Thread: The Sabbath

How do you keep the Sabbath, if at all? The way I see it, the Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel and doesn't apply to us. The ten commandment were removed, nailed to the cross as Col 2 says, but do you consider the Sabbath part of the New Commantment under the Law of the Spirit?

The SAs keep the Sabbath on Saturday, so if we consider it still a part of God's commandments to us, why keep it on Sunday? (I know the first Christians picked Sunday to celebrate the risen Christ of course)

God rested on the seventh day, and I think it is a blessing that our nations still consider it a "holy" (set aside) day. Every day should be a holy day for us who believe, don't you think - set aside for the One we love. My dh and I start every day by telling each other: "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." It is very encouraging.

Any thoughts?

The Sabbath is fulfilled when we enter into Christ and into his rest, a rest from own works. By living in his power and resting from own works, we may keep the Sabbath day, the day of rest holy 24/7. The seventh day on which God rested from his works was supposed to last for eternity as the human being entered into his rest but that didn't come to pass. Instead God later set another day called Today, the day of salvation, when we may enter into his rest. Heb 3-4

I agree with both of you!

I'm not a legalist about the Sabbath. In fact, I went and planted 9 bulbs in my MIL's front flower beds today. (yes, I was still in my "church clothes")

To me....planting the bulbs wasn't work, but even if it was it would have been fine. Jesus cares about our hearts, not if our hands are working at the wrong time. As evidenced by him saying in Matthew 12:

3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

(NIV)

Romans 14:4-6

We had friends who kept the Sabbath..not in the 'death if you work' sense, but it as set apart to meditate on the Lord, to not cook or work ect. They did not ask us to participate or condemn us for not..and neither did we..

4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.…

The Sabbath is included in the first chapters of the Bible and predates all nations or people groups. Therefore it was never intended at a rule for Jewish people exclusively. Jesus carefully observed and kept the Sabbath and defended the practice when it did not agree with the man-made traditions of the legalists of His day.
The reasons for the Sabbath are listed in the Bible. It is a day of rest and a day of celebration of God's finished works. It is a day to spend time in God's presence, loving Him.
It is not my intention to add any legal connotation to the Sabbath. If one wants to express love to God by keeping the Sabbath, that is acceptable. God, who sees our intentions and desires, will bless those He chooses to bless.

Jesus kept the law but the epistles make the legality of the various days obsolete.

Col 2:16*So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17*which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.*

It is a good idea to rest from strenous work one day per week but the sabbath is a mere shadow of the complete rest from own works according to own power found in Christ. Which includes a corresponding focus on God from the heart 24/7 and not just during special occasions.

From a human and physical view the sabbath is important as it is part of the creation cycle and helps our bodies stay balanced and rejuvenate for the new week.

Spiritually we also need a day to celebrate and worship God

Originally Posted by Tehilah Ba'Aretz

The Sabbath is included in the first chapters of the Bible and predates all nations or people groups. Therefore it was never intended at a rule for Jewish people exclusively. Jesus carefully observed and kept the Sabbath and defended the practice when it did not agree with the man-made traditions of the legalists of His day.
The reasons for the Sabbath are listed in the Bible. It is a day of rest and a day of celebration of God's finished works. It is a day to spend time in God's presence, loving Him.
It is not my intention to add any legal connotation to the Sabbath. If one wants to express love to God by keeping the Sabbath, that is acceptable. God, who sees our intentions and desires, will bless those He chooses to bless.

I agree, that it should be a heart issue. Jesus came to fulfill the law, so he had to live by all the laws. We are free from the law, so I think it's fine to observe the Sabbath, and fine not to. Really, I think it's more important not to become legalism in your life, just as is everything else. If God speaks to you to spend a Sabbath with him (regardless of what day of the week that is) then we need to be obedient to His voice.

Originally Posted by Colonel

Jesus kept the law but the epistles make the legality of the various days obsolete.

Col 2:16*So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17*which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.*

Let's get our quotes straight here. The context of this passage is about being taken captive by philosophy, deception and traditions of men. The emphasis is being alive in Christ and being victorious over every attack of the enemy of our souls. Instead we should keep our focus on reality as seen in truly denying self and following Jesus. In other words, you will be judged by how you follow Him rather than how you deal with the things of the world around you.
It is not about removing the teachings of Moses, it is about not being tricked into looking at anything other than the Almighty as your source of life, including eternal life.