Do People Still Need Weekly Rest?

[marks]

I said "Keep Digging".

Sauce for the goose . . .

 

[marks]

I said "Keep Digging".

Oh, and I had editted my post, perhaps you hadn't see that . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Show me. It doesn't have to come out and say it, I know it doesn't. But make your best case!

I'll show you exactly where it says that our sabbath is to rest from our works by . . . well, you know. In Hebrews. I'm certain you already know what God explicitly says.

So show me where you think you see something that contradicts that.

And being as the Sabbath was covenantal between God and Israel, what is the associated covenant between gentile believers and God concerning the "Christian Sabbath"?

And since when is asking for a clear teaching "blah blah blah"?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Furthermore the Lord's Day -- the first day of the week (the eighth day) -- also known as the Christian Sabbath, is based on the same principles as the 7th day Sabbath: (1) rest, (2) worship, (3) good works.

On the 7th day, Rest, Worship, and Do Good Works. On the other 6 days . . .

 

[MattMooradian]

"Every day is the Sabbath". We must enter God's rest. That is, we must realize that the "Kingdom of God is within you." We no longer have to toil to earn a living, even the birds of the air are not concerned about tomorrow.

 

[Giuliano]

The sabbath is technically a day of rest after six days of labor. For Jews today it is the 7th day of the week. For Christians it is the first day of the week. The principle remains. God is more concerned about the spiritual principles than unbelieving people holding to a 7th day sabbath while rejecting Christ.

I use the word the way Jesus used it -- the way the Bible used it. You can make up another definition, but don't ask me to buy it. I don't care what day if any people keep, but let's not play word games.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Thank you for participating. ;)

Some Christians are always looking for religious laws to follow, to give them visible evidence of their own righteousness. But the best way to get this is to determine to follow what God *says* to your conscience inside your heart every day.

It's way better than repetitive rules, and it will lead you in *real time* faith. You will avoid the deception of pleasing men by outward appearances, and follow God, instead, in the privacy of your own little prayer closet.

I dare say that all of the external, repetitive rules of the Law were designed to show Man what is good and what is evil. But it did this in such a way as to show Man that his own righteousness, under this system, was insufficient to obtain eternal life.

Therefore, we must follow a law that bypasses the requirements of the Law of Moses, and follow the righteousness to which the Law pointed, namely the righteousness of Christ. This does not require us to follow the external, repetitive requirements of the Law of Moses. Rather, it only requires that we embrace the righteousness of Christ in our heart as the only way to live.

 

[mjrhealth]

The sabbath is technically a day of rest after six days of labor. For Jews today it is the 7th day of the week. For Christians it is the first day of the week. The principle remains. God is more concerned about the spiritual principles than unbelieving people holding to a 7th day sabbath while rejecting Christ.

I think you missed it all, The law is by works not by faith, when we come to Christ, it is by faith not by works, not that hard to understand, so In Christ we are always at rest from our own works, we have none of our own. Any man who keeps any day as the sabbath is keeping the law, and as you know if you keep one you have to keep them all.

 

[marks]

Some Christians are always looking for religious laws to follow, to give them visible evidence of their own righteousness. But the best way to get this is to determine to follow what God *says* to your conscience inside your heart every day.

It's way better than repetitive rules, and it will lead you in *real time* faith. You will avoid the deception of pleasing men by outward appearances, and follow God, instead, in the privacy of your own little prayer closet.

I dare say that all of the external, repetitive rules of the Law were designed to show Man what is good and what is evil. But it did this in such a way as to show Man that his own righteousness, under this system, was insufficient to obtain eternal life.

Therefore, we must follow a law that bypasses the requirements of the Law of Moses, and follow the righteousness to which the Law pointed, namely the righteousness of Christ. This does not require us to follow the external, repetitive requirements of the Law of Moses. Rather, it only requires that we embrace the righteousness of Christ in our heart as the only way to live.

Hi Randy,

I think this is very well stated! The one thing I would add to this is that God's display of good and evil in the law, as it did more to inform us of what good and evil is, it likewise inflamed the flesh to commit greater evil, according to the law of sin and death, instituted in the aquisition of the knowledge of good and evil.

Much love!

 

[CharismaticLady]

Exodus 20
8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But 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: 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Many of us use Bible software or websites that feature commentary by Adam Clarke. It is very popular among scholars. Regarding the necessity of a weekly day of rest, he said:

"The Sabbath was made for man - That he might have the seventh part of his whole time to devote to the purposes of bodily rest and spiritual exercises. And in these respects it is of infinite use to mankind. Where no Sabbath is observed, there disease, poverty, and profligacy, generally prevail. Had we no Sabbath, we should soon have no religion." Adam Clarke - Commentary on Mark 2:27 (Reads like a fulfilled prophecy, no?)

Another great man of God, Dwight L. Moody, had this to say:

"I honestly believe that this commandment is just as binding today as it ever was. I have talked with men who have said that it has been abrogated, but they have never been able to point to any place in the Bible where God repealed it. When Christ was on earth, He did nothing to set it aside; He freed it from the traces under which the scribes and Pharisees had put it, and gave it its true place. "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." It is just as practicable and as necessary for men today as it ever was--in fact, more than ever, because we live in such an intense age. The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word "remember," showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote this law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding? I believe that the sabbath question to-day is a vital one for the whole country. It is the burning question of the present time. If you give up the Sabbath the church goes; if you give up the church the home goes; and if the home goes the nation goes. That is the direction in which we are traveling. The church of God is losing its power on account of so many people giving up the Sabbath, and using it to promote selfishness." Dwight L. Moody - Weighed And Wanting, pp. 43-44

Do people still need weekly rest? Or is the 4th of God's commandments really only a suggestion

The Ten Commandments was the Old Covenant. Exodus 34:28
"28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

Every covenant has a sign of that covenant. Like the sign of the covenant to Noah after the flood was the rainbow, and God promised that He would never destroy the earth with water again. (Next time will be fire!).

Genesis 9:
12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

The covenant God made with Abraham, had circumcision as the sign. Romans 4:11-12
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

The covenant of the Ten Commandments had a sign too. It was the Sabbath, an outward day of rest, with outward restrictions. Exodus 31:13. "12 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

Laws that cannot be written on the heart, are outward duties, like cutting the flesh in circumcision, keeping feasts and Sabbaths, eating only certain foods are all outward "works of the Law." We are not saved by the works of the Law. The moral eternal laws of God based on Love are the only laws that are written on the heart, and go to the core of our new nature.

2 Corinthians 3:6-11
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant, the Ten Commandments, including its sign. The New Covenant has a sign also. 1 Corinthians 11:25 the CUP of the New Covenant. So as we partake of the Lord's Supper and partake of the Cup, we are partaking of the sign of the New Covenant.

The thing about covenants is some are temporary, until a better covenant can be made. Galatians 3:19 What purpose then does the law serve - the Ten Commandments? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made.

As for the sign, when the old covenant ends, so ends the sign.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Hi Randy,

I think this is very well stated! The one thing I would add to this is that God's display of good and evil in the law, as it did more to inform us of what good and evil is, it likewise inflamed the flesh to commit greater evil, according to the law of sin and death, instituted in the aquisition of the knowledge of good and evil.

Much love!

Absolutely true! Thanks. :)

 

[kcnalp]

There are no Sabbath commands in the NT.

 

[Enoch111]

There are no Sabbath commands in the NT.

True. But then they are not necessary either. The commandment is embedded in Scripture. And the principles of the Sabbath are embedded in the Lord's Day.

 

[kcnalp]

True. But then they are not necessary either. The commandment is embedded in Scripture. And the principles of the Sabbath are embedded in the Lord's Day.

Please elaborate. Those in the OT who worked on the Sabbath were executed. We don't have enough body bags.

 

[justbyfaith]

But it did this in such a way as to show Man that his own righteousness, under this system, was insufficient to obtain eternal life.

Indeed; for man's own righteousness is as filthy rags before the Lord.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Indeed; for man's own righteousness is as filthy rags before the Lord.

I'm happy we agree on this brother! :) I know you've long said it, but this is one place where I think it truly applies.

 

[Brakelite]

Moody was not a theologian, but an evangelist. His theology here is bad. Paul did delegitimize Sabbath along with other elements of the Law in the matter of Christian *requirements.*

Col 2.16 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.

On the matter of health, I do not expect that Adam Clarke was an expert--his field was theological. Not being an expert in health, but being more knowledgeable in theology, I would conclude that rest is important, but that having that rest only on Saturdays is *not* necessary for health. ;)

I don't mean this to be demeaning in any way, but I suspect your own theological expertise could be questioned if you believe your scripture quote has anything to do with casting aside a specific commandment of God.

And I would even question Paul's authority to "delegitimize" a commandment.

 

[mjrhealth]

I don't mean this to be demeaning in any way, but I suspect your own theological expertise could be questioned if you believe your scripture quote has anything to do with casting aside a specific commandment of God.

And I would even question Paul's authority to "delegitimize" a commandment.

I suppose that to could be said of that , whats it say,

Act 18:12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Act 18:13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

 

[Brakelite]

Today we are assailled with politics. Politics that is beginning to impact every facet of daily living. The media is drowning us in daily conflict. Riots throughout the United States, cities burning, mobs demanding people cave to their agenda, threatening violence with vile abusive language and demanding everyone give up their rights to be individuals, and join the mob. All the while politics is intruding on the capacity for those responsible for dealing with the situation, lawful authorities like the police, to do their duty. Which leaves ordinary citizens defenseless, or having to defend themselves, which feeds the narrative.
Politics also playing with our fears when it comes to covid. You all know how I feel about that.
And in the back of all what is going on we know the ultimate agenda is occult based spiritualist global Government.
All these things and more, affect our physical, mental, and spiritual well being. It is no wonder so many without Christ see the only solution being suicide. Otherwise people are becoming so fearful their own hearts are being overcome by stress. Our work, or what's left of it, is affected. Our home life. Our churches. The whole of society is being drowned in depression.
These things are occupying our minds, our conversations, our relationships, even our work, constantly and relentlessly. So in answer to the question, do we need a Sabbath?
Do we need a day that is set aside for contemplating a sovereign loving God Who can overcome all these negative influences?
Do we need a day to focus on the positive things if faith and light rather than the darkness?
Do we need a day to revitalize our spiritual lives with scripture, thoughts on the character of our Savior, and going about doing good for others who otherwise may be overcome by fear?
God seemed to think so. And He knew we'd forget to take advantage of a day He deliberately set aside for that very purpose, which is why He said remember.

 

[Brakelite]

I suppose that to could be said of that , whats it say,

Act 18:12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Act 18:13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.

Mmm. So there's a way to worship God in accordance and harmony with the law?

 

[mjrhealth]

Mmm. So there's a way to worship God in accordance and harmony with the law?

Ye faith, you know that bit

Mar 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. As for teh law, you still think obedience to the law is going to earn you browny points just makes a mockery of Christ and Grace. But men will do as men do.