Part 9 – A special study – the Sabbath Christ’s Church Part 9 – A special study – the Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath The claim of 7th Day Adventists and other groups is that we must worship on Saturday rather than assembling on the Lord’s Day The claim further extends to say that those who do not worship on the Sabbath do not inherit salvation Jesus said that those who worship God must worship in “spirit and truth” – John 4:24 Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath The claim that worship should be on the Sabbath is based on four basic points Read Genesis 2:2,3 “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it …” Read Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy …” Read Luke 4:16 The claim is that Jesus worshiped on the Sabbath Read Acts 13:13,14 The claim is that early Christians also worshiped on the Sabbath Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath There is nothing wrong with the Scripture quoted; there is something wrong with the application Answer to claim #1 (God sanctified the Sabbath) God did indeed bless the Sabbath and sanctify it under the Old Testament It is interesting to note that no one observed the Sabbath until Israel was led out of Egypt Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath Answer to claim #2 (the Sabbath is to be kept holy) The command to remember the Sabbath is the fourth commandment of the Law The Law was taken out of the way by Christ’s death on the cross; hence, this commandment does not apply to Christians – see Colossians 2:14 The purpose of the Law was to point us to Christ – Read Galatians 3:19 – the seed is Christ Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath Answer to claim #3 (Jesus worshiped on the Sabbath) Of course Jesus kept the Sabbath holy The Old Testament was still in effect until His death on the cross – see Hebrews 9:16,17 Actually worship was done under the Old Testament only in Jerusalem at the feast days The meeting on the Sabbath was not called worship; men went to Jerusalem to worship – consider John 4:19-21, Acts 8:27, Acts 24:11 Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath Answer to claim #4 (early Christians worshiped on the Sabbath) Paul went into the synagogue on the Sabbath, but not to assemble as a Christian He went that he might preach the gospel to the Jews – read Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 9:20 Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath The Scripture points out clearly that the Law was taken away with Christ’s death on the cross Assembling on the Sabbath then was taken away at the same time Sabbatarians try to defend their position by saying that there are two parts to the Law The Ten Commandments The Ordinances Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath Sabbatarians claim that the Ordinances were taken away at Christ’s death, but not the Ten Commandments Read Ephesians 2:14,15 “which is the Law of commandments contained in the ordinances” The claim is that not all of the Law was taken away through Christ’s death They say that only the commandments contained in the ordinances were removed Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath Is this division of the Law into 1) the Ten Commandments, and 2) the Ordinances – is it a valid division? If it is, then the Ten Commandments would still be binding on us, and we would be obligated to keep the Sabbath (Again keep in mind that the Sabbatarian doesn’t have a real concept of worship at all, whether Old or New Testament worship) Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath New Testament writers, inspired by the Spirit, used the term law in many different contexts These writers used these contexts interchangeably – see Acts 28:23, Romans 2:12-16 The summary of New Testament teaching is that any law which condemns a person, whether the Ten Commandments or the law of conscience, is taken away in Christ Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath When a person has misconceptions concerning the Sabbath, it is necessary to show that the Ten Commandments, specifically, were taken away in Christ Read Romans 7:4 “you also were made to die to the Law” Romans 7:7 clearly demonstrates that the Law in this context refers to the Ten Commandments The example given is, “You shall not covet” Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath In Hebrews 8, the Holy Spirit points out that the first covenant was taken away, and replaced by a new covenant In connection with the first covenant, the author describes the tabernacle of Moses in Hebrews 9:3,4 “and the tables of the covenant” The Holy Spirit refers to the Ten Commandments as the “tables of the covenant” Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath The Spirit shows that the Ten Commandments were a part of the first covenant Since the new covenant replaced the old covenant, it follows that the Ten Commandments also were replaced The new covenant is “not like the covenant which I made with their fathers…” (Hebrews 8:9) Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath Paul wrote approvingly that the church in Thessalonica imitated “the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea” (1 Thessalonians 2:14) We also should imitate the original church – the one that Jesus built Our guide then becomes the practices of the church as described in the New Testament Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath In our guide we find two examples which speak of the appropriate week day for the assembly of the saints Read Acts 20:7 “And on the first day of the week” Read 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 “On the first day of the week” Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

Christ’s Church – The Sabbath There is no record of any Christian congregation meeting on the Sabbath in the New Testament In the absence of any other scriptures, there is only one possible conclusion The New Testament church met on the first day of the week, and we are to do likewise Christ’s Church – The Sabbath

The Lord’s 2nd Coming Part 1 – Introduction and Basic Teachings about the Lord’s Second Coming