How does doing no work on the Sabbath make it holy?

[karl]

Originally Posted By: cheddar

The Lord says that they who turn away their feet from the Sabbath, and do not do their own ways on his holy day, but call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, shall delight themselves in the Lord. (Isa. 58:13,14.)

This is a vague request. Since it is vague Adventist have come up with all sorts of rules to keep the Sabbath: No swimming, no games, no restaurants, no biking, no sports, no TV, no radio, no cooking, no this, no that. Terrible! It's a day filled with don't do anything.....

We multitask all day long. Six days a week we do this, and God should be involved. We multitask and we consult God. We consult God and we multitask. The seventh day is set aside for consulting God more directly and fully, and for formally and corporately worshipping Him. The diminishing of multitasking on the seventh day is designed to engage us more fully with our Maker, our Sustainer, our Redeemer.

It is true that various people have lost sight of the true Object of worship and have begun to worship guidelines which they have set up to facilitate the worship of God. It takes someone like you to point these things out and help get them back on track.

Jesus did this for the scribes and pharisees. Keep up the good work.

[Sonny]

I suggest that when something so clear and obvious "can't be understood" the real problem is that there is a false teacher out there with "an agenda" like Acts 20 states.

And, on the other side, is legalism....Making up rules as you go so you can glory in your flesh.

[Sonny]

The seventh day is set aside for consulting God more directly and fully, and for formally and corporately worshipping Him.

Sorry, I can't find this in the NT under the NC.

[karl]

Originally Posted By: karl

The seventh day is set aside for consulting God more directly and fully, and for formally and corporately worshipping Him.

Sorry, I can't find this in the NT under the NC.

You must not be looking for it very hard. The word “law” occurs 223 times in the New Testament.

[Sonny]

You must not be looking for it very hard. The word “law” occurs 223 times in the New Testament.

What does that have to do with what you just fabricated - namely "The seventh day is set aside for consulting God more directly and fully, and for formally and corporately worshipping Him"?

[karl]

Originally Posted By: karl

You must not be looking for it very hard. The word “law” occurs 223 times in the New Testament.

What does that have to do with what you just fabricated - namely "The seventh day is set aside for consulting God more directly and fully, and for formally and corporately worshipping Him"?

i apologize for summing up what is in the NC/NT about interacting with God.

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

In this regard, He asked, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). And in a discussion with the Pharisees, Jesus quoted Isaiah's prophecy, saying, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And IN VAIN they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men'" (Mark 7:6-7). Jesus said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition" (v. 9).

Notice the teaching of Jesus Christ in Mark 2:23-28. Jesus allowed His disciples to pluck heads of grain to eat as they walked through grain fields on the Sabbath. He was challenged on this point by the Pharisees, who had added more than 60 legalistic "dos and don'ts" to the Sabbath—of their own human devising. But Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath" (vv. 27-28).

Christ did not say that the Sabbath was made for the Jews—but for "man."

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul was inspired to write that the Israelites "all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was CHRIST"! (1 Corinthians 10:4). The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the Person in the Godhead who spoke to ancient Israel was the One who later "emptied" Himself and became Jesus Christ! He is the one Who spoke and wrote the Ten Commandments. He gave them to man. The attempt to negate the Commandments with the New Testament or the New Covenant is misguided.

You can negate the Pharisees' add-ons all you want.

[Sonny]

"The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath" (vv. 27-28).

[Sonny]

In Hebrews 4:9,10, Paul says:

Quote:

"...there is still a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God [i.e., the Jews]. For the one (Jew or Gentile) who has entered God's rest has also rested from his own works, as God did from his."

Weren't the Jews of Christ's time keeping the Sabbath? Yes, but their Sabbath keeping was meaningless! Why? Because they thought they could gain heaven through the keeping of the Sabbath. This is OC and it perverts the true meaning of the sabbath.

[Sonny]

Weren't the Jews of Christ's time keeping the Sabbath? Yes, but their Sabbath keeping was meaningless! Why? Because they thought they could gain heaven through the keeping of the Sabbath. This is OC and it perverts the true meaning of the sabbath.

EGW makes an interesting statement in DA. She says, "As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them."

Notice show she ties justification by faith (the righteousness of Christ accepted by faith) with the Sabbath. Now I never use EGW as the final word. No way! Nevertheless, this is an eyeopener.

Why were the Jews keeping the Sabbath? What did "no work" on the Sabbath mean to them? We can get clues by looking in the NT:

"At that time Jesus went through the fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples, being in need of food, were taking the heads of grain. But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, See, your disciples do that which it is not right to do on the Sabbath."

Notice how they concentrated on not working!

"For this cause the Jews had an even greater desire to put Jesus to death, because not only did he [Jesus] not keep the Sabbath but he said God was his Father, so making himself equal with God."

So even to the Jews, Christ didn't keep the Sabbath. He worked.

Folks, we need understand what it means not to work instead of inventing a list of things not to do on the Sabbath. If not, we are no better than the traditions added by the Jews in Christ's day.

Again, why do we rest?

[Sonny]

Again, why do we rest?

This thread and all its posts have yet to answer this basic question! Wow, no one knows why they rest. Keeping rules blindly is ignorant. It's following tradition...which is always linked to legalism - i.e., doing something to appease God in order to get something in return (i.e., heaven).

[cheddar]

Originally Posted By: Sonny

Again, why do we rest?

This thread and all its posts have yet to answer this basic question! Wow, no one knows why they rest. Keeping rules blindly is ignorant. It's following tradition...which is always linked to legalism - i.e., doing something to appease God in order to get something in return (i.e., heaven).

We rest because we have stopped working. Salvation is a free gift bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. You can't work for something that's free. Therefore the rest of the Sabbath is believing in Jesus Christ.

[karl]

We rest because God gives us rest.

(Exodus 33:14) And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

(Psalms 119:165) Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.

(Isaiah 30:15) For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,

(Isaiah 30:15) For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,

(Matthew 11:28-30) "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls

(Hebrews 4:3) For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,' " although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

(Hebrews 4:10-11) For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. {11} Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

[Sonny]

We rest because we have stopped working. Salvation is a free gift bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. You can't work for something that's free. Therefore the rest of the Sabbath is believing in Jesus Christ.

This is speculation - I don't see any Bible evidence.

Let's say your speculation is correct...why then rest on the 7th-day? If you are resting in Christ, through faith, don't you do that everyday?

[Sonny]

We rest because God gives us rest.

[Sonny]

Now, I believe you are on to something. How is accepting the gospel, His rest, linked to God's rest? What did God rest from [on the 7th-day] as linked to the gospel?

Heb 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you [Jews] be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we [Jews - and Paul was a Jew] also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did [the Jews of the Exodus]; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest [God's rest]....

Very few Jews accepted the gospel. They rejected Christ and His righteousness for their own self-righteousness. They didn't enter "God's rest", which Paul defines as believing in the gospel of Christ. So entering His rest is synonymous with accepting the gospel or justification by faith.

More later...

[cheddar]

Originally Posted By: cheddar

We rest because we have stopped working. Salvation is a free gift bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. You can't work for something that's free. Therefore the rest of the Sabbath is believing in Jesus Christ.

This is speculation - I don't see any Bible evidence.

Let's say your speculation is correct...why then rest on the 7th-day? If you are resting in Christ, through faith, don't you do that everyday?

The 7th day sabbath is the memorial of creation in the old testament. In the new testament it's the memorial of redemption in Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, there are not many good verses to show that. The new testament writers were largely silent about the sabbath because it wasn't a point of contention. The Jews kept the sabbath and the early Christians kept it too. So it was one thing they had in common. It wasn't until later that the Catholic church changed the days and all the controversy started.

[Sonny]

The 7th day sabbath is the memorial of creation in the old testament.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted By: Sonny

Now, I believe you are on to something. How is accepting the gospel, His rest, linked to God's rest? What did God rest from [on the 7th-day] as linked to the gospel?

Heb 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you [Jews] be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we [Jews - and Paul was a Jew] also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did [the Jews of the Exodus]; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest [God's rest]....

Very few Jews accepted the gospel. They rejected Christ and His righteousness for their own self-righteousness. They didn't enter "God's rest", which Paul defines as believing in the gospel of Christ. So entering His rest is synonymous with accepting the gospel or justification by faith.

More later...

Look guys, I'm unsure of the sabbath. I know Sunday isn't the Sabbath. I don't work on the Sabbath, but neither do I keep all the extra rules the SDA church has added. I recognize it because of redemption, only.

Back in the day Sabbath use to be hell for me and my family. That's because I only knew the Sabbath as something I must do to get into heaven. The SDA church I attended taught me this.

Anyway, so in all of this I'm trying to convince myself. Again, I'm sure that the Sabbath is our Saturday. I'm sure it's God day, not the Jews.

The thing is when I don't work, except for emergencies, who is noticing? Sure, some of my workmates know that I don't work, but they don't understand. They probably think I'm a legalist, but I'm not.

So the question for me is I know why I rest, but who is looking...who cares? I mean I'm sure God cares, but the average Joe on the street doesn't care.

Now in the future I believe that it's going to be a big issue. Not so much the Sabbath, but justification by faith (the gospel) vs. all those false, pagan gospels (justification by works).

The Sabbath, from my understanding, will then be the seal of God. It will point to my complete and finished redemption "in Christ Jesus". It will point to a completed work where as Sunday will then be the mark of the beast. It will point to men's good works. It will symbolize justification by works. Those issues are future....What does not working now prove or disprove? Just asking....

[skyblue888]

Sonny, if the answer is given, will you accept it?

God rests upon His word because the word which He has spoken is able to accomplish what is said in that word. For example God commanded the earth to grow grass. That word has never failed. Grass continues to grow to this day. God is resting in His word just as you and I are to rest in His word. In fact we are invited to rest in the merits of Christ and in the power of His word to accomplish that which He has commanded us and the Sabbath day will forever remind us that we are created and sustained by His powerful word. 1 Thess.2:13; Phil.2:13.

God has invited us into His rest.

sky

[Sonny]

In fact we are invited to rest in the merits of Christ and in the power of His word to accomplish that which He has commanded us and the Sabbath day will forever remind us that we are created and sustained by His powerful word.

sky

I don't buy this....You are adding to something that's not there. I mean it sounds good, but theologically I don't buy it.

[Sonny]

Heb 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you [Jews] be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we [Jews - and Paul was a Jew] also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did [the Jews of the Exodus]; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest [God's rest]....

Very few Jews accepted the gospel. They rejected Christ and His righteousness for their own self-righteousness. They didn't enter "God's rest", which Paul defines as believing in the gospel of Christ. So entering His rest is synonymous with accepting the gospel or justification by faith.

More later...

Drop down to verse 9:

"... there is still a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God.

Weren't the Jews (God's people) keeping the Sabbath? Yes & no. They were keeping the day, but they did it legalistically. They did it to be saved. Not only that but they added all sorts of rules & traditions for extra credit.

The problem with the Jews was they rejected the gospel (His rest) received through faith. They rejected the doing & dying of Christ (the gospel). Hence their Sabbath keeping was meaningless.

Again, EGW: As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them.

Verse 10: For the one who has entered God's rest has also rested from his own works, as God did from his.

Notice it does say the Jew who enters God's rest, it says "the one" (Jew or Gentile) who accepts the gospel ALSO (or in addition to...as a sign) rests from his work every 7th-day because God ceased from His perfect work of redemption "in Christ Jesus" on the 7th-day.

I'll deal with this later....

[Sonny]

The fall destroyed the significance of the Sabbath.

In order to restore the Sabbath rest to man, Jesus came to work again. He said “I must work the works of my Father.” What was the work that God gave Him to do? To save us.

Now comes the big question. At what point did Jesus redeem us? When Christ was born, the birth includes the conception and everything, He began His salvation.

When did Christ actually redeem the human race? At what point of His earthly history? Is it at the cross or is it at the resurrection? All Christians agree that it was at the cross. Why is Good Friday called “Good”? Look at John 17:4 where Christ says,

I have finished the work you have given Me to do.

Also, in John 19:31, on the cross when He said,

It is finished.

What day did Christ die?

Just before the Sabbath was to start!

What did God do on the Sabbath?

He rested from His perfect work of redemption in the doing & dying of His Son Jesus Christ.

[Sonny]

I must work the works of my Father.” What was the work that God gave Him to do?

Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He [Jesus] came into the world [through Mary], He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come-- In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will , O God.' " 8 Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God."

Notice that Jesus came to work. He came to do the Father's will - i.e., to save us - to redeem us:

He takes away the first (covenant) that He may establish the second (covenant). 10 By that will (His work) we have been set apart through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Same idea. Jesus worked and worked and then at the cross, late Friday afternoon, He died. What happened when He died?

Romans 5:10 "we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son"

On the Sabbath, God the Father rested from His perfect work of redemption "in Christ Jesus"!

This is why SDA should keep the Sabbath!!!! In other words by resting you are outwardly (as a sign - the seal of God) stating that I can't add to God's perfect work of redemption "in Christ Jesus". Yes, you can experience Christ's love, but in Christ you stand perfect. That's what the Sabbath points to! Therefore it is a sign of justification by faith!

[Sonny]

Jesus worked and worked and then at the cross, late Friday afternoon, He died. What happened when He died?

Romans 5:10 "we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son"

On the Sabbath, God the Father rested from His perfect work of redemption "in Christ Jesus"!

Let me add one important text:

2 Cor 5:14 For Christ's love [agape] compels us, because we are convinced that when One died for all, all died"

When Jesus, as the Son of Man, died we died in Him. Our corporate humanity died in Christ.

I've already given you Roman 7:6; let me also give you Romans 6:6:

We know that our old self [our life from Adam] was crucified with him so that the body of sin [our humanity] might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.

You see dead men can't sin. Our old humanity had to die. There was nothing in it redeemable. When Christ died, the human race died in Him.

If you believe that "in Christ" God rested from His perfect & complete work of redemption, then as a sign of faith you should rest as God rested that Sabbath about 2000 years ago. This will be the issue when the Sunday laws are enforced. At that time Sunday will represent mankind saving himself through his own efforts & good works. You must reject this because it is heresy and goes against the gospel.

[Sonny]

Wow, only two folks voted and I was one of them. Folks this is sad. As important as the Sabbath is to SDA most don't even know why they rest. This is a sad day!