The Law And The Sabbath Day Truth

I’ve heard it said that the law was nailed to the cross, which means the Sabbath Day truth is no longer binding. To support this position the following Scripture is often used.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

As the thought goes, Jesus fulfilled the law, which means it is no longer binding on us today. The strange part happens when I say, great this means I...

* can murder?
* can steal?
* can commit adultery?

Not one person yet has answered this part affirmatively while positioning this self same verse as their support for not keeping the Sabbath.

That aside, let’s look at what exactly is being said from the position of those that use this verse to say that Sabbath keeping has been done away with.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

The discussion boils down to how one would define the word “fulfill.” We turn to Webster for a discussion on that topic.

Fulfill
1: To bring an end to
2: To put into affect
3: To convert into reality
4: To make full

The first definition is what is generally considered to be the right one for this verse. However, when you put it into play you read.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to bring an end to them.

That just doesn’t make sense.

How about the other definitions?

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to put them into affect.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to convert them into reality.

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to make them full.

These all make sense and as a such what this verse is actually saying is that Christ puts the law that was given by the Prophets into full affect.

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Sabbath Day New Testament

Perhaps you’ve heard about the Sabbath Day New Testament style? It’s been changed they say.

Has it?

It’s always best to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture rather than some other leading authority that claims to have all the answers. As such, the question becomes, does Scripture have an answer for the Sabbath Day Truth?

The Sabbath Day Truth

I’ve had this following verse quoted to me many times.

Mark 2:27
Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I completely agree with this verse. However, where does this verse then say that we are free to change the Sabbath day simply because it was created for us? While I can’t find that I do find verses that say

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

When in these debates I will often be handed this Scripture at some point.

Matthew 12:8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Again I agree. However, does it say anywhere that Jesus changed the Sabbath? Not that I can see. Yes, He does remove it from being a burden but never once suggests that it is therefore not necessary to follow what has been established.

Actually, Jesus says quite the opposite about this point.

John 14:15
If you love me, you will obey what I command.

This is often where I am reminded that the ten commandments (Sabbath included) were nailed to the cross on Calvary.

Really?

Exodus 20:6
but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Do the math. A generation is about 20 years. We haven’t even gotten close to 1000 generations yet which leaves intact the Sabbath Day bible principal just as it has always been.

Especially when you add this following verse to the equation of the Sabbath day truth.

Revelation 12:17
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

We all agree that we have an adversary. What we often don’t see is the two points He uses to determine if we need to be opposed. We are quick to cling to the “testimony of Jesus” in most situations but what about obeying God’s commandments?

Bottom line: Sabbath Day New Testament style only compliments what has been written previously rather than replacing or changing it in any way.

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Roman Catholic Church Sabbath

Why is the Roman Catholic Church Sabbath on Sunday if the Biblical Sabbath is Saturday?

I suppose one would need to set some groundwork on the above statement before it could be considered a fact. Let’s do so using the catechism.

Question:
Which is the Sabbath day?

Answer:
Saturday is the Sabbath day.

Question:
Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

Answer:
We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church in the Council of Laodicea, transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.

Peter Geiermann, C.S.S.R., The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine Third Edition

The Sabbath Day Truth

The above quote seems clear in indicating how the change came about. Given the power of the Catholic Church in the world today it seems reasonable that one with such great authority should have the ability to make logical adjustments.

However, no matter what seems right the question must be asked. Is it?

Daniel 7:25
He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Combine the above verse with the following and it becomes clear as to the position of the Bible on this topic.

Mark 7:8
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.

Apparently, changing times and laws is something no man should consider doing. Yet the Roman Catholic church has this to say about worship.

You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we (The Roman Catholic Church) never sanctify.
The Catholic Cardinal Gibbons, in Faith of Our Fathers, pg. 111

Mark Of The Beast Sabbath

That seems like quite a bold statement for them to make especially when you turn your attention to a conversation about the mark of the beast. Many people think this has something to do with a microchip, and indeed technology may be involved but it is not at the heart of the conversation according to Scripture.

Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.

That passage is packed full of interesting thoughts, however at the moment we are looking for information about the mark.

“Mark of his name.”

A name has a mark?

Indeed it does. In days of old it was carried on a signet ring. Even today we find this concept in the form when we have documents notarized.

There mark tells people

* Who the authority belongs to.
* Where they have authority
* What type of authority they have

Interestingly enough, if we look at the Sabbath day truth from the eyes of Exodus 20 we find this identity mark is exactly what is outlined within the fourth commandment.

In a future article we will look much closer at the concept of worship as it relates to the mark. For now, it is important to understand that the mark is not some type of microchip but rather a seal that people receive as a result of who they align themselves with.

The conclusion of this matter is likely why Scripture then goes on to say

Revelation 14:12
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.

In closing, did you know that the 10 commandments as are written in Scripture are vastly different from the 10 commandments given by the Roman Catholic Church? Sabbath being one of the key points that they have attempted to change.

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The Sabbath Day Truth

When I was young I remember talking about the Sabbath with a friend. As Sunday keepers we concluded that the Sabbath Day truth was a ritual meant for another people at another time.

Years later I meant a friend that challenged me to show her that I was right with my conclusions about the Sabbath. Her simple words were “show me.”

Given that by this point I had been through Bible school and served as a pastor this seemed like a challenge I could not refuse. What I found along this journey was quite interesting and worth sharing with others who are looking for the truth of the Sabbath Day.

Ten Commandments Sabbath

My first defense was to rally to the new laws of Jesus. After all, the Old Testament ways are a thing of the past today, why should we pay them any attention. Even Jesus made this clear

Matthew 22:36
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

A direct question deserves a direct answer.

Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

What a great answer from Jesus this was. He is clearly pointing at two laws not given previously. At first, this looks like an excellent defense for my position of Sunday keeping until I read the rest of the story

Matthew 22:40
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Whoops?

What did He mean by all “the Law” and all “the Prophets?”

All “the Prophets” would refer to what had been declared in the past. All “the Law” would include the 10 commandments including the fourth, which directly identifies the seventh day Sabbath.

Okay, so we are talking about the Old Testament, but what are we saying about it?

“hang on these two commandments”

That would mean that everything that had been written before was built on a foundation of love. The first four commandments show us how to love God and the last six demonstrate loving humanity.

Fact is; the whole idea of the seventh day Sabbath was an act of love.

Wait!

Wasn’t it a Jewish law?

What does that have to do with love?

Genesis 2:2-3
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Ahhh, so God did give the Jews the ten commandments. Sabbath keeping was part of those ten commandments. But the origination of a seventh day Sabbath came long before any Jew was even alive. Therefore, the Sabbath day truth is that the creation of Sabbath just as all the other ten commandments was an act of love from God rather than being a legalistic dogma handed down from the Jewish culture.


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