Seventh-day Sabbath Questions And Answers

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(servus) What is the truth about the Sabbath? God told us the complete truth about the Sabbath in the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11)

(jmt) Exodus 20:8-11 reads:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Now, if the above passage gives us the “complete truth” about the Sabbath Command, then how are those of us who live on the opposite side of the earth from Israel to discern whether our observance of “THE Seventh Day” preceeds or follows that in Israel?

To understand the question see: A History of the International Date Line at phys.uu.nl/~vgent/idl/idl.htm

(jmt previously) *Depending on where the date line is established, “Sundown Friday evening in Israel” can either be “sunrise Friday morning in North America” (if the seventh day occurs first in Israel) or “sunrise Saturday morning in North America” (if the seventh day occurs first in North America).

Assuming that Israel observes the “true” seventh day - how does mankind on the opposite side of the earth know whether their observance of the seventh day follows or precedes that of Israel?*

Keep the Faith
jmt
 
servus said:
If God made the change we could put our finger on the exact point. The truth about the Sabbath is plain and right under our nose.Servus
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Yes, it is. Christ rose from the dead on the first day and the Church recognized this day under divine guidance. Like Protestantism in general, SDAism is a Christ-denying mockery that believes that Christ really is not heading and shepherding his Chruch.

IMO, Seventh Day Adventism is a quasi-Christian, Juadizing heresy that has placed everything into following their false prophet, EGW. Here are a couple of good links refuting SDAism:

theotokos.co.za/adventism/index.html

members.aol.com/johnprh/sab1.html
 
The “Sabbath Day” is indeed “Saturday”, the Seventh Day of the week.

However we as Christians DO NOT HAVE TO OBSERVE THE MOSAIC LAW in this regard.

We do however have to observe and obey Church Law in regards to the moral principle behind the Mosaic Law of the Sabbath.

Which is to observe worship on the first day of the week as called for by the Church as well as all holy days of obligation and fasting, etc.

Ken
 
Please, to any Sabbath Keeper: what is the answer to my question regarding how mankind living on the earth opposite of Israel are suppose to know when “THE Seventh Day” occurs?

Keep the Faith
jmt
 
In the USA the seventh day of the week is Saturday. I know that in France the seventh day of the week is on Sunday and that the week begins on Monday. I think most of Europe is like this. So it really depends upon how your calendar works. The Sabbath day was, is, and always will be on the seventh day of the week though. The apostles still view Saturday as the Sabbath day after Jesus ascended into Heaven and still continued to observe it until they died. God speed.
 
Vigis said:
In the USA the seventh day of the week is Saturday. I know that in France the seventh day of the week is on Sunday and that the week begins on Monday. I think most of Europe is like this. So it really depends upon how your calendar works. The Sabbath day was, is, and always will be on the seventh day of the week though. The apostles still view Saturday as the Sabbath day after Jesus ascended into Heaven and still continued to observe it until they died. God speed.
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Thank you Vigis,

you say, “in the USA the seventh day of the week is Saturday”…I think what may help is to look at a globe and pick a point (for example, Israel) and then ask yourself: when the sun sets for Israel at the start of “the seventh day” - what day is it where the sun is rising on the other half of the globe opposite Israel?

You will note on the globe that “the international date line” (which separates “today” from “tomorrow” as you travel west towards the sun) runs through the Pacific Ocean. But who’s to say that the “date line” shouldn’t run through the Atlantic Ocean instead? If it did, then the start of “Saturday” in Israel (reckoning the day as it is in Scripture: “from sunset to sunset”) would be the start of Sunday for the Western Hemisphere. Thus the Western Hemisphere would have already observed “the seventh day” since it started first in the West before moving on through Israel.

But who’s to say that the “date line” shouldn’t run through the Asian land mass? If it did, then “the seventh day” would be observed first in Israel and the world opposite of Israel would be having Friday with Saturday to follow.

Does this make sense?

Look at a globe and just move “the international date line” through different halves of the earth and see how “Saturday” on the “today side of the line” and “Sunday” on the “tomorrow side of the line” affects “the when” of “THE Seventh day”.

Then ask yourself, why has not God revealed where the “date line” should be measured from? because it absolutely affects when “The Seventh day” is to be observed.

Keep the Faith
jmt
 
Hello John

I hope you have been well since I last visited this forum.

I have read all of your posts in this topic, and have a number of questions for you; if I may.

Your ideas about the Sabbath, as in the Biblical view thereof, seem quite mixed up to me.

I will start with just two, general questions for now.

1) If the date line is so mixed up, and makes it so impossible for us to tell what day is Saturday; why would it not be similarly mixed up, and make it just as hard to figure out when really Sunday is?

2) You made a comment a few posts ago that ANY day, after any six days, would be good enough for “the seventh-day Sabbath.” But is this really true? The Bible does not say “any day.” It says THE Seventh-day. “The” is not plural in the Bible, nor does it “symbolize” something other than the literal seventh-day, which is “the Sabbath of the Lord thy God…” (Ex.20:10, Deut.5:14). Not the Sabbath of the Jews, or the law of Moses. Saturday, the seventh day, is THE Sabbath “OF THE LORD THY GOD.” No amount of “Tradition” can undo God’s Word, and make Him contradict Himself.
 
When confronted with this particular issue, I always like to throw in the following comment from Mark 2:27-28:

"Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

While I realize that this was speaking about His power to do what He wished on the sabbath (such as allowing His disciples to pick wheat to feed themselves), it follows His discussion of pouring new wine into old wineskins vs new wineskins. There is a strong implication that change is coming in the practice of God’s covenant with His chosen people. He is indeed Lord of the Sabbath, and He gave His people many of His powers, such as the power of forgiveness of sins and binding and loosing in heaven and on earth. Why not the power to move the Sabbath (or observation thereof) to the day that He rose from the dead?
 
Protestant 101

Hi couple things I dont think have been mentioned. According to the SDA you and I because we worship on Sunday are following the Catholic Church the (inject non nice comments).

To the eyes of the SDA we are all Catholic.

Second thing, it was explained to me that the Sabbath is not like the other commandments.

Jesus said a New Commandment I give you, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

This covers all of the others except the Sabbath which is no longer needed.

and this

Jhn 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

🙂
 
Kitty_Chan said:
Protestant 101

Hi couple things I dont think have been mentioned. According to the SDA you and I because we worship on Sunday are following the Catholic Church the (inject non nice comments).

To the eyes of the SDA we are all Catholic.

Second thing, it was explained to me that the Sabbath is not like the other commandments.

Jesus said a New Commandment I give you, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

This covers all of the others except the Sabbath which is no longer needed.

and this

Jhn 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

🙂
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I am not sure what you intend by much of your comment above; however, it is worth noting that you have not told us where in the Bible Jesus says: “The Sabbath is no longer needed.” The accusations and divisions of the Pharisees, such as in Jo.9:16 have nothing to do with “the Sabbath no longer being needed.”

The Pharisees were the only ones who had a problem with the Sabbath; they are the ones who tried to change it. No where in the Bible does God delete or negate any one of the ten commandment law. 😊

Actually, the Bible says the opposite to forgetting the Sabbath. God tells us in His Word to “remember” it:
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
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It is not “the Jewish Sabbath;” nor is it “the law of Moses;” it is “the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.”

There is not one out of any of the ten commandments that you can cite Bible authority to change or negate.
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
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I think these ex-Adventists do a great job of debunking this Sabbath issue exadventist.com/Home/Sabbath/tabid/53/Default.aspx

Let’s see what they say:

THE SABBATH & SUNDAY
by Pastor J. Mark Martin

**WHEN THE COUNSEL OF ACTS 15 CONVENED
**to determine what Gentile Christians must observe, SABBATH KEEPING IS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT. Peter exhorts the leadership of the Church not to place the Gentiles under the Law:
***Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are." ***Acts 15:10-11.The final judgment of the Jerusalem Council contains no reference to Sabbath keeping. Circumcision was discussed and deemed unnecessary (vss. 5-6; 19-20). If Sabbath keeping were to be an essential part of the New Covenant relationship with God it would have been mentioned in the discussion because it would have been an unfamiliar practice to the Gentiles. Sabbath keeping was not even discussed because it is not a requirement for New Covenant believers:
"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials; that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." (Acts 15:28-29).
NOTICE that the Holy Spirit told them NOT to lay upon the Gentiles any greater burden than THOSE ESSENTIALS. OBVIOUSLY THE HOLY SPIRIT DID NOT THINK SABBATH KEEPING WAS AN ESSENTIAL THING ANYMORE!
The 7 post-resurrection appearances of Christshow that Jesus purposefully chose the first day of the week to meet with His disciples to encourage and exhort them. The evidence shows that five of these appearances occurred on a Sunday, the first day of the week. We do no have a record of what the actual day on which the other appearances (John 21 and Acts 1:6-10) occurred to His disciples. What we can say with accuracy is this, after Jesus’ resurrection whenever He met with His disciples and the day is identified, it is NOT the Sabbath, it is the first day of the week!
1). To Mary, On the morning of the resurrection - Matthew 28:8-10; Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18
**2). To two disciples going to Emmaus - **Luke 24:13-33; Mark 16:12-13
3). To Simon (Peter) - Luke 24:31-35.
**4). To the eleven disciples on the evening of Resurrection Sunday - **Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-44; John 20:19-23
5). To the Eleven disciples “Eight days later” - John 20:26-29
**Pentecost happened on the first day of the week! **
 
Cont.

The Church was born on the first day of the week! That doesn’t make Sunday the Sabbath, it just tells you that after the resurrection of Jesus, the Sabbath is not emphasized.
When a day is mentioned in connection with the appearances of the risen Lord Jesus, it is always the first day of the week. Look at the extremely important events that occurred in the life of the first followers of Christ on the first day of the week.
1). Jesus startled them by appearing to them on the first day (John 20:19).
2). Jesus received worship from Thomas (John 20:27-28).
3). Sunday evening Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to His disciples evidently like He had in instituting the communion meal (Luke 22:19) and their “eyes were opened and they recognized Him” (Luke 24:31).
4). Sunday evening Jesus blessed His disciples twice saying “Peace be with you” (John 20:20; 26).
5). That same Sunday evening Jesus “…breathed on them and said, ‘receive the Holy Spirit’” John 20:22.
6). On Sunday evening Jesus gave His disciples the ecclesiastical authority to proclaim forgiveness to those who believe in Him through the Gospel (John 20:23).
**NOTE: **Why did the Disciples meet on Sunday?
1). Because it now carried a special symbolic/anti-typical significance for them
2). Even if it didn’t and was by chance, --Jesus still chose to reveal Himself to them only on Sunday, when we know what day it is. That must also hold some kind of Divine significance.
3). Jesus could have chosen to meet with His disciple on the Sabbath. This would have clearly set a New Covenant precedent. He did not chose to do this. The Sabbath was the sign of a fulfilled covenant (see Exodus 31:17 & Hebrews 8:13).
**THE NINE “MORAL” COMMANDS OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS ARE REITERATED in the New Testament:
**1). To worship the Lord God only (1st commandment): no less than 50 times
2). Idolatry (2nd commandment): condemned 12 times
3). Profanity (3rd commandment): condemned 4 times
4). Honoring parents (5th commandment) is taught 6 times
5). Murder (6th commandment) condemned 6 times
6). Adultery (7th commandment) condemned 12 times
7). Theft (8th commandment) condemned 4 times
8). False Witness (9th commandment) condemned 4 times
9). Covetousness (10th commandment) condemned 9 times
*** see references here ***
 
Cont.

**WHEN THE NEW TESTAMENT LISTS SINS, SABBATH BREAKING IS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT:
**In Mark 7:21-22 **13 **sins are listed. Jesus did not mention breaking the Sabbath.
In Romans 1:29-32 **20 **sins are listed and not one of them is Sabbath breaking.
In Galatians 5:19-21 a list of 15 sins are given,
In 2 Timothy 3:1-4 there’s a list of 18 sins, but not once is Sabbath breaking mentioned!
**WHY IS IT THAT NOWHERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS IT TAUGHT THAT THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT MUST BE OBSERVED?
-Why is it that nowhere in the New Testament is failure to keep the Sabbath day condemned as sin?
-Why is the fourth commandment itself not repeated even ONCE in the New Testament?
-If the Sabbath keeping is so important for a disciple of Christ, why was it not mentioned in His sermon on the Mount or in ANY of His teachings?
-Why didn’t Jesus command Sabbath keeping?
-Why didn’t any of the Apostles command Sabbath keeping?
-Why didn’t the Jerusalem counsel command Sabbath keeping or condemn Sabbath breaking? (Acts 15)
Some answer that the Jews already knew about the Sabbath so it was taken for granted that they would continue to keep it, but then why were the other nine commandments reiterated? Would they not be taken for granted as well? It would also seem that with so many Gentiles coming into the Church, that if keeping the Sabbath was so important there would be instruction in the New Testament Epistles somewhere concerning it. There are instructions for them concerning morality, ethics, worship, Church order and family lifestyle. Why would something as important as Sabbath keeping be ignored? Circumcision, which predates the Law and the Sabbath commandment was an issue in the New Testament Church and is addressed repeatedly in the New Testament Epistles and by the Jerusalem Counsel.
****Sabbath keepers argue that it is the example of Jesus that gives us the reason for keeping the Sabbath. “He kept the Sabbath, so I must keep the Sabbath. Jesus is my example,” they say. Well this kind of reasoning is flawed because it only chooses Jesus’ Sabbath keeping and rejects the rest of His Jewish lifestyle. Jesus also kept Kosher laws. He kept the Passover, Sukkot, Hanukkah, and worshipped in the temple. Are we to follow everything He did?
Galatians 4:4-5 says that Jesus lived under the Law to redeem us from the Law.
***“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” (NIV)
 
JESUS WAS ALSO ACCUSED OF SABBATH BREAKING. Why, if He wanted to be our “example” in Sabbath keeping didn’t He make it clear that He was not breaking the Sabbath? Instead He clearly admits to it. He also admits that His disciples were breaking the Sabbath and He defends them. Read Matthew 12:1- 14 carefully. Jesus is clearly saying that His disciples are like the priests who may work in the temple every Sabbath and be innocent of breaking the Sabbath. When Jesus says that He is “Lord of the Sabbath” He is declaring that He is above the Sabbath. He may do what He wishes on the Sabbath and therefore His disciples may do whatever they wish as well.
Apparently Jesus did break the Sabbath: ***“Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”…” *John 9:15.If Jesus did not want us to understand that He was breaking the Sabbath why did He not speak against these accusations. It’s because Jesus had the right and the authority to break the Sabbath because He is Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath does not bind Him. Think about this, if it does not bind Him, are we not “in Christ”? Why would it be any more binding upon us. (Again Read Matthew 12:1-14 carefully).
One of the issues that needs to be honestly faced is the fact that Jesus never commanded anyone to keep the Sabbath and none of His apostles ever commanded anyone to keep it either. Not once in the New Testament are we told to keep the Sabbath. Those commands to the Church are conspicuously absent from the teachings of the New Testament.
**EVERY MENTION OF THE SABBATH IN THE BOOK OF ACTS without a single exception is in connection with Jewish worship on that day and not Christian celebration. Paul’s evangelistic strategy was to go to the Jews first in a community and share the Gospel with them. Sabbath is the day when he knew he would find the most Jews gathering for worship. He knew he would have his best opportunity of sharing the good news of the Messiah to the Jews on Sabbath. It was not because he was meeting with a group of believing Christians. He was meeting with non-Christian Jews.
 
**IS THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW ETERNAL?
**No, the Law is not eternal. Galatians 3:19 gives the purpose of the Law. It says: ***“What, then, was the purpose of he law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.”
***The law was given 430 years after Abraham. ***“What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.” ***Galatians 3:17-18.
The Law had a definite beginning time (430 years after Abraham) and a definite ending time, --When the promised Seed (Christ, vs. 16) came.
**Other Scriptures such as Romans 5:12-14 indicate that there can be sin in the world, even BEFORE the Law was given. *“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned – for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of Adam’s offense, who is a type of Him who was to come.”
***CREATION & THE SABBATH: The Scriptures are very clear that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment was not given before Moses:
The Ten Commandments was not made with the fathers. Deuteronomy 5:2-3 says
***“The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today.”
***Nehemiah 9:13-14 says: ***“You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. You made known to them your holy sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.” (NIV).
***WAS THE SABBATH GIVEN FOR ALL MANKIND TO KEEP PERPETUALLY?
No, - Though Genesis 2:1-3 says that after the Lord had ended all His work He rested on the seventh day and blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, there is not a word about it being given to Adam and Eve as a commandment. You don’t hear another word about the Sabbath in the entire book of Genesis. All fifty chapters are silent about the Sabbath.
You do not hear that the righteous Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob kept the Sabbath. There is a conspicuous silence for 2,500 years after the Fall of man. It is not until after the redemption of God’s people Israel out of Egypt when they are safely on the other side of the Red Sea that you read in the Book of Exodus that the Sabbath is mentioned again. (Exodus 16:22-30). Abraham was given commandments and ordinances, but the Sabbath is never mentioned as one of them.
Then the Sabbath is given to Israel and Israel alone. The Sabbath is a covenant sign between God and the nation of Israel. ***"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” ***Exodus 31:12-17
Notice that the reason why the Lord links the Sabbath to creation is that He is identifying Himself to Israel as the true and living Creator God. He is separate and apart from all of the other gods of Egypt and of the Gentile world. *“Keep the Sabbath, worship Me, for I AM the true, living Creator of the Universe.”
***Notice also that this Sabbath “SIGN” (Exodus 31:13) is between God and “the sons of Israel” (Exodus 12:15,17) and not for all of mankind.
Nehemiah 9:13-14 indicates that the Sabbath was not given to be kept by anyone until it was given to Israel in the wilderness. ***“You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. You made known to them your holy sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses.” (NIV).
 
DOESN’T THE BIBLE SAY THAT THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN?
***"And He was saying to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27. ***Sabbatarians often use this verse to say that the Sabbath was made for all mankind, but the text doesn’t say that. It doesn’t say, "The Sabbath was made for “mankind”, it says, “the Sabbath was made for man”. When the Scripture is meant to be inclusive of all mankind it is clear. See Matthew 28:19; John 3:16; Acts 2:17; I Timothy 2:4; Titus 2:11. These verses clearly indicate that when God offers something to all mankind He clearly offers it to all.
The Sabbath was not offered to all the nations. It was given only to the nation of Israel. Look at Deuteronomy 5:1-15 which gives the commandments to Israel. It is clearly stated that God did not give the Sabbath or other commandments to the fathers before (see verses 2-3).
One writer has brought up the point that this text shows that the Sabbath was not a part of the “moral” Law to be kept by all mankind from the beginning, for it had to be made. It was made in Exodus 16-20. Notice also that this text does not say it was made for man from the “beginning,” as was marriage (cf Matthew 19:4ff). WHICH OTHER OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS HAD TO BE MADE? --NOT ONE! (Gerald N. Wright, Sabbatarian Concordance & Commentary, Star Bible & Tract Corp., 1977, pp. 78-79).
Wright commenting on this passage says: "The other nine [commandments] were (and are) inherently right from the beginning, reflecting God’s righteous nature and being naturally a part of man’s moral character, who was made in the image of God (cf Romans 2:14). Which command other than the sabbath is lower than man–subject to being set aside under certain circumstances? When, or under what circumstances, can man lawfully commit adultery? Obviously, never! Man’s life is not above God’s holy and moral laws. Yet even a sheep’s life is more important than rigid enforcement of the sabbath (Matthew 12:10-12)!
NO “BURGER KING” SABBATHS - You can’t “Have It Your Way” with the Sabbath. God specifies how it was to be kept.
-It was to be kept from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32)
-No burden was to be carried (Jer. 17:21)
-No fire kindled (Ex. 35:3)
-No Cooking done (Ex. 16:23)
-The penalty for doing any of these things during the Sabbath was DEATH (Numbers 15).
 
**NO “INSPIRED” WRITER MAKES ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE “MORAL” LAW & THE “CEREMONIAL” LAWS.
“(2) The Sabbath in its nature, is itself a ceremonial law: the moral law is all law which appeals to the conscience, and needs no written revelation; but as to which day to observe, or whether to observe any day at all, conscience is silent. If we are to distinguish between the moral and the ceremonial law, on the ground that one is passed, and the other still in force, then–as the Sabbath is purely ceremonial law–it is passed. But the most important point still remains. (3) I, as a Christian, obey all law that is moral in the Decalogue, not because it is in the Law, but because it is in the Gospel. Worship of God only is enjoined fifty times in the New Testament; idolatry is forbidden twelve times; profanity four times; honor of father and mother is commanded six times; adultery is forbidden twelve; theft six; false witness four; and covetousness, nine times. “The Ten Commandments,” as Luther says, “do not apply to us Gentiles and Christians, but only to the Jews.” So the Sabbath–except in a single passage where, classing it with the entire law, he declares it has been totally abolished. So the early Church held.”
–D. M. Panton, cited in Heresies Exposed, Compiled by Irvine, pp. 164-165.
***SOME SABBATARIANS CLAIM THAT THE SABBATH IS THE SEAL OF GOD
The Seal of God is NOT the Sabbath! The Bible tells us clearly that the Seal of God is the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer the moment he is saved.
Ephesians 1:13 says, “*And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.”
Ephesians 4:30 warns, ***“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 states “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”
***IS A SABBATH KEEPING CHURCH THE “REMNANT” OR COMMANDMENT KEEPING CHURCH THAT IS SPOKEN OF IN REVELATION 12:17?
**Rev. 12:17 says, ***“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”
In the New Covenant, what are the “Commandments” of God? Does this mean Ten Commandments? NO! The Greek word used for the Ten Commandments is “NOMOS”. That word is not used here. The word used here is “ENTELE” and means “teachings”.
John clarifies this and actually tells us what the “commandments” are that we are to keep:
I John 5:1-3 says, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”
***These verses are often used to teach people that they must keep the Ten Commandments, especially the Sabbath. However, the Apostle John defines the “commandments” for us. In the prior chapter he defines them explicitly. ***“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in is sight. And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him…”
***I John 3:21-24a.
 
There’s much more to this article but I’ll stop there. I am guessing the SDA’s will blow all this off but it’s my hope that they would read this carefully and respond to these arguements fairly and in a charitable manner, us Catholics as well. I do not agree with everything the ex SDA’s have to say being Catholic but they are an excellent resource when it comes to debunking the sabbath issue and they have done there homework.

exadventist.com/Home/Sabbath/tabid/53/Default.aspx
 
Well you haven’t done your home work my friend. Anyone can cut and paste a bunch of diatribe from an anti-adventist or and anti-catholic web site.

I could easily do the same here; there are plenty of sites to quote from but I think it is a very poor way to “study” or “witness.” I would never quote from sites such as CORPUS because what they call “reform” is really just rebellion and bigotry among other things.

When I see such volumes of quoting such as you have provided; all I can think is that you have obviously chosen a certain path to follow.

Perhaps we could try something more sensible; and you could make some attempt here to tell us just why only nine of the ten commandments are “moral” and the Sabbath commandment has somehow been counted out? Can you explain it from the Bible; and from official Catholic doctrines?

I don’t think your Pope would ever quote from a site like this. Maybe you should check that out too, and let us know what you find out?

I find it really odd that a few Catholics claim such credence to this type of website and information, when they keep saying that if it isn’t official Catholic materials, then we should not believe it. How can you quote such non-Catholic “evidence” and call it “truth?”
 
Protestant101 said:
Well you haven’t done your home work my friend. Anyone can cut and paste a bunch of diatribe from an anti-adventist or and anti-catholic web site.

I could easily do the same here; there are plenty of sites to quote from but I think it is a very poor way to “study” or “witness.” I would never quote from sites such as CORPUS because what they call “reform” is really just rebellion and bigotry among other things.

When I see such volumes of quoting such as you have provided; all I can think is that you have obviously chosen a certain path to follow.

Perhaps we could try something more sensible; and you could make some attempt here to tell us just why only nine of the ten commandments are “moral” and the Sabbath commandment has somehow been counted out? Can you explain it from the Bible; and from official Catholic doctrines?

I don’t think your Pope would ever quote from a site like this. Maybe you should check that out too, and let us know what you find out?
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Typical SDA nonsense…I started off the article with the author and the link because I knew what your response would be. This does not make the article or the facts listed insignificant. Your response is one that I have heard over and over friend, instead of attempting to answer some of these questions you blow it off. I think we should try and systematically work through these issues. BTW, I am an ex-sabbath keeper.
 
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