I’m not an SDA. But we should always fall back on what was instituted at the very beginning and unless it has been qualified & purposefully replaced we should resume what was first instructed.
The Sabbath was first instituted for the Jews. And they have been practising the sabbath since even before the exodus!
And which day is that? SATURDAY.
The 1st day of the week is Sunday, and that’s very clear really. The question is since Jesus said “Salvation is from the Jews” and Christianity is to follow in sequence of the jewish faith, there is no question then that if anyone wants to observe the Sabbath, then he/she must observe it on the same day as the Jews. To do otherwise is to deny this link.
The bible says that even Jesus went to the synagogue on the sabbath. And Jesus was a jew observing the sabbath as like the jews today. Which means that Jesus Himself observed the Sabbath Saturday. NOT on a sunday.
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Okay,but is Saturday the seventh day of the week in Jewish (Mosaic Old Covenant) religious law. The day of rest for Christianity has been replaced
by Sunday, the Lords day, because Jesus Christ was resurrected on Sunday.
The Old Covenant, and with it the Sabbath, was obsoleted by the New Covenant. It was replaced by the Law of Christ and the Lord’s Day:
2Cor 3:4-18, “…but their minds were darkened; for to this day, when the Old Testament is read to them, the selfsame veil remains, not being lifted to disclose the Christ in whom IT IS MADE VOID.”
2Cor 5:17, “If then any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the former
things HAVE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, THEY ARE MADE NEW!”
Eph 2:15, “The law of the commandments expressed in decrees HE HAS
MADE VOID, that of the two He might create in Himself one new man
and make peace.”
Col 2:13-19, “And you, when you were dead by reason of your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh (failing to follow the Old Covenant), He brought to life along with Him, forgiving you all of your sins (bypassing the O.C.), cancelling the decree agains us (the O.C.), which was hostile to us. Indeed, He has taken it completely away, NAILING IT TO THE CROSS (the O.C. was nailed to the cross, effectively ending it, and with it the Sabbath). …Let no one call you to account for what you eat or drink or in regard to a festival or a new moon, or a SABBATH.” That says, just what it says, DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR A SABBATH.
Hebrews 8:6-13, “But now he has obtained a SUPERIOR MINISTRY, IN PROPORTION AS HE IS MEDIATOR, OF A SUPERIOR COVENANT, enacted on the basis of superior promises. For had the FIRST BEEN FAULTLESS, PLACE WOULD NOT OF COURSE BE SOUGHT FOR A SECOND. (so the O.C. was faulted, through our fault not GOD’s, and there was a need for a N.C.)…(vs13) Now in saying ‘A NEW COVENANT,’ HE HAS MADE OBSOLETE THE FORMER ONE; AND THAT WHICH IS OBSOLETE AND HAS GROWN OLD IS NEAR ITS END.”
Hebrews 7:11-12, “…what further need was there that another priest should rise, according to the order of Melchisedech, and said not to be according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, IT IS NECCESSARY THAT A CHANGE OF LAW BE MADE ALSO.”
I do not see how Scripture could be any plainer than that. The Old Covenant, and with it the Sabbath, circumcision, bloody sacrifices and a multitude of other Jewish laws was ended and replaced by the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. The Sabbath is ended, finis, kaput… But there is a lot more. Read Hebrews 9 and 10, about the New Covenant.
Hebrews 10:9-10, ‘“Behold, I come to do thy will, O GOD,” HE ANNULS THE FIRST COVENANT IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE SECOND.’
The Sabbath along with the Old Covenant is dead, the last nail driven into the coffin, and it is buried.
Galations 3:10-29, “For those who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse…BUT THAT BY THE LAW NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD IS EVIDENT, BECAUSE HE WHO IS JUST LIVES BY FAITH…CHRIST REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW…BUT BEFORE THE FAITH CAME WE WERE KEPT IMPRISONED UNDER THE LAW, SHUT UP FOR THE FAITH THAT WAS TO BE REVEALED. THEREFORE THE LAW HAS BEEN OUR TUTOR UNTO CHRIST, THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH. BUT NOW THAT FAITH HAS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A TUTOR…”
The Old Covenant (the Law, and with it the Sabbath), has been a good tutor, but is no longer needed.
Sabbatarians insist St. Paul preached to the Jews on the Sabbath, and therefore, the Sabbath is still the day of worship:They are right about his preaching to the Jews on the Sabbath as shown in Acts 13:14, Acts 13:44, and Acts 18:4. What they fail to realize is, since that was the day when the Jews were gathered in the Synagogue, as it was their Sabbath, he could preach to the maximum number gathered in one place, all at one time. That was the only reason for his preaching to the Jews on the Sabbath.
He preached to the Jews first on the Sabbath, while they were gathered in one place and then after he preached to the Gentiles as shown in Acts 13:46.
Also, they fail to see that St. Paul was not under the Law of the Old Covenant
but under the Law of Christ, “And I have become to the Jews a Jew that I might gain the Jews; to those under the Law, as one under the Law, that I might gain those under the Law; to those without the Law, though I am not without the Law of GOD, but am under the Law of Christ.” 1Cor 9:20-21
To break this down, in easier terms:
St. Paul said he was not under the Law of the Jews (the Old Covenant).
However, he said he was not without the Law.
He said his Law was a different Law.
He said his Law is the Law of Christ (the New Covenant).
