Many people get confused when it comes to the Sabbath Day. The primary question is rather simple: "Do we still have to honor the Sabbath Day?" The answer is not so simple: "no, but yes". That is to say we do not have to observe the literal day any longer, but the principle of sabbath (or rest) is still something we must obey.
Now, there are about 60 instances in the New Testament where the word sabbath is used. However, there is NEVER a command given, either directly or implicitly, to continue in the Old Testament tradition of observing the Sabbath Day. For those who don't know, the Sabbath is from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. It was intended as a day of rest (Exodus 31:15), and was instituted for the benefit of man.
Jesus came to fulfill the old law, and in so doing, let the Pharisees and Sadducees know that He was Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mt 12:8, Mk 2:27-28, Lk 6:5). Jesus gave us a more excellent rest through the Holy Ghost.
The Sabbath was intended as a rest for the people of God, and Hebrews 4:1-11 lets us know that the rest we now have is no longer relegated to a specific day, but rather, is a place we can enter into. Isaiah 28:11-12 records the prophecy of the Holy Ghost and makes reference to it in two ways: "this is the rest" and "with stammering lips and another tongue." So, this stammering lips and another tongue is the rest and refreshing promised, according to Isaiah.
Then we see in Mk 16:16-17, Jesus (Lord of the Sabbath) tells us that believers will speak with new tongues. Acts 2:4, 10:46, and 19:6 all record people speaking with new tongues when they received the Holy Ghost.
So, Hebrews lets us know it is not simply a particular day, Isaiah prophesied that the rest would be stammering lips and another tongue, Jesus said those new tongues would be a sign of the believers, and the evidence of the Holy Ghost is speaking with other tongues. You do the math. Our rest is no longer a specific day, but rather, the infilling of the Holy Ghost, something we can experience all the time!!!
Some Q&A:
Question: But wait, wasn't the sabbath part of the Ten Commandments?
Answer: Yes, it was part of the Mosaic law, but as mentioned earlier, Jesus came to fulfill and make perfect that old law. Each of the Ten Commandments was reestablished in the New Testament, save one: the keeping of the Sabbath Day.
Question: Did the early church keep the Sabbath?
Answer: There were times the apostles and even Jesus met on the Sabbath. Of course they would. If you were trying to convert and save a bunch of Jews, what better time than on the Sabbath in the synagogue where there were many gathered together. But the early church gathered together on the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK (I Cor 16:1-2).
Some try to say that the first day was really the Sabbath, but that's a misconception. Look at Acts 20:7-11. Paul intended to leave on the following day (verse 7). Then in verse 11, it says he left at daybreak. So, the NEW DAY was brought about by daylight, not sunset. This lets us know that Luke was writing Acts according to the Roman calendar which uses midnight to midnight as each new day rather than the Jewish calender's sunset to sunset. Thus, the first day of the week was Sunday, not Saturday.
Question: Is keeping of the Sabbath mentioned anywhere in the Epistles?
Answer: Yes, in Colossians 2:16-17 it says not to let people judge in keeping of sabbaths, or any other holy day for that matter. This word sabbath is the exact same as those elsewhere in the New Testament, so it's not differentiating it as some special sabbath or feast. Also, Galatians 4:8-11 warns against those who desire to serve the old law and keep special days, months, & years. Finally, Romans 14:5-6 says that people can either choose to observe special days or choose not to, but that they both do it to the Lord. Where the Sabbath is mentioned in the Epistles, it generally warns against those who taught it must still be observed as a special day.
Summary
In short, we do have to keep the Sabbath in a spiritual sense, as the infilling of the Holy Ghost is that rest we now have in God, and it is essential for salvation. The keeping of the Old Testament Sabbath Day is not a salvation issue. If people wish to keep it, there's nothing wrong with doing so, but it's no longer a command from God.
Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare? The hare, a much faster and somewhat cocky character, is challenged to a race by the tortoise. In the end, the winner is the tortoise. Though the hare was much faster and had the tools one would think necessary to win, he neglected to keep focused on what he was doing, he started out in a blaze of glory and ended with nothing but a puff of smoke.
There are just too many people who's walk with God is little more than a flash in the pan. You see, we really are in a race:
I Corinthians 9:24-25 - Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
The race for the souls of men is not a sprint, but a marathon, it's a long distance test of endurance and stamina. The real kicker is that only the finish counts. We can all obtain a crown for our race, but we must finish. Jesus said that only those who endure to the end will be saved (Mark 13:13).
There are a lot of shooting stars starting out in God's kingdom, but shooting stars, though they're flashy and awe-inspiring, are generally inconsistent, unstable, short-term. In fact, they're really just falling stars, spinning out of control until they burn up or crash.
There are a lot of cheetahs starting out in God's kingdom, but cheetahs, though they're sleek and fast, generally have a tough time adapting to new environments, are only able to handle short bursts of speed, and often need to rest. Typically, they'll give up on a chase if they don't catch the prey in about a minute or so.
Nobody starts out in God intending to be a shooting star or cheetah. No one says, "I think I'll start gloriously and then fizzle out after about a month or a year." Yet, many people do just that. Let me encourage anyone and everyone to push for endurance and stamina. We need to plug in and have a slow and steady walk with God. We need to "run with patience" (Heb 12:1) this great race for the salvation of our souls.
Let's get a hold on God like never before. Let's develop some tenacity and get a little never-give-up in our spirits. A good start won't suffice; we must finish strong. According to Hebrews 12:2 Jesus is both the Author and Finisher of our faith!!!
God's grace and mercy are so incredible!!! Here we are, we come to God with what? Troubles and addictions? Broken homes, lives, and dreams? Maybe we're fortunate enough to "have it all together" when we come to God or perhaps we were raised in a Christian or church atmosphere. No matter where we start out in life, we really don't have much to offer God. After all, He's the Creator (and Owner) of all that's known and unknown.
Yet we see how God looks at his blessings and what He gives us in exchange for what we can offer Him:
Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Wow!!! We bring Him our sin and he washes us in salvation...So why would anyone turn from God? Or better asked by Jesus Himself: "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (see Mt 16:26).
Actually, there are very, very few people who would actually sell their soul to some ghostly figure who offered them whatever they wanted in exchange, even if they were offered the entirety of the world. Most would gladly stand firm and say, "No". But rather, in our everyday decisions, many, many people "sell" out their salvation for much less.
Friends and family pressure us just a little too much. We don't want to "give up" some vice or habit or pleasure. Maybe we're comfortable feeling some Holy Ghost goose bumps every now and then, but in the end we don't know how to truly commit to God.
So what's the price for you? What's the price for me? Would we exchange our souls because we just didn't have time to fit church, prayer, Bible study, and a relationship with Jesus into our busy schedule? Will we trade our relationship with God and our salvation for the "freedom" to go out with friends we shouldn't be hanging with, doing things we know we shouldn't be involved in? Shall we barter for the almighty dollar or because our family doesn't understand why we'd want to change our lives so drastically?
I say NO!!! I say no matter the opportunity that affords itself, we need to hold on to Jesus Christ. Paul said he counted the cost and everything added up amounted to a pile of dung compared to knowing Christ (Phil 3:8). Was he mad or using Enron-onomics? I think not. I believe he understood that knowing and having a relationship with Jesus is worth it all...We have a treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor 4:7) and nothing, NOTHING, is worth trading for that treasure...
Take this whole world but give me Jesus!!! Is that your attitude?
