Re: Sabbath Day -- UNITED APOSTOLIC BIBLE TALK

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Date Posted: 20:19:05 08/10/00 Thu
Author: Scarborough Apostolic United Ministry
Subject: Re: Sabbath Day

Although the observance of the Sabbath is a great controversy in some quarters, we hope to put your questions to rest with the reasons why the majority of Christians now meet on Sunday as opposed to Saturday.

The Old Covenant was based on law--the outward keeping of commands. The Sabbath was originally made for man (Mark 2:27) as a day to rest and set aside as holy unto the Lord. Although the Jews put a huge emphasis on it
(they had about 600 rules of things you could NOT do on the Sabbath) they entirely missed the meaning of it! The Sabbath was a day of REST, given to man to refresh Him and to remind him to rest in the Lord. It wasn't the day
of "church--" at least the way we do it now. The Israelites didn't celebrate church the way we do. They had sacred assemblies, etc and times of worship, and could come into the Temple to offer sacrifices and prayer.The Sabbath was a day that they met in the temple, but they also had many other religious festivals that they were required to keep as well, that were part of the law. In fact, they were also required to give the land itself a Sabbath rest every 7 years.

When the Christian church was born, they still celebrated the Sabbath as a day of rest and meeting together. But they also began to meet together on other days (in many places it is recorded that they met every
single day!). As the gospel spread to other nations, this became even more the case.

Perhaps the most important reason is that the Christians abandoned the regular Sabbath held by the Jews, is because those who kept the Sabbath in a legalistic way did not believe in Jesus the Messiah. If a Christian went
to the Temple on a Saturday to worship God, he or she would have had to do it the old Jewish way-- sacrifice animals, go to God through a priest, etc.
The Jews did not acknowledge that a "new and living way" had been made by Jesus because they did not believe in Him! This grew to be an even bigger problem, as multitudes of Gentiles began to be converted. Paul, who led
them to the Lord was very careful to keep them from looking to Jewish law and custom as their source of salvation.
Because of all this, Christians were forced to meet in other times and places to celebrate their faith. They realized that the "old order of things had passed."

If they wanted to go on with God they would have to abandon meeting in the temple, thinking of Jerusalem as sacred, the 7th day as more holy than the others, the Jews as more holy than other people. Why? Because they knew
that all of these things of the Old Testament law and thought had been fulfilled in Christ. All of these things were just types and shadows of what was to come.

They no longer needed to meet on one certain day, or even in the temple to honor God. They knew God would accept their praise anywhere and at any time. In addition to the Sabbath, there were also other bedrocks of Judaism that were done away with at the advent of Christianity, such as circumcision. This was a controversy in the church back then and some try to make it a controversy today, but Paul makes it very clear that we are no longer bound to or justified by the ceremony of the Law. Praise GOD!

So some major shifting began to happen in the church. Instead of meeting at the temple they began to meet at each others houses and anywhere else they could get together. The early church was born out of houses, and people daily fellowshipping together. Here are some verses to prove this:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Acts 2: 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Acts 5: 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

(Acts 20:7) And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Acts 20: 20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

Acts 28: 30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.

1 Corinthians 16: 19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Col 4: 15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Philemon 1:2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

Why is this so important? Because it shows that the old order of things has indeed passed. As indicated, the early church did still meet in the Temple as well as houses, but as more Gentiles were added to the church, even this
began to cease.

By the time the Apostle John had his revelation on the isle of Patmos, Sunday was commonly referred to as the "Lord's Day:"

(Rev 1:10 KJV) "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"

The original reason that the "Weekend" was set aside in the United States, was to have both a day of rest and a day of worship to honor the Lord.
This quickly became a popular concept all over the world. But it has it's
roots in Christianity.

Finally, and most importantly, the "Sabbath" is also symbolic of ceasing from our own labors and letting the Lord provide. In the Old Covenant the
Lord dealt with the outward obedience to the law--now, under the New Covenant He looks on the heart. He expects us to keep every day holy--and that we rest in Him every day of the week. The early church understood
this--and they knew by "resting in the Lord" they were honoring the Sabbath more than those who strived to fulfill the law in perfection.

The best way to honor the Sabbath now, is to cease to be justified by our own works, but to receive our righteousness through faith in Him.

Hebrews 4:2-11 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he
spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter
therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not
your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people
of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that
rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

You might also find these verses helpful:

Col 2: 16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

(Rom 14:5 KJV) "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."

We hope this helps you to worship Him in spirit and truth--and freedom! For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

...Establishing the Bible as the standard in the world. Jesus said in John 8:32: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

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