Originally posted by BobRyan:
As has already been stated - repeatedly regarding the 10 commandments in the NT - and specifically the Sabbath commanded for NT saints..
There REMAINS therefore a Sabbath Rest for the People of God Hebrews 4:9
Rightly divide the Word of truth. The rest that the author of Hebrews is speaking of is Jesus Christ Himself. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." "Enter into my rest." Christ is our Sabbath. He is our Rest. It is not talking of a day; rather a person: the Lord Jesus Christ--He is the only one that can give you rest. That is the point that the author of Hebrews was making.
So Speak and Act as those who are to be Judged by the Law of Liberty" James 2:12
And what has the "law of liberty" got to do with the Sabbath day? James never mentioned the Sabbath day at all did he?
Rom.8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Verse two speaks of a law of liberty--law of the Spirit of life. That law has made me free from the law of sin and death. What law? The law of sin and death, explained in verse three: "what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh." What law was that? It was the Mosaic law. It was keeping the Sabbath, and other laws specifically directed to the Jews. The law could not save; so God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.
Rom.8:4 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." The righteousness of the is fulfilled. I do not have to keep that law any longer. The Sabbath no longer applies.
And As Christ said - "The Sabbath was MADE for MANKIND" Mark 2:27
Yes, it was made for man. First, He was speaking pre-cross to the Pharisees. Second, the point that He was making was that the Sabbath was
for man, i.e., for man's benefit, not for man to be a slave to. The Pharisees had put even more restrictions on the Sabbath than there were in the Old Testament Law. The Jews had become slaves of the Sabbath. Jesus said this was wrong. The Sabbath was made FOR man, not the other way around. You still have it "the other way around." You want to make man a slave to the Sabbath Day, which even then Christ said was unnecessary.
Scripture declares "From Sabbath to Sabbath shall ALL MANKIND come before me to Worship" Isaiah 66:23
Again, rightly divide the Word of Truth. What does the chapter talk about? What is its context. When will this occur. It is not speaking of the present time is it? The verb "shall" is future. It is speaking of a future event, when Christ shall come and set up his Millennial Kingdom on earth. The Jews as a nation will be saved. Christ will rule with a rod of iron. And yes the Sabbath at that time will be reinstituted. That has nothing to do with the here and now. Read through the whole chapter. Are the other events mentioned concerning the lion, the lamb, and the adders, taking place today?
Christ Himself delcares to the saints "IF you love Me KEEP My Commandments" John 14:14.
What commandments was He speaking of? The Ten Commandments? I hardly think so!
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
His commandments centered around love, not the law.
The idea that this NT statement of Christ, before the Cross did not include His own 4th commandment memorial of Creation regarding the day that He made Holy in GEn 2:3 - can not be sustained in the light of scripture.
More accurately keeping the fourth commandment by New Testament beleivers cannot be sustained by Scripture.
Of course some will object saying that most of these are merely the words of Christ - God the Son. I readily admit that I am relying upon His NT word and in fact ALL of scripture for this point.
You are not relying on a proper harmonization of Scripture passages. There is a good amount of Scripture concerning the Sabbath that you conveniently choose to ignore, especially when Paul (in Col.2:16,17) refers to the Sabbath as simply a shadow of things to come. It is only a shadow, an image, and not the real thing. The real thing is explained in Hebrews 4. Jesus is our Sabbath. The Sabbath Day itself was just a shadow, an image of that which was to come. We are to enter into His rest, for the Sabbath Day could never give the Perfect peace (rest) that Jesus alone gives.
DHK
[ December 14, 2002, 02:23 AM: Message edited by: DHK ]