Could be writes: Maybe MG is a seventh day adventist, he sure sounds like one.
No, I'm not. Brought up in Baptist and ended up in a home church in more recent years. I consider myself to be a man who is trusting in Christ alone for my salvation and life direction. As I've lived my life endeavoring to serve Him and lead my family, He has (I honestly believe) led us to look at the Torah as His way of living. Not to earn salvation or any special love from Him (not legalism), but simply to live in a way that He has designed humans to live in. The 7th day Sabbath is part of this change - but it took me a lot to be convinced because it's a big change in our society!
Going along with what Shane said: If we had never heard of the Bible and ended up on a deserted island with a Bible, knowing it was the truth, what day do you think we'd be setting aside? Without the "church fathers" and Roman paganism, I really don't think there'd be any doubt that it would be the 7th day!!
Gal 4:[9] 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? [10] Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
The Galations had turned back from the Scriptural things (Sabbath included I'm sure) and going back to the pagan days! Please don't call GOD's set apart, Holy days "weak and beggarly"! He made the Sabbath HOLY!!
Concerning the historical change to a Sunday "Sabbath" (from my research):
The early Gentile believers VERY quickly became anti Semitic! It progressively got worse between AD70-250, but was strong right from AD100. Read quotes from Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement, Augustine, Origen and others. They were anti Jewish and quick to take everything Jewish away and teach a Greek world view of Scripture. The true Sabbath was one of the things strongly preached against because it was "Jewish"! Most literal readings of the OT were "Jewish", therefore wrong in their eyes and to be despised!
There were always some groups of Christians that continued to observe the true Sabbath and they were considered heretics by the "church fathers".
None of this is NT doctrine, but that of the "church fathers". Read their quotes on these subjects. Also see how Constantine changed the laws to Sunday!
[7] And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
My understanding of this verse is that they met on the Saturday Sabbath to break bread as they always had. It was Paul's last day with them so he kept speaking into the first day (Saturday sunset to midnight).
Also of interest is the fact that the dawning of the first day of the week was an appointed time from the Torah, called the "First Fruits" or the "Wave Sheaf Offering". It was symbolic of resurrection!
So rather than the resurrection changing the Sabbath from the 7th to the 1st day of the week, it actually seems to be fitting perfectly with what GOD had planned from before the world began! Praise Him!
Interestingly, no-one ever saw our Messiah rise from the dead. We do know that He rose BEFORE sunrise on Sunday because the tomb was empty (John 20:1). In fact, Matthew 28:1 seems to indicate the possibility of the stone being rolled away at the start of the Sunday (Saturday sundown for us). "Dawn" can mean the dawning of a new day, and not necessarily the rising of the sun.
Totally agree GSTexas. The world has totally opposite beliefs on this subject to what GOD declares as truth! The problem we have is the laws (already made in some places) making it very difficult for GOD's people to live this out.
My thoughts associated with the Lord of the Sabbath really are: IS He Lord of the Sabbath or WAS He Lord of the Sabbath. If He's removed it, then that "office" of Lordship is now defunct. Also the Sabbath was made for man. Has man now evolved into a higher being where the Sabbath is not a blessing to him?
You (Unprofitable Servant) and I both know that there is no NT verse stating the keeping of the Sabbath, but equally there is no verse stating to forget it either.
The Sabbath comes up before the mosaic law, but still with Israel as mentioned. We're not told that the patriarchs kept the Sabbath, but there are hints that the full law (Torah) was known. (ie. Judah saying that his daughter in law's "lover" should be put to death).
If the Lord of the Sabbath got rid of the Sabbath, then He's no longer the Lord of it! I believe the Lord of the Sabbath remains! Remember there is yet a rest to come (Hebrews). Our observing the Sabbath is a reminder of creation (Christ didn't take that away), but also a reminder of our future rest with Him.
John Gill might say things were taken away, but our Saviour said not a jot or tittle would be taken away till heaven and earth are no longer (Matthew 5)!
Our family has made the move to a seventh day, Saturday Sabbath. It wasn't/isn't just for the Jews. It was for all Israel - AND for the ones that joined themselves to His people. Through Christ we are joined as one man! I'm not under the law (of sin and death) because of the work of the Messiah. However, I'd still like to live in obedience to Him after all He's done for me! A shadow? Well perhaps, but I will see Him in all His glory one day!
We need Jesus. We need His redemption. But ... GOD created the Sabbath for us too. He knows what we need. The Sabbath is for the physical and the spiritual man. I'm trusting that my GOD knows what's best!
I'm right with you, TB! A few minutes pause makes no sense - aren't we meant to live an entire life of OBEDIENCE!?! I wonder where Piper gets some if this stuff?
Duh, Galations is written to address two things: Obedience to the Rabbinical/Pharisaic/Man-made laws rather than GOD's (usually called "under the law" or "works of the law"). You can see this in Gal 3:10. The "works of the law" oppose the "book of the law". Secondly, Galations talks against justification by the law. Gal 5:4
Hi John. We have a Sabbath day of rest, and then meet together for fellowship over the Word of GOD , prayer and a meal together. This means that we'll often be working on the Sunday, but have been to some Sunday services too. Our aim is not to set ourselves up as some exclusive know-it-all's (although I realize it may seem like that too some)! Christ is still our common link with our brothers and sisters across the world!
Apostle B, I've wondered the same thing concerning when and how to keep the 7th day Sabbath. I've now gone back to what we call Saturday, after decades of only Sunday "observance". There are a lot of teachings and books on how we can change the original command to a Sunday but in the end it was just (I believe) the Holy Spirit's prodding and the teaching of Scripture that led us to going back to the 7th, rather than the 1st day. I must admit Rome's direct teaching of swapping days and wanting everyone to follow also clarified (to us) that it was man's doing and not GOD's.
Please note that nothing I've said on this post is to condemn anyone, but simply to challenge. I had the same view as most no too long ago!
"Huh", remember GOD is righteous and holy. He can't simply change things that He has declared holy! That's the very point of why He sent His son to earth - He could do it no other way without violating His own rules!
The holy, righteous Lord of the Sabbath would also live in a way and declare the same truths pronounced since the beginning. He can't (because He's righteous) just change things without staying a change can be made (see Amos 3:7)
3/29/14 4:31 PM
