THE DANGER OF SABBATH KEEPING FOR THE CHURCH

THE DANGER OF SABBATH KEEPING FOR THE CHURCH

By WILLIAM B. CHALFANT

I might add a few words ON SABBATH KEEPING, which is from the understanding that the Lord has given me of the scriptures. It is very unscriptural for the New Testament church.

Colossians 2:16 tells us Christians that no man is able to judge us concerning “respect of an holyday...or the SABBATH days”. The keeping of the 7th day was given to the Jews as a sign of the Mosaic covenant. Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial portion of the Law. Paul says that we cannot be judged by anyone concerning the respect of a holyday or the sabbath days. Yet, as you know, those who advocate the keeping of the sabbath, as under the Mosaic covenant, do not really KEEP the sabbath since they do not really scripturally rest on the sabbath as they say they do.

In Exodus 31.13, God spoke to the Jews and said “Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations...”.

See also Nehemiah 9:14 where the Levites said that God made the sabbath known to the Jews. See also Ezekiel 20:12 where God again says that He gave “his sabbaths” to the Jews “to be a sign between me and THEM” (NOT THE CHURCH).

When Jesus came, He came not to destroy the Law, but to FULFILL

it (Matt. 5:17). The keeping of the sabbath is the ONLY ONE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS that Jesus did not mention. IN FACT, Jesus pointedly “broke” the sabbath. That is what the apostle John wrote:

“Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because HE NOT ONLY HAD BROKEN THE
SABBATH, but said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” -John 5:18

There you have it, Jesus purposely “broke” the sabbath, and since He was God manifest in the flesh - He had a right to do that. He said that the sabbath for made for man, and not man for the sabbath. The word “sabbath” means “rest”. We have a better “rest” (sabbath) in the New Testament: the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see the prophecy of Isaiah 28:11,12, where the Lord speaks of a better rest and a refreshing, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, stammering lips and another tongue).

The apostle Paul said in Romans 14:5,6: One man esteemeth one day above another:
another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own
mind.

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not
the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it...

I would recommend to anyone that has been wrongfuly persuaded to go under the Law of Moses that they read the Book of Galatians.

Paul told them in Galatians 4:9,10:

But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn
ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again
to be in bondage? Ye observe DAYS, and months, and times, and years.

Please examine the Liberty that we may have in Jesus Christ. He whom the Son hath made FREE, is FREE indeed. I would like for you to attend one of our apostolic services and experience the liberty of Pentecost and the joy of worship. I know you will like it.

Sincerely,

WILLIAM B. CHALFANT