The Christian Sabbath
- The Question: Are all the commandments regarding the Sabbath in the Old Testament binding on us?
Arguments for
- Creation ordinance
- 10 Commandments:
- The O.T. Prophets spoke very strongly
- Isa 58:13 If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; 14 then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
- Jesus rose from the dead on the 1st day, making it the start of the New Creation
- Many people through the ages have been blessed by keeping it (and honoured by God)
- It is healthy to rest one day in 7
- The N.T. church met on the Lords Day
Arguments against
- God rested at creation, but no command to keep it till the wilderness
- Abraham didnt keep the Sabbath
- First mention was with giving of mana and was a total surprise
- Ex 31:13 the Sabbath is the sign of the Covenant of Moses
- Must be consistent:
- Evening to evening
- no cooking at all! or even heating
- Didnt have to go to church!
- The main point was rest, which required faith in that society, to rest and see God provide all their needs.
- no 3-part division
- the other 9 are all repeated
- This passage in Rom 14:5f
- Col 2:16
- Heb 3:7f
- Come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden...
- Any command to meet together?
- Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath
- chose to do miracles on the 7th day
- because they pointed to him as the fulfillment, the one who brought freedom
- A greater than David is here
Is Sunday special in any way?
- Yes, we remember Jesus victory. But not in any legalistic way