Sabbath_Discussion

Shane Williams

The reason I keep the seventh day sabbath and not the first day, Sunday, is because I know who made the seventh day holy. I can't find one place in the Bible that calls the first day holy. I can't find where it calls the first day the Lord's day. I haven't found where
it tells me to keep the first day. I find no blessings connected with the first day. I've heard people say it's tradition, but I know that we're not to make void the law of God by our tradition (Mat.15:3-9). I know it was blessed and sanctified before the fall of Adam Gen (2:3). I know it was not just for the Jews (Isaiah 56:1-8; Rom 2:13; 2:28,29). I know that in the earth made new we will worship on the same seventh-day Sabbath (Isaiah 66:22,23). I know that God, with his own finger, wrote the Sabbath commandment on stone twice (Ex 31:18; 34:1). I know that God wrote one law on stone and Moses wrote another in a book (Deu 31:9). If any law was done away with, I'm confident it was the cerimonial law
which met it's fulfillment in the sacrifice of Christ and is no longer necessary. I know those that keep breaking His law on purpose won't inherit the kingdom of God (I Cor 6:9,10). To say that there is no law is to deny the law giver who is Jesus (James 4:12). I had a business and used to work seven days a week, 10 to14 hours a day. I thought I was
getting ahead, being successful. I didn't have time for Jesus. I would take a few hours on Sunday to relax, but that's all. My week is still just as busy, but now I have the Sabbath to look foward to. When the sun goes down on Friday, I can let all the cares and worries of the week go. I enter that rest with God that renews my spirit. He, In his wisdom, has made a place in the week for me--one in seven. For me the Sabbath has been an enormous blessing.

Alex Platonov

Alex,

You mention some interesting things about the sabbath. I would like to know what you consider to be ceremonial laws, as opposed to the other laws. What part was done away with?

   I believe the Old Law was done away with. The barrier was taken down between the Jew and Gentile and abolished. The two are made one in Christ Jesus. The Law of commandments was done away with (Eph. 2:13-16). The Old Law was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14). We are now under a better covenant with better promises (Heb. 8:6). The first covenant had fault, that's why God instituted the second (Heb. 8:7). Heb. 8:8-12 is a quotation from Jeremiah 31:31-34 talking about when a New Covenant would be put into
effect. The writer sums up the thought in vs. 13 where he says, "He has made the first obsolete." It was to disappear. In Hebrews 10:9 he says, "...He takes away the first in order to establish the second." The Law was a tutor (schoolmaster) to lead them to Christ. The purpose being that through Christ they might be justified by faith. Well, faith has come and we are no longer under a tutor (Gal. 3:24-25).

   Just about all of the ten commandments can be found in the N.T. Not exactly phrased the same but the same meaning. I'll give you a list of references if you would like. However, the only one we do not find in the N.T. is to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." It's just not there!

   I'm not sure why you say that it was a law not just for the Jews. The keeping of the Sabbath was specifically for the Jews. Look at Deut. 5:1-3, 15. Read Ephesians 2:11-12. The gentiles were "strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." Also look at Ezekiel 20:9-12.

   You mention Isaiah 56:1-8. I'm not sure what you believe this passage proves. "Blessed is he that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it." While in captivity the people could not possibly keep a number of their laws. For example, being separated from the temple and the altar in Jerusalem, they had no opportunity to offer proper sacrifices. But inasmuch as the synagogue and its worship service originated while they were in Babylon, it is probable that the Sabbath could be observed to an acceptable extent.
Although foreigners and eunuchs were formerly rejected, God saw fit to accept them under certain circumstances: 1) That they keep the Sabbath 2) Choose the things that please God and 3) Hold fast to my covenant. This is the covenant made at Sinai, for only that particular covenant included the Sabbath regulations. Surely you're not saying that because God accepted foreigners under these circumstances, that we as Gentiles are also accepted under these circumstances. This is a different time written to different
people.

   You also mention Romans 2:13, 28-29. The contrast in verses 13-15 is between those who had the law and did not obey it, and those who did not have the law (Gentiles) and yet kept its moral precepts. It doesn't mean that the Law was given to the Gentiles! Vs. 28-29 -- The N.T. system works on its subjects from within rather than from without. God wants inward trust instead of outward claims, a true heart instead of hypocritical
ceremony. The true Jew seeks to please God not man. When both his attitude and practice are right (John 4:24), God is pleased with him. The whole purpose of the first few chapters of Romans is in showing the Jew that he was in just as much need of Christ as the Gentile. That's why Paul is discussing these things, not because he wants Gentile's to keep the Old Law.

   As far as why we worship on the first day of the week, there are some very good reasons. We agree that we should not hold to any traditions other than what was laid down by the apostles. The disciples came together on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:6-7). This was the time that was appointed for getting together to worship God. They came together to partake of the Lord's Supper (breaking bread) and Paul delivered a message to them. In I Corinthians 16:2, "On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come." The first day of the week was a time that they came together. Here is the authority we have in giving. It is to be done on the first day of the week. Not on the Sabbath but the first day. The first day of the week is not a day of rest from labor, but as a day of worship & spiritual work.

   I understand how busy life gets. We have to take time to sit down and relax. Not just for relaxing sake but also to study and meditate on God's word (Psalm 1:1-2). It is important to take time out for ourselves and family, but it is equally important to make sure we are following God's word.

I appreciate your thoughts and comments in your previous letter. I hope you will give my thoughts and comments the same attention that I gave yours. I look forward to discussing these things with you further in the near future.

Sincerely,

Shane Williams