The pdf below is an overview of Sabbath keeping basics with relevant scripture references to help Christians learn how to keep the Sabbath.
Once we conclude that the Sabbath is for Christians then come the questions about how to keep it. This article examines the scriptures supporting the Sabbath and explains how it is kept in plain terms.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20: 8-11)
Explaining the Sabbath
The key word in the above verse is “holy.” In this context “holy” means to be “set apart, dedicated, hallowed, or consecrated.” This is a serious word. Think about the fine dishes or silverware that only come out for special occasions.
Think about a special suit or dress you have that you only wear to the most important events. This close to the same concept in which God has placed the seventh day of the week. It is a day that we are to treat specially.
The opposite of holy is common. In other words, the clothing or dishes you use from day to day are commonly used. These dishes are just fine for normal use. They are not set apart for special use. The extreme opposite of holy is profane, which is something reprehensible that one would not consider using for anything. For instance, if you used one of your daily dishes to get rid of a dead mouse, most people would throw out that dish because it has been effectively profaned. However, when something is supposed to be holy and is used as anything less than holy, it is considered profaned. Consider this knocking something down a peg. Thus, not keeping the Sabbath is to profane it.
When Christians realize the 4th commandment is still very much in force, they often need help learning how to keep the Sabbath. This article provides an framework for Sabbath keeping basics in a New Covenant context.
Great post, brother. One other very applicable scripture to why we don’t have our servants work is the re-giving of the commandments in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 5:15 says:
“And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm:therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day”
I always LOVE to quote this one when talking about why we don’t have our servants work. It is to show them LOVE, and to REMEMBER that God brought us out of bondage (Egypt, a biblical type of sin), and He wants ALL MANKIND to come out of bondage to sin as well.
when pastors preach on sabbath. and they are paid by the church, how do we not call that working on the sabbath?
That is working on the Sabbath. We are commanded to have an assembly on Sabbath in Leviticus 23. The Levites used to be the ones to serve on the Sabbath, but now it is up to the believers to have an assembly.
The work of the Lord is not a burden. To preach or expound on scripture is something all the early church leaders did. Your pastor does not get paid to be a pastor for one day of the week. He is the church’s pastor all 7. If he is considering the Sabbath as work, he needs a vacation/change of attitude. It should be a joy to reason the scriptures.
Can you be more specific about this comment? This page hasn’t seen comments in a long time!
Hi Chris,
I read the article on “Sabbath Keeping Basics” in the Sabbath Sentinel. You left out the FOUNDATION of Sabbath Keeping. It doesn’t matter what “DAY” you keep, if the day you keep is not Sabbath on God’s HOLY Bible calendar and based on the HOLY FIXED Law. Evidently you believe that the Gregorian calendar is the TRUE calendar of the Torah. If the Gregorian calendar is the TRUE calendar, what is the counterfeit calendar by Satan or Man? Did God’s calendar come 1st or LAST? You should try to fit God’s HOLY TORAH Sabbath of Leviticus 23: based on Strongs 7676 and 7677 in every verse that “Sabbath” appears, two consecutive years in a row on the Gregorian calendar. You will find that the Torah Sabbath is different than Saturday on the Gregorian calendar.
Many Blessings from YHVH
The Gregorian calendar is not Yah’s calendar. However the seventh day of the week remains the Sabbath from antiquity.
The 7 day repeating weekly cycle comes from the Roman Julian calendar in 321 AD, when it became a 7 day repeating weekly cycle. In 1582 the 7 day repeating weekly cycle of the Julian calendar became the (pope) Gregorian Calendar. These are pagan secular calendars. God has a HOLY Calendar because HE is HOLY. The TALMUD (Oral Law) adopted the Julian 7 day repeating weekly cycle. The Torah Calendar is NOT based on a 7 day repeating weekly cycle. Some careful study of the Torah will prove this to be the case.
The 7 day weekly cycle comes from Genesis. Yahweh created the moon on the 4th day and rested on the seventh.
Sure there is a 7 day weekly cycle, but is it a REPEATING 7 day weekly cycle as the Gregorian calendar? If you will study Lev. 23, you will see that the Torah Calendar is FIXED, and NOT a VARIABLE 7 day repeating weekly cycle. God has ONE calendar. NOT a lunar FIXED calendar for 6 feasts in Lev. 23, and a VARIABLE solar calendar for the Sabbath in Lev. 23. Can you show me where God has a HOLY Solar calendar in the Bible? All of the Feasts God gave are in Lev. 23, they are on His calendar NOT man’s.
I already showed where the static 7 day weekly cycle comes from. Genesis lays that out and then it is reiterated wherever the Sabbath command is given. The Hebrews did not observe new moons or the moedim while wandering the desert but they kept the 7 day repeating cycle from Genesis. The lunar calendar is very much variable because it is based on the sighting of the moon and the ripening of crops. Some years they had 13 months. Variable.
I’ve studied the history of the 7th day pretty thoroughly and must admit that I have no idea what you are trying to say.
Rick, correct me if I’m wrong but are you discussing the lunar sabbath theory, that the weekly cycle resets each lunar new moon? If so, there is some scriptural support but I believe the body of evidence is against it. Zion’s Fire has discussed this once or twice.
Rick,
What do you propose as Yah’s calendar?
I propose that Yah’s calendar is based on FIXED Principles.
1. Eph. 4:1-8 One God (YHVH), one faith, one baptism…… What is NOT included, is One FIXED Law, One FIXED Gospel, One FIXED HOLY Calendar……. NOT one HOLY Calendar for 6 Feasts in Lev. 23, and a 2nd different SECULAR Calendar for the HOLY Sabbath Feasts. Lev. 23:1, 2, 37, 38 Besides, 44.
2. God (YHVH) is FIXED.
3. God’s (YHVH’s) Law is FIXED. The physical Laws of the universe are FIXED, otherwise the universe would fall apart. The spiritual laws of the universe are ALSO FIXED. Redemption.
4. Is Hebrews 9:1-28 a LIE? Vs 12 once, Vs 25 often, Vs 26 often, Vs 28 once. If the LAW was VARIABLE, Christ (Yahushua) would have had to die for every change in His LAW. A VARIABLE Sabbath on a VARIABLE Gregorian Calendar are CHANGES in God’s (YHVH’s) LAW. (NOT a FIXED day and date), Exodus 12:40, 41 SELFSAME DAY. Yah’s Calendar is FIXED and NOT VARIABLE.
5. Therefore; if this is TRUE, then to have a FIXED 4th Commandment, God’s (YHVH’s) LAW must have:
a. A FIXED New Moon, or FIXED 1st day of each month.
b. FIXED HOLY SabbathS each month.
c. On a FIXED HOLY Calendar.
6. To obtain Yah’s Calendar in the Torah, ask the Holy Spirit to help you build a Calendar based on ALL the FIXED criteria in the Torah. The rest of the Bible has other information that supplements the Torah Calendar.
7. There is a FIXED Calendar available, that I believe meets ALL the criteria for the Torah Calendar.
Man’s Calendars are for convenience and commerce. God’s (YHVH’s) Calendar is for fellowship and worship. The CALENDAR you USE, determines who you WORSHIP.
So this us what I gather…there is a constant 7 day revolving week that never changes, with the 7th day being Sabbath. Along with this, there very well could be a fixed calendar (sun, perhaps?) that sets all the feasts so that they are the same every year. I ask since my heart is to truly study to find His calendar and timing.
There are 4 Fixed 7 day weekly cycles on the Torah calendar. It is revolving in the sense that it is the SAME for each month. The Bible consistently uses #’s Numbers for the days of the month, NOT names like the Gregorian calendar.
Israel used a Fixed civil Lunar calendar and a Fixed Holy Lunar calendar for ALL of the Feasts in Lev. 23. People assume that the SOLAR Gregorian calendar, is God’s calendar for the Sabbath. God has ONE HOLY Calendar for us, which is NOT like the world calendars.
I was given a Torah Calendar, that I believe meets ALL of the criteria of the Torah. If you believe the New Covenant (Heb 8:6-13) God will send His Holy Spirit to guide you in this study, and you will come up with the Torah Calendar. There was no one to help me with the Torah Calendar. With the help of the Holy Spirit, it took me 1 and one half years to develop the Torah Calendar based on the criteria from the Torah. I’m glad you are studying and searching for the truth.
Blessings.
A 7 day weekly cycle is indicated from Genesis and Exodus 20. But what it doesn’t tell us is: 1. When that 7 day weekly cycle begins? 2. How that 7 day weekly cycle ends? 3. Whether the 7 day weekly cycle is a Fixed or Variable, consecutive, continuous, or repeating 7 day weekly cycle?
No place does it tell us specifically in the Scriptures. Only by studying the Torah, particularly Lev. 23, can you determine this. Man assumes and presumes that the 7 day weekly cycle is continuous and repeating as on the Gregorian calendar. From Lev. 23:11, 15, 16, other passages, and the Gospels we can see that Passover was the 14th, and the 15th was a Sabbath in the month of Nisan-Abib. This is a Fixed Sabbath year after year. This Sabbath can happen once about every 10-15 years on a Gregorian Calendar, but NOT on the Torah Calendar. This Sabbath is FIXED on the Torah Calendar.
Israel kept the Feasts in the wilderness. Num. 28:11-15 and Num 29:1-6 tells us that sacrifices were to be offered for the New Moon, the beginning of each month. They kept the Passover at least once during the wilderness journey.
The 13 month is Variable, to keep the Feasts regulated with the Harvests. 3 of the Feasts have to do with the harvests at a specific time, and are prophecies that were to be fulfilled. The 13th month has Fixed (days and dates), like the other 12 months, which are FIXED. The 7 day weekly cycle does NOT change in the 13th month on the Torah calendar. This does happen on Man’s VARIABLE calendars and leap years.
The days of the week aren’t tied to a calendar. A calendar plots dates but the days of the week, which are also numbered not named in God’s culture (except the Shabbat), don’t coincide with the calendar. If they did, then on the shorter months we’d have weeks that don’t have seven days and on the longer months we’d have weeks with more than 7 days.
The Greeks and Romans had more than one calendar. One of them had eight days. This is why Barnabas wrote in about 100AD that he thought Yeshua was resurrected on the 8th day which was also Sunday (the first day). But those who walked with Yeshua kept the same 7 day cycle we do today.
Joshua 5 tells us specifically that they did not observe the high days in the wilderness. They did not circumcise themselves so they could not observe Pesach. They also did not plant crops so I do not knnow how they would have observed the Abib moon.
You assume that God’s FIXED Torah calendar is on a weekly 7 day consecutive, continuous, repeating weekly cycle. On the FIXED Torah calendar the months are 29 and 30 day months, NOT like the VARIABLE Gregorian calendar with repeating 7 day cycles. The Torah calendar is NOT a 7 day weekly cycle that REPEATS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. God’s Torah calendar is a FIXED calendar of days and dates, that are the SAME month after month. Ex 12:40, 41, 51 and Lev. 23:21 show that the calendar is FIXED (SELFSAME DAY). The Feast days are always on the SELFSAME DAYS every year. The Sabbath is also on the SELFSAME DAYS each month. In Lev. 23 and the Gospels, Yeshua fulfilled the Passover the 14th, Sabbath the 15th the 1st day of Unleavened Bread, and Wave Sheaves (Resurrection) on the 16th. These were ALL on the SELFSAME DAYS on the FIXED Torah calendar. Lev. 23:11, 15, 16 are ALL 7676 Strong’s – Regular Sabbath day. This can’t happen on a VARIABLE SOLAR Gregorian calendar with 7 day repeating weekly cycles, year after year. THE DAY AND THE DATE on the GREGORIAN CALENDAR CHANGE EVERY YEAR. Does God CHANGE His Torah calendar every year for ALL the FEASTS?
Yes, those who walked with Yeshua kept a 7 day weekly cycle, BUT it wasn’t a 7 day consecutive, continuous, repeating weekly cycle, like the Gregorian calendar. The Torah calendar has 4 (FOUR) 7 day cycles in it, but NOT 7 day repeating weekly cycles, month after month.
Joshua 5 doesn’t day “that they did not observe the “HIGH DAYS” in the wilderness.” It says they kept the Passover in Joshua 5, NOT with qualification. It says in Ex 12:14 they were to keep the Passover. In Numbers 9:1-14 all those who were clean, kept the Passover in the wilderness the 1st month on the 14th in the SECOND YEAR after leaving Egypt. Those that were defiled kept the Passover the second month the second year. Why would God not have them keep the feasts in the wilderness, when He said to keep them in their season. In Joshua 5, the ONLY ones to be circumcised, were the ones born after they left Egypt. The others could keep the Passover in the wilderness.
IF the months don’t have the same amount of days then the 7th day can’t be the 7th day every month. I thought I already posted that?
The Hebrews observed the Sabbath in the wilderness based on the same 7 day cycle we use today. This cycle is completely independent of any calendar. They did not observe Pesach and the other holy days in the wilderness. This is why Joshua records they observed the Passover when they crossed the Jordan. They did it by eating crops they did not plant. This is also the significance of the ending of the manna from heaven. The day they ate the produce of the land their miracle food stopped. In order to observe the feast of unleavened bread you have to have unleavened bread. They had no food in the wilderness other than what was provided by Yahweh. This means they did not do a whole lot of the priesthood service, too, because they didn’t have the crops required for these things. They did not circumcise in the wilderness. This is another indication of them not observing the moedim because it was impossible for a Hebrew to observe Pesach in the old covenant without first becoming circumcised.
The resurrection was not on Abib 16. It was on Abib 17. You are correct the crucifixion and death occurred on Abib 14 but three days and three nights later is Abib 17. Yeshua had to be dead for 72 hours (or so) or else He was a liar. The first fruits are offered the day after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, i.e. the first day of the week. This occurs independent of the calendar. The year Yeshua was crucified, that first fruits was indeed on Abib 17. From this day Shavuot is counted for seven complete weeks plus one day which puts Shavuot (Pentecost) on a first day every year. It was on Pentecost after Yeshua ascended that the Ruach HaKodesh was given to the apostles – exactly 50 days after Yeshua rose from the dead.
@EarlyChristian – I believe your interpretation to be correct. What Rick is trying to describe but not able to name is a theory popular with a few Messianic believers whereby the New Moon resets the Sabbath weekly cycle. Whenever the New Moon occurs, the weeks are reset so that you have the feasts then on the same days of the week – always. It is commonly called Lunar Sabbath doctrine and is championed by Michael Ufferman of Zion’s Fire magazine. It has no historical basis and requires reading into scripture your intention to support it. It is summed up well by the following site:
http://www.eliyah.com/lunarsabbath.html
I hope this helps. I believe Rick and others that support this to be well intentioned and seeking the Lord but placing too much stock in their interpretation and instead of what the scripture actually says.
May YHWH continue to bless your ministry and continue seeking the abide in Yeshua Ha-Mashiach.
The Torah calendar has Fixed numbered days and dates each month, NOT like the Variable Gregorian calendar with a 7 day repeating weekly cycles. God’s Torah calendar is for fellowship and worship, NOT like man’s calendar for convenience and commerce. Here is some evidence that the
Torah calendar is NOT a repeating 7 day weekly cycle. The New Moon is the 1st day of the month, and is FIXED on its OWN DAY. Also that Shabbat (Sabbath) is also FIXED on the SAME TORAH calendar. There is much more evidence, but this will be short and simple.
NEW MOON
New Moon texts indicating that the New Moon has its OWN DAY. There are a number of texts that reveal this. Here are some of the texts. Lev. 23:11, 15, 16 will be discussed later, Numb. 28:11-15, Numb. 29:1-6, 2 Kings 4:23, 1 Chron. 23:31, 2 Chron. 2:4, 2 Chron. 8:13, Ezra 3:4, 5, Neh. 10:31-33, Isa. 66:23, Ezk. 45:18, Ezk. 46:1-6, Col. 2;16, 17.
The New Moon has its OWN DAY in the Scriptures. The NEW MOON, the 1st day of each month, SETS, BEGINS, and STARTS each month. On the Gregorian SOLAR calendar the SUN looks the SAME EVERY DAY, NOT like the Moon that changes phases during each monthly cycle. How do you know from the VARIABLE Gregorian SOLAR calendar, when the 1st day of each month is by looking at the SUN? Each day you look at the SUN, the SUN looks the SAME.
On Nisan – Abib, the 14th is ALWAYS Passover on PREPARATION DAY, the 6th day of the week. The 15th is ALWAYS the True Shabbat (Sabbath) on the Torah calendar, the regular 7th day Sabbath of the week. The 16th is ALWAYS the 1st day of the week, every single year on the FIXED Torah Lunar calendar. These Torah DATES of the 14th, 15th, and 16th come on the SAME DAY AND DATE every year. The VARIABLE Gregorian SOLAR and VARIABLE SOLAR Talmud calendar, ONLY about every 10 – 15 years. God has ONE FIXED HOLY TORAH calendar for Shabbat and the Feasts, Man’s calendars are UNHOLY COUNTERFEITS. God is FIXED and NOT VARIABLE. Ps. 102:27, Mic. 3:6, Hebrews. 13:8, and James 1:17. It is blasphemy against Y’shua to put HIS TRUE HOLY SHABBAT on man’s FALSE SECULAR UNHOLY calendars.
Here is a short study:
In Lev. 23:11, 15, 16, Shabbat is a regular 7th day Sabbath. We know this because Strong’s 7676 is the regular 7th day Sabbath. Strong’s 7677 is a FEAST Sabbath. In the Gospels, Christ (Y’shua) fulfilled the Passover to the “letter” based on Lev. 23:4-6 11, 15, 16. Nisan – Abib is the 1st month of the year. The 1st day of EVERY month is New Moon on its OWN DAY. The Lamb was chosen on the 10th. Passover was on the 14th – 6th day of the week. The 1st day of UB was on the 15th – the 7th day regular Sabbath. The FIRST FRUITS of the Barley wave sheaves were waved on the 16th – the 1st day of the week according to Lev. 23:4-6, 11, 15, 16.
Here are the texts from the Gospel that go with Lev. 23:
Matt. 27:57-62, Matt. 28:1, Mark 14:12-17, Mark 15:1, 42, Mark 16:1,2, Luke 22:1, 7, 8, 13, 15, Luke 23:53, 54, 55, 56, Luke 24:1, 7, John 12:1, 12, John 13:1,2,3,9, John 19:14, 31, 42, John 20:1, 19. These ALL show that Lev. 23:4-6, 11, 15, 16 were fulfilled by Christ (Yshua) in the Feast prophecies of the Messiah. Paul says, in 1 Cor. 15:20-23, that Christ fulfilled the (FIRST FRUITS of the Barley wave sheaves) on the 16th of Nisan. The FIRST FRUITS of the Barley harvest, were resurrected in Matt. 27:51-53. In Rev. 5:5,6,8,9 redeemed us, (24 elders, FIRST FRUITS of the Barley harvest) already in heaven, and SHALL reign on the earth.
NOW
Now count back 7 days from the regular Sabbath on the 15th of Nisan – Abib, this comes to the 8th day, the regular Shabbat (Sabbath). If you count back 7 more days, it is the 1st day of the month ALWAYS, the New Moon ALL by itself. This shows that the New Moon has its OWN DAY, and SETS the Shabbats on Fixed days each month, the 8th,15th, 22nd, and 29th. In Exodus 16: is the story of the manna. The second month after leaving Egypt, the 15th and 22nd are regular Sabbaths. Check it out. All the months have FIXED SABBATHS, and God’s holy Sabbath days are FIXED EACH MONTH.
The criteria of the Torah coincides with the Torah Fixed Holy calendar. Why would God put His Holy Shabbat on a unholy calendar, if HE is Holy? Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are ALL traditional worship days based on the Julian-Talmud calendar. In Acts 3:18-21 says, He will restore ALL things. The
Shabbat (Sabbath) will be restored to its RIGHTFUL place on the FIXED HOLY LUNAR TORAH CALENDAR in this GENERATION. Another COUNTERFEIT calendar is coming in Dan. 7:25, in the reign of the DIVERSE Beast.
7+7=14
Lunar-based Sabbath counting is simply false. One of the BIGGEST primary proof against it is 3 days and 3 nights — either you believe our Savior’s words, or you try and re-interpret them to fit your own views… of course, that’s nothing new. Another one is counting to Pentecost. Lunar Sabbatarians try to get around that one using an obscure (and POOR) translation of Leviticus 23 to say you count seven sabbaths THEN count 50 days, but it is totally unsupportable scripturally AND agriculturally.
Please also check out Tom Martincic’s excellent debunking of Lunar Sabbaths at the following link: http://eliyah.com/lunarsabbath.html
I think there is one text in the Bible that says three days and three nights. Do you have a second witness from the Bible that says the same thing?
Rick, there’s also the witness… in the book of Jonah.. that Messiah is quoting from. Two. Anyway, I will not debate this. I love you as a brother that is trying to search the scriptures for truth, but in this, you are in error. I hope that you will see it before too much time goes by. If you are willing to talk on Skype about it, you are welcome to send me a message on my site (click on my name above) with your Skype ID and I’ll discuss it with you. I’m well versed in the lunar sabbath theories.
Are you that sure that it is a valid command for Christians to abide by a few things of the Mosaic Law, and ignore a plethora of others?
What does scripture identify as a “mosaic” law?
I would think Romans 6:14; 7:1-14 Galatians 3:10-13, 24-25; 4:21; 5:1, 13; and 2nd Corinthians 3:7-18 are sufficient, but there are a few others that aid this position in the same direction. Are we under The Law?
What is the mosaic law?
Addenda
I would think, whether or not a Christian celebrates Passover would be a matter of conscience for that individual Christian. Like all the Old Testament Jewish Feasts, the Passover Feast was a foreshadowing of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. (stauros, stake, etc.)
Considering Colossians 2:16-17, which tells us that we should “let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (NKJV). Christians appear to be no longer Bound to observe the Passover feast the way the Old Testament Jews were, but they should not look down upon another believer who does or does not observe the Passover or other special Jewish days and feasts (Romans 14:5).
I liken this to the plethora of Holy Days there are in the Christian Orthodox faith. They are not required articles of faith, but many are observed, “religiously”.
Most of Christianity reads Colossians 2:16-17 to say that we aren’t supposed to keep the feasts. However, that’s the opposite. If you look at the verb tense, Paul says “are” not “were”. They were keeping the moedim and he was telling them not to allow their unconverted neighbors judge them for their new behavior, not the opposite. It makes not sense for Paul to cite the feasts in the present tense if they stopped observing them after Yeshua ascended. Then the text would read “why are you keeping those feasts? who told you about them, anyhow?”.
1Co 5:7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
1Co 5:8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Paul specifically instructs the Corinthians to observe the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Are we to believe he told the believers at Colossea to not observe the feast days after telling the Corinthian congregation to observe the feast days?
The high days of Catholicism and the self-proclaimed Orthodox are made up festivals based on syncretism. They are not to be observed by believers.
Thank you for clearing that one up. Many in Christendom use that as a “proof” text to nullify the Feasts and to misname them “Jewish” holiday. Anti-Semitism runs deep in Christendom and has done so for some 1,900 years.
wow…
Well… The book of Galatians (seen as a whole) is a tirade of sorts against this church that had begun taking on Jewish custom in the belief that the Mosaic Law needed to be followed for salvation.
He speaks of encountering the behavior previously when he was in Antioch.
(Galatians 2:14-16)
When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”
Can you not see that Paul attempts in this book to separate the idea of salvation from the idea of following the law?
The promise of salvation, given to Abraham, is separate from the Law, which was much later given to Moses, and for a different reason (Galatians 3:15-19). Since Christ has come, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled, and we can rely instead on Christ alone, can we not?? (Galatians 3:23-25):
I kinda need you to tell me what the “mosaic” law is before I can reply. I have no idea what a “mosaic” law is and my bible search does not return anything for the word “mosaic” other than a reference to a tapestry in the book of Esther.
Why did this happen? I guess that their faith in Christ’s ability to save had weakened, so they took to shoring it up with observances of Jewish Law–and we see from other parts of the book (e.g. Galatians 5:1-12) that it was not only holidays, but circumcision as well. Is circumcision also a requirement of Christians? Of course not!
And, what about all of these modern day holidays and “High Days”? (which I myself will not celebrate) It is not likely that we can apply this to these holidays today. The Jewish days were religious obligations–but modern holidays are free celebrations, and do not promise us any justification. That we are under no obligation to keep them, and that they are not supposed to effect our salvation, puts them out of the way of at least this argument of Paul’s, do they not??
Ivan, I don’t think you have a fundamental understanding of what really happened in the first century. Do you know the difference between Torah and what you call “Jewish” law?
I do in fact know and understand, and also the difference and similarities. Please supplant my use of, “Mosiac Law” with “The Law of Moses”. – Joshua 8: 31-32.
“And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursing, according to all that is written in the book of the law.” (Joshua 8:34)
I refer to the 2nd and 5th books of the Hebrew scripture Only.
In closing, Paul mentions no only Jewish customs, but also, The Law.
We are not going to agree on all things though some we do.
It’s been an interesting visit here, and I thank you.
I am however, convinced that though there are tidbits of truths here and there, in and amongst all of Christendom’s various congregations, be it yours, or that of Christian Orthodoxy, Baptists, and even Adventist groups such as the Watchtower, I see all of them as being part of “The Great Apostasy” that Paul had written about.
It seems we Men insist on finding that one little (or group of) piece of an alleged puzzle that makes us the one who have found, “THE TRUTH”, and then go about preaching ourselves as The One who has The Truth, when in these last days the truth is quite simplistic, that being that Christ Is our Lord and Savior.
YES! You are correct. Man, is most likely far more pre-occupied with all of these details of worship than God is!
Those who do not observe the Passover, (me) will they perish?
Those who believe in the trinity doctrine (no me) will they perish?
Those who do not observe the strict Sabbath, will they perish?
All those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, and who love God with their whole heart, soul, strength, and mind, and their neighbor (whomever that may be) as their self, and who observe some of the above, and who do not observe some of the above, will they perish?
I think not…
Unlike the fellow above, the author of this site doesn’t presume to know what the requirements are going to be on the day of judgment. This website is not about judging people but rather judging doctrine and challenging the theologies and doctrines that mainstream Christianity has embraced. The thesis is that all one has to do to get in is all one is supposed to do and then we ask “so, what does one need to do” and the answer that comes back is “stop keeping the law, love God, and love His Son” with scriptures cited to make one believe there is no more law. Well, here is what Messiah said (not me)
Mat 7:20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.
Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Mat 7:22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
Mat 7:23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
This is an incredibly terrifying scripture when we consider how many people have been taught lawlessness over the last two thousand years.
My questions above remain…
In Christ, Ivan
They’re answered with the scripture. I have a detailed paper on the resurrection of judgment if you would like to read my OPINION on that subject. https://firstcenturychristianity.net/2013/10/26/resurrections-dead/
Rick, you are absolutely spot on. I commend you for your patience in getting the truth across, despite the average Christian’s doctrinal opposition. Good for you brother. There is one new moon day at the beginning of each month, day 1. Thereafter count day 2,3,4,5,6 and 7, the six working days. First sabbath on day 8. Six more working days 9-14, then day 15 sabbath, and so on. Sabbath always on days 8,15,22 and 29. There are only 48 scriptural (lunar) sabbaths per year. So the 52 ” Christian” sabbaths cannot be right! I would strongly caution insisting on being right as some of the writers above do. It makes you false teachers. Rather grasp this truth, even though it is new to you. Here is a fantastic video which is 100 percent scriptural. PLEASE pass it on to your FB friends and everyone you know.
It is wonderful to KNOW YOU ARE WALKING IN TRUTH! It means watching for the first crecent moon just after sunset on the first evening after “dark” moon. This is the way the Israelites did it…NO calendars or computers. 🙂
I approved one of your posts but took the youtube link out. This site does not support the lunar Sabbath idea in any way, shape, or manner. It is completely unscriptural and literally impossible. In Genesis, the moon was made on the fourth day and the Shabbat on the seventh. That’s the end of this idea of the moon marking the days of the week.
The days of the month are marked by the new moon. There actually is a Sabbath on the first day of the seventh month for Yom Teruah and it can happen on any day of the week. The weekly Sabbath, or Shabbat, has been observed apart from the days of the month since creation. There will be no more discussion here about the lunar sabbath idea.
This is so much like the hair splitting arguments Catholic priests have about whether you go to hell for taking communion after chewing gum…where is the heart in all this? Also, my Jewish neighbors do the Friday night thing and I love thinking of them over there…
Thanks for the comment! Can you elaborate on the “hair splitting”?
Yes. If you base what you believe on Bible Principles (about 8 of them) which almost no one pays any attention to them, you will see that the Gregorian Calendar is a counterfeit. Counterfeits come after the Holy Original. It is a unclean, unholy calendar that Man traditionally keeps a HOLY SHABBAT on a VARIABLE Gregorian (Pope’s calendar). James 1:17. If Holy, why on a counterfeit calendar? Also splits the Everlasting Gospel into two different Gospels. Paul said, “Let him be accursed,” If any man preach a different Gospel. Gal. 1:6-9. You can’t split the Gospel with two different Calendars (Lunar-Solar). Worship God Elohim on His Torah Calendar. Before the end, God’s Elohim’s Holy Torah Calendar will be Restored with the Holy Shabbat. Acts 3:19-21 See the evidence in Revelation. SOD.
I’m glad some one is awake. Read John 10:1-18. Pay attention to John 10:12, 13. You are correct.
Greetings,
You made a serious error on “working on the Sabbath. For, the Levites “labored hard” on the Sabbath and Holy Days. Whom do you think it was that “worked” as “cooks, bus persons, dishwashers, servers, etc/etal on the Sabbath and Holy Days.
And did you know that the Babylonian Empire of the 600’s to its end, observed the Sabbath. The Persian Empire observed the Sabbath, and the law of Moses. Either in circumcised or uncircumcised conditions. The Grecian Empire observed the Sabbath. As the Roman Empire prior to Constantine’s changing the 7th day to the 1st day.
Ray E. Daly
Can you provide a verse where the Levites labored hard on Shabbat? Don’t cooks deserve a Sabbath, too?
You know the verses. Does it not say that the Levites (para) break the “rest” of the Sabbath. Meaning by working. What about the verse that says of the Holy Days, (para.) “The only labor to be done on the Sabbath, is that which pertains to COOKING MEALS”.
The Levites killed “many, many, many, animals on the latter end of the beginning of the first day of UB”
. What did they do with the “meat”? They spent the night preparing said meat, and cooking said meat, so that when the followers came through the Temple beginning early in the morning, they would have a meal awaiting them. Have you read the “law”.
How about the “manna”. They collected on the 6th day, double that of the other days. They took half of it, and cooked it to serve in their meals. But what does it say of the manna that they did not “cook”. It says that “it remained to the Sabbath day itself, and did not breed worms”. Did they then “throw it out”, or did the cook it for their Sabbath meal?
Now, let me ask something. I stated that the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires observed the Sabbath? Can you provide proof that they didn’t. It would be really nice if we could spend some time reading and applying the evidences of the book of Esther. “Many of the gentiles BECAME JEWS (circumcised and law of Moses observers), and many SUPPORTED the Jews, for fear of Mordecai”. Uncircumcised Gentiles.
But, I am taking space.
Hope we can come to common communications.
Ray
It’s Matthew 12:5 where Yeshua says the kohenim in the temple work on Shabbat and are innocent. Are you a kohen who works in the temple?
Yes, it is acceptable to cook on a High Shabbat. There is a difference between the weekly Shabbat and Yom Kippur with the rest of the moedim which are festivals. It’s OK to cook on a festival day, it’s not on a non-festival Sabbath.
They cooked all the manna on the 6th day and ate leftovers on the 7th day. Exodus 16:23.
Why are you asking about other cultures keeping the Sabbath or doing something like the Sabbath? I think Josephus wrote something similar. Did I write something about this?
The Church fathers:
1. Did not read the King James Bible (or any Bible), but especially not a Bible published by a British Monarch who believed in the heretical Divine Right of Kings.
2. They did celebrate Mass on Sunday.
3. They did believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist at Holy Communion (“This is blood…do this in memory of me…”
5. They were obedient to Church hierarchy: deacons, priests, bishops, the the head bishop (pope)
6. They did celebrate Christmas Mass on Dec 25. This website shows a little Knowledge, coupled with preconceived bias, is a dangerous thing.
1 Yes
2 No, ROFL!
3 No, that’s bizarre. It was an analogy.
4 What happened to number four?
5 Kinda but there was no pope. Large decisions were decided by councils without a head.
6 That’s absurd. The first historical record of Dec 25 being Xmas is in 355 AD.
Thanks for the comment!