Big Bubba - The Holidays Threads Merged

[RaptureReady_7]

I read an article in Signs of the Times, which suggests that we will not be raptured; I know that many Christians have this view. I wonder though, if we were to go through the tribulation as saved born- again Christians, and took the MOB to eat, buy, sell etc. would we still go to heaven? After all, as saved born-again Christians, nothing can take that away correct? This alone makes me think we will be raptured because in theory Christians could take that mark and still be saved, I would think. What are your thoughts? I should submit this question to the magazine, but I wanted to ask here as well.

You cannot take the mark. If someone takes it they have rejected Christ and chosen satan and are not a Christian.

Even though we will be Raptured, those during the 70th week, or more specifically, the GT (Great Trib) there will still be millions upon millions, or as the Bible puts it, a number to great to count, will be saved during the 7 years and those who are saved, will reject the mark.


in theory Christians could take that mark and still be saved, I would think.
Why? The mark is a sign that one rejects Jesus and embraces satan. And taking the mark means that one loved the world more than Jesus.

The mark is a sign that a person has rejected Christ, and they will worship the beast also, since they aligned themselves, through the witness of the mark - on their right hand or forehead - of the beast is on them. That means a person chose the beast and rejected Jesus.

There can be no serving of 2 masters. A person cannot take the mark, not even a little bit. the person takes the mark because they have chosen to worship the beast.

And I think that God is going to take care of people's needs in the 7 year trib just as He does now.

The mark means that people did not trust God to be there for them and that they had to turn to satan for their needs.

IMHO

[HeIsEnough]

I don't understand how one can call someone a cult because they observe the 7 th Day Sabbath. The God of the Old Testament, the one who gave Moses the 10 commandments was none other than the one who became Jesus Christ.

The fourth Commandment was " to remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy" This was the 7th Day Sabbath. That is the same as calling our Lord and Savior " a Cult originazer". God neve installed something or put somethiong into being, later saying oops, I made a mistake and change it. Man changes, God does not.

freeman4:

Sorry to be so blunt, but that is just rubbish.

You 'report' to a different Priest, not from the line of Aaron. A change in the priesthood, a change in the law. God "installed" the law, and He "installed" a different law.

If someone chooses to worship on the Sabbath, that is their choice, nothing more.

It is not the command of God under the gospel of Grace. To claim that it is, is to claim what God has not commanded. Not even the Apostles commanded it in their letter to the Gentile churches (Acts 15:28,29). You really need to accept better teaching, friend. It will help you.


Hebrews 7

Melchizedek the Priest

1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace." 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever. 4Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. 6This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. 8In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, 10because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
Jesus Like Melchizedek

11If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law. 13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17For it is declared:
"You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek."[a (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+7&version=NIV#fen-NIV-30066a)] 18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
20And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a priest forever.' "[b (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+7&version=NIV#fen-NIV-30070b)] 22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely[c (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+7&version=NIV#fen-NIV-30074c)] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

[HJesusfreak]

I saw this article (http://www.raptureready.com/featured/chambers/jc86.html)today {Mod Snip} about the sabbath. Historically sunday was a pagan day for worship of the sun, and linked to satan worship. So papal rome moved the sabbath to sunday to appease worshipers hundreds of years after Christ. The messianic jews immediately after Christ still observed the sabbath with communion. So where does that leave us? Churches worldwide hold worship services on sunday as a testament to papal rome. I'm thinking we should move to observing and worshipping on the sabbath for myself anyway, but society so revolves around sunday worship.

That also begs the question about the holdiays. Christmas is nowhere near Jesus birthday (speculated to be in september due to astrological signs) and originated from a pagan holiday. Halloween's a duh. Easter I need to research more, but certainly pagan traditions have watered down the holiday.

So how do you handle this? Does your family observe as closest to the bible as possible? At a glance, observing the jewish feasts in their entirety doesn't seem right either since sacrifice was finished with Jesus. :scratch

[Steve53]

http://www.gotquestions.org/Saturday-Sunday.html

Question: "What day is the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday? Do Christians have to observe the Sabbath day?"

Answer: It is often claimed that “God instituted the Sabbath in Eden” because of the connection between the Sabbath and creation in Exodus 20:11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2020.11). Although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Genesis%202.3)) did foreshadow a future Sabbath law, there is no biblical record of the Sabbath before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that Sabbath-keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses.

The Word of God makes it quite clear that Sabbath observance was a special sign between God and Israel: “The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested” (Exodus 31:16–17 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2031.16%E2%80%9317)).

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses restates the Ten Commandments to the next generation of Israelites. Here, after commanding Sabbath observance in verses 12–14, Moses gives the reason the Sabbath was given to the nation Israel: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:15 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Deuteronomy%205.15)).

God's intent for giving the Sabbath to Israel was not that they would remember creation, but that they would remember their Egyptian slavery and the Lord's deliverance. Note the requirements for Sabbath-keeping: A person placed under that Sabbath law could not leave his home on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:29 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2016.29)), he could not build a fire (Exodus 35:3 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2035.3)), and he could not cause anyone else to work (Deuteronomy 5:14 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Deuteronomy%205.14)). A person breaking the Sabbath law was to be put to death (Exodus 31:15 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2031.15); Numbers 15:32–35 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Numbers%2015.32%E2%80%9335)).

An examination of New Testament passages shows us four important points: 1) Whenever Christ appears in His resurrected form and the day is mentioned, it is always the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Matthew%2028.1), 9 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Matthew%2028.9), 10 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Matthew%2028.10); Mark 16:9 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Mark%2016.9); Luke 24:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Luke%2024.1), 13 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Luke%2024.13), 15 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Luke%2024.15); John 20:19 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2020.19), 26 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2020.26)). 2) The only time the Sabbath is mentioned from Acts through Revelation it is for evangelistic purposes to the Jews and the setting is usually in a synagogue (Acts chapters 13–18). Paul wrote, “to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews” (1 Corinthians 9:20 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%209.20)). Paul did not go to the synagogue to fellowship with and edify the saints, but to convict and save the lost. 3) Once Paul states “from now on I will go to the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2018.6)), the Sabbath is never again mentioned. And 4) instead of suggesting adherence to the Sabbath day, the remainder of the New Testament implies the opposite (including the one exception to point 3 above, found in Colossians 2:16 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.16)).

Looking more closely at point 4 above will reveal that there is no obligation for the New Testament believer to keep the Sabbath, and will also show that the idea of a Sunday “Christian Sabbath” is also unscriptural. As discussed above, there is one time the Sabbath is mentioned after Paul began to focus on the Gentiles, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.16%E2%80%9317)). The Jewish Sabbath was abolished at the cross where Christ “canceled the written code, with its regulations” (Colossians 2:14 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.14)).

This idea is repeated more than once in the New Testament: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord” (Romans 14:5–6a (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%2014.5%E2%80%936a)). “But now that you know God — or rather are known by God — how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years” (Galatians 4:9–10 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Galatians%204.9%E2%80%9310)).

But some claim that a mandate by Constantine in A.D. 321 “changed” the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. On what day did the early church meet for worship? Scripture never mentions any Sabbath (Saturday) gatherings by believers for fellowship or worship. However, there are clear passages that mention the first day of the week. For instance, Acts 20:7 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2020.7) states that “on the first day of the week we came together to break bread.” In 1 Corinthians 16:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%2016.2) Paul urges the Corinthian believers “on the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.” Since Paul designates this offering as “service” in 2 Corinthians 9:12 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/2%20Corinthians%209.12), this collection must have been linked with the Sunday worship service of the Christian assembly. Historically Sunday, not Saturday, was the normal meeting day for Christians in the church, and its practice dates back to the first century.

The Sabbath was given to Israel, not the church. The Sabbath is still Saturday, not Sunday, and has never been changed. But the Sabbath is part of the Old Testament Law, and Christians are free from the bondage of the Law (Galatians 4:1-26 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Galatians%204.1-26); Romans 6:14 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%206.14)). Sabbath keeping is not required of the Christian—be it Saturday or Sunday. The first day of the week, Sunday, the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Revelation%201.10)) celebrates the New Creation, with Christ as our resurrected Head. We are not obligated to follow the Mosaic Sabbath—resting, but are now free to follow the risen Christ—serving. The Apostle Paul said that each individual Christian should decide whether to observe a Sabbath rest, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%2014.5)). We are to worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Constantine-Sabbath.html

Question: "Did Constantine change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?"

Answer: In the year 321 A.D., Constantine decreed, "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed" (Codex Justinianus lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 380, note 1). Constantine seems to have made this change himself and not through the papacy, since the papacy had not really come in to being at that time. The papacy grew gradually out of the office of Bishop and for many years this was centered in Rome. In any case, it should be noted that in doing this, Constantine is not changing the Sabbath; he is merely making Sunday the official day of rest for the Roman Empire. His motivation was probably not born out of hatred for the Jews (it's hard to say for sure why Constantine or any historical figure did what they did) but out of a desire to adopt what the Christians had practiced for nearly two and a half centuries.

It is well documented that the early church adopted Sunday as their day of worship. Acts 20:7 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2020.7) speaks of this, "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people …" and 1 Corinthians 16:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%2016.2), "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." These passages indicate that Christians were probably meeting regularly on Sunday (the first day of the week). They did this most likely because Christ rose on the first day of the week. It wasn't until hundreds of years later that the death of Christ became the focal point of Christian worship services. That is not to say they thought it unimportant; but they were primarily concerned with His victory over death realized in His resurrection.

It is important to remember that corporate worship with other believers is necessary and part of obedience, but the day that your church body chooses to worship on is not really that significant. The New Testament addresses this in a couple of different passages. Colossians 2:14-17 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.14-17) says, "He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.” Also see Romans 14:5-6 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%2014.5-6), "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God."

[Steve53]

http://www.gotquestions.org/Sabbath-day-rest.html

Question: "What is the Sabbath day?"

Answer: At first glance, the question “What is the Sabbath day?” seems fairly simple. According to Exodus 20:8-11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2020.8-11), the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, on which we are to rest, in remembrance that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day. However, due to the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of some Christian groups, the meaning of the Sabbath day rest has been confused.

Some Christian groups, such as the Seventh Day Adventists (http://www.gotquestions.org/Seventh-Day-Adventism.html), view the Sabbath as the day of worship, the day on which Christians should attend church / worship services. While these groups typically also teach that no work is to be done on the Sabbath, the concept of the “day of worship” is sometimes more emphasized than the “day of rest.” The problem with this is that the Bible nowhere commands that the Sabbath be the day of worship. In Exodus 20:8-11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2020.8-11), “keeping the Sabbath holy” is defined as not working on the Sabbath. Nowhere in this passage is the Sabbath described as a day especially set aside for worship. Similarly, other Scriptures command against working on the Sabbath, but say nothing of the Sabbath being the ordained day for worship (Exodus 16:23-29 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2016.23-29); 31:14-16 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2031.14-16); 35:2-3 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2035.2-3); Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Deuteronomy%205.12-15); Nehemiah 13:15-22 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Nehemiah%2013.15-22); Jeremiah 17:21-27 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Jeremiah%2017.21-27)). In the Old Covenant, there was not one day set aside for worship. Sacrifices were made daily at the tabernacle / temple. The “worship” was continual. The idea that the Sabbath day is the God-ordained day of corporate worship is not biblical.

Now that is not to say the Sabbath was not set apart for worship. The New Testament records Jews and converts to Judaism meeting in the synagogues on the Sabbath (Mark 6:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Mark%206.2); Luke 4:31 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Luke%204.31); Luke 13:10-16 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Luke%2013.10-16); Acts 13:14 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2013.14),27 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2013.27),42-44 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2013.42-44); 15:21 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2015.21); 16:13 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2016.13); 17:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2017.2); 18:4 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2018.4)). Obviously, with no work being done on the Sabbath day, that would make the Sabbath day the ideal day to have organized worship services. However, again, the Bible does not command that the Sabbath day be the day of worship. The Bible describes worship on the Sabbath, but does not prescribe organized corporate worship on the Sabbath.

Further, once the New Covenant was established by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the New Testament nowhere describes Christians setting aside the Sabbath day as the day of worship. The only Scriptures that describe Christians in any sense meeting on the Sabbath are in fact pointing to evangelistic efforts at Jewish synagogues, which met on the Sabbath day. Acts 3:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%203.2) records the early Christians meeting every day. The Bereans studied the Scriptures every day (Acts 17:11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2017.11)). Acts 20:7 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2020.7) and 1 Corinthians 16:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%2016.2) both mention Christians meeting on the first day of the week. There is no evidence in the New Testament that the Apostles or the early Christians in any sense observed the Sabbath day as the prescribed day of worship.

Traditionally, Christians have held their primary corporate worship services on Sundays, the first day of the week, in celebration of Christ’s resurrection, which occurred on a Sunday (Matthew 28:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Matthew%2028.1); Mark 16:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Mark%2016.2); Luke 24:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Luke%2024.1); John 20:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2020.1)). It is important to understand, though, that Sunday is not the commanded day of corporate worship either. There is no explicit biblical command that either Saturday or Sunday be the day of worship. Scriptures such as Romans 14:5-6 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%2014.5-6) and Colossians 2:16 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.16) give Christians freedom to observe a special day, or to observe every day as special. God’s desire is that we worship and serve Him continually, every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday. Please read our other articles on the Sabbath day (http://www.gotquestions.org/Saturday-Sunday.html) and Sabbath keeping (http://www.gotquestions.org/Sabbath-keeping.html) to explore this issue further.

It is our contention that the Sabbath command, which biblically speaking is to rest on the seventh day of the week, is not binding on Christians, but is rather a matter of grace. However, even if the Sabbath command does apply to New Covenant believers in Christ, the command would be to observe the Sabbath as the day of rest, not necessarily to set aside the Sabbath day as the weekly day of corporate worship.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Sabbath.html

Question: "How is Jesus our Sabbath Rest?"

Answer: The key to understanding how Jesus is our Sabbath rest is the Hebrew word sabat, which means “to rest or stop or cease from work.” The origin of the Sabbath goes back to Creation. After creating the heavens and the earth in six days, God “rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made” (Genesis 2:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Genesis%202.2)). This doesn’t mean that God was tired and needed a rest. We know that God is omnipotent, literally “all-powerful.” He has all the power in the universe, He never tires, and His most arduous expenditure of energy does not diminish His power one bit. So, what does it mean that God rested on the seventh day? Simply that He stopped what He was doing. He ceased from His labors. This is important in understanding the establishment of the Sabbath day and the role of Christ as our Sabbath rest.

God used the example of His resting on the seventh day of Creation to establish the principle of the Sabbath day rest for His people. In Exodus 20:8-11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2020.8-11) and Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Deuteronomy%205.12-15), God gave the Israelites the fourth of His Ten Commandments. They were to “remember” the Sabbath day and “keep it holy.” One day out of every seven, they were to rest from their labors and give the same day of rest to their servants and animals. This was not just a physical rest, but a cessation of laboring. Whatever work they were engaged in was to stop for a full day each week. (Please read our other articles on the Sabbath day (http://www.gotquestions.org/Sabbath-day-rest.html), Saturday vs. Sunday (http://www.gotquestions.org/Saturday-Sunday.html) and Sabbath keeping (http://www.gotquestions.org/Sabbath-keeping.html) to explore this issue further.) The Sabbath day was established so the people would rest from their labors, only to begin again after a one-day rest.

The various elements of the Sabbath symbolized the coming of the Messiah, who would provide a permanent rest for His people. Once again the example of resting from our labors comes into play. With the establishment of the Old Testament Law, the Jews were constantly “laboring” to make themselves acceptable to God. Their labors included trying to obey a myriad of do’s and don’ts of the ceremonial law, the Temple law, the civil law, etc. Of course they couldn’t possibly keep all those laws, so God provided an array of sin offerings and sacrifices so they could come to Him for forgiveness and restore fellowship with Him, but only temporarily. Just as they began their physical labors after a one-day rest, so, too, did they have to continue to offer sacrifices. Hebrews 10:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Hebrews%2010.1) tells us that the law “can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” But these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who ”after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right of God” (Hebrews 10:12 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Hebrews%2010.12)). Just as He rested after performing the ultimate sacrifice, He sat down and rested—ceased from His labor of atonement because there was nothing more to be done, ever. Because of what He did, we no longer have to “labor” in law-keeping in order to be justified in the sight of God. Jesus was sent so that we might rest in God and in what He has provided.

Another element of the Sabbath day rest which God instituted as a foreshadowing of our complete rest in Christ is that He blessed it, sanctified it, and made it holy. Here again we see the symbol of Christ as our Sabbath rest—the holy, perfect Son of God who sanctifies and makes holy all who believe in Him. God sanctified Christ, just as He sanctified the Sabbath day, and sent Him into the world (John 10:36 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2010.36)) to be our sacrifice for sin. In Him we find complete rest from the labors of our self-effort, because He alone is holy and righteous. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/2%20Corinthians%205.21)). We can now cease from our spiritual labors and rest in Him, not just one day a week, but always.

Jesus can be our Sabbath rest in part because He is “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Matthew%2012.8)). As God incarnate, He decides the true meaning of the Sabbath because He created it, and He is our Sabbath rest in the flesh. When the Pharisees criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded them that even they, sinful as they were, would not hesitate to pull a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. Because He came to seek and save His sheep who would hear His voice (John 10:3 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2010.3),27 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2010.27)) and enter into the Sabbath rest He provided by paying for their sins, He could break the Sabbath rules. He told the Pharisees that people are more important than sheep and the salvation He provided was more important than rules. By saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Mark%202.27)), Jesus was restating the principle that the Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve man of his labors, just as He came to relieve us of our attempting to achieve salvation by our works. We no longer rest for only one day, but forever cease our laboring to attain God’s favor. Jesus is our rest from works now, just as He is the door to heaven, where we will rest in Him forever.

Hebrews 4 is the definitive passage regarding Jesus as our Sabbath rest. The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers to “enter in” to the Sabbath rest provided by Christ. After three chapters of telling them that Jesus is superior to the angels and that He is our Apostle and High Priest, he pleads with them to not harden their hearts against Him, as their fathers hardened their hearts against Jehovah in the wilderness. Because of their unbelief, God denied that generation access to the holy land, saying, “They shall not enter into My rest” (Hebrews 3:11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Hebrews%203.11)). In the same way, the writer to the Hebrews begs them—and us—not to make the same mistake by rejecting God’s Sabbath rest in Jesus Christ. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:9-11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Hebrews%204.9-11)).

There is no other Sabbath rest besides Jesus. He alone satisfies the requirements of the Law, and He alone provides the sacrifice that atones for sin. He is God’s plan for us to cease from the labor of our own works. We dare not reject this one-and-only Way of salvation (John 14:6 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/John%2014.6)). God’s reaction to those who choose to reject His plan is seen in Numbers 15. A man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath day, in spite of God’s plain commandment to cease from all labor on the Sabbath. This transgression was a known and willful sin, done with unblushing boldness in broad daylight, in open defiance of the divine authority. “And Jehovah said to Moses, ‘The man shall surely be put to death’” (v. 35). So it will be to all who reject God’s provision for our Sabbath rest in Christ. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Hebrews%202.3)).

http://www.gotquestions.org/Sabbath-keeping.html

Question: "Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?"

Answer: In Colossians 2:16-17 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.16-17), the apostle Paul declares, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Similarly, Romans 14:5 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%2014.5) states, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” These Scriptures make it clear that, for the Christian, Sabbath-keeping is a matter of spiritual freedom, not a command from God. Sabbath-keeping is an issue on which God’s Word instructs us not to judge each other. Sabbath-keeping is a matter about which each Christian needs to be fully convinced in his/her own mind.

In the early chapters of the book of Acts, the first Christians were predominantly Jews. When Gentiles began to receive the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Jewish Christians had a dilemma. What aspects of the Mosaic Law and Jewish tradition should Gentile Christians be instructed to obey? The apostles met and discussed the issue in the Jerusalem council (Acts 15). The decision was, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2015.19-20)). Sabbath-keeping was not one of the commands the apostles felt was necessary to force on Gentile believers. It is inconceivable that the apostles would neglect to include Sabbath-keeping if it was God’s command for Christians to observe the Sabbath day.

A common error in the Sabbath-keeping debate is the concept that the Sabbath was the day of worship. Groups such as the Seventh Day Adventists hold that God requires the church service to be held on Saturday, the Sabbath day. That is not what the Sabbath command was. The Sabbath command was to do no work on the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Exodus%2020.8-11)). Nowhere in Scripture is the Sabbath day commanded to be the day of worship. Yes, Jews in Old Testament, New Testament, and modern times use Saturday as the day of worship, but that is not the essence of the Sabbath command. In the book of Acts, whenever a meeting is said to be on the Sabbath, it is a meeting of Jews, not Christians.

When did the early Christians meet? Acts 2:46-47 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%202.46-47) gives us the answer, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” If there was a day that Christians met regularly, it was the first day of the week (our Sunday), not the Sabbath day (our Saturday) (Acts 20:7 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Acts%2020.7); 1 Corinthians 16:2 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%2016.2)). In honor of Christ’s resurrection on Sunday, the early Christians observed Sunday not as the “Christian Sabbath” but as a day to especially worship Jesus Christ.

Is there anything wrong with worshipping on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath? Absolutely not! We should worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday! Many churches today have both Saturday and Sunday services. There is freedom in Christ (Romans 8:21 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%208.21); 2 Corinthians 3:17 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/2%20Corinthians%203.17); Galatians 5:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Galatians%205.1)). Should a Christian practice Sabbath-keeping, that is, not working on Saturdays? If a Christian feels led to do so, absolutely, yes (Romans 14:5 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Romans%2014.5)). However, those who choose to practice Sabbath-keeping should not judge those who do not keep the Sabbath (Colossians 2:16 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Colossians%202.16)). Further, those who do not keep the Sabbath should avoid being a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 8:9 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/1%20Corinthians%208.9)) to those who do keep the Sabbath. Galatians 5:13-15 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/niv/Galatians%205.13-15) sums up the whole issue: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

[Acts5:41]

My husband and I are self-employed. We run a small vending business.

Really, other people are the bosses and tell us when to work. Last Saturday, we got up at 2 AM and went to bed after midnight. Sunday? We slept in, and then had to go to bed early because we got up at 2 AM Monday.

This is not necessarily "religious" but I was told once by a wonderful nurse aide (my husband has multiple disabilities and requires some help) to take at least one day for myself, resting, no chores or housework if at all possible. I have taken that advice as much as possible, as I feel it does go in line with the whole Sabbath thing. My husband and I will occasionally take a "date" day and go out on the bus, with him in the wheelchair.

Also remember that the Sabbath was the OLD covenant, and we are under the new one. What was it? No sexual immorality, no meat offered to idols, nothing strangled. :lol2 Right out of Acts. Same with all the feasts and OT holidays. We are not required to keep them, and I don't. We are required to be obedient, with hearts focused on Him. "Obedience is better than sacrifice".

IMO, focusing too much on the "I must do this on that date or God will be upset at me" smacks of works, and so many of our problems result from a works-based faith as opposed to a faith-based one.

I do believe God wants us to take regular time off of work, focusing on Him and our families. At least one day, once a week.

Our deliverymen and all always take off major holidays, and plenty of minor ones. :lol2 So, I get the usuals off. I celebrate the spirit of the season, rejoicing that God saw fit to GIVE us Jesus, and that Jesus chose to die for ME! That is the important thing; He came to earth, suffered, and died for us so we could have eternal life.

[HJesusfreak]

Hmm, very good responses there. I'm also careful to avoid a legalistic attitude but I also want to be God-honoring in everything I do. Which it sounds like i can do on whatever day.

[lyngraphics]

Hmm, very good responses there. I'm also careful to avoid a legalistic attitude but I also want to be God-honoring in everything I do. Which it sounds like i can do on whatever day.

Very true, and we should honor God everyday.

Right now, with small kids, it's hard to take time for myself. I usually take 30 minutes to an hour before bed for some "me" time. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not! :aha

[iSong6:3]

Hi Hilary - It sounds like you've run into some Messianics or even some Hebrew Roots folks? If so, be very careful. These arguments may sound appealing to those who really want to serve God in the *right* way but in the end they lead further and further into error.

Steve posted some great things for you to read and prayerfully consider. :nod

The only of the Ten Commandments not repeated in any way in the New Covenant was to keep the Sabbath. That is because as is in my sig, the whole of the Bible talks of Jesus or is a representation of Him. In Him we have true Sabbath peace. It was made for us anyway, not us made for it. Now we have true rest of spiritual work in Jesus. The Sabbath-keepers could not dream of what we have now in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit Who indwells us.

It's not true that the Catholic Church (or Constantine) changed the Sabbath to Sunday. First of all, the Sabbath is always the Sabbath and it is not for corporate worship, it is for rest at home. The question is whether Gentile and/or Jewish believers must keep that or can they worship the Lord on Sunday.

The New Covenant itself tells us - obviously at the time the Bible was written - that the Jewish believers (and as they started to get kicked out of the synagogues) chose to gather and worship together on Sundays because it was the day the Lord was resurrected. Like a mini-Resurrection Day every week, if you will. Constantine and the Catholic Church were not around then.

We have had many many threads here on these issues - the Sabbath and the holidays - and I just realized that I can't seem to find them now. I hope to be able to do that so you can further study how we've talked about it here.

You must have seen in the posting rules that it is prohibited here to promote Sabbatarianism or legalism (including Two House.) People can surely ask and we can certainly discuss, but when one has come to the conclusion and teaches that everyone must keep the Friday sundown to Saturday sundown Sabbath and should keep holidays that were meant for Israel and not celebrate the Lord's birth and resurrection - that's what we don't allow.

^^ I say that to anyone who wishes to post in this thread. The Truth is the Truth and we will not permit falsehood and what is contrary to the clear Word of God to be promoted here. :bible :thumb

ETA - The holidays thing is a whole other ball o' wax, which is why I wanted to find our major mega-merged thread. :) It already has so much good information in it. Just know that the Jewish feast days were given to Israel in the dispensation of the Law. It is not for us in the dispensation of Grace, since Jesus came and did it all for us in Himself. He kept the Laws perfectly and He is what all the feast days were/are only foreshadows of.

Again, Israel is Israel and the Church is the Church. We have different birthdays, missions, and destinies: Israel is God's wife and the Church is Jesus's Bride. Don't let anyone mess with your head and heart and tell you to go backwards. Jesus doesn't point us to the Torah, the Torah points us to Him. :thumb

[Steve53]

Multiple threads merged for convenience and topicality -

Please review this topic from the beginning as it takes many an interesting turn.

The Mod team feels as though the subject matter has been explored in depth and we request that no one start another new thread on this topic without first reading this one.