THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT - My Personal Testimony

For a long time, I knew that my church didn't worship on the Biblical sabbath. I was told, that, the New Testament christians "changed" the day to Sunday - the day of the resurrection.Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic law and sabbaths, but The Ten Commandments were written by God, Himself, with his own finger. They reveal His character. Jesus, not only didn't do away with the Ten Commandments, He amplified them (if any look on a woman to lust, he has committed adultery with her in his heart).This justification for the change cannot, possibly, be true. It is not possible for any man or institution to change God's law. Let's be honest...christians don't even sanctify Sunday. Why is this the only commandment that christians try to excuse themselves from?Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments."(John 14:15) John said, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 Jhn 2:4)When we keep the Ten Commandments, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we give evidence that we belong to Him.Rome says, "It's (Sunday's change for Saturday) the MARK (emphasis added) of our authority to over-rule God's law." Father Enright, C.S.S.R., President of Redemptorist College, Kansas City, Mo., History of the Sabbath, page 802.There are several other direct quotes from the Catholic church referring to the sabbath change (at The council of Laodicea) as her "mark". God instituted the sabbath at Creation. It is the day to celebrate Him as our Creator and Lord. Do we love Him that much?

Col 2:16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.Galatians 4:9 But now that you have come to known God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn your back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.Romans 14:5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.If we are going to be Biblical about Sabbath keeping, let's be Biblical. Biblically speaking, the Sabbath day observance has been done away with entirely, it has not been changed to Sunday. The notion that the Scriptures changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday is simply bad theology that has no basis whatsoever Scripturally. That is not to say one cannot still keep the Sabbath (be it a Saturday or Sunday) if they so feel compelled to do so- but if you are going to do it, do it fully (so turn off your power, phones, air conditioner, don't drive anywhere, etc).Christ is my Sabbath however, I do not need any days to observe Him as such. I enjoy the Sabbath that God entered into, and never left from, since the beginning of creation so long as I rest in Him. This is the true Sabbath, and is what Hebrews 4 speaks of in detail. The Sabbath as an ordinance though was never observed or handed down to be observed until it was given to Moses. Christ has freed us from having to observe the shadows of the Law. The Law was but a mere treasure mapfull of various symbols to point us to where the cross marked the spot. Now that we have found the treasure, we no longer need that map. Thus, we are no longer obligated to "keep the Sabbath holy" or to observe Sabbaticals and the like. It matters not if the commandment was one of the ten. Technically speaking, there was nothing special in then ten than the other 613, the ten simply served as the intro to the rest of the Law.

King Jimmy, I would like to ask you a question: since you do not literally observe a sabbath, what do you do with your week of 7 days? work? ginnyrose

I can't speak for Jimmy but I agree with him, and I worship God every single one of the seven days of the week. On Sunday I listen to the pastor's sermon and congregate with the Body of Christ. I do not work seven days out of the week and that day happens to be Sunday. Not because I am "keeping" the Sabbath, but because it is when my prefered local congregation gets together to listen to our pastor and chat our week and relationship with God.Peace and God Bless!

If you worship on Saturday, keep on!If you worship on Sunday, keep on!"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."If Christ was crucified on Friday, He slept through the Jewish Sabbath, and rose on Sunday. If one chooses the Saturday Sabbath, and keeps all the OT laws, ie: jubilee, passover, etc, let him do it to the Lord. I clearly read, "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, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?"But if somebody doesn't believe that and loves Jesus I'm for them. Let's just make sure we are loving everbody Jesus loves. John R Rice said, "I'm going to get to heaven one day...I don't want to have to apologize to anybody when I get to heaven because I wouldn't talk to 'em down here."Good link on the subject:http://www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/freedomfromsabbathkeeping.shtml

ginny,Until this weekend, I worked 14 days in a row at work, due to the fact that I am only one of two people able to fulfill my position (book keeper), and now since the other person has quit, I am the only one until somebody else is hired, and trained (which may take several more weeks). Besides that, even if I only went into work 5-6 days a week, a Biblical Sabbath would require me to do no household chores, nor do anything whatsoever that caused another human being to work. I was reading in Nehemiah recently how zealous he was for the sabbath that as governor, he would not allow anybody into Jerusalem on the sabbath, and forbade tradesman to even so much as setup camp outside the vacinity of the city. So, for people who are going to talk about keeping the Sabbath, by all means, keep the Sabbath. Prepare all your meals the day before, shut off all your electricity, don't drive anywhere, don't eat anywhere else, do no household chores, etc. Or as Abraham Heschel (a jewish scholar) once told a story of a man who was so zealous for the Sabbath that he thought should he see that his fence needed fixing while on Sabbath, that he would NEVER fix the fence. Sabbath observation is not simply choosing to hold public worship days on a Saturday instead of Sunday.

"So, for people who are going to talk about keeping the Sabbath"I don't believe it's about what we want to do,It's about "if ye love me keep my commandments."I believe we are using the triditions of man to move aside the laws of God. Jesus said pray that you don't have to flee on the sabbath.hmmm sounds like he ment us to keep it.It all comes down to am I going to keep his word. if not why am I calling my self a christain?I just pray to keep his word right and to walk as he wants me too.

The 'sabbaths' were a unique sign between God and his ancient people of Israel. This is not just the weekly Sabbath but all the 'sabbaths' which included the seventh year Sabbaths and the year of Jubilee which was two Sabbath years back to back. These 'sabbaths' were the outward expression of Israel's faith and obedience.Ex. 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ezek. 20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. Ezek. 20:20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. The personal sign of faith and obedience was circumcision.Rom. 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: If you insist upon the one you should also insist upon the other. This was not so 'visible' in ordinary life but was a lasting brand that the man belonged to God.The distinguishing mark of old Israel was its 'sabbaths'. Coming under the law did not only necessitate keeping the 'sabbaths' but keeping the whole of the law. This will be found in Exodus 20-24. The breaking of these laws could only be mitigated by the sacrificial system and Levitical priesthood. They have to go together; it is not possible to separate one from the other;Heb. 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. ... and as that priesthood is no longer available there is no possibility of sin being mitigated.It is a package deal. You cannot commit yourself to a single law of your choice; it is all or nothing. James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Heb 4:1-11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (4) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.*(Exodus 20:11) (5) And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. (6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: (7) Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (8) For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (9) There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (10) For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (11) Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.The rest that a Christian is commanded to enter into is his faith in Christ according to Hebrews Ch.4 which equates the "rest" of faith with ceasing from work on a Sabbath day (sabbath means rest from labor according to Barnes notes). Matt. 12:8 declares that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. What could be more hallowed than resting from trying to acheive righteousness on our own and trusting in the completed work of God? The Sabbath is no longer a day then but a person and that is Jesus Christ the author and FINISHER of our faith.

Lahry,I think you mistakingly confuse keeping the Sabbath as part of God's moral law. Such never was the case though. Just because it is in the 10 commandments doesn't make it moral law. Sabbath observance was part of the Old Covenant, which has been fulfilled by Christ. The command to observe the Sabbath cannot be divorced (as a previous post showed) apart from the other Sabbaths. It, like circumcision, served as a sign of the covenant for the Jew. I need no more keep the Sabbath than to circumcise any future male descendants of mine on the 8th day. For the realization of circumcision was made manifest in Christ. So was the realization of the Sabbath. I find it interesting that all these arguments for Sabbath observation have yet to deal with anything Paul actually said about observing days, seasons, and years, etc. Let's please deal with what says the Scripture first. God bless

....discussions, I tell myself it is the last time. Yet here I am again, reading your posts and groaning in my spirit. Oh how I pray for revelation of the Holy Spirit to decend upon each of you about this matter of the Sabbath. Lahryhave you given thought to the context of the 10 commandments? Ex. 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, Ex. 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. It was to Israel uniquely that God revealed Himself as Jehovah (LORD). This was how He introduced Himself and His will to Moses in Exodus 6 “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am Jehovah: and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah I was not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojournings, wherein they sojourned. And moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments: and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God, who bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land which I sware to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage: I am Jehovah.” (Ex. 6:2-8, ASV)Jehovah was uniquely the God who delivered them from Egyptian bondage and undertook to bring them into their own land. The commandments themselves reinforce the them of tenancy in the promised land; “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” (Ex. 20:12, KJVS) The 10 commandments (or Words) were the basis of a covenant between Jehovah and Israel and between the Israelites themselves. It is not insignificant that the name Jehovah never made it into the New Testament; it was uniquely the name by which God enjoined Himself to the people of Israel.The commandments and the judgements are a local application of universal law. The exercise for us is to identify the universal law; the work of the law written in hearts of non-Israelites. I am sure that Hulsey is right in his identification of the universal truth which lay behind the covenant conditions given by Jehovah to Israel.

Here are just some thoughts:God worked six days then rested on the seventh. That was way before Moses, the Law, and even Abraham.The Sabbath commandment is the ONLY commandment that says: "REMEMBER"!The Sabbath was made for us, not us for the Sabbath. God made it for us! Just like he made many other rules for us.The apostles did not ignore the Sabbath day either. All throughout Acts they meet together on the Sabbath. That's another reason we keep it, a day to fellowship with the body of Christ. If we all worked on and on, when could we assemble like this?John had his vision on the Lord's day, didn't he?

have you given thought to the context of the 10 commandments? Ex. 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, Ex. 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Indeed, many constantly forget this context. Paul clearly identifies the Old Covenant Law as including the Ten Commandments in Romans 7:7. Many mistake the ten commandments as universal law (though I don't deny there are universal laws in them), when in fact, they are simply part of the rest of the Mosaic legislation.

God worked six days then rested on the seventh. That was way before Moses, the Law, and even Abraham.Indeed, but God never commanded the observation of the Sabbath until the Exodus. The apostles did not ignore the Sabbath day either. All throughout Acts they meet together on the Sabbath. That's another reason we keep it, a day to fellowship with the body of Christ. This is totally false. In Acts the only time the Scriptures mention the apostles doing anything on the Sabbath is going to the synagogue to evangelize, not to fellowship. Instead, the early church met "day by day" (Acts 2:46). Indeed, they seem to have had used "the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 16:2) as a special gathering. If we all worked on and on, when could we assemble like this?The early church met every day in the Jerusalem Church, and they had to work- probably much more than we do even today. The apostle Paul had time to break away from his trade to teach day by day in the Synagogue's (when gathered) as well as daily in the market-place (Acts 17:17)John had his vision on the Lord's day, didn't he?The Scriptures never use the term, "the Lord's day" save in Rev 1:10. Being that John's Revelation is highly submerged with Old Testament terminology, it seems likely he would have simply said "the Sabbath" instead of using an ambigous term. It's possible that John had in mind the Sabbath, but it is as equally as likely he had in mind the first day of the week. Either way, it cannot be proven.Even so, does it matter what day of the week John had his vision on? It would seem that whenever John had his visions and recorded Revelation, he was alone.

Since one told their personal testimony regarding the Sabbath, I'll tell mine.Shortly after I became a Christian, I became persuaded by some to keep the Sabbath and other Old Testament days. But, for some reason, it just never felt right. No matter how much I was persuaded and determined, I could just not find myself to be motivated to keep them from the heart. Then the Lord showed me through personal revelation as well as the Scriptures that He has not called me to observe such days, which is why it was not upon my heart to observe them. Ever since then, I have walked in freedom from such ordinances. God did not write it upon my heart to keep the Sabbaths, tithe, and all the rest. Instead, He has written the New Covenant on my heart to observe all my days, and I do so with great zeal, motivated from a transformed heart which God has touched. Amen!

Where on earth do carnal minded people get us such rediculous arguments?At least us carnally minded people are using Scriptures to defend our position, and not long-winded rants that don't deal with the aforementioned Scriptures. I thought we were a people of the Book, right? I've yet to see any serious discussion regarding anything Paul said on the subject thus far, and I quoted more than enough verses for what Paul says about the Sabbath.There are no laws or rules for Christian living, right?Contrary to popular anti-nomian teaching, there are many laws for Christian living. However, we are not under the Old Covenant, but the New Covenant. 1 Cor 9:20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.

Lahry wrote:ICABODCome now, let us be mature.