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Some people claim the Sabbath is Saturday and some Sunday, and some don't know if either day is accurate but just celebrate it one one if those days. This of course is due to Exodus 20:8-11:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

How do you see this in relation to Hebrews 4:1‭-‬11?

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

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Good morning Watchman, in all sincerity, I am not trying to be factious, but I am trying to find out where in scripture you are referencing “the fourth Commandment” would you please list them for me?

I don’t mean to be nit-picking scripture in my responses, I just use the part of it that best explains my thoughts. My responses would look like the following, and no one would read all of it. So I also use them so as not to let others think that I am using conjecture, rather than the Word of God. 

From reading your responses to me, I gather you have a very un-warranted opinion of me, which really doesn’t bother me in the least, everyone has the right to think the way they want.

So what is the 4th Commandment?

 

Exodus 20:1-17 (KJV)
1  And God spake all these words, saying,
2  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
#3.   5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

13  Thou shalt not kill.
14
 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15
 Thou shalt not steal.
16
 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 5:16-21 (KJV)
16
 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
17
 Thou shalt not kill.
18
 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
19
 Neither shalt thou steal.
20
 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
21  Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Matthew 5:20 (KJV)
20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Romans 13:5-10 (KJV)
5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6  For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 JB

 

 

Simply put, no change regarding the Sabbath.  You may do whatever you choose to do or make the choice to do whatever you choose to do, but Biblically speaking, the Sabbath has never been changed from the 7th day to the 1st day of the week.  And this is all I have to say on the matter.  

You must read Scripture in context, period.  All of Scripture....

So why would God command sacrifices then renege on them? He didn't. The verse JB gives should continue.

Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Jesus is the reality, He fulfilled the sacrifice, He fulfilled the law. He said we're doing right if we love one another, that the two great commandments are love God and love your neighbor.  He gave the commandments to reveal sin so He could bring something better later. 

Examine the 10 Commandments. 

  • You shall have no other gods before Me.
  • You shall not make idols.
  • You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
  • Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Jesus came along and said the true worshippers will worship in Spirit and truth, not on a particular day or particular location. His concern was on our worship, not on a law of worship. He would rather we worship 24/7, and not on one appointed day. 

  • Honor your father and your mother.
  • You shall not murder.
  • You shall not commit adultery.
  • You shall not steal.
  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
  • You shall not covet.

And this half covers love they neighbor. Jesus said it's more than thou shall not murder, but just to be angry with a brother or sister was the same as murder. He's saying to rise above a law, rather than just follow something we're told to do. Do our best because of who He is, not because we have to be ordered to. God already intended this because we proved we could never keep the letter of the law. 

2 Corinthians 3:3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Sabbath was given to the Jews, just as circumcision was. And this is what was said regarding circumcision and the Gentiles. 

Acts 15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?

Both in Exodus 31 and Ezekial 20, it is explained why God gave them the Sabbath...as a sign. But just like the shadow...

Hebrews 10:1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

The law of sacrifices, circumcision,  specific days of worship or Sabbath, can never perfect anyone just by observing them year after year, week after week. 

This is where grace comes in...

James 2:10 "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

So if we try to keep the Sabbath yet covet, we're guilty of the whole law. However, if we live by faith in the grace of Jesus, there is now therefore no condemnation. 

At this point, a lot of people will say, this is giving a license to sin, but it's not. Because it goes back to the "true worshippers" part. A true worshipper isn't going to want to live in sin. 

I like this explanation from a site that goes into greater detail. https://www.backtothebible.org/what-does-god-s-word-say-about-the-c...

If there had been a law given which could have given life, righteousness would have been by the law", but only God's grace can save us. Salvation is not the reward for a holy life but the gift of God to a sinner deserving judgment. The Law was given to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin. To confess that salvation by Law is unattainable by man humbles him but exalts the holiness of the Law. On the other hand, to claim salvation by Law-keeping exalts man but lowers the righteousness of the Law.

Romans 7:7 I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

This is what the context is telling me. And I prayed over it and studied on it the first time this question came up because I was concerned that I was interpreting Scripture correctly and didn't want to have this wrong. There's a lot of Scripture to read in order to look at the context.

In the end, for me, one verse sums up a lot of Scripture we can often make confusing...

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Very well put together Seek. And Eric, good observation.

 

There are so many churches that are teaching “works” as being their righteousness, and deceiving many. That is in keeping the letter of the law, and not the spirit of it. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. 2Cor.3-11.

Ro.10…pretty well describes them, “They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves onto the righteousness of God, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe”.

 This also, has always been a favorite of mine. Especially the 4th verse.

 Galatians 5:1-6 (KJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
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 anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

JB

 

PS.The “New Creation” anyone interested in a discussion?

 

Seek, 

Jesus came along and said the true worshippers will worship in Spirit and truth, not on a particular day or particular location. His concern was on our worship, not on a law of worship. He would rather we worship 24/7, and not on one appointed day. 

What is worshipping in "Spirit and in Truth" mean to you?  He didn't say that not to worship on the Sabbath was okay, did He???  Actually, our precious LORD and Savior said nothing of the kind, He only said that true worship was in Spirit and in Truth.  Those two abiding forces are loving God and keeping His Commands.  What are those Commands if they've been abolished?  Jesus Himself said He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.  

John on the island of patmos saw that the commandments of God were exalted in the Revelations.  The epistles of John were filled with love and commandment keeping.

Revelation 12:17

Revelation 14:12

Revelation 22:14

Look at what Daniel 7:25 says.

2 Timothy 2:15 tells us:  “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

Read all of Scripture, measure Scripture with Scripture, and please do not take dollops of Scripture to prove a point that you believe, instead, study it, lean into it, yield to it, and submit to it, let it change your heart, your life, and the LORD will take you to a place in which you have never imagined.  Believe it, live it, abide in Jesus, and grow.  I'm not interacting just to prove right, I'm interacting to prove that the LORD can change a person, a heart, a life, by His precious Word, Truth, and Spirit.  

Maybe I may seem hard core and stubborn, but that's not the Truth, I follow Ephesians 6.  I will stand firm on the Word of the Lord, His Commands, His Grace, His Righteousness, His Holiness, and most of all, His LOVE for me.  I love Him back and our precious LORD and Savior tells us exactly how that love is exhibited....it's out of that faith, belief, and love that I will always follow His commands.  Will I fail at times, most certainly, but I will get back up and plead His strength...I've never walked this road alone, it's with Him, without Him you might as well give it up.  My personal relationship with my LORD and Savior is what keeps my feet moving.  This is not just a discussion about what to do and what not to do.....which it seems everyone is leaning, this is a discussion about the will of God, the LORD and Savior of our lives that is worthy of Honor, Glory, and Praise.  I find it somewhat demeaning to Him that we are even discussing these kind of topics, it makes me feel yucky.  My thoughts are, if you do not want to participate in His request to "remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy", then that is your choice completely.  Don't do it if you don't want to.  Don't do anything if you don't want to.  It's completely your choice, the Holy Spirit will never force you to do anything.  A heart of love and faith in Jesus is THE only thing that will ever lead you to do as He's asked.  Those who follow the Commands of the Lord are those who will be saved.  The Bible is clear.  

I only have time for this one reply at this time. What is a "fulfillment of the law???"

I get caught speeding, I get a ticket, I pay my fine, did I just fulfill the demands of the law?? can the law come back and hold that against me again?

Jesus paid my debt, He had to die to fulfill that law that was against me, for sinning, and all my infirmities, and iniquities. Read 2Pet.1:2... He has provided for me, everything that pertains unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him...  

So He did not abolish the law, He came and fulfilled it. Now those laws are written in our hearts, and if we follow our hearts, where God lives "CHRIST" we will not break them, and if we do, we are forgiven, He doesn't have to die on the cross again to fulfill the claims that are against us. Why do we have an OLD, and a NEW testament, are they not as He says, a New Covenant, with better promises?

Jesus Himself said He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it.  

Sorry Eric, there was no reply button on either JB's or your posts.  What I'd like to ask you may sound like a simple question, but non-the-less an important one.  Here in the West, America, we are like little spoiled children to be blunt.  We don't have to farm our own food, we can practice whatever religion or non - religion we choose.  We aren't living in shacks worried about electricity, water, food, clothing, etc., but yet as the free country we claim to be, we are the least people on this earth to stand for anything resembling Christ Jesus.  Other countries have begun to pray for our nation, we are unable to recognize the darkness that we have fallen into.  

You say that you are concerned with my replies/posts on living for Christ Jesus, following Him and saying that it's not possible to be Holy, but yet that's exactly what God asks us to be, "without holiness no one shall see the LORD."   But what the LORD Jesus tells me in His Scripture is that nothing is impossible with God.  That if we flee the devil he will flee from us, that if we abide in Jesus, He will abide in us, that if we are weak, He is strong, that if we stand fast, He will deliver us, that if we are Holy as He is Holy we are His, if we follow His commands we are His children.  We bear a mark of salvation when we follow our precious LORD and Savior.  When the rich man walked away from Jesus, what did Jesus do?  Did He chase him and say it's okay, let's work together???  NOOOOOOO, Jesus was saddened that this man would give away all the riches of eternity for only a pittance.  What you are concerned about, is not  perfection, but of following our LORD and Savior to His plumb line and perfect standards.  

We are human, but we have a perfect God, who has created us and promised to never leave us.  Even in times of death, He is with us who believe upon His splendor, glory, His Word, and His Grace and strength.  Why can't you believe that???  I sure can, I throw my life upon that belief.  I have been ridiculed, demeaned, and yes...even hated for believing what I believe, but I won't back down at anything that has been thrown at me.  I BELIEVE GOD AT HIS WORD.  Do I go through hard times, YOU BET!!!  I'm going through one right this very moment, but I'm not going to be deterred by the "can't" people.  I'd rather believe God when He says I can as long as I lean, trust, submit, yeild, believe in Him.  The only one telling me I can't is Satan, who always says, "Did God really say...."

A heart can be made perfect in God, I see it in all the apostles who weren't fearful of their demise....they had the Spirit of the LORD.  Do I believe that they kept telling the people that they "couldn't overcome?"  Or that they COULD OVERCOME!

What you are telling me, is that God is a liar and to be blunt, I do not believe you.  

I'm  not sorry for this, It's like when Jeremiah said, "I don't want to speak out, but I cannot contain it."  Not verbatim, but a gist.  It's like a fire that rises up inside my heart.  

I'm no one, I'm a nothing, but I do love the LORD with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my being.  

Read all of Scripture, measure Scripture with Scripture, and please do not take dollops of Scripture

I have, many times over, and pray for understanding when I do. And nowhere in the Commandments does it say to observe a certain day or do anything particular that day. It states plainly to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy

The Sabbath is a day of rest. It's not a specific day to attend church. And if God wanted us to rest on a particular day of the week, He'd have said so. I note that He said 7th...the 7th day of the week. Which day is the 7th? He didn't say. Following the letter was not His intent. That's why He gave us the two greatest commandments which sum up all 10. He wants our hearts, not robots. 

Along the line of Eric's comments, I too love the Lord with all my heart, soul and being. But you seem to be saying that anyone who doesn't observe the Sabbath in the manner you believe is required, that we don't love Him as you do.

Many members of my church and family have spent from 2 weeks to several months in Ghana, Honduras, Nigeria, etc., and these are the ones you said have it hard and seemingly imply they know how to follow God. Yet I've not known any of them to observe the Sabbath.

 

QT. We will not be as He is in full measure , even though He commands Holiness as He is Holy. 

But it is not your holiness, by your efforts. You will be holy because He is.

Eric this is interesting, because it would fit perfectly with the subject I have asked if any would be interested in discussing. “The New Creation”

He does say “be ye holy, for I am holy.” Lev.11:44-45, Lev, 19:2, and 20:7, Lev.20:26,And,

1 Peter 1:15-16 (KJV)
15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. =(
sacred (physical pure, moral blameless )Because we are in Christ, we are holy, we are righteous, we are sanctified, and we have wisdom and redemption. The same as the promises were given to Abraham and his seed, He saith, not unto seeds as of many, but to thy seed which is Christ. So the promises were not to the human race “directly” But to Christ, (THE SEED) Which is the Son of God. And the fact that we are in Him, and He is in us, now the promises are ours, and we are the recipients by virtue of Christ.

This is what makes us a NEW CREATION.  

In this physical body, we will never be perfect! However, there is another side to this.

I know and understand there are some that will not understand, nor will they ever agree, because I will grab a scripture “not the whole bible” just as a hint. We first must know who Christ is, and it is not the last name of Jesus, “That is an epithet of Jesus.”

I just want you to ponder these passages.

#1.  1 John 4:17 (KJV)
17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

#2. Ephesians 4:11-15 (KJV)
11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge = (ep-ig'-no-sis. = Full discernment) of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Isaiah 55:5 (KJV)
5  Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

John 1:16-17 (KJV)
16  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

There are more, but this should be sufficient for now.

Lord Bless JB

We need to learn to separate the flesh from the spirit.

That is "it is no longer I that liveth, but Christ that liveth in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith OF THE SON OF GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

If you notice at times Jesus spoke as "Christ", and at other times He spoke as "Jesus", though it is "JESUS THE CHRIST" confusing? Yes, very, until we can understand "CHRIST"

We have the same Spirit as Jesus. Is it any less pure, or does it lose its power? The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us. The only thing that hinders us from doing the same works that He did is our unbelief, and our lack of understanding of who we are in Christ, and what, or who He is in us.

I can't believe God is tantalizing us, or giving us a hyperbole, when He is telling us who we are, and what we can do through Him, do you?

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

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