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Christians are not bound by some NT command to observe Saturday as the NT sabbath. Christians should honor God every day and there is nothing bad about setting aside special days for particular worship purposes. But the Bible does not tell Christians to make Saturday a special day to make holy to the Lord. My brother-in-law was a missionary to Samoa years ago. American Samoa and Samoa are about 100 miles apart but are on different sides of the international dateline. I am convinced God does not intend Christians on one side of the dateline to fight with Christians on the other side over which day should be honored above the next in NT law.
The only thing I agree with you is; "Christians should honor God everyday"
In order to honor God everyday - we should be humble, and obedient, and trying our best to keep God's Commandments, and not try to reason ways to circumvent them, and try to convince others to do the same.
Matthew 5:19
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus tells us "everything" in this powerful scripture: John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
What must a man do to please God and be saved? Here is what Jesus said.
Matthew 19
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" he inquired.
Jesus replied, "'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,'[c] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[d]"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
We should note a few things about this narrative.
1. Jesus mentioned commandments but said nothing about keeping the Sabbath.
2. Keeping the commandments did not make anyone perfect in God's eyes.
3. Selling your possessions, giving everything away to the poor, and following Jesus full time in poverty was superior to keeping the ten commandments in bringing a sinner closer to God.
However, assuming keeping the Sabbath or selling into poverty are the keys to entering into God's approval is bad Bible exegesis.
Christians are not under the law. None of the NT epistles suggest Christians should be observing the Sabbath on Saturday or on any other day. NT references to the Sabbath were all confined to the period before God turned away from the Jews, setting them aside until the time the Church age ends and God turns again to the Jews.
You misinterpret scripture from Paul's epistles, ignore the entire gospel of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, including tons of scripture in the OT and NT to arrive at your misguided concept that a Christian can disregard God's Commandments.
I guess you don't believe this scripture either. This is Jesus telling us that we will have right to the tree of life, and may enter into the gates of the city (Heaven) if we follow His Commandments.
Revelation 22:14
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
My friend, if we are truly "Born Again", we will be led by the Spirit to follow God's Commandment's. Why? Because His Commandments are Good and Just!
Christians are not told to serve God by the letter of the law and the ten commandments are not stepping stones to heaven or into God's presence. Christians are to serve God in Spirit which means seeking to honor and obey all God's precepts, not just a handful of laws written in stone.
A Christian does not get saved by keeping the law and after a Christian is saved he should strive to do God's will by relying on the Holy Spirit of God to give wisdom and direction, not on some set of supposed NT rules some might think still hold Christians in bondage to fulfill.
Galatians 3
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
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10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
*****************
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
*****
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
A person gets saved by Believing in Jesus Christ, being baptized and repenting from sin. You seem to be forgetting the last part - Repenting from Sin!
Jesus tells the adulteress to "sin no more" and the cripple that He healed " to sin no more or something worse will happen to you."
John 8:11
"She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
John 5:14
"Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."
A Christian is a Christ Follower, we are to listen to Jesus and follow Him- just as He also followed His Father. God's Commandments are good, and they guide good Christians as we follow Christ, and they help us to refrain from sin.
If and when we sin, we can pray and ask God for forgiveness in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins, he DID NOT die so that we can keep sinning! Big Difference!
One OT definition of sin is 'transgression of the written law.' Christians are under a much stricter definition of sin - "whatever is not of faith is sin."
Romans 14:23
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
What is the penalty for not following the law as Christians? Death? Which laws should be faithfully observed and which laws are no longer to be observed by Christians? Where in the epistles are we told to remember to keep the Sabbath holy? What about laws demanding infidels be stoned?
I do not believe Jesus was encouraging Christians to adhere to the letter of the law like a bunch of modern Jewish legalists. Keeping Jesus' commandments are fulfilling His will for us each day and we must get His leading and filling of His Spirit to know what that will is.
The spiritual term for God's commandments is "precepts." We are not told to serve God by the letter of the law but we are always responsible for seeking to honor and obey God's precepts. The KJV translates the same Greek word as "commandments" and "precepts."
Daniel 9:5
We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Which commandment? A man asked the Lord which commandment one time and the Lord listed just 5 commandments. The man claimed he had obeyed those five so the Lord gave him one more, which was not one of the ten commandments.
Luke 18
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Hi Marke. I've stayed out of this thread as the brothers responding to you here know my understanding of the teaching of "The Law vs Grace". I do agree with you wholeheartedly in what you have declared for that is the very core of: Law-giving, to whom it was given, the need for the Cross, & the advent of the New Covenant.
But as you've already realized, that there appears a syncretistic view of both Law & Grace. Not wanting to diminish the Truth of the Law in any way, what then is one to do with it? Do we throw it out thereby declaring its worthlessness & non-applicability? Some cannot do this for the verses they've given & reasons cited, specifically that Jesus called on folk to obey the commandments. We can then ask, What commandments? Was it the Decalogue, or His Commandments? Is there even a difference?
As you know, there certainly is a difference; His Commandments (as He opened God's Law more fully), required much more from man, than man (the Jew) realized. I would have loved to have seen the disciples' faces when Jesus spoke to them of the 7th Commandment & said that it meant even "looking on a woman to lust". Surely, this is not what the 7th Commandment declared. So here we have a departure of the Old, with Jesus highlighting the spirit of the Law (or, reality/fullness of it), in readiness of what would occur after He departed them. Then who would teach & counsel them?
Had not the Holy Spirit come to baptize & indwell believers into Christ, we could well hang onto every word of Jesus & do the best we could with the Law. But the Law didn't come to the Gentile, but the Spirit was given (to Jew & Gentile) Who brought in much much more than what the Decalogue gave & what the few pages of the Word could declare to us. We now obey the Spirit - if the Spirit says to one to keep the Sabbath, then that is specific to that person without condemnation to any other, for 'every day is alike to another'. We have a New Law working in us & the Power to obey all of it.
Maybe we should approach the subject of "commandments" from a different angle. Jesus said,
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
The Greek word translated "commandments" in John 14 is also translated "precept" in Mark 10, indicating the divorce precept written by Moses was also a "commandment." Jesus was not instructing saints to focus on the letter of the law (ten commandments), but the spirit of the law (spiritual applications.)
Mark 10
2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
If we love Jesus we will keep His precepts.
Psalm 119:4
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
Psalm 119:45
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Psalm 119:78
Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
Psalm 119:100
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
The Bible is full of God's instruction (thousands of various precepts) He intends on us seeking to honor the spiritual application of.
Nehemiah 9:14
And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
6000 commands, you know thats ridiculous, let's be real, and honest. You have been simply regurgitating the false talking points of the Grace+Faith+0 crowd that is out there misleading many today.
Jesus only asks us to try to keep 10 Commandments, just as He Himself did, and as his apostles also struggled to do all their lives!
Here is the Apostle John instructing us to follow Christ and the Commandments.
1 John 2:3-6
"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
We are to walk as Christ walked, and Apostle John says that if we say that we know Christ, but do not follow his commandments, then we are a liar. That's very powerful, and very clear! Something to think about.
In summary, I will now exit this thread, because I can see that your argument, is really not with me, but directly with Jesus Christ.
OK. Perhaps the number 6,000 is too strict an interpretation that includes every bit of instruction given in the Bible meant by God to be obeyed. Wikipedia lists more than 600 commands that are what most scholars recognize as God's commandments.
Hello, I'd like to offer a counter position. That's great that you're convinced that Christians aren't bound to observe the Sabbath, but is God convinced? He deliberately wrote "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" as the 4th of the 10 commandments and the Sabbath is Saturday. We should honor God everyday, but the Bible absolutely does say to make Sabbath (Saturday) a holy day. And if someone doesn't think the ten commandments apply, then what else doesn't apply and how do you choose what applies exactly.
6th commandment says do not kill, but I don't hear anyone trying to reverse that command.
Mark 2:27-28 - Sabbath made for man
Mark 3:4 - its ok to do good on the Sabbath
Colossians 2:16 - don't let others judge you
Matthew 5:17 - law not abolished, but fulfilled. (some still interpret this as abolished, although it just said it wasn't.)
These verses seem to clarify the intent of the Sabbath, but I don't see any verses saying to disregard the Sabbath completely and do not remember it or keep it holy. Those who apply the law is fulfilled to it would also need to apply it equally to do not kill and other commands, but I doubt that God thinks its ok to kill. God bless.
Christians are not bound to serve God in the letter of the law, but saints of God throughout human history have been responsible for serving God by seeking to honor and obey all of God's precepts, no matter how many hundreds or more may be listed in the Bible.
You make reference to the only time the word "sabbath" is found in the NT epistles. Herfe is the verse in context:
Colossians 2
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 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;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 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:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
The message here is that God has blotted out the handwriting of ordinances (commandments) for Christians. We don't serve God in the oldness of the letter but in the newness of the Spirit.
Romans 7:6
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Therefore, let no man entice you to attempt to serve God by keeping ordinances of meat or drink or respecting OT holy days, new mons, or the sabbaths.
I have not read the Scripture instructing Christians to observe Saturdays as the new Sabbath for Christians. You quote NT verses from the gospels and Acts in reference to the Sabbath, but when God turned from the Jews to the Gentiles we find only one verse in the rest of the Bible referring to the Sabbath, and you quoted it. Here it is in context:
Colossians 2
14 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;
16 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:
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
The message to Christians is clear. You have been saved by the blood of Christ, who blotted out OT ordinances that were contrary to us, nailing them to the tree. Therefore, Christians should no longer imagine they are under some sort of obligation to fulfill OT laws such as washings, eating meats, observing holy days and sabbaths, or the like.
There is no mention of keeping the Sabbath in the NT epistles. On the other hand, there are several passages reminding Christians that God does not intend them to focus on the law in their walk with Him but to focus on Him, and there is a difference.
Galatians 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Colossians 2:14
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;
Dear "Marke", in a way you are right too. Jews still keep the Sabbath, and Christians do not keep the Sabbath at all. The meaning of the Sabbath was to Honor God not man. Therefore, the Jews could not then do/work on that day of the Sabbath. This was then, as everyone knows, a great topic of conversation for the scribes. (You should see for yourself here on the web as well). So that we do not walk in unbelief where others are enlightened.
Luke 6:7
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
They followed everything Jesus did to get something and accuse Him. No further explanation is needed, because we know that.
Jesus has now created a society that we can have with Him 24/7 that is, around the clock. The kingdom of the Holy Spirit understands everything we think/believe/confess and He does not beat us down if we do not get to go to Sunday meeting. For that is what we Christians do at meetings on Sunday.
But what was done if the Jews did not follow the laws of the Sabbath?
For to live up to what Jesus died for us, May we have fellowship in the Spirit as here in one example Fhilippians 2:1-4
The law that has now been replaced by stone tablets is now directed into our hearts. So really, we only need One to teach us.
He Is A Full Good Teacher. The Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:5
Ezekiel 36:26
This was done so that we would be justified, but then another study begins. Then I'm pretty sure the elders in here have something good to say. Be blessed in Jesus name, love u in Christ
In fairness the 4 verses I shared were from the New Testament relating to the Sabbath. But I'm not aware of any verse in the New Testament saying to stop remembering the Sabbath, nor any saying its ok to kill or dishonor your father or mother or to commit adultery which are also from the ten commandments. It seems inconstent to only apply the under-the-law verses to some commandments but not for others. James 2 clarifies some of this topic as does this from Matthew 5:19
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Verse 17 Jesus reiterates that He's not destroying the law. Some then assume he's destroyed and ended the law. If anything, Jesus makes it more restrictive, because He goes into a format of "you have heard this, but I say..." and He makes it more restrictive. Example: don't even look at a woman,
Matthew 21:18-30
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
When is the law ended: Until heaven and earth pass? It appears that hasn't happened yet.
And following the law was so important Jesus Himself said do absolutely everything you can to avoid it at all costs even plucking out your own eye! Because in verse 29: "for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
Honoring and obeying all of God's precepts is very important, but seeking to serve God by the letter of the law is not an approved method of true worship and obedience.
The OT is a record of God's dealing with and through the Jews. The NT Gospels are a record of Jesus coming unto His own and His own receiving Him not, also Jews, but not just Jews. The book of Acts records the birth of the Church and God's transitioning from dealings with Jews to dealings with Christians.
The Epistles are written to Christians and there is not a single admonition in the Epistles directing Christians to continue the OT ordinances of keeping Sabbaths.
The only thing I agree with you is; "Christians should honor God everyday"
In order to honor God everyday - we should be humble, and obedient, and trying our best to keep God's Commandments, and not try to reason ways to circumvent them, and try to convince others to do the same.
Matthew 5:19
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus tells us "everything" in this powerful scripture: John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Read and Believe!
Matthew 19
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" he inquired.
Jesus replied, "'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,'[c] and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'[d]"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
We should note a few things about this narrative.
1. Jesus mentioned commandments but said nothing about keeping the Sabbath.
2. Keeping the commandments did not make anyone perfect in God's eyes.
3. Selling your possessions, giving everything away to the poor, and following Jesus full time in poverty was superior to keeping the ten commandments in bringing a sinner closer to God.
However, assuming keeping the Sabbath or selling into poverty are the keys to entering into God's approval is bad Bible exegesis.
You misinterpret scripture from Paul's epistles, ignore the entire gospel of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, including tons of scripture in the OT and NT to arrive at your misguided concept that a Christian can disregard God's Commandments.
I guess you don't believe this scripture either. This is Jesus telling us that we will have right to the tree of life, and may enter into the gates of the city (Heaven) if we follow His Commandments.
Revelation 22:14
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
My friend, if we are truly "Born Again", we will be led by the Spirit to follow God's Commandment's. Why? Because His Commandments are Good and Just!
Read and Believe!
Galatians 3
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
****************
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
*****************
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
*****
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Jesus tells the adulteress to "sin no more" and the cripple that He healed " to sin no more or something worse will happen to you."
John 8:11
"She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
John 5:14
"Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."
A Christian is a Christ Follower, we are to listen to Jesus and follow Him- just as He also followed His Father. God's Commandments are good, and they guide good Christians as we follow Christ, and they help us to refrain from sin.
If and when we sin, we can pray and ask God for forgiveness in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins, he DID NOT die so that we can keep sinning! Big Difference!
Read and Believe!
Romans 14:23
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Matt. 18
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
I do not believe Jesus was encouraging Christians to adhere to the letter of the law like a bunch of modern Jewish legalists. Keeping Jesus' commandments are fulfilling His will for us each day and we must get His leading and filling of His Spirit to know what that will is.
This simple scripture spoken by Jesus is so POWERFUL and easily separates his sheep - from the rest of the worldly flocks.
John 14:15
"If ye love me, keep my commandments."
We have the choice, we either Love Him - or we don't!
Read and Believe!
Daniel 9:5
We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Luke 18
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
But as you've already realized, that there appears a syncretistic view of both Law & Grace. Not wanting to diminish the Truth of the Law in any way, what then is one to do with it? Do we throw it out thereby declaring its worthlessness & non-applicability? Some cannot do this for the verses they've given & reasons cited, specifically that Jesus called on folk to obey the commandments. We can then ask, What commandments? Was it the Decalogue, or His Commandments? Is there even a difference?
As you know, there certainly is a difference; His Commandments (as He opened God's Law more fully), required much more from man, than man (the Jew) realized. I would have loved to have seen the disciples' faces when Jesus spoke to them of the 7th Commandment & said that it meant even "looking on a woman to lust". Surely, this is not what the 7th Commandment declared. So here we have a departure of the Old, with Jesus highlighting the spirit of the Law (or, reality/fullness of it), in readiness of what would occur after He departed them. Then who would teach & counsel them?
Had not the Holy Spirit come to baptize & indwell believers into Christ, we could well hang onto every word of Jesus & do the best we could with the Law. But the Law didn't come to the Gentile, but the Spirit was given (to Jew & Gentile) Who brought in much much more than what the Decalogue gave & what the few pages of the Word could declare to us. We now obey the Spirit - if the Spirit says to one to keep the Sabbath, then that is specific to that person without condemnation to any other, for 'every day is alike to another'. We have a New Law working in us & the Power to obey all of it.
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
The Greek word translated "commandments" in John 14 is also translated "precept" in Mark 10, indicating the divorce precept written by Moses was also a "commandment." Jesus was not instructing saints to focus on the letter of the law (ten commandments), but the spirit of the law (spiritual applications.)
Mark 10
2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.
3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
If we love Jesus we will keep His precepts.
Psalm 119:4
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
Psalm 119:45
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Psalm 119:78
Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
Psalm 119:100
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
The Bible is full of God's instruction (thousands of various precepts) He intends on us seeking to honor the spiritual application of.
Nehemiah 9:14
And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
6000 commands, you know thats ridiculous, let's be real, and honest. You have been simply regurgitating the false talking points of the Grace+Faith+0 crowd that is out there misleading many today.
Jesus only asks us to try to keep 10 Commandments, just as He Himself did, and as his apostles also struggled to do all their lives!
Here is the Apostle John instructing us to follow Christ and the Commandments.
1 John 2:3-6
"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
We are to walk as Christ walked, and Apostle John says that if we say that we know Christ, but do not follow his commandments, then we are a liar. That's very powerful, and very clear! Something to think about.
In summary, I will now exit this thread, because I can see that your argument, is really not with me, but directly with Jesus Christ.
Read and Believe!
2 Corinthians 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.
John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
6th commandment says do not kill, but I don't hear anyone trying to reverse that command.
Mark 2:27-28 - Sabbath made for man
Mark 3:4 - its ok to do good on the Sabbath
Colossians 2:16 - don't let others judge you
Matthew 5:17 - law not abolished, but fulfilled. (some still interpret this as abolished, although it just said it wasn't.)
These verses seem to clarify the intent of the Sabbath, but I don't see any verses saying to disregard the Sabbath completely and do not remember it or keep it holy. Those who apply the law is fulfilled to it would also need to apply it equally to do not kill and other commands, but I doubt that God thinks its ok to kill. God bless.
Colossians 2
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 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;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 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:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
The message here is that God has blotted out the handwriting of ordinances (commandments) for Christians. We don't serve God in the oldness of the letter but in the newness of the Spirit.
Romans 7:6
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Therefore, let no man entice you to attempt to serve God by keeping ordinances of meat or drink or respecting OT holy days, new mons, or the sabbaths.
Colossians 2
14 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;
16 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:
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
The message to Christians is clear. You have been saved by the blood of Christ, who blotted out OT ordinances that were contrary to us, nailing them to the tree. Therefore, Christians should no longer imagine they are under some sort of obligation to fulfill OT laws such as washings, eating meats, observing holy days and sabbaths, or the like.
Galatians 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Colossians 2:14
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;
Luke 6:7
And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
They followed everything Jesus did to get something and accuse Him. No further explanation is needed, because we know that.
Jesus has now created a society that we can have with Him 24/7 that is, around the clock. The kingdom of the Holy Spirit understands everything we think/believe/confess and He does not beat us down if we do not get to go to Sunday meeting. For that is what we Christians do at meetings on Sunday.
But what was done if the Jews did not follow the laws of the Sabbath?
For to live up to what Jesus died for us, May we have fellowship in the Spirit as here in one example Fhilippians 2:1-4
The law that has now been replaced by stone tablets is now directed into our hearts. So really, we only need One to teach us.
He Is A Full Good Teacher. The Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:5
Ezekiel 36:26
This was done so that we would be justified, but then another study begins. Then I'm pretty sure the elders in here have something good to say. Be blessed in Jesus name, love u in Christ
In fairness the 4 verses I shared were from the New Testament relating to the Sabbath. But I'm not aware of any verse in the New Testament saying to stop remembering the Sabbath, nor any saying its ok to kill or dishonor your father or mother or to commit adultery which are also from the ten commandments. It seems inconstent to only apply the under-the-law verses to some commandments but not for others. James 2 clarifies some of this topic as does this from Matthew 5:19
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Verse 17 Jesus reiterates that He's not destroying the law. Some then assume he's destroyed and ended the law. If anything, Jesus makes it more restrictive, because He goes into a format of "you have heard this, but I say..." and He makes it more restrictive. Example: don't even look at a woman,
Matthew 21:18-30
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
When is the law ended: Until heaven and earth pass? It appears that hasn't happened yet.
And following the law was so important Jesus Himself said do absolutely everything you can to avoid it at all costs even plucking out your own eye! Because in verse 29: "for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
God bless.
The Epistles are written to Christians and there is not a single admonition in the Epistles directing Christians to continue the OT ordinances of keeping Sabbaths.
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