Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

I’ve been studying the Sabbath and I’m kinda, “in a ditch”. I need some of you more knowledgeable types to help me.

Here’s where I’m at a loss…

The Sabbath Commandment is in the Ten Commandments:

'Exod 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 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: 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.'

I used to see this commandment as though it was commanding a day of rest devoted to the Lord. I thought that what better day to choose for the Christian than Sunday, the day when Christ arose from the dead. I was also taught that we observe the Sabbath “spiritually” by entering into the “rest” of Jesus when I obeyed the gospel and now everyday is a “sabbath” wherein I rest from the “works of the law”. But then I read this passage and something jumped out at me. It specifically calls us to set apart the “seventh day” by stated that “the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD.” That leaves us little room in choosing which day to set apart for rest and worship. That detail keeps gnawing at me.

The Ten Commandments also state:

Exod 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

In my mind these commandments are to be obeyed as they are written. I’m struggling with reconciling the “spiritual Sabbath” idea because who would spiritualize the commandment against adultery? No one would say that it doesn’t matter what woman you have relations with, this is about choosing only Jesus as your Lord. So I feel an uneasiness in relation to the Sabbath day, according to Scripture this is the “seventh day” regardless as to the spiritual dimensions of Christ’s rest during this gospel era.

I sought to relieve these feelings by calling on Colossians 2:16-17…

Col 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come: but the body is of Christ.

But in my studies I discovered that this may not be talking about the “Sabbath Day” in the Ten Commandments, but rather it may be speaking of the High Holy Days of the Jewish calendar that served as days of convalescence. For example the Passover was regarded as not only a feast day…but a “sabbath”. One could claim that this doesn’t cancel out the moral Law of the Ten Commandments with some merit. Also Romans 14:5-6 has been used to resolve this situation, but the focus seems to be on ethnic holidays not necessarily a day that is commanded by God’s moral Law.

Jesus said,

Matt 5:17-19 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

What about the Sabbath Day as commanded in the Ten Commandants? Are we teaching men to break that commandment by not teaching that the “seventh day” be observed as holy unto the Lord? So I turned to the book of Acts. Here’s what I found:

Acts 13:13-16 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

Acts13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

Paul even turned to the Gentiles on the Sabbath:

Acts 13:44-46 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

Acts 15:19-22 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

Luke writes:

Acts 16:13 And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

Paul’s custom was to teach on the Sabbath:

Acts 17:1-2 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

Acts 18:1-4 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome: ) and came unto them. And because he was of the came craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

It appears that Paul taught quite a bit on the Sabbath Day. We read of one instance in which Paul teaches on the “first day” or Sunday:

Acts 20:1-7 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. These going before tarried for us at Troas. And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

It appears that Paul at least held one study with these disciples on the day after the Sabbath when they would fellowship and break bread. And all know that Paul advised that an offering be set aside on the first day of the week among the Corinthians:

I Cor 16:1-2 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.

It appears that Paul wanted the Corinthians to begin setting aside their offerings on the first day of the week so that there would be no need for additional gathers when he came to pick up the offering for the saints struggling in famine.

My problem is that neither of these two verses appear strong enough to say that it was the practice of the Apostles to gather on Sunday instead of Saturday; nor are they sufficient to nullify the Sabbath commandment in the Ten Commandments.

I have a friend who’s a Seventh Day Sabbath keeper. I once asked him if he kept the Sabbath laws as commanded by Moses. He explained that the Sabbath laws as commanded by Moses were ceremonial and nailed to the cross….however the Ten Commandments command us to set aside the “seventh” day to rest and keep it holy unto the LORD for worship. His contention is that the Ten Commandments (moral law) only commands rest and reverence not the Mosaic legalism of the Law of Moses. I was speechless and had nothing to respond with.

Now it’s bothering me bros. Can someone help me out with this one?

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

There is no New Testament directive anywhere to keep a sabbath day. After the cross we read nothing of Jesus EVER keeping the sabbath.

Paul only preached in synagogues on the sabbath because that is where the Jews, whom he sought to reach, were in one place together at a time to effectively preach to them all, and Paul had access to the synagogues at that time.

They only observed sabbath when they were with other Jews.

After Acts 18 nothing is said about sabbath day.

Every day belongs to the Lord. In fact sabbath helps the error that we serve God one day a week and then do what we want the rest of the week. lol

There is no sabbath day now. It was a law thing.

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

To add to this, my friend believes that it is prophesied that God’s people will restore the seventh day Sabbath observance after many generations of neglecting it:

Isaiah 58:12-14 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Is it prophesied that God’s people will restore Sabbath observance?

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

I’m going to ask questions on this in favor of Sabbath keeping in the hopes that you can address my concerns. God bless you Bro. Blume.

That’s an argument from silence so it really doesn’t hold much weight. We don’t read of him specifically not observing the Sabbath either.

What about the references regarding Paul speaking to the Gentiles on the Sabbath?

Again, that’s an argument from silence.

Sabbath keepers don’t believe that one serves God only one day a week. They believe in keeping the Ten Commandments, which leads them to observe the seventh day as commanded. Do you believe in keeping the Ten Commandments Bro. Blume?

The Sabbath originated with creation and was only institutionalized under the Law. The Law required many legalistic requirements of the Sabbath, but these were to ensure that the Sabbath was kept; these laws didn’t establish the Sabbath.

Are we to keep the Ten Commandments? Yes or No?

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...hlight=noahide

Read above thread. The answer according to the Jew is no.

The ten commandments were not intended for the gentile.

A righteous gentile need only keep the seven.

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

I'll just add my 2 cents to the mix. Hope it helps.

1... The Sabbath was not something given to mankind in and of itself. The Sabbath was given to the Nation of Israel. The Sabbath was a sign between God and the Nation of Israel.

And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. (Deut 5:15)

13Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
14Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
17It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
(Ex 31:13-17)

2... No one observed the Sabbath before God gave it to Moses. If the Sabbath was something God intended for all his creation to keep, why did not one keep it before God gave it to Moses & Israel in the wilderness?
We have to see the significance in the fact neither Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, etc... <---none of these OT saints were asked to keep the sabbath before the Law came.

Thus, the Sabbath commandment is not for us in the church age.
*****

Furthermore, when Christians say that the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday, they're kinda missing the point. The New Testament doesn't say the Sabbath was changed. That just misses the key issue entirely. The fact is that we are no longer required to keep a "sabbath" day...and over time the Church began to keep Sunday over Saturday as its preferred "day of the Lord".

Keep in mind that Paul and the first Apostles were Jews, so just from their tradition, Saturday was the Lord's day. So it would be natural that they continued to gather on Saturday as their "sabbath" or day of the Lord. That doesn't mean the Sabbath is still a requirement for the church.

Keep in mind that Paul made it clear that if a man chooses to keep Saturday a preferred holy day he can do that, but he is not required to, nor should he judge anyone who chooses not to do so. (Romans 5:4-6)

4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord;and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

and Col 2:16-17

16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

So don't be sidetracked by Sabbatarians that say that "there's no NT scripture that nullifies the Sabbath commandment." Being under grace, not under the Law of Moses, the church is not required to keep the sabbath, as Israel was.

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

In this case, silence says volumes. We need direct teachings before we are to engage in anything. Unless we are told to keep the sabbath, then why keep it?

If the bible was to lay out everything NOT TO DO, rather than ONLY relate WHAT TO DO, then the world could not contain the books that would have to be written. Therefore, common sense leaves us to conclude that we do not keep anything that the New Testament does not directly tell us to keep.

Catholics told me that babies were not said to not be baptized, so why preach against it?

The context says they saw Paul do so to the Jews on the sabbath and simply asked him to do the same. It certainly does not show Paul kept sabbath.

Not really. It shows nothing about teaching sabbath was ever mentioned in the New Testament.

I believe I keep all the commandments. And sabbath day was a shadow of actual sabbath rest which the New Testament mentions by way of the eternal rest, in Heb 4. SO I keep the body of Christ and not the Old Testament shadow of a day.

Nothing was said about man keeping any sabbath before law. We only read God rested the seventh day, with no requirements for man to do the same until Law came.

Sure. But the 4th, between the first three that deal with God, and the remaining 6 that deal with man, the sabbath is unique. It alone of the commandments was a shadow of the body of Christ. I have the body so I keep the fourth, too.

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

Amen. People in the northern polar region would have to keep one day holy for what we would see as several weeks, since it is seventh sundown to sundown.

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

Colossians 2:15-17

15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Re: Sabbath: In A Ditch Regarding the Seventh Day
 

Does he also believe the Anti-Christ will institute "Sunday Laws" and that worship on SUnday is the mark of the beast?

Anyways...aside from the SDA types...consider that ALL those commandments are reiterated in the New Testament BUT for the Sabbath day observance.

The Sabbath, like circumcision, was a covenant sign to Israel. We are in the NEW Covenant now though.

According to how the sabbath was originally intended it was NOT a day of worship but a day of rest.