The Christian and the Sabbath

Know what you believe and why you believe it. It is so important, so we are not as children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and sleight of men and cunning craftiness. Here's something to chew on about the Sabbath day.......

Scripture is the best weapon against Satan and false teachings. First, it must be understood that the Bible is the inspired word of God. Nothing in it was written by man or is man's opinion. It is not a collection of man's ideas. It is all God-breathed and came from God. See 2 Peter 1: 20-21. The Bible is also a whole book, and cannot be read in sections, or interpreted in only parts. It is also necessary to note that some things in the Bible are written specifically to the Jewish people and not to Christians. The Bible is made up of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament deals a lot with Israel and God's special covenant with them. The New Testament is for Christians today and Jesus is the mediator of it. See Heb. 12:24.

The law to keep the Sabbath day holy is found in Exodus 20:8-11. It is repeated again in Deuteronomy when Moses gives the entire law. This law, containing actually over 700 different commandments, was given specifically to the Jewish people. Exodus 31:13; 31:16-17 to notice references to the children of Israel. They were not only to keep the Sabbath day, but also various other feasts, such as Passover and the feast of Firstfruits. All of which you will find detailed in the book of Leviticus.

In Matthew 12:1-8, Jesus makes it clear that He is the Lord of the Sabbath day. In other words, He is Lord over it, meaning the ritual is not so much of importance, as worshipping Him with all our hearts. The Pharisees prided themselves for their observance of the Sabbath as well as all Mosaic commands. The Sabbath was merely a sign for Israel to distinguish them as God's peculiar people. The Law of Moses is full of signs and symbols and shadows of what was to come. It was also given to show men their need of a Saviour because no one could ever keep the whole law.

Go to the Book of Romans. Look at chapter 3:20-24. Christ came to free us from the law of God. No one could ever keep all those commandments. Even if they tried, and failed in one small point, God would hold them guilty for having trespassed the whole law. See James 2:10 The point is Christ came to fulfill the law and do away with the rituals and holydays. He is the completion of God's law. We are no longer under it because of His redemptive work. To go back under the Mosaic law is not only to embrace the religion of Judaism, but also to spit in the face of the Redeemer of all mankind from the law. Look at Romans 7:5-6. We are to serve in the newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. You should read the entire book of Romans. The Holy Sprit's words on the definition of law and grace are powerful and will help you in your study.

Now go to the book of Galatians. This book was written in response to believers in Galatia who were saying that salvation not only depended on belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, but also on abiding by Jewish Law. Plus they believed that living a separate Christian life required the keeping of the Law as well as Jewish rituals and the help of the Holy Spirit. This is a false mixture of law and grace. See chapter 3:1-3. They were being foolish to start out in the Spirit and try to continue in the flesh. Look at chapter 2:16. Jesus Christ justifies, not the works of the law. The conclusion is summed up in chapter 3:10-13. The law was a curse to those who could not keep it perfectly (no one could) and Jesus died to take away the curse of the law from our lives. Read this entire book of Galatians. See in chapter five, verse one, we have been made free in Christ and are not subject to the law.

Flip over to Colossians 2:13-17: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let 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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."
Christ is our peace. He is the perfect fulfillment of the perfect law of God. He repeated some moral laws in Matthew 5-7; but the ritual laws and ceremonial laws were abolished by Him. Look at Ephesians 2:15, "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace." Those rituals and holydays were just a shadow, a picture of what we were to receive through Christ Jesus.

Read the book of Hebrews, starting with chapter 7, and verse 22, and continue through chapter 10. You will see the rituals of sacrifices and feast days fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Just as we, as born again believers, do not observe the Passover or sacrifice a lamb, so we do not hold the Sabbath day. In the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath command summed up the ceremonial laws. It is not a moral law, was never commanded to Gentile Christians. It was never commanded in the New Testament. So the Sabbath was not changed. The Sabbath is still Saturday, but it is for Jews, not Christians. It is a ceremonial law, not a moral law.

Again, I say the Bible is the Authority on all things. To say that human men of God changed the day of worship at their own will in the days of the early church after Christ's Ascension is to attack the word of God. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God...:" 2 Timothy 3:16-17 We meet on the first day of the week, Sunday, for a reason. On Saturday, Jesus, our Risen Lord in Whom we put our trust, was still in the grave. He arose on the first day of the week. See Matt. 28:1 and see 1 Cor. 16:2 and see Acts 20:7. It is not a mere tradition of believers to meet on Sunday at church, but a privilege we enjoy as those whom Christ has called to liberty. See Galatians 5:13. Christ died for the church. See Ephesians 5:25-27. It was important enough to Him that He gave His life to establish the church. He also commands us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Hebrews 10:25. On the first day of the week, Sunday, Christians are privileged to gather for worship of the Risen Lord and Savior and to hear the preaching of God's world. It is Christ and Christ alone. Not Him, plus keeping certain days or commandments. Romans 6:14: "For ye are not under the law, but under grace." Grace came by Jesus Christ.
Amen, and amen, and amen.