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Seventh Day Sabbath Discussion - 1

 

 

During the course of this ARK Forum ministry there are several subscribers that write to me on various subjects.  Just recently one subscriber emailed me an article with several objections to the Seventh Day Sabbath.  This article is lengthy so I selected only the main objections and responded to them objectively.

 

I would like to clarify that although I strongly believe in the observance of the Seventh Day Sabbath, but I am absolutely certain God will accept our worship any time on any day as long as we worship Him in Spirit and truth (Jn. 4:23-24). This does not mean that we can completely neglect or ignore the Seventh Day Sabbath.  It is God’s Commandment therefore we shall be accountable to Him on Judgment Day (Ecc. 12:13-14).

 

Objection # 1 

 

The next major covenant we run into in the Old Testament is the Law of Moses; a covenant between God and the people of Israel.  The sign of that covenant is the seventh-day observance; the Sabbath.

 

Response # 1:

 

It is a great fallacy to think that the Seventh Day Sabbath is not to be observed by Christians because of the following reasons:

 

1.  It is in the Old Testament   Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” (Jn. 5:39)  The Scriptures that Jesus referred to are in the Old Testament.  The New Testament had not been written at that time.  All the Scriptures that the apostles and Christians in the Early Apostolic Church read and understood were in the Old Testament.  We cannot dismiss the Seventh Day Sabbath just because it was written in the Old Testament otherwise we will have to dismiss many other important truths that were also first written in the Old Testament.

 

2.  It is the Law of Moses   We need to make a clear distinction between the Law of God and the Law of Moses.  The Seventh Day Sabbath is the Law of God and it is definitely not the Law of Moses which Christians do not have to observe.  Here are the basic differences.

 

 

 

Law of God

 

Law of Moses

 

Given to mankind (Ecc. 12:13) 

Given mainly to Israel (Ex. 35:1-4)

Spoken directly by God (Deut. 5:1-22)

Spoken by Moses (Ex. 24:3’Lev. 1:2)

Written by God (Ex. 24:12; 31:18; 34:1)

Written by Moses (Dt. 31:9; 2 Chr. 35:12)

Fulfilled by Jesus Christ (Mt. 5:17)

Not for Gentile Christians (Acts 15:23-29)

Seventh Day Sabbath was established by God at the time of Creation (Gen. 2:1-3)

The Feasts of the LORD are also called “Sabbaths” (Leviticus chapter 23)

Seventh Day Sabbath is the Fourth Commandment (Ex. 20:8-11; 16:25-30)

The penalty for breaking the Sabbath law is death (Ex. 31:14.  This law was abolished)

 

The Law of God is given to mankind and it is the basis of God’s judgment, whereas the Law of Moses is given mainly to the Children of Israel and is not applicable to Gentile Christians.  The Seventh Day Sabbath is the Fourth Commandment and the Law of God therefore it is given to mankind.  The Lord Jesus Christ said:  “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” (Mk. 2:27-28)

 

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Objection # 2 

 

Now, this is a very important, and often overlooked, concept.  The requirement to observe the seventh day of the week was a sign of the covenant between God and the children of Israel specifically.  Only people who are under the requirements and ordinances of Moses' law are required to observe the Sabbath as a covenant sign.

 

Response # 2

 

Although the Seventh Day Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and the children of Israel”, that Old Covenant is now replaced by the New Covenant which has a wider scope to include the Gentile Christians as well.  Isaiah prophesied;

 

“Also the sons of foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants – Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant – Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My House of Prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar,  For My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations.” (Isa. 56:6-7)

 

This prophecy has already been fulfilled for decades even up to our present time.  God had the original intention that Gentile Christians - “sons of foreigner who join themselves to the LORD - would observe the Seventh Day Sabbath and hold fast to God’s covenant.  This is the evidence that God’s Church is definitely a Sabbath-keeping Church that not only consists of the children of Israel but also the Gentile believers as well, and therefore it “shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations.”

 

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Objection # 3 

 

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Col. 2:16-17)


Response # 3

 

Opponents of the Seventh Day Sabbath often use Colossians 2:16-17 to point out that the Sabbath is no longer binding on the Gentile Christians.  In actual fact there is nothing in the verses that suggests such a situation.  The apostle Paul could not have written that the Seventh Day Sabbath had been abolished because it would be a direct contradiction to his beliefs and personal Sabbath observance.

 

We must understand that the apostle Paul kept the Seventh Day Sabbath regularly.  “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures.” (Acts 17:2).  The phrase “as his custom was” indicates Paul observed the Seventh Day Sabbath regularly, just as our Lord Jesus Christ attended Sabbath services regularly from childhood.  “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.” (Lk. 4:1)  There are several passages from the Acts of the Apostles that prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the apostle Paul was a faithful Sabbath-keeper (Acts 13:42-44; 16:13; 18:4).

 

Here in Colossians 2:16-17 the apostle Paul was not referring to the Seventh Day Sabbath but to the “meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  If you study the twenty third chapter of Leviticus you will find the Feasts of the LORD were also called “Sabbaths” (Lev. 23:24, 32,38).  Those feasts required offerings and sacrifices consisting of animals and drinks that have been abolished in the New Testament (Lev. 23:8, 10-14, 15-20, 36-39; Heb. 9:9-10)  That is what Paul was writing about.

 

How can we be sure that the apostle Paul was not writing about the Seventh Day Sabbath.  If Paul had meant in Colossians 2:16-17 the Seventh Day Sabbath was abolished it would be self-inflicting like shooting himself in the foot.  Moreover, there would be a much greater controversy than the abolishment of circumcision in the Early Apostolic Church.  Nothing about the abolishment of the Seventh Day Sabbath is mentioned in the New Testament. 

 

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Objection # 4

 

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Col. 2:16-17)


In other words, the Sabbath pointed toward the arrival of Christ, in whom we would all rest from our works and trust in His finished work for our full and complete redemption.  Now that Christ has come there is no point or purpose to the shadow.  We follow and worship the substance that cast the shadow.

 

Response # 4

 

There are two parts of the Sabbath law. The first part is the Fourth Commandment that is given directly by God to mankind (Ex. 20:8-11; 24:12; Ecc. 12:13-14; Mk. 2:27-28). This part is permanent and it is fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 5:17-18; Lk. 4:16). Then there is a second part of the Sabbath law that is called the ordinances (Ex. 31:14-15). This part is temporary and given only to the Children of Israel in the Old Testament time. This ordinance has been abolished when Christ died on the Cross (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14-17).

 

The Old Covenant Sabbath ordinances have curses on them and were difficult, if not impossible, to observe.

 

“Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.”  (Ex. 31:14-15) 

 

Praise and thank God “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)  So now Christians are no longer under the law but under grace (Rom. 6:14).

 

The Pharisees were judging the disciples of Christ for breaking the Old Covenant Sabbath Law. 

 

“At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath.  And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” (Mt. 12:1-2) 

 

The Colossian Christians have also encountered similar situations in which they had been judged by others for not keeping the Old Covenant Sabbath laws.  The apostle Paul then wrote to them that by His death Christ has “wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Col. 2:14)  “Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths.” (Col. 2:16)  It must be emphasized and fully understood that whilst the Sabbath laws that have curses were removed by the death of Jesus Christ, the Seventh Day Sabbath continued to be observed by Christians in the New Covenant.

 

The arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ did not do away with the Seventh Day Sabbath.  Here is the proof.  “So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.”  (Lk. 4:16)  Throughout His earthly life Jesus kept the Sabbath even until His death.  The Bible records very clearly that when the Lord Jesus Christ died His Spirit was resting in Paradise on the Sabbath day (Lk. 23:43).  The body of Jesus was resting in the tomb on the Sabbath day (Lk. 23:52-54).  The disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ – “the women who had come with Him from Galileewere resting on the Sabbath after the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ.  “Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the Commandment.”  (Lk. 23:56)  The death of our Lord Jesus Christ did not do away with the Seventh Day Sabbath. 

 

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Objection # 5

 

So, the writer of Hebrews concluded:


"There remaineth therefore a rest (/sabbatismos/) to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."  (Heb 4:9-10)


What we lose in the English translation of Hebrews 4:9 is that the author used the word "/sabbatismos/," translated "rest."  It is a derivative of the Hebrew word "Sabbath."  In other words, despite the fact that the redeemed people who come to God through Jesus Christ are not under the Law of Moses, we do indeed fulfill the type and shadow of the Sabbath when we enter into Christ's rest.  We cease from our work (in this case, a reference to works of the Law, designed to accomplish our personal justification), just as God ceased from His work on the seventh day of creation.  When we trust in Christ for our salvation, we are fulfilling the Sabbath.

 

Response # 5

 

Many Bible scholars think the author of the Book of Hebrews was the apostle Paul.  The people he addressed were Jewish believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Today they are called either Hebrew Christians or Messianic Jews.   No writer in his right mind would ever think of writing even a single line to dissuade the Hebrew Christians from keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath.  In the same way any Gentile Christian writer who uses any portion of the fourth chapter of Hebrews and try to show that the Seventh Day Sabbath is no longer observed by the Jewish Christian does not know what he is writing about.  His attempt will be as ineffective and futile as a little boy trying to attack with a pea-shooter an army that consists of armored tanks.

 

The main theme of Hebrews chapter 4 is the Seventh Day Sabbath and why believers must observe it.

 

“For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:  ‘So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.’ Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.  For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all His works;. and again in this place: ‘They shall not enter My rest.’  Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.” (Heb. 4:3-6)

 

In explaining Hebrews 4:9-10 the objector's first sentence is correct. “What we lose in the English translation of Hebrews 4:9 is that the author used the word "/sabbatismos/," translated "rest."  It is a derivative of the Hebrew word "Sabbath." 

 

After that first sentence the remainder of his explanation and interpretation is completely out of the context.  Here is the simple and straightforward interpretation of this verse.  “There remains therefore a (Sabbath) rest for the people of God.”  “There remains” can mean “There is” or “There exists”.  The (Sabbath) rest clearly means the Seventh Day Sabbath.  He admits the word “rest” that is translated from the Greek word “Sabbatismos” which is “a derivative of the Hebrew word "Sabbath." 

 

Some twist the truth by misinterpreting the word “rest” by writing or saying that it is the “rest” that Christ gives to believers in Matthew 11:28, 29.  The “rest” in Matthew 11:28, 29 is translated from another Greek word – “anapausis” that has the meaning of “cessation, refreshment”.  This word “anapausis” can be used appropriately in the context like “After a marathon race we need a rest - “anapausis”.  The Lord Jesus Christ gives Christians “anapausis” but He does not replace the “Sabbatismos” with it.

 

The objector explained: “We cease from our work (in this case, a reference to works of the Law, designed to accomplish our personal justification),” 

 

This is a clear case of a “private interpretation.” (2 Pet. 20-21).  Nowhere in Hebrews 4:9-10 does it mention “works of the Law, designed to accomplish our personal justification”.  Let us read again.  “For he (the believer) who has entered His (God’s) rest (Greek – katapausis) has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”  This verse has nothing to do with the “works of the Law”.  The believer is strongly urged to rest on the Seventh Day Sabbath and not to work as God did during the Creation (Heb. 4:4-5; ref. Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11).  This is plain and simple.

 

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Objection # 6

 

Now, as to how the day of Christian observance became Sunday (whereas the Jewish day of rest was Saturday/ the seventh day), it appears that the early church began meeting on first day of the week, probably because it was the day our Lord's resurrection.  The only reference we have to what day they met is this one:

 

Response # 6

 

The Lord Jesus Christ did not resurrect on Sunday morning as taught by many traditional churches.  Here is the proof.  “On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” (Jn. 20:1)  According to the Bible the day begins at twilight in the evening when the sun has set.  “So the evening and the morning were the first day” (Gen. 1:5; 8, 13, 19, 23, 31)  . . . . from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath.” (Lev. 23:32)  The first day of the week begins on our present Saturday evening.  “On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,”  When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb the Lord Jesus Christ had already resurrected because she “saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.”  From these biblical facts one can see that those who teach the Seventh Day Sabbath has been abolished by the crucifixion of Christ and replaced by Sunday worship because of Jesus’ resurrection have absolutely nothing to stand on.  If Christians really want to celebrate Christ’s resurrection accurately they should do so on Saturday evening.  But God has never given such a commandment at all.

 

After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ He “had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:1-3)  Just think very clearly.  The Lord Jesus Christ was with His disciples for forty days between His resurrection and His ascension to heaven.  If He had wanted to change the day of worship from the Seventh Day Sabbath to Sunday this would be the best time to let His disciples know about it.  There is not a single word to indicate this at all.  Why?  There was no change of the day of worship from the Seventh Day Sabbath to Sunday.  This change was made many years later, and after the Church had fallen.

 

After the Lord’s ascension to heaven the disciples “returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.” (Acts 1:12)  Why did Luke write about “a Sabbath day’s journey?”  It is because the disciples were still keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and “a Sabbath day’s journey” is a very short distance that they normally travel on the Sabbath day.

 

Here is another proof that the Disciples of Christ and the Early Apostolic Church had kept the Seventh Day Sabbath even up till 70 A.D. when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem.  The Lord Jesus Christ had anticipated the destruction of Jerusalem therefore instructed His disciples to “pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath.”  (Mt. 24:20).  Winter time and the Sabbath are not good for evacuation.  Winter is cold and the Sabbath is a day of rest and the length of journey has to be very short.  The Lord Jesus Christ could foresee His disciples keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath even up till 70 A.D.  There is a lot of compelling biblical evidence that the Early Apostolic Church had kept the Seventh Day Sabbath.  Sunday worship is a post-apostolic change that is not sanctioned by God.

 

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Objection # 7

 

Now, as to how the day of Christian observance became Sunday (whereas the Jewish day of rest was Saturday/ the seventh day), it appears that the early church began meeting on first day of the week, probably because it was the day our Lord's resurrection.  The only reference we have to what day they met is this one:

 

"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." (Acts 20:7) 

 

But, from that verse it is obvious that the tradition of meeting on Sundays developed very early in the church's history.

 

Response # 7

 

The objector is uncertain about his interpretation of this verse when he uses the words “It appears” and  probably”.  “It appears that the early church began meeting on first day of the week, probably because it was the day our Lord's resurrection.”  If the Early Christians were celebrating the Lord’s resurrection during that meeting why did Luke, the writer of Acts, not write about it?  As I have explained before, the biblical day begins in the evening.  That meeting took place on a Saturday evening.  How do we know that?  The following verse tells us, “There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.” (Acts 20:8).  It was a farewell sendoff meeting for the apostle Paul who was “ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” (Acts 20:7) A certain young man named Eutychus fell down from the third story and died.  Paul prayed for him and Eutychus’ life was restored.  The apostle Paul “talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.” (Acts 20:11)  The narrative on this meeting is very clear.  It began on Saturday evening and ended at daybreak on Sunday morning.  This is not a regular Sunday Church Service like many traditional churches are holding nowadays.  It was a special farewell sendoff meeting for the apostle Paul who was leaving Troas at daybreak on Sunday morning.

 

The objector wrote: “But, from that verse it is obvious that the tradition of meeting on Sundays developed very early in the church's history.”  In actuality nothing is obvious that it was a regular Sunday Church Service.

 

The objector wrote:  The only reference we have to what day they met is this one:  If this is “the only reference” that the objector has on a regular Sunday Church Service then you can say there is absolutely no reference in the New Testament at all.

 

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Objection # 8

 

So, all in all, the argument concerning the Sabbath, or what day is appropriate for the church to meet, becomes a moot point.  As long as we are resting in Christ, we are fulfilling the type and shadow cast by the Sabbath.  We, as Gentile believers, are not under the Old Covenant and are not bound by its rudiments or restrictions.  And Paul wrote that holy days, new moons, and Sabbaths - which Jews would have observed fastidiously - were not an issue for the New Covenant Church.

 

Response # 8

 

The Seventh Day Sabbath was established by God at the time of Creation (Gen. 2:1-3).  On the Seventh Day Sabbath God rested, blessed the day and sanctified it.  On the Fourth Commandment God commanded us to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. . . . “ (Ex. 20:8-11)  How can anyone argue on “what day is appropriate for the church to meet”?

 

It is man’s doctrine that teaches  "As long as we are resting in Christ, we are fulfilling the type and shadow cast by the Sabbath.”  Our Lord Jesus Christ did not teach that as long as you are resting in Him you do not have to observe the Seventh Day Sabbath.  The disciples of Christ had been resting in Him and yet they kept the Seventh Day Sabbath.

 

It is true that “we, as Gentile believers, are not under the Old Covenant and are not bound by its rudiments or restrictions.”  But don’t forget that we still have to keep all the Ten Commandments that include the Seventh Day Sabbath.  The Lord Jesus Christ said “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Mt.19:16-19)  We cannot choose to keep nine and leave out one commandment. 

 

“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.  For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’  Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” (Jas. 2:8-11)

 

If you keep all the nine commandments but break the Fourth Commandment concerning the Seventh Day Sabbath then by God’s judgment you have broken all the Ten Commandments.  Actually it is not difficult to keep all the Ten Commandments.  “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 Jn. 5:3)  If you make a firm commitment and determination to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath commandment, you can do that very easily.  Just do it!

 

 

May God bless you

 

Link to: Sabbath Truths that are easy to understand

 

 

This article is a presentation of Paul Wong

to the ARK Forum on November 4, 2005

Revision: Removal of personal references on 11/29/05

 

For comments please write first to: arkpw@sbcglobal.net

 

Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the President of ARK International.
His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in
Houston.
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