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Seeking Things Above


If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Col 3:1)

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2008-03-04

Saturday, Sunday, any day or no day

Is the fact that most Christian churches recognize the Sabbath on Sunday rather than Saturday a case of Christians ignoring God’s word and just going with our culture? Does God tell us to set aside the Sabbath on the last day of the week (Saturday) and anything else a compromise of God’s word? For that matter, are we still required to recognize the Sabbath at all?

What I will do here is layout various verses that discuss the Sabbath, provide some very layman like commentary and then you decide. As with anything you read in my blogs, always read the scripture yourself. God’s word is not infallible but I am – often.

Genesis 2:2-3

From the beginning God set aside a day for rest. On day seven after six days of creation, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

Exodus 16:23-29

When I search for “Sabbath” in WORDsearch the first instance I find is God telling the Israelites that the seventh day is a holy day of rest and they are not to gather manna on that day. He will provide enough manna on day six for two days.

Exodus 20:8-11

The Sabbath was important enough to God for him to write it on stone tablets. This was a holy day for God and he wanted the Israelites to honor it.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

Moses is again writing about the Ten Commandments. However in this passage he includes additional information about the observance of the Sabbath. He tells the Israelites to remember that the Lord brought them out of the land of Egypt where they were slaves; therefore the Lord commands them to keep the Sabbath day.

So far it is evident that the Sabbath day was given to the Israelites along with all the other laws that God gave them, from the Ten Commandments and from the other laws in the books from Moses.

Do these laws apply to Christians today, and specifically, the law to observe the Sabbath?

It appears from scripture and certainly from the earliest church tradition that the first century Christians met on Sundays (see Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor. 16:1-2). The first day of the week became known as the Lord’s Day (Rev 1:10). However, the Bible does not say that these churches did not meet on Saturday as well. We know that Paul often started his preaching in new cities in the Synagogues on the Sabbath.

The Bible never mentions that anyone other than Israel should observe the Sabbath. In fact, Paul goes out of his way to insist that we are free from the law given to Israel (Romans 7 and Gal. 3:24 – 4:11) and he specifically mentions the Sabbath in Colossians 2:16.

If we are not bound to the Sabbath, what about the rest of the law, including the other nine commandments?

With Christ the whole law is now fulfilled and no longer binds us. Does this mean we are free to sin as we please? “By no means!” (Romans 6)

The bible is clear that I am raised with Christ and no longer under the bondage of the law. While we are not under the law as Christians, all scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching, reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16)

God’s word teaches us that God set aside a day of rest for himself and that he instructed the Israelites to do the same so that they would remember who God is and what he has done for them (Exodus and Deuteronomy references above).

Isaiah tells Israel to return to the Sabbath, do it to honor God, do it because it is a delight, and that he will bless them for it (Isa 58:13-14).

Hebrews tells us not to neglect meeting together as is the habit of some (Heb 10:25).

It is clear that God set aside a day of rest as a holy day. It is clear that God wants us to meet together and honor him and to delight in doing so, putting honoring God above our own pleasures and business. This is not a “law” that brings salvation but an act of obedience as we live and walk in the Spirit and seek those things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Gal 5:16-25, Col 3:1-11)

If your church meets on Saturday, then set aside your busy life (rest) that day as your holy day to honor God and if on Sunday then set aside your busy life on Sunday to be your holy day to honor God. The point is - put aside your busy life to honor God, delight in this day and delight in the Lord.

2 comments:

Banner Kidd said...

"It appears from scripture and certainly from the earliest church tradition that the first century Christians met on Sundays (see Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor. 16:1-2). The first day of the week became known as the Lord’s Day (Rev 1:10). " This is not supported by the verses you cite. The day of the Lord is established as Sabbath and Isaiah confirms it in Isaiah 58.

"The Bible never mentions that anyone other than Israel should observe the Sabbath. In fact, Paul goes out of his way to insist that we are free from the law given to Israel (Romans 7 and Gal. 3:24 – 4:11) and he specifically mentions the Sabbath in Colossians 2:16." Likewise these verses do not contextually support your premise that Paul "goes out of his way to insist aht we are free from the law." Paul was a Torah observant, Torah teacher, as commanded by Yeshua in Matthew 5!

Also the statement that the Bible never says that the law or sabbath was for anyone but Israel. You are mistaken not knowing the Scripture. Torah is clear that there is "one law" for everyone. And specifically of Sabbath is Isaiah 56

Isaiah 56 beginning in Verse 6:
6 “Also the sons of the foreigner

Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him,

And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants—

Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,

And holds fast My covenant—

7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,

And make them joyful in My house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

Will be accepted on My altar;

For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

8 The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,

“Yet I will gather to him

Others besides those who are gathered to him.”

This is speaking of Messiah and the gentile inclusion and their keeping of the Sabbath. In fact, though time doesn't allow it here, you can find Sabbath according to Torah established in what we call the new testament. And now here's something for you to ponder. The so called new testament is commentary and an historical record of Yeshua Messiah and how HE came according to Torah and how we are to live as a Torah observant people unto our unchanging True and Living God. It does not have to mention again every tenent of Torah because it was never intended to replace Torah and the Prophets. That's why Yeshua said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets." HE said, in essence, "Don't even think this!" So why have we thought it and why have we taught it. HE goes on to say that the greatest in the kingdom are those who do and teach the Law - Torah. Wake and come out of Babylon professing church. She is adulterous following after Babylonian and Egyptian paganism foisted on us by a pagan judaism and a pagan catholic church, both represented by false priests and a false priesthood. The protestant church has bought right into it. HE is coming back for HIS bride who must be without spot of blemish. But the professing bride is blemished and spotted by adultery with another messiah of their own making. Please take more time, going back to Genesis and reading forward, divorcing yourself from traditional thought while submitting to the Holy Spirit, and see the Truth for what it is. You will be amazed, be set free, and recieve revelation and power in your life unlike any you've ever experienced. I guarantee it, if you really do it. When you read a quote from Torah or Psalms, or the Prophets, in the so called new testament, go back to the book, chapter, verse it was quoted from, by Yeshua, or any of the apostles, and read the whole thing in context. You will be surprised at the context that has not been taught to us. You will see, that in many cases, the real meaning has been turned totally upside down. I hope you will do this. If you are more interested in following the Man, Yeshua Messiah, than in following doctrines and commandments of men, you will do this.

Tony said...

Banner Kidd -

Thanks for visiting and contributing. I've addressed your comments as best I could in a new post since it was long and it moves the topic back to the top. While we disagree I welcome your comments.

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