Board index ‹ Sabbath

[Naek]

Is it a sin if someone still wants to keep the Sabbath day? If someone still wants to celebrate the Sabbath accurately, how does he determine the day? What day is the Sabbath day? Is the Sabbath this era same as the first Sabbath day? If the same, how to count the day since have been many changes in the long intervals from the beginning until now? If not the same, is the Sabbath still valid? Is it a sin if someone still wants to keep the Sabbath day? If someone still wants to celebrate the Sabbath accurately, how does he determine the day?

[jimwalton]

It's certainly not a sin to still want to keep the Sabbath. Sin is variously defined in the Bible as ignorance, inattention, error, missing the mark, irreligion, transgression, rebellion, treachery, unbelief, perversion, evil, guilt, etc. Some of the concepts focus on its causes, others on its nature, and still others on its consequences. It's not just a simple notion. But none of them pertain to a choice to keep the Sabbath. If someone wants to keep the Sabbath, that is an excellent choice.

Many Christians believe that the early Christians changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday in recognition and celebration of the day of resurrection. Others claim that the Sabbath has always been Saturday (the 7th day of the week) and the NT never changes that.

We know that Paul still upheld the law (Rom. 3.31), but certainly knew that the Law didn't save anyone. We also know that Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Mt. 5.17), but there is no end to the interpretations of his words.

I think we only err if we are legalistic about it. If you want to keep Saturday as the Sabbath, go for it. If you recognize Sunday as the day of resurrection, then keep that day holy. As we know, many ministers of the gospel are quite busy on Saturdays and Sundays, and choose another day of the week as their Sabbath. Of the discussion of this there is no end, which will be evidenced by the 100 comments that will follow mine, full of set opinions and even some assertive dialogue.

There is no reason to think that the keeping of a Sabbath is a sin. As far as how to celebrate it accurately, possibly it falls under the theology of Romans 14, and each one must do what is an expression of faith for them, and we should not judge each other's expressions.

[Naek]

Thank you Jim for taking time to answer. If i may conclude, you are saying that Sabbath can be any day. It is good but not compulsory (?) We can be flexible and do no have to be legalistic about it. So, how intensely we should keep the Sabbath? Can a person be trained to be godly without doing a little bit legalistic at first?

[jimwalton]

Hebrews (chapter 4) tells us that the Sabbath rest God has for us is eternity in heaven with him, just as the Promised Land was a Sabbath rest for the Israelites under Joshua's rule. The Sabbath was every week (and still is), but there was also a Sabbath year called the Jubilee on each 50th year. So the Sabbath is a principle of rest, of setting aside, of recognition (of God), and of abiding.

In addition to that, Matthew 5.17 tells us that Jesus fulfilled the Law, though he didn't eliminate it. Now we know that many features of the Law have taken on a spiritualized aspect, and we follow them spiritually, not necessarily physically. (Again, see the book of Hebrews.) Colossians 2.16 counsels us not to let anyone judge you by the observance or non-observance of the Sabbath. "The reality is found in Christ." Others have made the observation that the commandment about the Sabbath is the only one of the 10 Commandments not repeated in the New Testament.

So how intensely should we keep it? In my years of ministry I have learned that each person needs to observe it according to their measure of faith (Romans 14.5-8), but I don't think it should ever be ignored completely. The principles of the Sabbath are good ones: step back from normal life, live a day of respite and of reverence, breathe fresh air and breathe in the Spirit of God. How one does that, and to what extent, is a matter of individual conviction.

Can a person be trained to be godly without doing a little bit legalistic at first? I think it's possible but difficult, and that's why many opt for the "Do this list!" approach to godliness. To me the better approach is to teach someone how to hear the voice of the Spirit in Scripture and in their hearts. Galatians 5 counsels us to stand free from legalistic lists and instead to live by the Spirit. Someone sincerely pursuing the Lord, I believe, will be guided by the Spirit into areas of obedience and conviction without the need for lists of what to do and what not to do. But most people don't devote the time or spiritual resources to seeking the Lord, and for them "The List" is the next best thing to walk them toward godliness.

[Naek]

You mention "principle" toward the Sabbath. By that I take it you mean that it is necessary, important, and beneficial. What if I say that it is compulsory instead of that it should never be ignored completely. However, the application has to be evaluated so that become effective for developing spiritual qualities and faith.

[jimwalton]

Naek, I would say this: Christ fulfilled the Law in that he did what the Law failed to do: showed people how to live. The law was a temporary measure—God wanted to tell His people that they should have certain attitudes. He did that by commanding actions (the law) with the idea that they would see the attitudes behind them. They failed. Christ, on the other hand, preached the attitudes (Matthew 5) but more importantly lived an example of the proper attitudes (Philippians 2.5-8) as well as the proper actions (John 8.46), thus accomplishing what the law failed to accomplish. So the rule of thumb now is to follow Christ’s example. We can, in that sense, ignore the law, because if we follow Christ’s example, we’ll get the actions of the law and the attitudes of the heart. Since the law was supposed to reflect the right attitudes, starting with the right attitudes will more often than not bring about actions that are in keeping with the law. But we don’t do them because of the law; we do them because that is what godly attitudes bring about. So all of the law was fulfilled in Christ and our behavior now is not based at all on the law but on Jesus’ example (cf. Romans 13.8-10). The coinciding with many points of the law is to be expected, but we are not living by even that section of law. The old covenant has been superseded in that it no longer provides a framework for relating to God, and that's another tie-in with the Sabbath. We live by the principles of the Law as embodied in Jesus, not by the letter of Law expressed in the Torah.

The sacrificial and ritual laws of the temple, sacrifices, and priesthood have been fulfilled by Jesus through the cross and resurrection (see book of Hebrews). The food laws, symbolic of the distinction between Jews and Gentiles (Lev. 20.25-26)—that separation has been abolished in Christ (Eph. 2). See also Acts 10. The moral law has been fulfilled in that Christ had both the attitudes and the actions right, and he was absolutely good and righteous, so he becomes the new standard by which we define "moral" (Matt. 5).

We have to approach the Law (including the Sabbath) as revelation of God (which they still are), not as rules for society (which they once were) or means of salvation (which they never were). That means that as we look at each law, whether it is one of the Ten Commandments or a law about mildew on the wall of a house, our first step is to try to understand what that law revealed about God to the Israelites (revelation). Once we understand that, we must make a cultural transfer to formulate a general principle about what that law reveals about God to us (principles). Then we can use that principle to try to apply the revelation of our world in specific ways of acting and thinking. It is not the ancient law itself that carries the authority of the text. Authority is found in the revelation of God that is offered through the principle behind the law.

The Law is not compulsory for us. It has been fulfilled, and now we live by the Spirit, not by the Law (Gal. 5.1, 18).

[Naek]

Jim, I think you are trying to say that the Law (including the Sabbath) is not necessary for salvation, to which I agree. Christ is enough for us. Dietary law and ritual law had been eliminated. However, when the Law was eliminated, we tend to eliminate the heart of discipline, obidience, and consistency as well which is necessary for sanctification. I believe that in the past God was not just developing atonement and sacrificial system but also developing fundamental attitudes of His people.

[Simple Simon]

I don't agree that the Sabbath can be any day. As Jim previously stated, if you believe from your Bible it's still Saturday, then go for it, if you believe from your Bible it's now Sunday, then go for that. The point is there are good Biblical reasons for taking Saturday or Sunday as sabbath. There are NO Biblical reasons for regularly taking any other day as the Sabbath. You either take the Saturday to rest as God rested from His work of creation, or you take the Lord's Day (Sunday), to rest AND focus on the risen Christ and our resurrection. However, no other day has any significance in terms of being used as the Sabbath.

[jimwalton]

Naek, and of course if someone treats our non-obligation to the Law as an occasion to sin, God forbid! (Rom. 6.1; Gal. 5.13). Paul knew that if you take away the lists, people think they are free to get a little reckless. God forbid. Jesus let us know that following him was even more demanding than following the Law (Mt. 5-7). Rather than an outlet for sin, it's supposed to be motivation to greater righteousness—that's supposed to be the motivating attitude of his people.

I agree that God was not just developing atonement and a sacrificial system, but primarily the fundamental attitudes and actions that lead us to holiness. And that's what so many people miss when they (1) are legalistic, (2) are reckless in their freedom in Christ.

Simon, as far as I know, there are no Biblical reasons for taking Sunday as the Sabbath. We know from the NT that was the day of their worship gatherings, but there is no teaching that they viewed Sunday (resurrection day) as their "Sabbath". That understanding and practice did develop centuries later in church history. What I was teaching (in contrast to your thought of "no Biblical reasons for regularly taking any other day as the Sabbath") is that both Romans 14.5-8 and Colossians 2.16 seem to open the door regarding Sabbath. “One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind” (Rom. 14.5) But I still think that Sabbath observation is a viable principle of Scripture. "Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord" (Rom 14.6). Possibly it just sounds as if I'm just winging it, throwing out opinions, but I am using Scripture as the basis for my writing.

[Simple Simon]

mmm Jim. I don't believe the Lord's Day is the same as the Sabbath. I was using Sabbath as short hand, meaning, to be used as our collective day of worship. The other passage you refer to is talking about other Sabbaths. As you know there were many other sabbath days taken, but they weren't on the official Saturday sabbath, and were for different reasons. I'm a believer in the Lord's Day and I take my theology concerning the Lord's Day from the NT. There's no such thing as the Lord's Day in the OT. My point is, there is no other 'official' regular day to take that's like the sabbath, other than the prescribed and regular sabbath (as per the 4th commandment , which is specifically the 7th day) or in the NT, the Lord's Day. There are no other viable options in Scripture as a regular corporate official pattern set aside. The passage you cite is not dealing with the 7th day official sabbath at all.

In fact, the central focus of 'rest' is both physical (which is essential) and spiritual. The spiritual is almost always corporate. It's only our individualistic western world that has been hoodwinked into thinking life is all about me and mine. Middle Eastern culture was and is still corpoarte. It focuses on community. It is not about choosing the day I want to have my sabbath. It's about worshipping on the day God set aside for His worship with His people in synagogue, temple and now Church. Man, much of this has been lost and has harmed the people of God over recent years. It never was thus in times past. If we're casual about the Lord's Day, we all lose out in the long run.

The other problem is, if you teach casual sabbath, human nature will almost always slip into 'reckless freedom', which is one of the extremes you're trying to avoid. I've seen in my own Church, this tendency. I'm not theologically Sabbatarian, yet hold dear to that one day in the week for corporate praise of the Lord. As soon as I preach freedom in this area, the majority vote with their feet and never take the Lord's Day seriously. The other extreme is also bad, but at least folks actually come and praise the Lord and hear His Word, to their eternal benefit. Give me a Sabbatarian over a 'reckless freedom' Christian, every time!