Why We Keep the Lord's Day (part II)
Michael Brown
14 Comments
III. The Sabbath, in its substance, does not belong to the ceremonial law, which was fulfilled and abolished in the Person and Work of Christ.
One reason God commanded Israel to keep the Sabbath was that Israel, like Adam, was made after God’s image. Israel was to be holy, even as God is holy. Like Adam, Israel was placed in a covenant in which obedience would bring rest (Lev 26; Deut 28); not the final eschatological rest of heaven, but an earthly rest in the land, ordained by God to be a type and shadow of the ultimate rest. Just as God gave the Sabbath sign to Adam in the Garden, he also renewed the Sabbath sign with Israel. Israel’s weekly Sabbath was just like Adam's: it came at the end of the week, after the preceding six days of work. Like Adam, Israel was to work first, then rest once that work was finished. Israel's Sabbath was a sign of the covenant into which God placed them (Ex 31:13, 16-17; Ez 20:12, 20).
But wasn't the Fourth Commandment part of the ceremonial law which has since been satisfied in Christ and passed away? Yes and no. Yes, the Fourth Commandment was part of the treaty document and whole Mosaic system which constituted Israel a nation in covenant with God and has been abolished by the finished work of Christ. But no, the Fourth Commandment has not passed away entirely.
While it is certainly true that as Christians we are not to keep the ceremonial law, we must not view the Fourth Commandment as part of the ceremonial law. The Ten Commandments, as given to Israel on Mt. Sinai, were indeed part of Israel's treaty with God as a nation. They were typological, serving a particular purpose in a particular place in redemptive history. For example, the Fifth Commandment says, “Honor your father and mother that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Ex 20.12) The land spoken of here was, of course, Canaan. This part of the commandment was typological in the sense that the land of Canaan was temporary for the nation Israel and meant to point to something greater, namely, the new heavens and new earth (cf. Heb 11.13-16).
But the New Testament reveals that with the coming of Christ and inauguration of the New Covenant, the Fifth Commandment did not pass away entirely. Quite the contrary! Just look at what Paul says in Ephesians 6.1-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father in mother…that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’” The apostle Paul quotes the Fifth Commandment and applies it to New Covenant, Gentile believers.
Why would Paul do that? He obviously knew that these Gentile believers were not under the Sinaitic covenant. Why would he bother quoting part of the Decalogue then? Because while the Decalogue was an organic part of the Sinaitic covenant, it nevertheless had in its substance something that transcends the Sinaitic covenant, namely, an expression of the moral will of God.
Notice how the apostle modified the language of the Fifth Commandment in Eph 6 by dropping off the last part of the promise in order for it to fit the New Covenant arrangement of God’s people. No longer are God’s people looking to Canaan, “the land that the LORD your God is giving you,” rather, they live in “the land” (that is, places all around the world) and look forward to the heavenly Canaan that will come at the return of Christ. All of this is simply to say that the substance of the Ten Commandments remains for the Christian today. That is why we find them repeated in the New Testament and applied to New Covenant believers.
We should take note that our Lord Jesus did not abrogate the Sabbath when he walked this earth. Rather, he cleansed it from the traditions of the Pharisees and, through his resurrection, brought the Sabbath to its ultimate New Covenant expression. He did not tell the Pharisees that the Sabbath was about to pass away entirely; instead he reminded them that, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:23-28).
Nor did the apostle Paul abrogate the Sabbath. He simply warned New Covenant Christians against an Old Covenant method of keeping it as well as other Jewish feast days, and binding the consciences of others (Col 2.16-17; Gal. 4:9-10; Rom. 14:5-6).
IV. The Lord's Day, which the church has observed in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week, is the Christian Sabbath.
When Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, the six-and-one weekly rhythm given in creation remained, but the day recognized as the Sabbath changed. As Horton has pointed out, it “represents the birthday of the new creation.” Christ’s resurrection is the glorious announcement of the coming resurrection on the last day (Rom 8.18-25; 1 Cor 15). This was sufficient to move the Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week.
It is no surprise, therefore, that we find the early church meeting for worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10). As those living on this side of the cross and resurrection, we cannot observe Saturday as the Sabbath. To do so would be a return to the ceremonial law and, implicitly, a denial of the resurrection of our Lord.
More to come...
Reader Comments (14)
Good post!
Quote: “But wasn't the Fourth Commandment part of the ceremonial law which has since been satisfied in Christ and passed away? Yes and no. Yes, the Fourth Commandment was part of the treaty document and whole Mosaic system which constituted Israel a nation in covenant with God and has been abolished by the finished work of Christ.”
There are TWO laws in the OT: The 10 Commandments, which define sin (1 John 3.4), “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3.20) is totally different from the Ceremonial laws which were added because of sin (Gal 3.19). The 10 Commandments are COMPLETE by themselves (because right after speaking the Decalogue to Israel, God “ADDED NO MORE” – Deut 5.22!). It is SEPARATE from the Ceremonial laws, which “was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made” – Gal 3.19 and of course when the “seed, which is Christ” – Gal 3.16 came, the ceremonial law, with its sabbaths were nailed to the cross (Col 2.14-17). However, the 10 Commandments are ETERNAL (“all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. – Ps 111.7-8) AND Jesus Himself SAID “Think NOT that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle SHALL IN NO WISE pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Mt 5.17-18).
Quote: “But wasn't the Fourth Commandment part of the ceremonial law which has since been satisfied in Christ and passed away? Yes and no. Yes, the Fourth Commandment was part of the treaty document and whole Mosaic system which constituted Israel a nation in covenant with God and has been abolished by the finished work of Christ.”
There are TWO laws in the OT: The 10 Commandments, which define sin (1 John 3.4), “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3.20) is totally different from the Ceremonial laws which were added because of sin (Gal 3.19). The 10 Commandments are COMPLETE by themselves (because right after speaking the Decalogue to Israel, God “ADDED NO MORE” – Deut 5.22!). It is SEPARATE from the Ceremonial laws, which “was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made” – Gal 3.19 and of course when the “seed, which is Christ” – Gal 3.16 came, the ceremonial law, with its sabbaths were nailed to the cross (Col 2.14-17). However, the 10 Commandments are ETERNAL (“all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. – Ps 111.7-8) AND Jesus Himself SAID “Think NOT that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle SHALL IN NO WISE pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Mt 5.17-18).
Quote: “But wasn't the Fourth Commandment part of the ceremonial law which has since been satisfied in Christ and passed away? Yes and no. Yes, the Fourth Commandment was part of the treaty document and whole Mosaic system which constituted Israel a nation in covenant with God and has been abolished by the finished work of Christ.”
There are TWO laws in the OT: The 10 Commandments, which define sin (1 John 3.4), “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3.20) is totally different from the Ceremonial laws which were added because of sin (Gal 3.19). The 10 Commandments are COMPLETE by themselves (because right after speaking the Decalogue to Israel, God “ADDED NO MORE” – Deut 5.22!). It is SEPARATE from the Ceremonial laws, which “was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made” – Gal 3.19 and of course when the “seed, which is Christ” – Gal 3.16 came, the ceremonial law, with its sabbaths were nailed to the cross (Col 2.14-17). However, the 10 Commandments are ETERNAL (“all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. – Ps 111.7-8) AND Jesus Himself SAID “Think NOT that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle SHALL IN NO WISE pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Mt 5.17-18).
Quote: “But no, the Fourth Commandment has not passed away entirely.”
The 4th Commandment has never passed away. As verily as God himself “CHANGE NOT” (Mal 3.6), neither does His Law, which is the very foundation of His throne (“righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne” – Ps 92.7 and “all thy commandments are righteousness.” - Ps 119.172). A very overlooked FACT is that the Sabbath was here before sin (Gen 2.3), was here after sin (Ex 20.8-11), was kept by Christ (Lk 4.16), is here after Christ (Heb 4.9), and will be kept for eternity (Is 66.23)!!
Fact is when Jesus came, He did what was prophecied in Isaiah 42.21 – “he will MAGNIFY the law, and make it HONOURABLE.” Whereas before, His people were striving to keep the letter of the law, the law is now written within us and we keep the very SPIRIT of the law through Jesus Christ! For example, before, committing adultery was breaking commandment # 7, now the very thought of even lusting is adultery! Same thing with murder… fact is, hating is equal to murdering. James writes in 2.10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Clearly the Law of God has been magnified and made honourable!
God’s Law has always existed! Think about this one… if no one stole, if no one coveted, if no one bowed to idols……. If everyone kept all of the 10 Commandments, it would be HEAVEN! Satan hates the Law because it points out sin and it POINTS TO OUR NEED OF A SAVIOUR!!!! Therefore Satan has always attacked God’s Law. Look at Adam and Eve! – They broke the 1st Commandment by putting another god before the Creator God because it is written in Rom 6.16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” In this, they also broke the 5thh Commandment, by dishonoring their Parent. Their sin also involved stealing (the 8th Commandment), in that they took something that was not theirs!! Besides this, Eve lusted for the forbidden fruit. Lusting is coveting, which breaks the 10th Commandment!!!
Point is, Satan has attacked God’s Law so much that many now think it is not valid! Which is why Jesus came to VINDICATE His Law!
Quote: “Nor did the apostle Paul abrogate the Sabbath. He simply warned New Covenant Christians against an Old Covenant method of keeping it as well as other Jewish feast days, and binding the consciences of others (Col 2.16-17; Gal. 4:9-10; Rom. 14:5-6).” The passage from Colossians is speaking about the ceremonial sabbaths from Lev 23. Galatians and Romans were both written to Gentiles who never observed the 7th day Sabbath before conversion. Romans 14 is specifically talking about FAST days (from the context).
Quote: “The Lord's Day, which the church has observed in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week, is the Christian Sabbath.
When Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, the six-and-one weekly rhythm given in creation remained, but the day recognized as the Sabbath changed. As Horton has pointed out, it “represents the birthday of the new creation.” Christ’s resurrection is the glorious announcement of the coming resurrection on the last day (Rom 8.18-25; 1 Cor 15). This was sufficient to move the Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week. “
The Lord’s Day is 1) The 7th day Sabbath (cf Is 58.13 and Mk2.28) – Sunday is never called the Lord’s day in Scripture but just the first day of the week OR 2) The END OF DAYS
Sunday DOES NOT BIBLICALLY commemorate Jesus’ resurrection. Baptism does (Romans 1)!!!
Sorry Romans 6 rather...
Quote: “When Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, the six-and-one weekly rhythm given in creation remained, but the day recognized as the Sabbath changed.”
There is no command anywhere in the entirety of the Scriptures to authorize the change of the Sabbath from the 7th day to the 1st day of the week. Sunday observance in Christian circles is purely a tradition of man with influences from pagan sun worship (on Sunday). Jesus clearly said that many “in vain do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mt 15.9). These “Full well reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mk 7.9) and “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (Mk 7.13). Plain words that cut right to the truth!
And fact is THERE IS NO COMMAND ABOLISHING OR CHANGING THE SABBATH COMMAND!!!
^_^
Look at it this way - who has the authority to change an express commandment of Almighty God? When God has spoken and said, ‘Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day’, who shall dare to say 'no let's keep the first day instead'???
Lamentations 3:37
“Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?”
Furthermore, NO MAN HAS AUTHORITY TO MAKE SOMETHING HOLY OR TO TRANSFER THE HOLINESS FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER!!!!!
Numbers 23:20
“Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.”
NO ONE can change or transfer anything the Almighty makes holy!! It is sheer demonic arrogance to think that man can actually make anything holy! Let along REMOVE holiness from that which the Creator has sanctified.
Quote: “As Horton has pointed out, it “represents the birthday of the new creation.” Christ’s resurrection is the glorious announcement of the coming resurrection on the last day (Rom 8.18-25; 1 Cor 15). This was sufficient to move the Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week.”
Read the entire Bible and it becomes totally clear that this MOVE was done by man, not God. Daniel 7.25 prophecied this very change to be officially declared by Rome – “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and THINK TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS”. This, the beast did in 364AD at the Council of Loaodicea! Quote: “We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." - The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50, 3rd ed.
There is simply no Scriptural backing for this change. Shall we obey man or God? “We ought to obey God rather than man” – Acts 5.29
Quote: “As Horton has pointed out, it “represents the birthday of the new creation.” Christ’s resurrection is the glorious announcement of the coming resurrection on the last day (Rom 8.18-25; 1 Cor 15). This was sufficient to move the Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week.”
Read the entire Bible and it becomes totally clear that this MOVE was done by man, not God. Daniel 7.25 prophecied this very change to be officially declared by Rome – “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and THINK TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS”. This, the beast did in 364AD at the Council of Loaodicea! Quote: “We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." - The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50, 3rd ed.
There is simply no Scriptural backing for this change. Shall we obey man or God? “We ought to obey God rather than man” – Acts 5.29
Quote: “It is no surprise, therefore, that we find the early church meeting for worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10).”
Fact is the early disciples met together and broke bread EVERY SINGLE DAY (Acts 2.46) so an account of a 1st day of the week meeting is no proof of a change in the Sabbath command.
Acts 20.7-8
“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. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.”
This is a religious meeting on the 1st day of the week but the latter part of the verse shows it was night time – “there were many lights.” This was because Paul had continued his Sabbath preaching “until midnight!!!” Realize that Scripture counts days from sunset to sunset (Lev 23.32; Gen 1.5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31), so this was what we would call Saturday night!! It had nothing to do with a Sunday morning worship service!! Paul was a visiting apostle. Such an event was special, and people wanted to hear him preach as long as possible.
ALSO RIGHT AFTER THIS IT READS “And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: For so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene” (vs. 13-14).
Paul’s plan was to walk an arduous journey of 19.5 miles across a peninsula to meet his companions!!!!! These men had to sail 60 miles around the peninsula to their rendezvous point with Paul!!!! Both Paul and his companions were going to be doing very hard work all day long on the first day of the week - SUNDAY!!!!!! Now if Sunday was indeed the Lord’s day then why on earth did Paul not know that???
Again, Paul had spent an entire Sabbath preaching to the brethren, continuing well into Saturday night (the beginning of the 1st day of the week in Biblical terms).
The Acts 20 account provides no authority for Sunday-worship. It is not even talking about Sunday morning, except that Paul had an all-day walk ahead of him starting then! Rather, it validates that the brethren met on the Sabbath with Paul, and that he and his companions were perfectly willing to perform hard labor—after the Sabbath, on the first day of the week just as the command says – six days SHALL YE LABOUR and on the SEVENTH YE SHALL REST!
1 Corinthians 16.1-3
“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do you. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever you shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.”
This passage supposedly talks about the “collection plate” for every Sunday. But does it give a general command to all Christians for all time, to give freewill offerings at Sunday services? No!! Not even remotely! Fact is this passage is speaking of a specific offering for a specific purpose.
This specific offering is also described in Romans 15.25-28: “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It has pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal [physical] things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.”
The collection was “FOR THE POOR SAINTS…AT JERUSALEM!!!!” It was not a collection plate passed on Sunday! The Jerusalem saints were to receive food because they were suffering from drought and famine.
There is no reference to money here. There is also nothing about giving a collection to the minister or a church hierarchy.
Also it was done at one specific time—when Paul passed through (“I will come by you into Spain”)!
Also it was given at one specific place (“let everyone of you lay by him in store”). This is because Paul would come later (vs. 3 – “when I come”) to gather what brethren had been saving at home (“lay by him in store”). This was not an offering kept at the church, or given every—or any—Sunday.
Also this command is specific to the Corinthians (vs. 1). There is no command for Sunday collections here, but merely instruction to local brethren to store an important offering for poor brethren!
Also in verse 4—“and if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me”—coupled with verse 3 referencing “them,” shows that it took several people to transport this large offering to Jerusalem!!! Now this would not be necessary if it was simply cash and coins taken up in an offering plate. But it was necessary because much food and drink was involved!!!!!
Rev 1.10 – this is either
1) The 7th Day Sabbath
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT, THE HOLY OF THE LORD, HONOURABLE; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Isaiah 58:13-14. Jesus is LORD OF THE SABBATH (Mk 2.28) not Lord of the first day????
OR
2) The End of Days - the Day of His WRATH (Rev. 1:10; 15:1, 7; Joel 2:1-11 and over 30 other places in the prophets!!!!!!)—this term, the Lord’s Day is the Day of the Lord = WHEN HE RETURNS IN FLAMING VENGEANCE!!!!!!
Think about it, John calls the 7th day of the week the “Sabbath” in John 5.9, 10, 16, 18; 7.22, 23; 9.14, 16; 19.31. And John calls Sunday the “first day of the week” in John 20.1, 19. WHY WOULD HE THEN SUDDENLY CALL SUNDAY THE LORD’S DAY IN REV 1.10?????? MAKES NO SENSE!
Ezekiel 22:26 “Her priests have violated my law, and have PROFANED MINE HOLY THINGS: THEY HAVE PUT NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROFANE, neither have they showed difference between THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”
Once again, to keep another day besides the 7th day Sabbath of the LORD is to profane the Holy and to try and make Holy the profane. Only God can make a day or anything Holy by His presence!
Isaiah 5.20-24 "WOE UNTO THEM THAT CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because THEY HAVE CAST AWAY THE LAW OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, AND DESPISED THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL."