Sabbath

[Guest LadyC]

and again, then, josh, it begs the question, what is your (or anyone's) perception of keeping the sabbath? i posted several examples in a previous post. if it's according to the biblical interpretation of what keeping the sabbath meant, that means keeping it complete with all the dos and don'ts.

if it's the spirit of the sabbath, i.e. the praise and worship and communion with God and/or fellowship with other believers, most of us do that. i certainly do, and i certainly don't limit it to one single day in a week. but i don't call it "sabbath". as for keeping that day holy, we should be keeping EVERY day holy, no matter what we are doing, doing all to honour God. if we're not keeping every day holy, it doesn't matter how diligent we are in setting aside one day for rest, rejuvenation, and fellowship with God and others. because if we aren't keeping the other six days holy, then the sabbath is a useless hypocrisy, right?

as for the law of the sabbath, we are not under any biblical obligation, and never were. only the israelites were. God makes it very clear that the sabbath was created for man, not for God, and makes it equally clear that the laws of the sabbath were limited only to the israelites.

but from what i'm understanding of your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, your idea of it has nothing to do with the laws, has nothing to do with a specific day, can be observed on any day of the week even if it's not the same day, and essentially boils down to a day not working but spending with God. am i understanding you correctly?

because if i am, then the whole discussion is really just symantics, and debating whether one does or doesn't is wholly unedifying to the body of Christ because it stirs up division and brings down condemnation.

if i'm not understanding your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, please correct me so that i'm not muddled and confused.

[Joshua-777]

and again, then, josh, it begs the question, what is your (or anyone's) perception of keeping the sabbath? i posted several examples in a previous post. if it's according to the biblical interpretation of what keeping the sabbath meant, that means keeping it complete with all the dos and don'ts.

if it's the spirit of the sabbath, i.e. the praise and worship and communion with God and/or fellowship with other believers, most of us do that. i certainly do, and i certainly don't limit it to one single day in a week. but i don't call it "sabbath". as for keeping that day holy, we should be keeping EVERY day holy, no matter what we are doing, doing all to honour God. if we're not keeping every day holy, it doesn't matter how diligent we are in setting aside one day for rest, rejuvenation, and fellowship with God and others. because if we aren't keeping the other six days holy, then the sabbath is a useless hypocrisy, right?

as for the law of the sabbath, we are not under any biblical obligation, and never were. only the israelites were. God makes it very clear that the sabbath was created for man, not for God, and makes it equally clear that the laws of the sabbath were limited only to the israelites.

but from what i'm understanding of your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, your idea of it has nothing to do with the laws, has nothing to do with a specific day, can be observed on any day of the week even if it's not the same day, and essentially boils down to a day not working but spending with God. am i understanding you correctly?

because if i am, then the whole discussion is really just symantics, and debating whether one does or doesn't is wholly unedifying to the body of Christ because it stirs up division and brings down condemnation.

if i'm not understanding your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, please correct me so that i'm not muddled and confused.

My perception of the Sabbath, I put aside the whole entire day for the Lord, I try not to do any work. I observe it to our Messiah, that makes me no better, and not more righteous I do not try to keep the Sabbath Holy in legalism, but I honor it unto the Lord. It's His day He made sacred before we fell in sin and before the law, And by sabbath I mean the 7th day of the week so it does have to do with a specific day, the day God rested from His works. Not just any day. The reason why is because it is the First thing in the bible God blessed and sanctified, and also holds deeper meaning. We should honor every day unto the Lord, and we should always be in prayer, praise, and worship. The 7th day though I believe is Holy.

God said it was Holy, He sanctified the seventh day, The question we have to ask is is that day still Holy to God? And if not, what scriptural evidence is there that it is no longer holy?

[Guest LadyC]

thanks for the clarification. i guess i thought you meant any day because you said you try to observe it on friday night but sometimes you have to work, but you always have saturday off. that's what was unclear to me.

i do believe that it is Holy to God, because the sabbath (on earth) is a shadow of Heaven itself (i forget where exactly that is, but the bible does refer to it as a shadow). but i also believe the entire bible to be the inspired word of God, and His word states that gentiles were not ever expected to keep the sabbath. i provided some of the scripture for that. there is, however, more scripture about that than i posted. it was something that was brought up time and time again when paul was instructing the gentile believers. so why wouldn't we gentiles be expected to keep the day Holy? well, i can only surmise that it is because God wants us to keep the spirit of the law, which observes Christ Himself as Holy, not a particular day. i really don't know, that's just my best guess. a good guess, but still just a guess.

in any case, i'm not really concerned about it. i do have days of "rest" from work... more often than not, really, since i only work part time and i do dedicate a significant portion of every day in prayer/worship/study... and i'm not just giving lip service to that, either. i pray throughout the day, every day. and on most sundays, i attend church where i fellowship/study/worship/pray with others. so while people like me, and fez, and some of the others who have contributed to this thread may not set aside a time from sundown on friday til sundown on saturday to spend the entire 24 hours focused only on God (and that seems like it would be rather difficult for anyone to do, shutting the rest of the world out for 24 hours a week), but in spirit, we are keeping the sabbath just as much.

actually, i shouldn't say "we", because i really shouldn't speak for fez and others. i'm not living their life so i really don't know. but i do know that as for myself, i keep the spirit of the sabbath, even if i don't observe "THE" sabbath. and i have no convictions to the contrary. i do believe though, that if you were to cease observing the sabbath as you do, that YOU would be convicted about it. so to cease observing it as you do would be sinful on your part. but it's just as important for me to understand that, as it is that you (and others) understand that those of us who are not convicted about not observing it are also not sinning.

[other one]

and again, then, josh, it begs the question, what is your (or anyone's) perception of keeping the sabbath? i posted several examples in a previous post. if it's according to the biblical interpretation of what keeping the sabbath meant, that means keeping it complete with all the dos and don'ts.

if it's the spirit of the sabbath, i.e. the praise and worship and communion with God and/or fellowship with other believers, most of us do that. i certainly do, and i certainly don't limit it to one single day in a week. but i don't call it "sabbath". as for keeping that day holy, we should be keeping EVERY day holy, no matter what we are doing, doing all to honour God. if we're not keeping every day holy, it doesn't matter how diligent we are in setting aside one day for rest, rejuvenation, and fellowship with God and others. because if we aren't keeping the other six days holy, then the sabbath is a useless hypocrisy, right?

as for the law of the sabbath, we are not under any biblical obligation, and never were. only the israelites were. God makes it very clear that the sabbath was created for man, not for God, and makes it equally clear that the laws of the sabbath were limited only to the israelites.

but from what i'm understanding of your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, your idea of it has nothing to do with the laws, has nothing to do with a specific day, can be observed on any day of the week even if it's not the same day, and essentially boils down to a day not working but spending with God. am i understanding you correctly?

because if i am, then the whole discussion is really just symantics, and debating whether one does or doesn't is wholly unedifying to the body of Christ because it stirs up division and brings down condemnation.

if i'm not understanding your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, please correct me so that i'm not muddled and confused.

My perception of the Sabbath, I put aside the whole entire day for the Lord, I try not to do any work. I observe it to our Messiah, that makes me no better, and not more righteous I do not try to keep the Sabbath Holy in legalism, but I honor it unto the Lord. It's His day He made sacred before we fell in sin and before the law, And by sabbath I mean the 7th day of the week so it does have to do with a specific day, the day God rested from His works. Not just any day. The reason why is because it is the First thing in the bible God blessed and sanctified, and also holds deeper meaning. We should honor every day unto the Lord, and we should always be in prayer, praise, and worship. The 7th day though I believe is Holy.

God said it was Holy, He sanctified the seventh day, The question we have to ask is is that day still Holy to God? And if not, what scriptural evidence is there that it is no longer holy?

My question is, "Are you saying that I should be doing the same?"

I see nothing wrong in itself with you keeping a special day. But personally every day is a special day to me...... and has been since I opened myself up to the Lord. Every single day he is with me in whatever I do.

[BlindSeeker]

So no one has an answer?

[JCISGD]

IMO alot of nice sentiment abounding but heres the facts imo.

Sabbath means a seventh part.

Keeping the sabbath means no unecessary work one day out of every seven. Light gardening or other recreational activities are not work if therapedic.

Jesus is the Lord of the sabbath. He can change the day but He cannot remove its necessity while we have these bodies and the need for preaching and fellowship.

The sabbath was kept before Moses, it was given in genesis as a reminder to all men of Jesus` work of creation. Jn 1:3

The Lords day is the First day after the seventh, known as sunday to most. Acts 20:7 It is the day christians gather to glorify Christ and His work of redemption.

This world will cease to exist and fade into a distant memory, but our gratitude for redemption purchased by Christs blood will never cease.

I believe one reason revival tarries is because christians have joined the world in 7 day selling and buying, just as it was when Jesus made a whip to scourge the temple of mammon.

[other one]

Who kept a sabbath before moses besides God, and he only on that one day. I have not read that anywhere in the Bible that I can remember.

Actually Jesus said that the Father had been working and he (Jesus) was working during the time he was here.,

[UncleAbee]

Was the sabbath given to Christians or is the sabbath binding on Christians?

The Sabbath was first established for God only (Gen 2:3). It was never commanded to Adam, Eve, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. It was first given as a commandment to the Israelites through Moses (Exodus 16:29-30). It was later reiterated in the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:10). Who were the 10 commandments law given to? It was given only to Moses and the Israelites. Exodus 34:27-28 says - Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. What does this mean? This means that for Gentiles the law of the 10 C's never applied to them. ACtually the entire OT is not for Gentiles to use to create laws. The OT is a covenant between God and the Israelites. Gentiles were not included until Christ went to the cross. Eph 2:12-13 says - 12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.. The OT law was never for Gentiles. The 10 C's were never for Gentiles. The OT is not for Gentiles. This does not mean that we can't better understand God's nature through reading how He dealt with Israel. It does mean we are not to make laws for spiritual practice from the OT. The OT law in any aspect was never applicable to Gentiles.

After the coming of Christ Israel was released from the OT law (Galatians 3:21-29). The law became a tutor. Christ released them from the tutor. The tutor is no longer needed.

What is important today? What is important is Christ. Observing days or times are not important. Physical locations are not important. What is important is what did Christ ask you to do? This is what we need to uncover.

Here I'm not trying to debate the sabbath issue, but the law in general and the relevance of the Old testament, and the commandments. I also am in no way trying to appear legalistic, We are saved only by the blood of Jesus.

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

I agree with you what is important is Christ, He is the Messiah, but if we did not have a law, we would not need a Savior. The Law reveals what sin is. As what Paul says.

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said,

[mizzdy]

Act 1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away

Long journeys were prohibited by the law on the Sabbath, Exodus 16:29.

Exo 16:29 See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day."

This was 2,000 paces or cubits, or seven furlongs and a half - not quite one mile.

So if you observe the Sabbath, do you not take more than 2,000 paces as well?

Fez, where do you get a length of space or 2,000 paces from this? The reference to the two days of bread comes right out of the exodus when God gave them two days worth of mana on Friday. The whole 'you cannot walk this far' and such come from rabbinical Judaism. The Sabbath is a day of rest that God gave to His children for all generations. I am also one who keeps the Sabbath and no I don't normally take a walk, but you know I can when I want, I can get in the car and go to the store if I really need to, I don't pay bills, do business unless its an emercency, I can use the phone and the internet, all those things, to make it a legalistic kinda day is not what God intended but a day of rest from work, a day to be with family etc. but thats me and this is what God has lead me to do.

Can you tell me what the scripture then alludes to as a Sabbath day's journey?

To walk as far as you can on the day? But then it would be like any other day? The scripture serves to separate a normal day from the Sabbath.

So what is a Sabbath days journey mentioned in Acts 1:12?

Sorry its take me so long to respond one of my brother in laws showed up a week ago for a visit and is still here.

First God says to keep the day, not to work on it all who are within your gates, thats what Gods says. Acts is linked with Ex. 16:29 which shows people were still going out to gather food even though God was providing for them which to me shows they were not relying on God but their own minds and own strengths. The measuring comes from, I think, the measuring between the cities for the Levites which may be the Sabbaths day journey.

[Joshua-777]

and again, then, josh, it begs the question, what is your (or anyone's) perception of keeping the sabbath? i posted several examples in a previous post. if it's according to the biblical interpretation of what keeping the sabbath meant, that means keeping it complete with all the dos and don'ts.

if it's the spirit of the sabbath, i.e. the praise and worship and communion with God and/or fellowship with other believers, most of us do that. i certainly do, and i certainly don't limit it to one single day in a week. but i don't call it "sabbath". as for keeping that day holy, we should be keeping EVERY day holy, no matter what we are doing, doing all to honour God. if we're not keeping every day holy, it doesn't matter how diligent we are in setting aside one day for rest, rejuvenation, and fellowship with God and others. because if we aren't keeping the other six days holy, then the sabbath is a useless hypocrisy, right?

as for the law of the sabbath, we are not under any biblical obligation, and never were. only the israelites were. God makes it very clear that the sabbath was created for man, not for God, and makes it equally clear that the laws of the sabbath were limited only to the israelites.

but from what i'm understanding of your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, your idea of it has nothing to do with the laws, has nothing to do with a specific day, can be observed on any day of the week even if it's not the same day, and essentially boils down to a day not working but spending with God. am i understanding you correctly?

because if i am, then the whole discussion is really just symantics, and debating whether one does or doesn't is wholly unedifying to the body of Christ because it stirs up division and brings down condemnation.

if i'm not understanding your interpretation of keeping the sabbath, please correct me so that i'm not muddled and confused.

My perception of the Sabbath, I put aside the whole entire day for the Lord, I try not to do any work. I observe it to our Messiah, that makes me no better, and not more righteous I do not try to keep the Sabbath Holy in legalism, but I honor it unto the Lord. It's His day He made sacred before we fell in sin and before the law, And by sabbath I mean the 7th day of the week so it does have to do with a specific day, the day God rested from His works. Not just any day. The reason why is because it is the First thing in the bible God blessed and sanctified, and also holds deeper meaning. We should honor every day unto the Lord, and we should always be in prayer, praise, and worship. The 7th day though I believe is Holy.

God said it was Holy, He sanctified the seventh day, The question we have to ask is is that day still Holy to God? And if not, what scriptural evidence is there that it is no longer holy?

My question is, "Are you saying that I should be doing the same?"

I see nothing wrong in itself with you keeping a special day. But personally every day is a special day to me...... and has been since I opened myself up to the Lord. Every single day he is with me in whatever I do.

Every day should be His, We belong to Christ, and every day we should strive with all our strength to serve Him.

I am saying that the Sabbath day is Holy to God, and it is still sanctified. As I said earlier, live by your convictions. I am not trying to defend the 7th day sabbath to make everyone follow it, I am defending it because I wholeheartedly believe that it is still sanctified under God, and I believe that it much a much deeper meaning.

Now I'll ask this question again,.

Is that day still Holy to God? And if not, what scriptural evidence is there that it is no longer holy?