Keep the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday & Rest in Christ

[Vic]

(02-09-2009 10:52 PM)Emjesown Wrote:  http://members.tripod.com/ebionite/_forum/0000003a.htm

Can someone read this and tell me what you think?

EMJE

Hi Emje,

First, traditionally, ebionites, follow Jewish religious law and rites, and reject the Divinity of Jesus Christ. They view Him as Messiah, but according to some sources, they viewed James as head of the church in Jerusalem. It is also suggested they reject all the teachings of Paul, whom they believe was an apostate, which means much of the New Testament is omitted. They attempt or claim to keep the Law of Moses and incorporate some of the NT, which they deem fits their doctrine. We know they cannot keep the whole law and what scriptures say about that, in the OT and in the NT.

As a source for Christians following Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the New Testament and understanding the OT and the NT in that light, they cannot be used.

We know that without knowing who Jesus is, God manifest in the flesh, they do not have the Spirit of Christ in them. They have another gospel and another Jesus.

Paul warned:

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Galatians 1:6-12 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Emje, if we have entered into the rest given by God, found only in Jesus Christ, this is how we must view it.

Hebrews 4:1-11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7. 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. 8. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.[/b]

The controversy over when the sabbath starts and when a day is and night begins, seems to detract from Christ. When God made/divided day and night, there were no seasons, or evening, dawn, dusk, because He had not made those yet.

When He made the sun, moon and seasons, dusk and dawn and the rest of the time of a 'day' changed. In fact, if I recall, there is only one longest day in the year, and one shortest day; they are the days with the longest period of daylight and shortest period of daylight. An apparent anomaly is that the Sun does not set at its latest on the longest day or at its earliest on the shortest day.

When Jesus said there were twelve hours in a day, we can also assume there are twelve hours in a night. We are to be busy in the day doing the things He called us to, which may take us into the evening or night. And it might mean doing things every day, just as Jesus did, and He was our example as were the apostles. They were about His business, regardless the day or hour. :3942:

If someone wants to set aside a day to specifically worship HIm, that is a choice. For Christians, because the Resurrection happened on the First day of the week, instead of the last day which was the Sabbath, and because of the New Covenant and being New in Christ, for many the worship is on the first day...Sunday, and many call it the Lord's Day for those reasons. It differentiates between the Old Covenant, still observerd by practicing Jews under the Mosaic law, and the New Covenant in Christ celebrated by Christians.

To adhere to the Sabbath for reasons of the Law, ignores the freedom we have in Christ and His bringing in the New Covenant. Who can judge against someone who proclaims Jesus Christ of the New Covenant, instead of trying to have a foot in both the Old and the New, for which there is no Scripture?

Throughout the NT, we see the necessity and concepts of the New Covenant, and Hebrew, Romans and many more scriptures confirm the New and what is expected. And nowhere is the Sabbath of the Old covenant, reiterated to be kept in the NT. That is why we have verses like the following:

Colossians 2:6-17 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16. 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: 17. Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.