It’s easy to see in our Western Culture here in the United States that much of how we conduct business among other things has its roots in the Christian faith. Whether you want to face it or not, it’s true although these days we see it becoming more secular. We still see many businesses closed on Sunday, some still close early on Wednesdays. We then have the days we acknowledge such as Easter, Christmas, and Lent and so on. The reason for this is the organized Church as we know it still believes and follows (basically) the Ten Commandments; Exodus 20:
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. NIV
You see this was a firm command that was not to be taken lightly. Understand also the position that I am taking is not done so lightly either. However, we are living in the spirit not according to the letter of the law. With that in mind let’s look specifically at the Sabbath Day.
What is the Sabbath? Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbath meaning “to cease from exertion”. We first see the Sabbath Day being commanded to Moses in Exodus 16:23-29. Most Christians are taught that it is initiated from the Genesis 2:3, which most likely is the case since this is the day God blessed and declared as holy. However, it was not specifically set at this time. In any case, it was clearly and undeniably commanded in Exodus 16. In Exodus 20:8 we have the Sabbath Day set and the other laws established in the Mosaic Law, and for centuries these laws were painfully followed. Throughout scripture we see time and again how God’s people were reminded of the Sabbath and they would obey, for the most part.
Here are a few passages regarding the seriousness of keeping the Sabbath:
Jeremiah 17: 27 But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.”
Exodus 16: 27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you[c] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Now let’s move to the New Testament. You can look throughout the New Testament or the entire bible for that matter and you will not find another word used for Sabbath until Hebrews 4. Once you arrive at Hebrews 4:9 the word used here is “sabbatismos” which is a derivative of the other word shabbath however the meaning is quite different. “Sabbatismos” in the Greek means figuratively, a “type of heaven”. Think about that! What does this mean in contrast to the way it has been taught for so many years?
Let’s look at Hebrews for a moment and see what it’s telling us;
Heb 4:7, Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today,
Heb 4:8 “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest (Sabbatismos) for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” NIV
The question now will be, how do we enter that rest? It’s in Christ, look at this;
Matt 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Now there’s much more that goes with this verse, continue to read through Matt. 12:8. But here Jesus is establishing that He is our rest, He is the Lord of the Sabbath. The confusion I believe comes when we either can’t rightly divide the word, or the leaders are concerned about having people show up to pay their tithes, which is another issue to deal with although we won’t do that here. But I have found it very interesting how we pick and choose what parts of the Law will be followed and what won’t be followed because according to;
Gal 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." NIV (Note: curse = judgment)
I don’t see where anything was excluded from the Law according to these verses. So what do we do? We have to look at what the scripture tells us and that is, Jesus came to redeem us from ALL of the Law that we might live by faith because we could not work/earn our way into heaven. Remember the Law was a shadow of what was to come?
Col 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. NIV
Heb 10:1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. NIV
I spoke with a Pastor that teaches his congregation to strictly live by the Ten Commandments. I’m not saying they are bad, they’re not! However, we cannot continue any longer in having people measure themselves according to their own works. At what point then will they rely on the work of the Holy Spirit to transform them. “As long as I pay my Tithes and honor the Sabbath Day, then I’m in good shape, at least I’m not as bad as people who don’t”. That’s the mentality and then the church uses them (the big 10) to measure the spirituality of those in the congregation, but if that would have been enough then Jesus would not have had to come. Can it be any clearer?
In closing look at these scriptures:
Romans 9:31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. NIV
Galatians: 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" NIV
Its about our personal relationship with Christ not about our ability to keep laws. Look the fact is Israel could never keep them that was the purpose of Christ's coming. When will we begin to rely on the work of Christ and not our own? Every day is the Lord's Day!
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