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Subject: Sunday Worship & the Sabbath
Replies: 32 Views: 1301
n1ck 15.06.09 - 02:52pm
Does the Bible allow Christians to worship on Sunday? Let's evaluate the claims of the Seventh-Day Adventists, who say that we should ONLY be worshipping on Sa ays. *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 02:54pm
In the Old Testament, God stated:
Exodus 20:8-10
8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 02:55pm
It was the custom of the Jews to come together on the Sabbath, which is Sa ay, cease work, and worship God. Jesus went to the synagogue on Sa ay to teach (Matt. 12:9; John 18:20) as did the apostle Paul (Acts 17:2; 18:4). *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 02:55pm
So, if in the Old Testament we are commanded to keep the Sabbath and in the New Testament we see Jews, Jesus, and the apostles doing the same thing, then why do we worship on Sunday? *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 02:57pm
First of all, of the 10 commandments listed in Exodus 20:1-17, only 9 of them were restated in the New Testament. (Six in Matt. 19:18, murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, honor parents, and worshiping God; Rom. 13:9, coveting. Worshiping God properly covers the first three commandments) The one that was not reaffirmed was the one about the Sabbath. Instead, Jesus said that He is the Lord of the Sabbath:
Matthew 12:8
8. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 02:59pm
In creation, God rested on the seventh day. But, since God is all powerful, He doesnt get tired. He doesnt need to take a break and rest. So, why does it say that He rested? The reason is simple and can be seen in Mark 2:27:
27. And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
In other words, God established the Sabbath as a rest for His people, not because He needed a break, but because we are mortal and need a time of rest, of focus on God. In this, our spirits and bodies are both renewed. *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 03:01pm
The OT system of Law required keeping the Sabbath as part of the overall moral, legal, and sacrificial system by which the Jewish people satisfied Gods requirements for behavior, government, and forgiveness of sins. The Sabbath was part of the Law in that sense. *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 03:01pm
In order to ''remain'' in favor with God, you had to also keep the Sabbath. If it was not kept, then the person was in sin and would often be punished (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:23; Deut. 13:1-9; Num. 35:31; Lev. 20:2, etc.). *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 03:04pm
But with Jesus atonement, we no longer are required to keep the Law as a means for our justification. The requirements of the Law were fulfilled in Christ. We now have rest from the Law. We now have ''Sabbath'' continually. See Hebrews 4:3-5:
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.
5. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 03:06pm
Are we free to worship on Sunday? *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 03:06pm
Within the New Testament is ample evidence that the seventh day Sabbath is no longer a requirement. *
n1ck 15.06.09 - 03:08pm
Romans 14:5-6
5. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:30am
The entire section of Romans 14:1-12 is worth careful study. The instructions here are that individuals must be convinced in their own minds about which day they observe for the Lord. If the seventh day Sabbath were a requirement, then the choice would not be mans, but Gods. To me, this verse is sufficient to answer the question beyond doubt. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:35am
Furthermore:
Colossians 2:16-17
16. 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:
17. Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:36am
Notice the time sequence mentioned in Colossians 2:16-17 above. A festival is yearly. A new moon is monthly. A Sabbath is weekly. No one is to judge in regard to this. The Sabbath is defined as a shadow, the reality is Jesus. Jesus is our Sabbath. So, if someone is judging you because you worship on the Sabbath, they are wrong. Likewise, if you regard Sunday above Sa ay (Rom. 14:5-6), all you need to do is be convinced in your own mind that that is alright. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:37am
Is there any evidence in the NT that Christians met on Sunday? *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:39am
Acts 20:7
7. 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. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:40am
The first day of the week is Sunday and this is the day the people gathered. This passage can easily be seen as the church meeting on Sunday, though it does not necessitate it. It has two important church functions within it: breaking bread (communion) and a message (preaching/teaching). *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:41am
Additionally, Luke included the Roman system as well as the Jewish system of counting days. The Jewish system was sundown to sundown. But Luke also used the Roman system: midnight to midnight (Luke 11:5; Acts 16:25; 20:7; 27:27). This is a subtle point that shows the Jewish Sabbath system was not exclusively used by Luke. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:41am
If the Sabbath was mandatory, why the use of the non-Jewish system? *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:45am
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
1. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:46am
Notice here that Paul is directing the churches to meet on the first day of each week and put money aside. It would seem that this is tithing. So, the instructed time for the church to meet is Sunday, the first day of the week and it is that day the Galatians were to set money aside collections. Is this an official worship day set up by the church? You decide. Does this verse apply to Christians today? It most certainly does. *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:49am
I hope this is evidence enough to show you that the Bible does not require that we worship on Sa ay. If anything, we have the freedom (Romans 14:1-12) to worship on the day that we believe we should. And, no one should judge us in regard to the day we keep. We are free in Christ and not under law, (Romans 6:14). *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 08:54am
Conclusion: *
n1ck 17.06.09 - 09:04am
The Seventh Day Adventists have every right to worship on the Sabbath and they should if they are convinced that is the right thing to do. However, if any member of any church were to require a person to worship on the Sabbath as a sign of ''true'' Christianity or ''true'' redemption, then that is wrong. According to Rom. 14:1-12, we are free. *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 12:43pm
One more thing: *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 12:44pm
If Seventh Day Adventists want to enforce that Sabbath law of the 10 commandments, then theey must enforce the whole law, not just what suits them. That includes the punishments. *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 12:45pm
The truth is that the ADVENTISTS do not keep the SABBATH laws according to the Bible anymore than anyone else. *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 12:46pm
Look at Jeremiah 17:21, with the command of Do no work: and they are to stay in one place. (Nehemiah.10:31; 13:15-22; 28:9-1; Exodus 16:29). *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 12:52pm
So do 7th Day Adventists leave the car and stay home on Sa ays? If traveling, no long walks either, and carry no loads. Jeremiah 17:21-22 - no gardening on Sa ays. Exodus 35:2 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. Do 7th Day Adventists or their congregations work for 6 days? Or 5? If 5 like everyone else then they are breaking the law. This is included in the command. *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 12:55pm
And remember to violate it means death. You cant separate the punishment from the breaking of the law, they go together. When have you last seen someone stoned for breaking the Sabbath by a Seventh Day Adventist? *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 01:01pm
So be honest, keeping the Sabbath the wrong way equals not keeping the Sabbath at all. Let's be honest imperfect law keeping is not law keeping at all. But over and over again I hear from Adventists at least we try to keep the Sabbath. According to God that is not good enough. Since when does God say good intentions count in keeping the law! Its falling short no matter if one has good intentions or not. So be honest, 7th Day Adventists, you don't keep the Sabbath in a Biblical manner. *
n1ck 20.06.09 - 01:02pm
In conclusion, don't let anybody judge you because you don't keep the Sa ay Sabbath, and don't judge anybody who worships God on Sundays. *
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