A fundamental biblical teaching that is essential to properly understanding Christianity is that the Old Testament has been replaced by the New Testament (Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:11-13; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 8:13). Since the inception of Christianity, it has been futile to appeal to the Old Testament (Judaism) for instruction in religion (2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 2:16; 3:10-11). Many prominent religious errors simply would evaporate upon acknowledgement that the New Testament alone is the law in religion by which everyone now living is bound (Romans 1:16; Galatians 1:6-9; Hebrews 9:15-20; Jude 3; Revelation 22:18-19).
Interestingly though erroneously, some sincere religious peoples today admit that most of Judaism has been replaced by the New Testament, but they contend that portions of the Old Testament are still in force today. Namely, more than one denomination claims that the Sabbath Day requirement under Judaism is still God’s law for Christians. Strikingly, however, especially the apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colosse specifically dealt with such a contention. Examining Colossians 2:12-23 carefully should answer definitively whether Sabbath Day worship is authorized under Christianity.
Colossians 2:13 notes the transition the Colossian Christians had made from being lost to being saved in Christ; they had been dead in their sins, but they had been made alive in Christ by the forgiveness of their sins. The preceding verse (12) points to being buried (immersed) with Jesus Christ in baptism, symbolic of being buried in the death of Christ, as the point at which that transition from being lost to being saved occurred (Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21). Salvation through Jesus Christ was made possible, not by appealing to the Old Testament (Judaism), but by our Savior removing the Old Testament and establishing the New Testament. “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 KJV). Colossians 2:15 announces the victorious, death-defying authority of Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 28:18) over rulers and laws, physical as well as, in this context, foregoing spiritual laws. “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:15 ESV).
Consequently, the apostle Paul warned the Christians at Colosse in Colossians 2:16-23 not to permit anyone to enjoin upon them religious doctrines that are not a part of Christianity. The specific warnings about doctrines that some would foist upon them that they were to refuse include: ceremonial “food and drink” from former covenants, religious festivals, new moon observances, keeping the Sabbath Day, asceticism, angel worship, religious ordinances, “commandments and doctrines of men,” human wisdom and willful worship. Among the prohibitions is Sabbath Day keeping or worship. It just cannot get much clearer and plainer than that. “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17 NKJV). Notice that verse 17 acknowledges the place the items in verse 16 once had in the law of God, but that they are no longer authorized for practice by Christians; those things, including “Sabbaths,” were merely shadows of something better that was to come, and that has come, and they are not part of “the substance of Christ.” They have been blotted out and nailed to the cross of Christ (Colossians 2:14).
Since the inception of Christianity nearly 2,000 years ago, mankind has been delivered from the Old Law (Old Testament, Judaism) according to numerous passages cited previously. Lest anyone should misunderstand, the apostle Paul indicated in Romans 7:6-7 that the Law of God from which we have been delivered includes the Ten Commandments. “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. 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” (KJV). “Thou shalt not covet” was number 10 of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17). Hence, the Ten Commandments, indeed, are part of the Old Law from which we have been delivered. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” is one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8) from which we have been delivered. Not only did the apostle Paul so instruct the Christians at Rome, but he likewise instructed the Christians at Colosse accordingly.
