Just wanted to comment on an article I just read about the Sabbath. It would appear that you have given my fleshly nature every reason to completely disregard the Ten commandments. I’m sorry, but my Bible does not indicate that the Commandments were only for the Jews. … Christ himself worshipped on the Seventh day. As I looked at Acts 20:7 I never saw any evidence that they were having a church service. In fact, it would seem that if you look at the text it was an evening meeting because Paul was leaving the next day. And I Cor. 16:1, 2 say nothing about Sunday worship! That must be a misprint on your website, because that is a huge stretch to say that just because they were to save some money they were having church service. … I thought the Lord Himself said nothing was to every be taken out of the Bible or added to it. It would seem that some are doing both when it comes to preaching Sunday worship. … Sincerely, Aaron Brown
Irrespective of what translation of the Bible one uses, Scripture states that the Israelites alone were the specific recipients of the Ten Commandments, and the entire Mosaic Law (Judaism).
“12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 14 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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:12-15).
Only the Israelites who had been delivered from Egyptian slavery (and their descendants, i.e., practitioners of Judaism) were commanded to keep the Sabbath. The reason they were to keep the Sabbath was to remember their history of being slaves in Egypt. No one besides the Jews were ever commanded to keep the Sabbath as a memorial of freedom from Egyptian slavery. The Sabbath and all of Judaism applied to one nation, Israel, and never applied to the non-Jews who were contemporary with them.
God gave religious law to mankind when he created Adam and Eve, and that system of law that we call Patriarchy (meaning “father rule” where God spoke through the fathers of the families, e.g., Noah, Abraham) continued for all subsequent humans until the Law of Moses was given to the Israelites. Even then, Patriarchy continued for non-Israelites, except those who proselyted to Judaism, until Patriarchy was replaced with Christianity. Christianity has replaced both Judaism and Patriarchy, though some of God’s laws under both have been implemented by God in Christianity (e.g., do not murder).
The New Testament clearly and unmistakably teaches that Judaism (the Law of Moses) has been replaced with Christianity:
- 2 Corinthians 3:11-16, “11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.”
- Colossians 2:14, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
- Colossians 2:14, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
- Romans 7:1-6,“1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
The very next verse in the same context, Romans 7:7, clarifies what is included in the law from which Christians have been delivered by including one of the Ten Commandments as an example of what Christianity replaced. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”
The New Testament also clearly and unmistakably teaches that both Patriarchy and Judaism have been replaced with Christianity or the Gospel.
- Ephesians 2:11-19, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”
Regarding Jesus worshipping on the Sabbath Day, of course, he did. Jesus was born, lived and died while Judaism was in effect. Jesus did teach that there would be a new way to worship that would displace Judaism and all other manners of worshipping God (i.e., Samaritan worship, Patriarchy).
- John 4:20-21, “20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.”
Regarding Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, I’m aware of only one loose translation that fails to indicate the assembly in Acts 20:7 involved worshipful activities. Every reliable translation of the Bible portrays first day of the week worship in Acts 20:7 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
- Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”
- 1 Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”
Between the two passages, these acts of worship appear in the Bible text: Lord’s Supper, preaching and making a contribution. Acts 2:42 and 46 use ‘breaking bread’ in two different senses, one sense in which it is associated with other religious activities (i.e., doctrine, prayers) and another sense where it is associated with non-religious activities (e.g., eating their food). Hence, Acts 2:42, as well as Acts 20:7 refer to the Lord’s Supper, whereas Acts 2:46 refers to a common meal.
Regarding taking from or adding to the Bible, mortals are forbidden to change the revealed will of God. Biblical prohibitions appear in both testaments: Old Testament, Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; New Testament, Galatians 1:6-9; Revelation 22:18-19. However, God has given, over time, three distinctive and different law systems to mankind: Patriarchy, Judaism, Christianity. They have similarities and dissimilarities. No two of them can be operative for the same people at the same time without these laws contradicting each other. The giving of Christianity most certainly did require a change in the law system under which mankind living today must submit.
- Hebrews 7:12, “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”
Anyone trying to abide by any part of Judaism today, including the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath Day, is seriously misguided and imperiling his own soul. One cannot keep a part of the Law (e.g., Ten Commandments, the Sabbath) without becoming responsible for keeping all of it.
- Galatians 3:10-11, “10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”
- Galatians 3:23-25, “23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
- Galatians 4:10-11, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”
- Galatians 5:4, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”
