Main |
Seventh-Day Sabbath Keeping- One Day Above Another?My dear bro. "xxxxx", Thank you for your concern at the very least! First off, I didn't think I said much of anything. Those last couple posts stand or fall on the scriptures that I quoted, not my words. :-) Secondly, I didn't say anything about "Sunday." The point in the scriptures is very specific that no day should be held above another. Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. We do not have special days where we serve God, and the rest of the time we don't. Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Sabbath = rest. Therefore, he that has entered into Christ's sabbath, is doing Christ's works, not his own… Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. As Christ was our example… John 14:10 …the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. We live for God, in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, every day of our lives. We just happen to gather for services on Wednesday and Sunday for convenience sake. It wouldn't matter if it were Monday, and Friday. Or every day! Now, as to how the whole Sunday thing got started, believe me, I am not ignorant of Satan's devices. But, I wonder just how many pagans there are that are going to think I am worshipping a Sun-god because I happen to go to church on the first day of the week. Do you know of any heathens that you will cast a stumblingblock before if you gather with the brethren on a certain day of the week? If you want to win their souls, maybe you shouldn't go to service on Sunday! 1Co 8:4 "As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is *nothing* in the world, and that there is none other God but one... 7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. Christians, that should know that God is a Spirit, and that an idol is nothing, I find to be the only one's who are offended at this freedom that Christ purchased with His blood! Is that what you are asking me-
That would be the only reason for me to change my worship days. Not because God commanded it, but because of weak brethren. Rom 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. I really don't mean to sound sarcastic, or whatever, I'm trying hard not to. But let's get real! The scripture teaches idols are nothing. Nothing means just that- nothing. So if they are nothing, why be afraid of them? It's like being afraid of the boogie man! It's not in them to do evil nor good! Jer 10:2 "Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed... 5 ...Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might." So why do "Christians" make them which are nothing into something? The problem comes when you allow yourself to cause a stumblingblock to others who think those idols are something, and mistake your liberty as setting an example for actually practicing idolatry. Look at this passage… 1Co 10:25 "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? 30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." See that- "whatsoever is set before you eat" It's saying- you don't know if it is or isn't sacrificed to a "god" so don't worry about it. But- if an unbeliever tells you it is sacrificed to a "god" don't eat it. Couple that scripture, with this scripture… Col 2:16 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:" Paul wrote of holydays in the same breath as eating meat that was sacrificed to "gods". Was Paul saying you couldn't celebrate holidays? Then he was also telling us not to eat or drink, which he elsewhere says, 1 Cor. 10:25, we can eat asking no questions for conscience sake! Then he must be saying let no man judge you in the negative against holidays either. In other words, you can do what you want- all things are yours, but don't allow a brother to stumble thereby. Who has stumbled, or could stumble, by my going to church on a Sunday? Are you the weak brothers that this is talking about? But also, if you are weak, make sure you don't judge your brother in his freedom, either! Rom 14:3 "Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him." Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? So I also ask you- why? Why are ye subject to ordinances… after the commandment and doctrines of men? The real problem here isn't that we have weak brethren who may stumble, but we have those here who are commanding the reestablishing of the Old Testament ordinances contrary to the specific words of the apostles to the contrary! Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, **if thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles**, and **not as do the Jews**, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is **not** justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Heb 8:13 In that he saith, a new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A council of all the apostles together was convened over this very subject- specifically to settle this very same issue, and from that meeting, they wrote commandments completely to the opposite of what is currently being postulated. I can't even believe that we are even having this discussion when the scriptures on this are as plain as they possibly could be. There is, in fact, possibly nothing plainer in the whole Bible!!! Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders **about this question**. 4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and elders came together for **to consider of this matter**. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren,….10 Now **therefore why tempt ye God**, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?…22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, **subverting your souls**, saying, ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave **no** such commandment: Those are the words addressed to this very same subject from the hand-picked, confirmed with signs and wonders, Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ! These words I've just quoted here are not from me or my personal interpretations (which is to say not like those I have had to wade through here on this subject defending the opposite, contra-biblical, extra-biblically stated, position! Which I would have expected better of from those who claim to want only the word of God). 1 Cor 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that (the Apostle) write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. Not only are dearly beloved brethren around here simply refusing to hear, and heed, the very clearly, explicitly stated words of the Apostles, and thereby presuming to have greater understanding than the apostles themselves, but now they accuse God of not having kept His word intact and entire! Which I will also address when I get the time. My dear friends, brethren, and otherwise, I don't see how it could be stated any plainer in the scripture against religiously holding OT laws such as the sabbath. Please don't insult my intelligence, nor cause me to lose my respect for you as brothers, by adding to the word of God in order to prove your personal pet doctrines! For that (adding to God's word) is something that Rome, and paganism is absolutely full of! And that is what is most damaging of all! And doing after those works will cause you to lose out with God! Prov 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Jer 23:16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. God bless! Tom |