TRUTH CONCERNING THE SABBATH

1. Sabbath means “rest” not seven. In addition to the weekly Sabbath, Israel had to
observe a Sabbath on the first day and the tenth day of the seventh month (Levi 23:21-32,
39). Adam, Noah, Abraham and the other primitive believers did not observe the seventh
day Sabbath (Numbers 5 :3, 15). God required the keeping of the Sabbath day starting
with Moses, after the children of Israel left Egypt (Exodus 16 : 25-30; John 1:17).
2. The priests profaned the Sabbath and were blameless because God required them to
offer two lambs each Sabbath day (Numbers 28:9; Matthew 12:5). Some Pharisees broke
the Sabbath by pulling their animals from a pit on the Sabbath day (Luke 14:5). Jesus and
his disciples broke the Sabbath (John 5:18; 9:16; Matthew 12:1-8). God has never
required all nations to keep the Sabbath day. The Sabbath was a sign between God and
Israel, not between God and all the nations (Exodus 31:16-17; Numbers 5:15). Since all
the children of Israel were at the same place, they could enter and exit the Sabbath at the
same time.
3. If someone decides to keep the seventh day Sabbath (Exodus 20 :10), he must also
refrain from working for a whole year every seven years (Levi 25 :4-7), kindle no fire on
that day (Exodus 35 :3), stone the violators (Exodus 31:14; Numbers 15:32-35) and keep
the whole law (Galatians 5:3; James 2:10). No man shall be justified by the works of the
law (Galatians 2:16; 4:21). As many as are under the works of the law are under the curse
(Galatians 3 :10-12), because the law is not made for the righteous man, but for the
ungodly (1 Tim 1:9-10). Being led by the Holy Spirit, we are not under the law, but under
grace (Romans 6:14-15; Galatians 5:4, 18-19).
4. The apostles never asked the Jewish or the gentile churches to keep the seventh day
Sabbath. Jesus did not do that either. During the conference of Jerusalem, the apostles
prescribed the observation of some law related works, but not the Sabbath (Acts 15:10,
23-29). The Law of Moses required Sabbath for the body, but the grace of Jesus offers
Sabbath to the soul (Matthew 11:28-29). Whosoever receives the Spirit of the Word
enters into rest (Hebrews 4:3; Romans 8:9), and fulfills the law of Christ (Romans 13:10;
1 Co 9:21). God rested from all his works once for all. Rest therefore of all your carnal
works once for all by receiving the spirit of Christ, the seal of God (Hebrews 4:4, 10;
Ephesians 4:30).
5. Jesus was resurrected on Sunday morning (Mark 16 :9), and the Holy Spirit descended
on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, a Sunday, or 50th day after His resurrection (Acts
2:1-4). Paul resurrected a man on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7-12) and spoke of
the first day collection (1 Corinthians 16:2). Based on history, Christian Jews worshipped
God on Sunday in the Jerusalem Temple and non Christian Jews worshipped on Saturday
(Acts 4 :4 ; 5 :20, 41-42 ; 1 Corinthians 10 :20). It is good to judge all days equal
(Romans 14 :5). Jesus and the apostles taught every day (Luke 19:47 ; Acts 2:46; 5:42).
Let no man judge you concerning the keeping of the Sabbath day, which is the shadow of
things to come. The body is in Christ (Colossinas 2:6-17). Keeping days is a weak
element that must be abandoned, else the preacher’s work is vain (Galatians 4:8-11). The
law was not eternal because it gave way to grace (Hebrews 8:7, 13 ; 7:11). The seventh
day Sabbath was not eternal because it gave way to the Sabbath for the soul by the Holy
Spirit (Matthew 11 :29).