What does it mean to "keep the Sabbath"? (Read question's description)

[gerhard eber]

On 1/12/2018 at 1:57 PM, listener24 said:

Since I'm on this forum I'm reading countless threads about "keeping the Sabbath" (that's quite surprising cause I've never heard about these discussions elsewhere before, didn't know it was such an "hot topic" or relevant one in Christianity).

My question is: what does it mean to "keep the Sabbath"?

What a believer should practically do on Saturday to "keep the Sabbath"?

I've no idea about it because I usually read the Gospel and I don't find any indication on how a believer should concretely "keep the Sabbath", in other words I don't find any description on what's so special that a believer should do on Saturday, and not on Monday or Wednesday, in Jesus' words (let alone Thursday).

Nor I find anything special that Jesus was doing on Saturday, except doing the exact same things He was doing on other days, like Friday, and this way making some Pharisees angry because they didn't want Him to perform the same things He was doing on other days. (Mark 3:2, John 5:16-17, Matthew 12:10, and so on, like: "So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.")

So I sincerely don't know what someone should do to "keep the Sabbath", after reading every single Jesus' word in the Gospel, I don't find even a clue in His words.

You are not the novice you pretend to be. No one on here won't recognise that fact at once.

8 times it's 'I', 'I', 'I' in this short space - unmistakable indication 'I' is thoroughly acquainted with his / her own 'idea' of 'what it means to keep the Sabbath' and that he / she is of the opinion any idea at difference with his / her own, is 'pharisaic'. 

Who would have so little wisdom as to think it worthwhile to enter into discussion with someone who already is so sure of his or her own ideas about the Sabbath in the Scriptures? 

 

[gerhard eber]

On 1/22/2018 at 7:05 PM, Persuaded said:

Perhaps the "foolishness" is reducing the Sabbath rest to a day?

 

[Heb 4:1-11 NKJV] 1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard [it].

3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,' " although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh [day] in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works";

5 and again in this [place]: "They shall not enter My rest."

(The seventh day rest is different that the rest the Christian is implored to into into.)

 

6 Since therefore it remains that some [must] enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,

7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts."

(So neither God's seventh day rest, nor entering the land under Joshua, nor any other past event up and through the time of David, is the rest that is being talked about.)

 

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his [OWN!] works as God [did] from His.

 

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

 

What does it mean to be "in" Christ?

[Jhn 15:4-7 NKJV]

4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 "I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned.

7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

 

If we are to be in Christ, and we are to enter in to that rest that God has planned for us from the very beginning, do you see how those ideas are ... related?? -if not identical???

And that worrying about Saturdays or Sundays is a silly distraction from the real issue?

'perhaps...' is telling of one thing only, your cock-sureness that it is "foolishness" for God to have reduced the Sabbath of His Own Rest in Jesus Christ for the people of God to a day, "4:4 For God (3:13 of Christ the Beginning of our confidence) thus concerning The Seventh Day spake: And God THE DAY the Seventh Day from (of, due to, by, because of, through) all, his, works (through Christ), (in Christ) rested!" 'o Theos tou Christou .. eirehken gar pou peri tehs Hebdomehs houtohs: Kai katepausen ho Theos en TEHI HEHMERAI tehi Hebdomehi apo pantohn tohn ergohn autou.'   

Edited September 8, 2018 by gerhard eber

[Justin Adams]

4 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

I Sabbath every day. I rest in the finished work of the cross all days of the week .If you were God, would you not prefer this to anything else you have seen presented here?

Sorry, but this seems to be an example of a thin veneer of modern churchianity.

Where is the RESPECT due to 'The Creator of heaven and earth and all that is, seen and unseen'?

A Tanach-distortion to fit a lazy world-view that thinks it is smarter than the Lord High God.

[listener24]

10 hours ago, gerhard eber said:

You are not the novice you pretend to be. No one on here won't recognise that fact at once.

8 times it's 'I', 'I', 'I' in this short space - unmistakable indication 'I' is thoroughly acquainted with his / her own 'idea' of 'what it means to keep the Sabbath' and that he / she is of the opinion any idea at difference with his / her own, is 'pharisaic'. 

Who would have so little wisdom as to think it worthwhile to enter into discussion with someone who already is so sure of his or her own ideas about the Sabbath in the Scriptures? 

 

Thanks for correcting the writing style! But using the singular form is not necessarily bad, it sometimes shows that the person speaking is using his/her own head while reading the Scriptures, instead of just following what some favourite leader said, and is ready to challenge his/her belief. Not that of course not using the singular form shows the contrary, but maybe in general is better to discuss the contents themselves more than the writing style, especially before jumping to conclusions.

Actually, I don't have a strong opinion on the topic as I said at the beginning. For instance, it's great for me to dedicate AT LEAST a full day to the Lord and specifically on spending time with His word and taking time to think, or to serve Him in some specially dedicated ways, like worship and community life. This is what some user suggested and I loved their suggestion and made sure to incorporate it in my life. Which day or days? I'm not sure. Was trying to find some hints in Jesus words but found none. Some people may have to work on Saturday to feed their family, but maybe they have Sunday free for worship. Some other Wednesday.

The post was a sincere question on whether there is any hint of indication from Jesus Himself on how to "keep" the Sabbath, because in that period this post was published there were a LOT of posts on this forum with people fighting on whether to "keep" or "not to keep" the Sabbath, but probably some of them was not even sure of what they meant by this. (there was an overwhelming amount of those kind of questions, seemed like the main topic for some weeks here, by far, which shouldn't be the case)

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by listener24

[gerhard eber]

7 hours ago, gerhard eber said:

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by gerhard eber

[gerhard eber]

On 1/12/2018 at 1:57 PM, listener24 said:

What a believer should practically do on Saturday to "keep the Sabbath"?

God help us that believers should do anything '~on Saturday to practically keep the Sabbath~'!

[gerhard eber]

On 1/12/2018 at 1:57 PM, listener24 said:

I've no idea about it because I usually read the Gospel and I don't find any indication on how a believer should concretely "keep the Sabbath", in other words I don't find any description on what's so special that a believer should do on Saturday, and not on Monday or Wednesday, in Jesus' words (let alone Thursday).

'Letting alone' nothing of what Jesus ever said, the fact YOU '~don't find any indication on how a believer should concretely "keep the Sabbath"~', does in no way whatsoever 'indicate' or 'describe', or '~in other words~' even remotely resemble '~Jesus' words~'. Quote here where you '~usually read the Gospel~' support your VAIN allegations!

 

[gerhard eber]

On 1/12/2018 at 1:57 PM, listener24 said:

Nor I find anything special that Jesus was doing on Saturday, except doing the exact same things He was doing on other days, like Friday, and this way making some Pharisees angry because they didn't want Him to perform the same things He was doing on other days. ... I don't find even a clue in His words.

This shows, reflects, PROVES just how YOU '~read the Gospel~', and it's ALL it does besides confirming your falsity that it made the Pharisees '~angry because they didn't want Him to perform the same things He was doing on other days.~' You're not even ludicrous! 

[gerhard eber]

On 1/12/2018 at 2:15 PM, Justin Adams said:

You see it boils down to this: either keep the law and the commandments, or do not. Simple.

Ja, that's the tip of your 'iceberg' which you will reveal, but underneath there is your total disavowal and condemnation of "all the Scriptures concerning the Christ, how He had to SUFFER AND RISE .. according to the SCRIPTURES the third day .. ON THE SABBATH". Not so simple!

[Guest shiloh357]

Jesus is our Sabbath rest.   It is important not to confuse the Sabbath DAY with Jesus who is our Sabbath REST.   If you are resting in Christ, then you have entered into God's eternal Sabbath rest, which is what the Sabbath day was pointing towards.   The Sabbath DAY cannot do anything for me that Jesus has not already done.   All that is needed is to rest in Jesus as our Sabbath rest.