Remember the Sabbath

[DavidBenAriel]

Did you ever stop to think why Christians keep Sunday? Did they get it from the Bible? Is there a clear-cut command that says, "Thou shalt keep Sunday?" Why did Jesus worship on Saturday? Was it only because He was a good Jew? Or does it go beyond that? Does it make any difference which day we observe, as long as we keep one day in seven? What does the Bible actually say? "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day....Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all the work He had created and made" (Gen. 2:2- 3).

Go grab a calendar. See which day is the seventh day and then you'll know the Biblical Sabbath. And remember, GOD GAVE MANKIND the gift of the Sabbath from creation. Adam and Eve weren't Jewish! And yet God expected them to remember the seventh day Sabbath as a memorial of creation.

When we assemble on our God-given Sabbath, we know we're worshipping the King of Creation. Any other "sabbath" is simply man-made! The Great Creator God only blessed the seventh day with His Presence, and therefore set it apart as special. We shouldn't accept any cheap imitations or substitutes, whether it's the Muslim Friday or traditional Sunday!

Since mankind lost or neglected the truth about God's Sabbath, the Creator chose to reveal it again when He was in the process of making Israel into His Servant-Nation. God instructed them, in order that they could teach others: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work.... For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" (Ex. 20:8-11).

Notice: God claims the Sabbath as His. He doesn't refer to it as the "Jewish Sabbath." Though it became known as that to distinguish it from the various pagan days of worship (Ga. 4:10). "The Lord's day" was meant for all mankind to enjoy and appreciate (Mat. 12:8; Isa. 56:6). And the early Church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, did celebrate the proper Sabbath together for over THREE HUNDRED YEARS! That's longer than the U.S. has known independence!

When GOD restored the Sabbath to Israel, it was the same SEVENTH DAY SABBATH instituted at Creation. It wasn't changed to a different day. And its purpose remained the same: to reveal the CREATOR and commemorate His majestic works of art!

Jesus honored His Father by keeping God's commandments. The fourth commandment is to remember the Sabbath day. Christ didn't forget the importance of attending Sabbath services (Lk. 4:16) - NEVER ON A SUNDAY- and the apostle Paul encourages us to avoid the habit of skipping Church services (Heb. 10:25). After all, it is a commanded assembly (Lev. 23:3) that offers us a chance to better understand the Scriptures (Acts 19:8). Why miss out?

As well as reminding us of God's awesome ability, the Sabbath is a memorial of Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Deut. 5:15). It also foreshadows our future redemption from European tyranny and portrays our ongoing deliverance from sin (Isa. 14:3; Ga. 5:1). The plagues God sent against Egypt identified Him as the Creator God: the One who could control the forces of nature and intervene in the affairs of nations. When God pours out the seven last plagues on Europe's Babylonish system, bringing it to its knees, it'll reveal Him alone as the Most High God and Holy Father (Dan. 2:44; Rev. 14:7)!

The Sabbath day, a memorial of creation and Israel's liberation, reminds us relief from sin is coming. We'll finally be able to rest from temptation and enjoy righteousness (II Pet. 3:13)! When we're truly born again we'll be free from sin; it'll be a thing of the past (I Jn. 3:9). This serenity awaits us in the Promised Land of God's Kingdom (Heb. 4:1- 11). God is reproducing Himself - Christ in us - and will add the "finishing touch" at our resurrection (Rom. 8:21-23).

Jesus cut through all the red tape of entangling human traditions, and kept the Sabbath day as God intended (Mk. 7:7). Yet it was prophesied that some would tamper with how and when we're to observe God's Sabbath day, and forcibly attempt to replace it with their own (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 17:5). This Sabbath question is destined to become a bloody issue again (Rev. 13:17; 14:13). But for those who really want to know the truth, God's entrusted the Jews to keep the knowledge of the true Sabbath day (Rom. 9:4). And the Jews don't worship on Sunday! They follow the Biblical practice of celebrating the Sabbath: from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. God even pronounces a blessing on everyone who's properly keeping the Sabbath just before Christ's return, despite political pressure to do otherwise (Isa. 56:1-2).

Why not take time out to get to know God? Although He enjoys our contact daily, God's set aside every seventh day as a special opportunity to learn more about Him and life. Don't settle for counterfeits or attempt to adopt days copied from others (Deut. 12:30).

GOD'S RESERVED THE SEVENTH DAY FOR HIS PEOPLE. It was a regular part of Jesus' life and the early Church's custom. In fact, all the righteous priests and prophets, patriarches and kings, throughout Biblical history, have kept God's holy Sabbath. Why not follow their example? Don't forget!

 

[Sower]

David:

The short answer to your question is that the seventh-day sabbath was a day of rest  -- a ceasing from work, as God ceased from His creative works done in six literal 24-hour days.

Christ Jesus however, is LORD OF THE SABBATH,  and as a Hebrew [not a Jew] He made it a day of NOT CEASING FROM GOOD WORKS.  Therefore the "Jews" condemned Him. Read the Gospels.

Now we "enter into God's sabbath -- God's rest" when we put our faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption.  So "the first day of the week" -- which is called "Sunday" but for Christians is designated "The Lord's Day" is meant for WORSHIP -- WORSHIP OF THE TRIUNE GODHEAD -- FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.

If you want to be a Sabbatarian, go right ahead.  Except, you are then obligated to keep THE WHOLE LAW perfectly.  As perfectly as God would keep it (Matt. 5:48).  As perfectly as Christ kept the Law.

I hope you are able to do so, since you will nullify the grace of God by attempting to follow Moses. And you will we judged by your transgressions of the minutest portion of the Law.

BTW, Israel, to whom the sabbath was given, honoured the sabbath more in the BREACH than the observance.  The kingdom of Judah went into Babylonian captivity for 70 years because they failed to keep the sabbaths of the land for 490 years (7 x 70)!  So much for sabbath-keeping.

Sower

[aw]

This is the correct revelation regarding the sabbath. 9 of the 10 commandments were carried forward from the synoptic gospels to the church and the one missing is sabbath-keeping. There is no such commandment to the body of Christ as it would violate the very nature of GRACE. It was replaced by the LORD'S DAY as in "This is the day that the Lord has made."

The word sabbath means "rest" and thus it is a cessation of activity and not a flurry of it to meet somewhere.

Besides, it could not be kept properly to begin with. There are several stipulations with regard to its observance, and as has been stated, if it is not done correctly it violates God's commandments. For example, it is to be from sunrise to sunrise and thus if one lives in the extreme north, the sabbath day would be the WHOLE YEAR!

Having a single day to meet is perfectly fine but "ALL" days belong to the Lord and there is nothing special about any SINGLE one. He is to be worshipped and praised every day.

aw

[Pilgrim]

According to my Bible program the first time the word Sabbath is used and any command associated with it is Exodus 16:23. The entire book of Genesis  does not use the word Sabbath, nor is there a command for any one to keep the Sabbath contained in Genesis. So even though you have the seed of the Sabbath in Genesis the commands do not come until Moses. No where in the Bible that I am aware of is there any command for gentiles to keep the Sabbath. If you know of one that is as clear as the commands given to Israel in regards to Sabbath keeping I would be interested in looking at it. Also, if Sabbath keepers are honest with themselves they would know that most, if not all, of them don’t keep the Sabbath according to the Sabbath laws of the Bible. One rule says that you cannot start a fire on the Sabbath. When one starts their car they start many fires in the combustion chamber therefore breaking the Sabbath. Do you use your car on the Sabbath? If so you are breaking the Sabbath.

[aw]

You are correct Pilgrim,

The only admonition we can find is in hebrewsa to "Forsake not the assembling together of yourselves as some have done."

That does not mean that we are "exempt" from getting together as believers, We should but as is always the cse, it is a HEART matter.

aw

[Sower]

Having a single day to meet is perfectly fine but "ALL" days belong to the Lord and there is nothing special about any SINGLE one. He is to be worshipped and praised every day.

aw

aw:

Excellent point!  If we are always "in the Spirit" we will worship DAILY, but also make the Lord's Day a day for ASSEMBLING OURSELVES TOGETHER around the Lord and around His memorial feast. The early churches assembled on the Lord's Day to "break bread" [partake of the Lord's Supper] (1 Cor. 11).  We too should worship and break bread weekly, not monthly or less frequently as some do. The Lord said "as oft as ye do this", and we could indeed break bread daily [as did the Jerusalem church], but for practical reasons the Lord assigned it to the Lord's Day. This NT church pattern should be followed by believers today.

[Sower]

The entire book of Genesis  does not use the word Sabbath, nor is there a command for any one to keep the Sabbath contained in Genesis.

Pilgrim:

What you have said is absolutely true.  Nonetheless, we must not forget Genesis 2:1-3 and its higher and eternal significance for believers.

In this passage we learn that God rested from His creative works.  This was God's "sabbath" or seventh-day rest.  
However, in the very next chapter, when sin entered into the world, God's sabbath rest was broken and His redemptive works began with the gift of "coats of skins" (Gen.3:21) to Adam and Eve.  These pre-figured the "robe of righteousness" of Christ -- a gift to every one who believes the Gospel and repents.

However, until the Lord Jesus Christ came and finished His redemptive work, crying "TETELESTAI" [It is finished] on the cross, God's sabbath rest remained broken.  That's why Christ said" My Father worketh hitherto, and I work". Now that everything necessary for mankinds' redemption has been provided, and the assurance of Christ's eternal reign of peace and righteousness on this earth is guaranteed, God has entered into His eternal sabbath rest.  He is completely satisfied with what Christ has done, therefore He invites us to "enter into His rest" by faith (Heb. 3:7-4:16). We are always keeping this sabbath by trusting God and "holding fast our profession" (v.14). This is God's eternal sabbath "rest".

"THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A REST [SABBATH] TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD" (Heb. 4:9). We rest daily in Christ, and He gives rest to our souls (Matt.11:28-30).

[DavidBenAriel]

Christ Jesus however, is LORD OF THE SABBATH,

As such He SET US AN EXAMPLE to follow. The early Christians - Jewish and Gentile alike - kept the biblical Sabbath and did good works, just like we're all supposed to.
Jesus said not to misunderstand and think He came to destroy or annul His Father's Commandments. He showed us how they're even more binding, because the New Covenant looks at attitudes AND actions.

So "the first day of the week" -- which is called "Sunday" but for Christians is designated "The Lord's Day" is meant for WORSHIP

As my post revealed, some would THINK to change the times and the seasons. It was the Babylonian Mystery Church that said we're now to keep SUNday: NOT THE BIBLE! I'll believe God over human tradition any day.

If you want to be a Sabbatarian, go right ahead.  Except, you are then obligated to keep THE WHOLE LAW perfectly.

What is sin but the transgression of the LAW (I Jn. 3:4). IF someone has repented of Sabbath-breaking they start to keep it as God commands: they go and sin no more while relying upon GOD'S GRACE and Holy Spirit to pardon and EMPOWER them to prove their love for God by keeping His commandments (I Jn. 5:3, Rev. 22:14). Christ spoke against those who teach the LIE that we're not supposed to keep the commandments, only relying on "faith" rather than FAITH AND WORKS (Matt. 5:19, I Jn. 2:4).

If I thought I could turn the GRACE of God into lasciviousness, and didn't even have to GO AND SIN NO MORE by God's RESURRECTION POWER, I suppose I could go out and whore around and get drunk - after all, there are commandments against those unlawful actions as well, but following your faulty line of reasoning I could fool myself and justify myself against OBEDIENCE saying: "You're trying to keep the law! You're not relying on grace! You'd better be perfect or else!" However, I know I rely on God's grace for pardon and His Spirit for POWER to do His will and keep His commandments to the degree that I use the available RESOURCES of His grace and Spirit!

BTW, Israel, to whom the sabbath was given... The kingdom of Judah went into Babylonian captivity for 70 years because they failed to keep the sabbaths of the land for 490 years (7 x 70)!  So much for sabbath-keeping.

That's upside down! ALL THE MORE REASON FOR NATIONAL SABBATH OBSERVANCE not less! They weren't keeping the Sabbath day holy but buying and selling like our countries do today on the seventh day - to our shame and imminent DEFEAT, DESTRUCTION and DEPORTATION by the fascist EU! God gave mankind the Sabbath at CREATION and restored the knowledge of it to mankind through His Israeli instrument.

[JudgeNot]

David,
I have been taught that the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) was part of "the Law".  Through the blood of Christ on Calvary and through faith, Christians have been set free from the Law.  (The Law is for Jews and some Gentiles *still bound by the Law??)  However, through Christ and faith in Him, every day has become the Sabbath for Christians.

Just a short point of view from a brother.

(*bound by the law meaning not haven accepted the Lord Jesus as Christ, therefore being held to God's law as handed down by Moses, as well as sacrifice - symbolically or otherwise, to make atonement for sin.)

God Bless,
JN

[Pilgrim]

Below is an article I am working on concerning the law. It is not finished yet and is in the ruff draft which needs correcting. It is quite long but it addresses many aspects of the law and so-called law keepers.

Pilgrim


“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [Ye must] be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment:”  Acts 15:24

   The Ten Commandments are the very heart of the Old Covenant between God and Israel.  In many of today’s churches the Ten Commandments play an important role.  Many of the churches in the area in which I live start their services each week by reciting the Ten Commandments.  Many professing Christians will use the Ten Commandments as the ultimate guide and rule for their life.  In our society conflicts concerning the Ten Commandments are often in the national news.  Almost every year we hear of a court case concerning the display of the Ten Commandments in public places such as schools or court buildings.
   With the emphasis that many churches place on the Ten Commandments as well as all the fuss in society concerning them, one would think that Ten Commandments would be very well understood especially by religious people.  In fact just the opposite is true.  If religious people really understood the law of Moses (in which the Ten Commandments are the very heart) they would be horrified by what they have done with them.
   If a person was to claim that the Ten Commandments never applied to the gentiles and that they applied only to the Jews from Moses to the cross many would label this person as a heretic. If the person went on to say that the Ten Commandments was a ministry of death and condemnation and was not given for a righteous man many would say that this person is not only a heretic, but a lunatic as well.  If this person went on and said the Law of Moses was made void and made obsolete by Jesus because it had a major fault in it and that those who tried to live by it were cursed, then this person better be prepared to be stoned.  Yet, the Word of God teaches these things and more about the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses.

Below are a few very important truths concerning the Mosaic law from God’s Word that well greatly help those who are truth seekers.

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

These two verses let us know the beginning and the end of the Mosaic law, which was from Moses to the cross of Jesus Christ (where He fulfilled the law).

John 1:17 tells us that the law came by Moses. This teaches two important points about the law of Moses. 1, as stated above it had a beginning and 2, that before Moses many generation existed without the law of Moses. This does not mean that people from Adam to Moses were not accountable to God for their sin. Romans 5:13 says “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

God gave mankind many commandments before Moses came along with the Mosaic law. The first command God gave to mankind in which mankind broke was not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen 1:16). There are many commands God gave to man before Moses Gen. 9 records a few:

Gen. 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.  2  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth [upon] the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.  3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.  4  But flesh with the life thereof, [which is] the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.  5  And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.  6  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.  7  And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.”


Here God commands mankind to be fruitful and multiply, not to eat flesh with the blood still in it and not to shed another mans blood. God also allows mankind here to eat any animal whether clean or unclean unlike the Mosaic Law which forbids the eating of unclean animals. So we clearly see that even without the Mosaic law mankind was responsible before God concerning his sin. God defined certain sins and set limits upon mankind many generation before Moses, God also judged sin as seen in Romans 5:13-14 many generations before the Mosaic law was given. In Exodus 19 God is going to make a covenant with a certain group of people. This covenant as one can read is the Ten Commandment which follow in Exodus 20. A covenant is a legally binding contract between two or more parties. In this case the text of Exodus 19 is clear that the covenant (contract)  is between God and the children of Israel who were delivered from Eygpt.

Ex. 19:1 “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they [into] the wilderness of Sinai.  2  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come [to] the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.  3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;  4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.  5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine:  6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.  7  And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.  8  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”

There are two very important observations that a careful student of God’s Word will notice in these verses.

1. The Ten Commandment was a covenant that God made ONLY with the children of Israel.

Verse 1 “children of Israel”, verse 2 “Israel”, and in verse 3 “the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;”

It is clear that God is making this covenant with only one group of people, Israel. No gentile nations or people are even mentioned or hinted at in this passage. God is singling out one nation out of the entire world and making a covenant with then exclusively. Deuteronomy 5 even claims that the covenant of the Ten Commandments was not even made with the forefathers of Israel but to them alone.

Duet. 5:1 “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.  2  The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.  3  The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, [even] us, who [are] all of us here alive this day.  4  The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,  5  (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,”

2. The result of the covenant that God made the with Israel was that they would be a peculiar people, distinct and separate from all other people of the world.

Ex. 19:5 says “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:” The result of this covenant was to make Israel a “peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” This is important to grasp because it too means that the Ten Commandments were given ONLY to the children of Israel. If the Ten Commandments were given to the gentile nations and people as well then verse 5 would not be true. The covenant God made with Israel made them distinct and separate from all other nations and people in the world which would not be the case if this covenant was for all people.

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[Pilgrim]

Continued

The Bible clearly teaches in many places that a Christian is not under the law of Moses. Those who insist that we are under the law of Moses mistakenly claim that without the law of Moses you give a licenses to sin. What they don’t realize is that just because Christians are not under the law of Moses doesn’t mean they are without divine law. Think about it for a moment, people from Adam to Moses were without the law of Moses, yet God gave them commands to follow as previously shown above. Some of the laws given to those from Adam to Moses were similar to those given in the Mosaic law, such as murder. Yet others were complete opposites such as the eating of clean and unclean animals. They were two different laws to govern two different groups of people. The same is true today, Christians are not under the law of Moses, they are under the law of Christ which is love. Therefore the divine law for Christians is the law of love. If we love God as we should then we would never sin against Him. If we love our neighbors and enemies as we should then we would never sin against them. The law of love is far superior to the law of Moses. The law of Moses was an external list of 613 do’s and don’t which one could be forced to follow to a certain degree even if their heart was not in it. On the other hand the law of love covers every conceivable sin one can commit and those who obey do so from the heart because true love comes from the heart. This is why love is the greatest law and fulfills the law and the prophets. Christians do not commit murder, adultery, lies etc. because it is against the law of love, not because it is a violation of the Mosaic law. We obey righteousness because we are under the law of Christ, not as incorrectly claimed by some that we are under the law of Moses.

The apostle Paul had to defend against the charge that to be without the law of Moses was a license to sin in the book of Romans.

Rom. 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Because Paul taught that one is saved by grace through faith rather than law keeping his enemies accused him of teaching that a Christian had a free license to sin. Paul gave the death blow to that argument in verse 1 of Romans 6. He went on to say:

Rom. 6:15 “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  17  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  18  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

Can God’s Word get any clearer that we are not under law but under grace (verse 15)? And can God’s Word get any clearer that because were are under grace and not the law that this is not a license for free sinning? True Christians do not practice sin because they follow the law of love which comes from the heart. Notice Paul says in verse 17 “but ye have obeyed from the heart”. Those who claims to be saved and continue living a life full of sin are false professors and their actions prove that they are still  servants of sin rather than a servants of righteousness just as the above verses declare. Those who are truly saved obey from the heart out of love for God and mankind. As a result their righteousness far exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees who were trying to be righteous by the deeds of the law.

Mat 5:20 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

Those who insist that Christians are under the law of Moses apparently do not understand what a great burden this is. In Acts 15 the apostle Peter is speaking against the law keepers and had this to say about the law of Moses.

This is what the law keepers said:

Acts 15:5 “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.”

And here is what Peter said:

Acts 15:10 “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

Peter says that the law of Moses was an unbearable burden that neither they or their fathers were able to bear. If the apostles themselves could not bear the law of Moses what chance do we have? Peter said that those who taught that Christian have to keep the law of Moses were tempting God, a very serious sin. Those who teach that Christians have to keep the law of Moses are siding with the Pharisees of verse 6 and those who temp God (verse 10) and those who subvert souls (verse 24):

Acts 15:23 “And they wrote [letters] by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren [send] greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:  24  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [Ye must] be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment:”

Notice that verse 24 for says it was the troublemakers who taught that Christians must keep the law of Moses and that the apostles themselves never gave such a commandment. Now lets look at the contrast in what the Lord Jesus Christ had to offer in Matthew 11.

Matt. 11:28 “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  30  For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.”

What the Lord is offering in Matthew 11 is just opposite of what the Bible says about the law of Moses in Acts 15. What the Lord offers is rest for the soul, an easy yoke and a light burden. What the law of Moses offered according to Acts 15 was an unbearable burden that was impossible to bear. Therefore they cannot be talking about the same thing. Jesus also said this about His commandments in 1 John 5.

1Jo 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

If Jesus was talking about the law of Moses here then we would have a major contradiction with Acts 15 which says that the law of Moses was an unbearable burden. Yet this verse goes right along with the words of our Lord in Matthew 11:28-30. The only possibility then is that the commandments that Jesus is talking about in 1 John are not the commandments of the Mosaic law but of a different law. If we look at the context of 1 John it is very easy to see what commandments the Lord is referring to in 1 John 5:3.

1Jo 2:3 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.7  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
 
Notice verse 5 talking about the love of God being perfected in a believer and in verse 10 the emphasis on loving a brother.

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[Pilgrim]

Continued

1Jo 3:22 “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”
 
In verse 23 the Lord spells out exactly what His commandments are, “That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” There is nothing even remotely suggesting that He is talking about the law Moses in these verses rather the emphasis is the law of love.

I am often surprised by law keepers lack of understanding of the book of Hebrews. To rightly understand the book of Hebrews one must see that it is a comparison of the Old Covenant (which is the law of Moses starting with the Ten Commandments) with the New Covenant. One of the key words to pay attention to in Hebrews is the word “better” which is used numerous times in reference of the New Covenant being better than the Old. The book of Hebrews deals with many of the errors that law keepers so often teach. One common error of the law keepers is that they believe that a person is drawn closer to God in their attempts at keeping the law of Moses. Yet, what they fail to realize in their foolish zeal of the law of Moses, is that the law of Moses never had the power to make a person right with God.

Heb 7:18 “For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
 
Verse 18 is talking about the Old Covenant being annulled. The Greek word used for disannulling means:
athetē?sis
ath-et'-ay-sis
From G114; cancellation (literally or figuratively): - disannulling, put away.
It is interesting that God’s Word says that the Old Covenant has been canceled yet the law keepers continue to act as if it is still in effect. Who is right, God who cannot lie, or the law keepers who not only can lie but be deceived as well? If God says the Old Covenant is cancelled then it is cancelled regardless of what any man my say. Law keepers think that their feeble attempt at keeping the law of Moses will draw them closer, and make them more pleasing, to God. Yet, verse 18 claims that the law could not make anything perfect, nor could it draw them closer to God. That is why the New Covenant which is referred to as “the bringing in of a better hope” was made. The New Covenant was made in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is by that precious blood that we are drawn closer to God, not the law of Moses.

Hebrews 8 says that the Old Covenant is obsolete and vanishing away.

Heb 8:13 “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
 
The Greek word for old means obsolete or worn out. Hebrews 10 goes on with this thought.

Heb 10:7 “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;”

Here Jesus takes away the first (old) Covenant that He may establish the Second (New). According to Hebrews the Old Covenant has been cancelled made obsolete and replaced by the New Covenant. Yet the law keepers would have you believe that the Old Covenant (which is the law of Moses starting with the Ten Commandments) is still in effect. If this is true then it has not been cancelled, made obsolete or replaced by the New Covenant as the book of Hebrews declare. Again, who is telling the truth, God who cannot lie, or the law keepers who can?

2 Cor. 3:6 “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.  7  But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:  8  How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?  9  For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.  10  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.  11  For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.  12  Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:  13  And not as Moses, [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:  14  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.  15  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.  16  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.  17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.  18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 3 is talking specifically about the Ten Commandments (verses 7) in comparison to the New Covenant. Paul says in verse 3 that they are ministers of the New Covenant (new testament) which is not of the letter (Ten Commandments), but of the Spirit.  The Ten Commandments are not part of the gospel, the gospel and the Ten Commandments are opposed to each other so that they cannot be mixed. The Ten Commandments brought forth death and condemnation while the gospel of the New Covenant brought fort life and a clear conscience before God.

Notice verse 7 refers to the Ten Commandments as a ministry of death, not one of life, and verse nine says the Ten Commandments were a ministry of condemnation, not one that would clear a guilty conscience. I am amazed that some people insist upon putting themselves and others under a ministry of death and condemnation. Why would anyone who is sane want to be under a covenant that could only condemn and kill them in the first place? Are they under a false delusion that a ministry of death and condemnation is able to bring them life and a clear conscience before God? No wonder the apostles, elders and brethren of Jerusalem said it was the subverters of souls that taught that Christians are to keep the law of Moses Acts 15:24).

Verse 11 clearly teaches that the Ten Commandments are done away with and that the New Covenant is what remains. The so-called law keepers cannot explain verse 11. Verse 11 says that the Ten Commandments are done away with and the so-called law keepers say it is not. Who’s lying, the so-called law keepers, or God? I will give a little hint it’s not God. Verse 13 declares that the Ten Commandments are abolished, how can a Christian be subject to something that is abolished and no longer in force? The reason some people insist that the Ten Commandments are in force today is explained in this chapter as well. It’s because they are blind by a vail upon their heart in their understanding of the Old Testament (verse 15). In other words they don’t even understand the purpose of the Old Covenant and like the unbelieving Jews they think that their righteousness is by the deeds of the law (Rom.9:30-33). This vail will only be removed when they repent by turning their hearts away from the ministry of death and condemnation to the cross of Jesus Christ where they will find life and a clear conscience before God.

Like the self righteous Pharisees of old, today’s subverters of souls think that they are serving God when they teach their false gospel of works based salvation. Like the Pharisees of old, they lead souls to hell rather than heaven.

Matt. 23:13 “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.  14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.  15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”

Strong words from our beloved Lord Himself. Those who teach that Christians must keep the law of Moses are enemies of the cross and wether they realize it or not they help promote Satan’s deadliest work of blinding mens eyes to the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Cor. 4:3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Pilgrim

[Sower]

Which Day Is The Christian Sabbath?    
 
and on the seventh day God rested from all his work.

There is NO Christian Sabbath. God's eternal Sabbath Rest belongs to the Christian by faith.  Read the book of Hebrews and he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  The first day of the week signifies " a new creation", and Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week to be worshipped as both LORD and Christ.  

On the "eighth" day after His resurrection, Christ appeared to Thomas and was worshipped as "My LORD and MY GOD!" Eight is the number of a new creation also [thus circumcision on the eighth day], as is "the morrow after the sabbath".  On the seventh day God rested from all His creative works and on the "eighth" day He destroyed the power of sin, Hell, Death and Satan.

That is why the apostle Paul teaches Christians thus: "Let no man 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 [please note carefully] OF THINGS TO COME; but the body is of Christ." (Col. 2:16,17).

Everything in the OT was mere "shadows" of heavenly realities. Again, study the book of Hebrews carefully. The Christian possesses these realities as a gift from God, therefore he has no need for the shadows.  We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus".

[2nd Timothy]

Amen Sower!

Grace and Peace!