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Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
But correct, nonetheless. Obviously, if you don't want to work on a Sunday (or whatever day is your holy day!) you can just avoid jobs that require it and therefore leave the others to pick up the necessary slack but what if you have a clear talent (gift from god) as,say, a doctor. A lifesaver. The only way to comply with observance is to deny the talent. What use is that to god or society? None. Besides, if there cannot even be agreement when this day actually is (and lets face it there are only seven to choose from and I'm positive it ain't Monday to Thursday) what's the point. Not to mention the fact that we might all like to be so choosy but few have the choice at all.
I've never been one to advocate that a person not go into medicine because it would require him to work on Sundays. ;) I'm talking about choosing Sunday activities that would allow you to in some way make the day distinct from the other six -- within reason and to the degree possible. I try to get my grocery shopping, for instance, done on the other six days. If I don't get my car washed on Saturday, it can wait until Monday. So can my lawns, if they need mowing. On the other hand, if my husband were to suffer a heart attack on a Sunday, I'd be for getting him to the hospital ASAP, and I don't think that would be doing anything God would disapprove of.
 

crocusj

Active Member
I've never been one to advocate that a person not go into medicine because it would require him to work on Sundays. ;) I'm talking about choosing Sunday activities that would allow you to in some way make the day distinct from the other six -- within reason and to the degree possible. I try to get my grocery shopping, for instance, done on the other six days. If I don't get my car washed on Saturday, it can wait until Monday. So can my lawns, if they need mowing. On the other hand, if my husband were to suffer a heart attack on a Sunday, I'd be for getting him to the hospital ASAP, and I don't think that would be doing anything God would disapprove of.
Of course, when I said "doctor" I actually meant barman....
 

Katzpur

Not your average Mormon
Of course, when I said "doctor" I actually meant barman....
Whatever. I don't give a damn how anybody else spends his time on Sunday. Don't try to make me out as some kind of a judgmental religious zealot, because the shoe just flat out doesn't fit, and it won't work for you to try to cram my foot in it.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Is it right or wrong to work / go shopping on the sabbath day?
I personally believe we shouldn't.

Wasn't the temporary Mosaic law exclusively for the: Jewish nation ?
The Sabbath law, which included a system of Sabbaths, with the most frequent Sabbath being the weekly one. - Exodus 20vs8-10; 31vs16,17.

Doesn't Col. [2v17] say the Mosaic law was just a 'shadow' of things to come ?
Shadow or pointing ahead to a future arrangement or superior arrangement?

A required Sabbath was Not included among the necessary things for Christians at Acts 15 vs28,29; Romans 14v5.
No where do Scriptures say which day or days of the week the 1st-century Christians met.

It was not until 321 CE that Emperor Constantine decreed, except for the farmers, that Sunday 'dies Solis' < title associated with astrology sun worship. Not 'Sabbatum' [Sabbath], but rather 'dies Domini' [Lord's day] prohibiting work on Sunday [Not Son-day].
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
REALLY the law doesnt pertain to any particular day so long as every 7th day is a day of rest.

If not a particular day, then how do you explain Exodus [20v10] mentioning specifically that the 7th day [Saturday] 'is' the Sabbath for the Israelite nation?
 

sniper762

Well-Known Member
sorry but that scripture alone does not define what day of the week is the sabboth, just that it be the last of 7 days.

jewish history does, therefore stipulate saturday.
 

crocusj

Active Member
Whatever. I don't give a damn how anybody else spends his time on Sunday. Don't try to make me out as some kind of a judgmental religious zealot, because the shoe just flat out doesn't fit, and it won't work for you to try to cram my foot in it.
I made you out to be nothing of the sort.
Wow. Not overly sensitive, are we? :rolleyes:
 

Adonis65

Active Member
I agree with you, but I also believe that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. I do my best to not work or shop on Sundays, but if I discover an ox in the mire, I take care of it and don't berate myself for doing so.

The Sabbath was made for man to become especially aware of his relationship with God.
 
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Adonis65

Active Member
What is the scriptural basis for the move from Friday to Sunday? The Resurrection? How does that apply? The "Lord's day" is not necessarily the same as "Sabbath day".

The "Lord's Day" is any day that He reveals to His prophets. In present day, it's Sunday. ;)
 
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james2ko

Well-Known Member
The correct time period for the Sabbath is on Sunday -- that is if you are a true follower of Jesus Christ.

Not according to the bible:

God says in Exo 20:10 and 31:17 it's the seventh day--Saturday or Sabado in spanish--or more precisely Friday Sunset to Saturday sunset (Lev 23:32).

or your mother church:

“The Catholic Church ... by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.”The Catholic Mirror, official publication of James Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893

“For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the [Roman Catholic] church outside the Bible.”- Catholic Virginian, “To Tell You the Truth,” p. 9, Oct. 3, 1947
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
sorry but that scripture alone does not define what day of the week is the sabboth, just that it be the last of 7 days.
jewish history does, therefore stipulate saturday.

Just a thought, what about figuring Saturday from Exodus [16v1] when they left Egypt on the 15th day of the 2nd month [1513 BCE].
Verses 22,23 Moses announces a Sabbath after the 6th day.
 

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
Constantine had nothing to do with the Almighty. We follow prophets of God, URA. You should try doing the same. ;)

Exactly! Constantine had Nothing to do the the Almighty.
We should not follow prophets that are not prophets of God like Constantine was not a prophet of God in setting up Sunday as a rest day.

Constantine was just as so-called Christian 'in name only'.
 

james2ko

Well-Known Member
Wasn't the temporary Mosaic law exclusively for the: Jewish nation ?

1. The 10 commandments and Mosaic law, consisting of the civil and sacrificial statues, were two separate sets of laws that were distinct in many ways. They had different authors, were originally written on different materials, spoken by different law-givers, placed in different locations in the ark and had totally different content.

The sabbath command was part of the 10 commandments--not the Mosaic law. What was temporary were the sacrificial laws, as Paul points out in Hebrews-- not the Ten Commandments which stand forever . In addition, If the fourth commandment was only for the Jewish nation, Jesus missed a perfect opportunity to let us know in Mark 2:27 when He stated:

And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.​

If the sabbath were meant strictly for the Jewish nation, the Holy Spirit would have inspired: "The sabbath was made for the Jews and not Jews for the sabbath.

The Sabbath law, which included a system of Sabbaths, with the most frequent Sabbath being the weekly one. - Exodus 20vs8-10; 31vs16,17.

2. And they are all still in effect! The ruler of this world (Jn 12:31) has hoodwinked the world of Christianity into thinking they are not! (2 Co 4:4;Rev 12:9)

Doesn't Col. [2v17] say the Mosaic law was just a 'shadow' of things to come ? Shadow or pointing ahead to a future arrangement or superior arrangement?

3. This comes from a misunderstanding of the context of the book of Colossians. Many of the people who had come into the Colossian church had brought their pagan philosophies with them, and they soon began to have an adverse influence on the entire congregation. Paul corrects those who were doing this in Colossians 2:20-23.

Apparently, some of the people had begun thinking that self-imposed asceticism could somehow contribute to their salvation, and had begun turning away from trusting in Christ. They had more faith in their unchristian works. Paul warned them about this in Colossians 2:8:" Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." With the above said, let's examine Col 2:16-17 to extract its true meaning:

Col 2:16-17 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.​
In the KJV version and other versions, the verb "is" is italicized which indicates it was not in the original Greek:

If it was correctly translated, verse 17 should read: "Which are a shadow of things to come but the body of Christ!"

If we read it in context with verse 16, the exegesis becomes very clear. Here's an accurate paraphrase: "Don't let others judge you on what you should eat, drink, and which sabbaths and festivals you should keep, which are a shadow of things to come [The Festivals or Holy Days picture God's plan of salvation] but only allow the body of Christ [church] to judge you on how to observe these things."

A required Sabbath was Not included among the necessary things for Christians at Acts 15 vs28,29;

4. It was not included because the 10 Commandments were not in question. The context tells us circumcision and obedience to the Mosaic law were the issues in dispute! Think a moment. Would any suggest that, because James did not mention the 4th commandment, he was tacitly approving idolatry, killing, adultery, stealing, lying, etc.?

Romans 14v5.
5. At first blush, Romans 14:5-6 seems to say that it makes no difference to God which days we keep holy. Actually, these verses do not concern any days that must be kept holy. This is proved by the context of the entire chapter.

Paul admonishes the saints at Rome to receive the "weak in the faith" and not to sit in judgment of them (verse 1). Some of those recently converted, not yet having grown strong in the faith, refused to eat meat and subsisted mainly on vegetables.

The apostle explains why in another of his letters. Most of the available meat in the city had been offered to idols. Some Gentiles who had been converted and come out of idolatry still held some superstitious beliefs. They thought that idols actually had power over their lives. Therefore, "some, with consciousness of the idols," ate meat "as a thing offered to an idol" (I Corinthians 8:7). Paul assures them that "we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one" (verse 4).

But why does Paul break into his discussion about eating or refraining from eating meat to mention "esteem[ing] a day"?

Not only were some weak converts afraid of eating meat offered to idols, but others customarily abstained from a particular food—they practiced a kind of fast—on certain days, much as devout Catholics abstain from meat on Friday. Others regarded all days alike as far as eating was concerned.

The whole matter involves abstention from foods on particular days. "To eat or not to eat" is the question at hand-- not God's Sabbath!

No where do Scriptures say which day or days of the week the 1st-century Christians met.

6. They always met on the Sabbath--the seventh day:

Acts 13:14-15, 42-44 contains an account of Paul and Barnabas teaching Jews on the Sabbath. Notice in vs 42 how the Gentiles besought that Paul and Barnabas teach them on the next Sabbath. What a perfect opportunity for Paul to inform them that the Sabbath is done away and he could teach them the next day--Sunday. Instead, he made the Gentiles wait until the following sabbath!! (vs 44). Clear proof the sabbath was still in effect.

Next let's examine Acts 16:12-15, an account of Paul and Silas observing the Sabbath in Philippi. Careful reading of the account shows that it was a custom for people to meet on a river bank each Sabbath. Obviously, Paul and those with him kept the Sabbath each week. This required them to find where Sabbath assembly regularly took place locally.

The next account, Acts 18:1-11, is remarkable. It reveals that Paul worked during the week and kept the Sabbath—"every" Sabbath. Eighteen months is equivalent to 78 weekly Sabbaths on which Paul taught God’s Word!

Finally, notice that Acts 17:2 states that Paul, when in Thessalonica, "... as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." This was also a Gentile city.

The pattern is clear. Paul kept the Sabbath, meeting with and teaching brethren everywhere he went therefore setting an example for the congregants. Now consider what he instructed the Gentile Corinthians: “Be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Physical Israel kept it. Christ kept it. Paul kept it. The early New Testament Church (Spiritual Israel) kept it. True Christians observe it today (Matt 24:20) and everyone will observe it in the millenium (Isa 66:23).
 
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