Daniel at Messy Pastor mentioned that in our zeal to observe the Sabbath on the proper day as sanctified by God, we shouldn’t fall into the danger of still being bonded by the old Laws as did the Galatians.
Previously, I have written quite a lot on the importance of observing the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week just as God had sanctified it.
That led me to earnestly read Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
Though it is true that Paul was earnest in telling the Galatians to not observe the days and seasons in Galatians 4:9-10, I don’t think he was telling the Galatians to not observe the Sabbath as it should be — on the seventh and last day of the week.
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years!
Galatians 4:9-10
What makes me think so?
There are a few factors that convinced me that Paul wasn’t referring to the “days, and months, and times, and years” and meaning them to refer to the Sabbath in any manner.
Firstly, the Galatians weren’t Jewish, so they wouldn’t have known about the different festivities and observances of the Jews.
According to Wikipedia, Galatia is an “ethnic reference to a Celtic people living in northern Asia Minor, but perhaps the majority opinion is that it is a geographical reference to the Roman province in central Asia Minor, which had been settled by immigrant Celts in the 270s BC and retained Gaulish features of culture and language in Paul’s day.”
Furthermore, prior to becoming Christians, the people of Galatia were pagans, and would have been observing pagan festivals and “days, and months, and times, and years”.
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.
Galatians 4:8
Thus, if Paul were to teach them that it was not necessary to observe the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week, he would have been very clear on that instruction, lest the people in Galatia misinterpret his words and intention.
Secondly, referring to the overview of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles as recorded in Acts 13, we observe that Paul himself observed the Sabbath!
Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
Acts 13:13-14
Now let’s play connect the dots.
If Paul himself observed the Sabbath as it should be, and taught only on the Sabbath (Acts 13:42-44), it would follow that if he were to admonish the Galatians for observing the Sabbath, that would have made Paul at the very least a big hypocrite, won’t it?
Last, but not least, early Christians learned from the Apostles by hearing and following their examples.
It will therefore not be too far off the mark to conclude that whatever Paul did and how and when he observed the Sabbath would serve as perfect examples for the new Christians, who were once pagans, to follow.
Applying that conclusion to our search for the truth today with regards to the observance of Sabbath, it is therefore clearly definitive that Sabbath is to be observed as God had meant it to be, i.e. on the sanctified seventh day of the week, and not on Sunday which is the first day of the week.
Shalom Aleichem.
Tags: Apostles, Christianity, Galatians, Paul, Sabbath, Shabbat
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Precisely,
That is why I was asking what you were meaning in my first comment. Now, I have received an answer, and a pretty good one at that.
I mentioned those extremes like fornication and so on to make you have to explain your views clearly. Don’t worry, I didn’t think you did those things. I wanted to show where your statements could go without more clear explanation as was ably displayed in your last comment.
So thanks. I hope things are clearer.
In Christ
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KK,
It is unChristianly to do that? You obviously haven’t been reading your Bible much.
As for the Sabbath, go ahead and keep observing it all you want. Finally, we are agreed on something. And there I rest my case.
Cheers!
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KK and Yomi.
I feel like I’m walking through a day care center fellas. Remember your words are accessible by millions. Be careful how you choose them.
Be passionate. Be intense. Be angry and do not sin. “Peace” said in sarcasm is not honest or God honoring KK. Likewise to you Yomi.
I don’t want to sound condescending. Forgive me if I do. But what I have said is not without merit to be considered.
SW
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Before you continue to misrepresent me, and libel me and other Christians, pleaswe read what we really believe about the Mosaic Law. You can access my articles about the subject here and here.
As it can be seen, you continue to live as if Jesus have never came at all. The fact is that the book of Hebrews have abrogated the Old Covenant with its laws once and for all, and nothing you have said can alter that fact. Read the entire book of Galatians whereby the Scripture repudiate Legalism in the earning of salvation. In your interaction with Yomi, you keep on talking that the laws mentioned in Hebrews and sundry other places refer to the law of animal sacrifices. Wherere is that stated in the text? It is not. This is a classic case of eisegesis. The Jews treat the Law as a single whole, not divisible into categories. The division can only occur (as per the WCF) only after the Law is re-looked in the light of the New Covenant, and not before that.
Face it, you are distorting the teachings of Scripture. And if you are consistent with your position, you would follow the teachings of the Judaizers which Paul condemned in Gal. 1:8-9 as being accursed of God. I pray that you will repent of your Judaizing heresy.
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S.J. Walker,
We are clear, but you may need to watch your approach. Saying things like “Your thinking here has a dangerous direction” and that my stand tended towards licentiousness WHEN I hade said NOTHING unBiblicall is not edifying, not to mention being totally wrong.
If you had a question, all you had to do was ask.
And what is so “daycare” about the scenario between King’s Kid and myself? What was daycar about the apostle Paul’s consistent conflict with those who sought to subject believers to the Law? What is daycare about Paul’s strong words to the Galatians on the subject of the Law?
Paul would have had someone taking a stand like KK is taking thrown out.
Instead of trying to play around with the two of us, you should be asking him when last he attended temple worship in Jerusalem, since its only the animal sacrifices he says were done away with?
Someone needs to ask him if he hasn’t used clothes of mixed fibres and the other myriads of Old Covenant laws - and how he hopes to escape the fires of hell if he hasn’t successfully followed them all.
As Daniel Chew has sad, it is a heretical position and should be treated as such.
I had decided not to touch this subject again on this blog, especially as I don’t want to be seen as ruining things. This will be my very last comment on this, in deference to Isaiah.
Isaiah, I wish you well in your study. From this point, I’ll just read whenever I come around.
Peace and love in Christ to all.
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Thank you for your consideration, brother. Nevertheless, you’re still more than welcome to put in your 2 cents on any issue anytime.
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Isaiah, :-h
The very thing that all Christians must begin to take note of, is also the most frightening and illogical of all schools of thought, which is this: The Bible is the only book, on the planet, in the history of mankind that people refuse to accept as a whole.
It is the only book that some so called hermeneutical, systematic theological, exegesical, eisegesicl “experts” consistently chooses to believe and ascribe to ONLY certain parts: Old Testament, New Testament, Gospels, Pauline Letters, etc.
However, all other books of man-made doctrines they suck in like air—from cover to cover; espousing these man-made theories. What is wrong with this picture??
It is the most illogical and seemingly moronic action exhibited by “Christendomâ€. The “experts†will dissect the Word of God like it is a lab experiment. It is not! It is so very simple.
Get to know what GOD would have you to do, and (so the slogan goes) “just do itâ€.
I leave you all with one of the many admonitions of our Lord and Savoir, Jesus Christ: Matthew 24:4-5.
Speaking in truth and peace, in Jesus’ name, (really SJ :* )
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Sis, I don’t disagree with you that sometimes we rely too much on the writings of man to explain the Bible — I am guilty of it sometimes. I realized this as well, and I’m doing this study on the Sabbath independent of man’s thoughts on it as much as possible, and also making sure to push out pre-conceived notions.
Thank you very, very much for the reminder!
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Brother (and sisters
) ,Sorry if I cam across condescending or overly accusatory. Yomi, you have a point. I sated things in a way that hoped to communicate that even though you had not specifically said something, the thought process could go there and we likewise did not immediately have any specifics to clear up the worry. You answered the question quite well. I apologize for not approaching the situation more carefully. I would advise you as well to perhaps be more clear (even if you think it maybe redundant or easily assumed) in your convictions. Often, in the passions of disagreements, we forget to set the stage for our statements.
KK, I am sorry if I said anything toward you that was not Christlike. Honestly, I’m not sure how to take the “Speaking in truth and peace, in Jesus’ name, (really SJ :* )” statement. Sarcasm? Admonition? Something totally different? I have no idea.
Either way, I hope you too will continue to study the Word of God, yes, in totality for the whole book is holy writ, but also in freedom through Christ’s finished sacrifice.
For His Glory
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It is the only book that some so called hermeneutical, systematic theological, exegesical, eisegesicl “experts†consistently chooses to believe and ascribe to ONLY certain parts: Old Testament, New Testament, Gospels, Pauline Letters, etc.
The Judaist strawman is set up here. Those who refuse to go along with their Judaizing legalism are “believing and subscribing to ONLY certain parts of the Bible”. All the while however, these people have removed Galatians and Hebrews from their Bible, not to mention Romans and Ephesians too. I’m sorry if we who believe in tota sciprutra do not buy your neo-Ebionite legalism. We believe in the WHOLE Bible which clearly teach the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. The Law is abolished as part of the Old Covenant, and applied to Christians only when it is interpreted under the New Covenant of Grace.
I find it revealing that so far nobody interacted with the many verses and passages of Scripture and deductive arguments that I have written in my linked articles. THAT tells you a lot about the person; that he/she refuses to listen and evalute his/her beliefs according to Scripture. Traditionalism it seems runs rampant in the circles of the Neo-Judaism.
Anyway, this would be my final say on the topic unless someone is passionate enough about Truth to evaluate their beliefs. The entire thrust about the necessity of Law-keeping especially with regards to the Mosaic Law and compulsory Saturday Sabbath keeping is absolutely antithetical and anathema to the Gospel of free grace (Eph. 2:8-9). Whoever promotes this falls directly under the anathema and wrath of God for distorting the Gospel (cf Gal. 1:6-9) and it is not a trivial thing. Whoever truly believes in such a pervasion (not just deluded for a while) is in fact NOT A CHRISTIAN but is comdemned to hellfire unless he/she repents. This in fact is the one of the main reasons why the SDAs are heretics and a cult, but I digress.
With this, I draw the line. Upon this truth, I stand and I will not be moved. This IS the heart of the Gospel and although it may pain me to, those who deny it knowingly I will join Scripture in anathemizing. Such people have no part in Christ and do not know Him at all. Thus says the Lord!
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Just a point of note …
I’m sorry if you’re offend by satire/sarcasm. But please do not tell me it’s unchristian behavior. Just heard a sermon by a Reformed Baptist pastor on 2 Peter and the apostle’s holy sarcasm …
Please read:
A Serrated Edge: A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking
A description of the book says, “In every controversy godliness and wisdom (or the lack of them) are to be determined by careful appeal to the Scriptures and not the fact of people having taken offense. Perhaps they ought to have taken offense, and perhaps someone ought to have endeavored to give it.”
I know I know. Some get offended. But it doesn’t follow that we are being rude/crude etc etc (ad hominem ad infinitum)
Isn’t it the BIBLICAL mandate that we DO NOT remove the OFFENSE of the cross? Who says Christians are not offensive?
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At the end of the day the only opinion that matters is the Lords. I have read and understand the Word of God. You “christen’s” (not mispelling) are just as rooted in your belief’s as I am in mine. With that being said we will just have to wait until the Lord returns, to see how this all plays out.
If you are right, then I will still be eligible for the Lord’s Kingdom, because Jesus never said that it is “antithetical and anathema” (a man made opinion) to OBEY Him. However, if I am right, and I am, what will you be eligible for—the Lake (of fire)?
Continue worshipping the sun. I will always choose the Son.
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At the end of the day the only opinion that matters is the Lords. I have read and understand the Word of God. You “judaizers†(not ad hominem) are just as rooted in your belief’s as I am in mine. With that being said we will just have to wait until the Lord returns, to see how this all plays out.
If you are right, then I will still be eligible for the Lord’s Kingdom, because Jesus never said that it is “antithetical and anathema†(a man made opinion) to OBEY Him. However, if I am right, and I am, what will you be eligible for—the Lake (of fire)?
Continue worshiping the sabbath, new moons and holidays. I will always choose the Son.
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If you are right, then I will still be eligible for the Lord’s Kingdom, because Jesus never said that it is “antithetical and anathema†(a man made opinion) to OBEY Him.
If historic Christianity is right, then all of the new Jews will face the wrath of God in eternal hellfire for attempting to add works for their salvation, regardless of how much they claim that is obedience towards him. After all, that is what the Pharisees thought they were doing also - obeying the commands of God to the very letter as the Covenant people of God. Pelagius would be so happy with such people… (if he was still alive)
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Bravo! ^:)^ Classic case of Prov. 26:5 in action.
Oh yes, seeing that the next day is Saturday (which in Singapore it is coming in 2 hours time), happy Saturn-day to all you seventh-day sabbatarians. Whereas we who worship on Sunday worship the sun, those of you who worship on Saturday worship Saturn (which sounds eerily like Satan somehow)…. :)) . Methinks worshipping the sun is somehow better than worship Saturn, but that is just my opinion. =))
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Have any of you bothered to read the scripture references I posted above? Of course not, if you have not.
You said:
….those of you who worship on Saturday worship Saturn (which sounds eerily like Satan somehow)…. =D} It is Satanic and it came from the same ones that you got your Mystery Religion from.Saturn 2: (Roman mythology) god of agriculture and vegetation;counterpart of Greek Cronus; “Saturday is Saturn’s Day”
[syn: Saturn]……Methinks worshipping the sun is somehow better……
I am sure that you would, for the same reason as stated above. -
Originally Posted By Kings KidHave any of you bothered to read the scripture references I posted above? Of course not, if you have not.
You said:
….those of you who worship on Saturday worship Saturn (which sounds eerily like Satan somehow)�. =D} It is Satanic and it came from the same ones that you got your Mystery Religion from.Saturn 2: (Roman mythology) god of agriculture and vegetation;counterpart of Greek Cronus; “Saturday is Saturn’s Day”
[syn: Saturn]……Methinks worshipping the sun is somehow better……
I am sure that you would, for the same reason as stated above.Yawn. Thanks for admitting you worship Saturn. Now where were we?
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Folks, I’m going to call a time-out here, if you don’t mind. At the rate it’s going it’s going to degenerate into a mud-slinging fest and won’t be edifying to anyone.
Please exercise restraint and caution. Sure, there are two seemingly-irreconcilable opposing points of view here, but I pray that everyone remembers that we need to seek to counsel with love and in good faith.
Will mud-slinging one another with outright insults, insinuations of insults, and seemingly witty attacks achieve anything? No, and neither will strong condemnation — if you have a valid point with Scriptural basis make it, else I rather you hold your peace.
It makes me quite sorry to see this, frankly. While I appreciated the debate earlier, I don’t like the fact that my blog has degenerated into a muddy battleground of sorts.
Shalom Aleichem.
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It’s already sundown friday in Singapore. 11:30pm to be exact.
Is typing on your keyboard considered work?
I guess so, since it consume calories to press each individual keys; furthermore, for every calorie used you need energy i.e. food. With food comes the further work of cooking. (of course! they cook on friday and leave the food on the stove with a small flame till saturday night).
What about toileting … is personal hygiene considered work? I guess so too, since cleaning yourself is considered washing, and for those who don’t wash themselves, wiping is also work. Just like cleaning, washing, or wiping the home …
But well, you can always take lomotil on friday (hint: double dosage), and hope that you can “hold on” till after sundown on saturday (saturn-day). Another option is: don’t bother with cleaning oneself.
I wonder: How many steps can we take from Friday to Saturday? I heard the Omron pedometer was invented by a Jewish Rabbi in 300BC for just this purpose!
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Isaiah,
Thanks. Sometimes the best meant things go in one ear and out the other. I have done the same thing. Sometimes we try the “well, I just call ‘em like I see ‘em” defense, or the “this sounds like that, so you must worship fat” arguments. Bottom Line: Are we knew men or aren’t we? If we can still justify the type the of language displayed here then there is a good chance we are just really nice looking corpses. If even the mention of the fact that mud slinging has gone on causes us to stop, think, and repent, then perhaps we are alive and simply need to wash up so to speak.
Thanks Isaiah, God Bless
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Re: Christian Sarcasm?
For those of us who have no time (or no interest) to read “A Serrated Edge: A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking,” here is a profitable article on satire and sarcasm within the Christian context:
Is It “un-Christian” to Engage in Satire?
http://www.tektonics.org/lp/madmad.html
Or even a note from Teampyro …
http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2007/08/yes-we-do-need-sarcasm.html
Why the sudden interest in “Christian satire/sarcasm?” No, I am not dying to be satirical or even sarcastic, but it behooves us to to realize that the biblical authors used satire and sarcasm too. And I am absolutely tired of hearing such remarks from false teachers, “You are not turning the other cheek by being sarcastic or satirical.” Is that not turning the other cheek? Please do your exegesis.
A false teacher IS a false teacher; an apostate IS an apostate. I’ll call a spade a spade. And I don’t and will not pretend to enjoy the heresies and falsehood of false teachers and heretics. If heretics are invited to dance in all their glory, then be prepared to be shot down HARD.
As the author at Tektonics had written, “As with the Apostles, so too with the Fathers. And today, may he who is able use the gifts of sarcasm and satire. To those whose feathers (among other things) are ruffled by the use of these, perhaps the only appropriate response is that which my niece says to her little sister, in a playful and spritely tone, when the latter is overcome with a case of the pouts - and so too I say it here in a playful and childish manner, for the situation doesn’t seem to warrant anything else - Cry, baby, cry!”
So Cry, Baby, Cry!
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I agree wholeheartedly.
For all:
Out of deference to Isaiah, the blog owner, I will move my response to my blog here.
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Dear Sirs:
I was reading your comments, and post in which you spent much time calling King’s Kid names and using great swelling words. However, you need to read 2Peter 2:1-3, 18-22, and see if this sounds like you?
2Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
You call yourselves Christians, but you sound like children groping in the dark, (Job 12:25), and there is no light in you.
I was trying to figure out what the uproar was about and it seems to be about the Sabbath Day, the seventh day of the week. Some of you thin that you are to wise to receive instructions because you went to somebody’s Seminary School. However, all King’s Kid did was quote Scripture—the Lord’s Word, and you attack her with ungodly words. Now who speaks ungodly words?
Time constraints make it necessary that I leave not, but more later on the assault on one of the Lord’s servants.
Tyrone
P.S. Which day in the week did the LORD bless and call holy and sanctified? If you do not know, I will tell you.
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[...] brother Sicarii back in September 2007 wrote a post entitled, Paul, The Hypocrite? here, at that time he promised a post on the Sabbath, after he had time to do some intensive study and [...]
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Will somebody answer the question please: :-??
Which day in the week did the LORD bless, call holy, and sanctify?
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Dear Brother Tyrone, thank you for dropping by!
I think the discussion is currently at rest, on this blog at least, until I release my complete study on the subject. I pray that you’ll be patient.
God bless!
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