianism is theonomy, which comes from "theos" (God) and "nomos" (law). Theologically, the term theonomy refers to an affirmation of the binding obligatory nature of the law of God.

Another term that is often found in the discussion of theonomy and antinomianism is "autonomy", from "auto" meaning "self" and "nomos" (law). Autonomy is the idea that law proceeds from self rather than from God. All antinomianisms are forms of autonomy, meaning self-directed living.

The contrast then is ultimately between theonomy, and autonomy - which is by its very nature antinomian (anti theonomic). Will men live by the law of God (theonomy) or their own desires, opinions, decisions, choices, ideas, etc (autnomy, antinomianism)?

When a person suggests that the law of God as a whole is no longer binding, they are full antinomians, and full autonomists. They will not be governed by the law of God, at all, but by their own ideas which they put in place of (replacement for) the law of God, and which is usually in opposition to (against) the law of God.

A "mild antinomian" is one who acknowledges part or even most of the binding obligatory nature of God's law, but rejects some (or even most, but not all) of God's law. Thus, antisabbatarianism is a form of mild antinomianism. God's law commands the keeping of the seventh day as holy unto God. The antisabbatarian says "No, I'll not do that. And I have my reasons." But those "reasons" are not found in the clear and unambiguous statements of Scripture, but in personal subjective interpretations or rationalisations of Scripture. Some even dispense with attempting to justify their antinomianism by recourse to the Scriptures, but many do try to find some Scriptural loophole(s) to provide cover for their failure to simply do what God said to do.

The Pharisees, by the way, were masters of antinomianism. And in spite of their protestations to the contrary that they "strictly upheld the law of God", they actually did not, but instead via their traditions of men, man made teachings, they "made void the law of God". That is, they substituted a replacement ("instead of") law of their own devising which rationalised their breaking ("against") of God's law. Hence, Pharisaism is a excellent case study in antinomianism, replete with lessons to be learned about the subtlety of self directed religion (ie the self-deception that is possible once one goes down that rabbit hole).

It should also be noted than theonomy does not refer strictly to the Pentateuch, or what people mistakenly call the "613 mitzvot of the torah". theonomy understands the law of God as referring to the ENTIRE BIBLE. To affirm that "the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice/Christian living" one is making a decidedly theonomic statement. Of course, the proof is in the doing not the saying, as many mild and even full blown antinomians have been heard to affirm such a "statement of faith."

That the entire word of God is God's "law" is not just a theonomist's opinion, but it is the opinion of the bible itself:

Luke 4:4 KJV And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Here, Jesus affirms that every word of God is the rule of faith and practice. Man is to be governed by "every word of God". What is "law"? It is a rule of conduct, a rule that governs activity. If every word of God is to govern man's activity, then every word of God constitutes the "law of God."

James 1:21-25 KJV Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.



Here, the word of God is identified as the "perfect law of liberty". This "perfect law of liberty" is further identified as "the royal law":

James 2:8-12 KJV If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: (9) But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. (10) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (11) For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. (12) So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.


The Scripture referred to is Leviticus 19:18. Obeying Leviticus 19:18 is fulfilling the "royal law", which is also identified as the "law of liberty". We saw in chapter 1 of James that the "law of liberty" is the word, which we are to DO and not just hear.

Paul said something about hearing vs doing:

Romans 2:13 KJV (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Thus, the law of God is the entire word of God, which we must do, and not merely "hear" (or read, study, concoct wonderful sermons and bible studies from, etc). We must do the word of God, we must live by every word of God. This means that everything the word of God has to say about any particular subject is the sum total of God's law on that subject. And this of course means the law of God is not restricted merely to the Pentateuch, or various portions thereof, but includes the entire Old Testament scriptures as well as the New Testament scriptures (which may be considered as an authoritative commentary on the law of God, since the "word of God" according to the new testament would be what we today call the old testament scriptures).

Hence it necessarily follows, that anything not expressly repealed or altered in the new testament stands as written in the old testament.

[thephnxman]

His NAME is Jesus!

Originally Posted by Esaias

Hence it necessarily follows, that anything not expressly repealed or altered in the
new testament stands as written in the old testament.

Beloved, your post was very well written: and I believe I will chew on that last
statement for awhile: "Hence it necessarily follows, that anything not expressly
repealed or altered in the new testament stands as written in the old testament."

I'm comparing it alongside Genesis 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."

Brother Villa

[Esaias]

Reconstructed (Two versions: 1 - The OT scriptures have been abrogated and replaced with the NT scriptures as a new replacement law, thus anything not "repeated" in the NT is abolished; 2 - The commands of the OT scriptures have been abrogated and replaced with two commands - love God, love your neighbour)
Transferred (Sabbath has been transferred to Sunday via the resurrection and early church practice)

I really don't like the term "reconstructed" here. It's too close to the theonomic term "reconstruction" which has to do with Christian activism in the public arena. Perhaps the term "replacement" would be better, as the two concepts mentioned above under the term "reconstructed" are based on the idea of a replacement of the law of God. So one who held to replacement views of the Decalogue or the law in general would be called... what? A "replacementist"? lol Perhaps a "supplantist", in the sense the "new law" has "supplanted" the original? "Supercessionist"? "Reconstitutionist"?

Perhaps supercession would be a more correct term, thus those who hold to the supercession of the law by a supposed new law would be supercessionists? The only problem with that term is that supercerssion is already used in theology to refer to the replacement of the old covenant with the new covenant. But perhaps the term can be safely used in a generalist sense?

The transference view seems to be a species of supercession, since any supposed transfer would require a supercession (repeal and replacement) of the fourth commandment. The act of resurrection would seem to be viewed as the act of repeal and replacement, and the conduct of the early church would (allegedly) be seen as "ratification" or evidence the church recognised the resurrection as an act of supercession of the fourth commandment.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man (that would be Adam). Genesis says that on the very day God rested, the original seventh day of the creation week, God sanctified that day ("hallowed" it). It was therefore separated from the other days of the week and holy unto God before the Fall. Since it was made FOR MAN, and since it was made BEFORE THE FALL, and since it was MADE HOLY, it follows that it was made holy for man before the Fall.

That does not mean God demanded man keep it. If it was made for man, then when? I claim it was made for man in Moses' day. Many things were made with the intent of God to LATER implement it and fulfill it for man. That's similar to the reason Adam was made in the image of him that was to come.

But lay it all to rest. Show me one man before Moses who kept it.

If it was made holy, and it was made for man, then it is obvious that man would be expected to recognise that holiness. To be hallowed means to be separated to divine purposes. The seventh day was separated to divine purposes for man, before the Fall. Hence, it was sanctified for Adam before he ever left the Garden.

We read nothing about Adam keeping it. This is the sort of vague assumption that sabbath keepers always seem to point to. But nothing is actually substantial.

Moses told Israel to "remember the Sabbath day TO KEEP IT HOLY". The remembrance of the Sabbath day was for the purpose of keeping it holy, or hallowed, or sanctified, or separated to divine purposes. They were to remember that this day was holy, sanctified by God back in the creation week.

They were to keep it holy by abstaining from profane labour on that day, in imitation of God in the creation week.

Exodus 16:21-30 KJV And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. (22) And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. (23) And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (24) And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. (25) And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. (26) Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. (27) And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. (28) And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? (29) See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. (30) So the people rested on the seventh day.

God taught Israel about His seventh day Sabbath here in Exodus 16, before Sinai. The people had a hard time getting the picture, but they eventually got it. Thus, God in Exodus 20 told them to REMEMBER the Sabbath day to keep it holy, because He had already showed them exactly WHEN the seventh day Sabbath day occurred.

And that was not until Moses' day. You just quoted the actual chapter where Moses first introduced them to sabbath. Not before then.

It should be noted that when the people violated the Sabbath here in Exodus 16 - BEFORE the covenant made at Sinai - God asked "how long will you continue to violate my commandments and my laws?" The Sabbath was a part of God's commandments and laws PRIOR to Sinai.

That was the first time they got involved with sabbath whatsoever. Thanks fopr pointing that out. But no where before this did they or anyone else ever keep it.

Genesis 26:5 KJV Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

If the Sabbath was part of God's commandments and laws prior to Sinai, and Abraham kept God's commandments and laws (prior to Sinai, obviously) then it follows that Abraham likewise kept the Sabbath.

No, and the is the pat answer we get from sbabath keepers.

We read Abraham being actually commanded things that the later reference to having obeyed commandments points to.

When God commands ANYTHING, it is a commandment. Who said it has to be the specific ten you refer to? That is illogical. Genesis 12 has God commanding Abraham to leave his city and go to another land. Abraham did, so he obeyed God's commandment. That's just one among many Abraham obeyed.

It's like the royal law. Just because LAW is mentioned, people think ten commandments.

Considering the fact that the Sabbath was sanctified before the Fall, and was made for man (Adam), it follows that Adam knew of the Sabbath.

No it does not follow. God did many things Adam was not aware of. Was Adam aware of Jesus since we read he was made after the image of Jesus who was to come? I doubt it. But either way, one cannot build a doctrine out of it.

Especially considering that Adam was placed in the Garden specifically to WORK, and since Adam was made in God's image, and since Adam's work was a reflection and image of God's work, it follows that Adam would have completed the pattern by working in the Garden six days and resting the seventh as God did.

One can find something "follow" whatever one wants to. But the fact is this is not spelled out in the word, which it should be according to how much sabbath keepers focus on the sabbath,

All of this is a plethora of evidence for not only the pre-Sinaitic keeping of the Sabbath, but the pre-Deluvian and even pre-Fall keeping of the Sabbath.

It is all assumption and derived conclusions.

God's people, of course, since the days of Adam, had a long history of abandoning God's ways, commandments, laws, statutes, and ordinances. In Egypt they had given themselves over to idolatry and paganism. They apparently had lost the knowledge of the when the first month was, and even the correct seventh day of the week. Thus, upon coming out of Egypt, God had to teach them His calendar (see Ex 12:2, for example), along with all His other laws, commandments, statutes, ordinances, judgments, etc. Just like today, many professing Christians are ignorant of God's laws, commandments, statutes, ordinances, and judgments, and have need to learn them again. Nothing much new under the sun.

(continued in next post)

Many assumptions here.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Steven Avery

Please do not fabricate. You asked me simply to respond to the Colossians verse, and I did exactly that.

Stop moving goal posts, you are swinging and accusing wildly.

Note that I never said that I would waste five or fifty hours trying to share with someone who has a heavy-duty blockage. In deference to your request, I answered exactly the question you asked me to answer.

If you want long postings, so that you can continue to be inconsistent, then work with what Esaias has above. (Not that I necessarily agree with Esaias, I like to emphasize #1 the decalogue, with non-decalogue Mosaic ordinances being minor auxiliary elements.)

Folks on this forum can run into about five different antinomian positions with which to engage. You seem to think yours is especially important. It is not, and from my perspective your straddlings are almost laughably inconsistent. And you try to mask that with a personal, social belligerence.

Steven

More time wasted on generalities than actual discussion.

[Esaias]

So, Abraham being told to move to Canaan was God's commandments, statutes, and laws?

Okie dokie.