Lesson 32

The Sabbath Of the New Testament

AMBASSADOR CHRISTIAN COLLEGE- Dr. Keith Slough

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INTRODUCTION

HAT YOU ARE about to read in this Bible Study lesson is the conclusion of a full

three-and one-half year study I made into this doctrine in the 1960s! To me it

seemed different. In fact, to those who are unknowledgeable in the Law of God,

it seems strange! (Hosea 8: 12).

But I had made a commitment to "study to show myself approved unto God" and also to

"prove all things" (II Tim. 2:15, I Thess. 5:21).

And so I began reading every book, tract, and research study I could find on the doctrine of

the Sabbath. I read everything that was in favor of Christians keeping the Sabbath. And then I

read everything I could get my hands on that was against it. Some of the arguments both for

and against Christians observing the Seventh day Sabbath seemed "right" when first read. But

then I had to pray and ask God for understanding, always telling God that I was willing to do

whatever He showed me in His Word. I have maintained that position to this day! Whatever

God shows me in His Word, I mean to obey it!

While we are not perfect in our commitments, at least we can commit to obeying God when

we do understand a doctrine.

And so began a night and day intensive study into the "Sabbath question." I wondered how

the seventh day was changed to Sunday - the first day of the week. At first I had not

understood that if God did not command Sunday observance that it was not a sin if I chose not

to rest on that day. For sin is the transgression of the Law. It dawned on me one weekend that

if God did not command me to rest or worship on Sunday that it could not be a "sin" if there

was no law that required me to do it (I John 3:4). Immediately I stopped resting on Sunday.

But then the next thought occurred. Does this mean that Christians are required to keep the

Sabbath of the Ten Commandments? -the seventh day Sabbath? I soon learned there were two

positions that most theologians took. One, that we are required to keep either the first day or

the seventh day of the week, and secondly that we need not keep any day as "the Law was

done away" - so some said.

Most of my three-and-one-half year study was an intensive study of the Law itself in the

Bible, dealing with Law and Grace, Old Covenant versus New Covenant, etc. etc. Finally after an

exhaustive research, I learned that Jesus meant exactly what He had said in Matthew 19:17. He

told us to "keep the commandments." I knew therefore that the Law was not "done away" but

still in force today.

Since the Law was still in force, then I needed to learn if indeed the early church continued to

keep the Sabbath and to find out if the New Testament also commanded Sabbath observance.

For if it did, then that meant I also had to keep the Sabbath of the Ten Commandments.

It is so obvious that the early first century true church observed the Passover and other

annual festivals or Sabbaths of God. That cannot be denied by any real Bible student or student

of early church history!!! So the question then arises, if the early true church kept the annual

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Sabbaths (Holydays or Feast days) of God, then did they not also observe the weekly Sabbath?

While we are not "under the Law" where receiving our Salvation is concerned, yet Christ

commands us to keep the Ten Commandments! Also it is not wrong to attend church or worship

God on any day of the week (Hebrews 10:25). But if we are indeed to keep the Ten

Commandments then it would be wrong to work on the Sabbath, while resting on a "work day"!

Now pray before you begin this most important study, and open-mindedly study God's

Word for the answers.

You are about to discover them!

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Which Day Did

Gentile Converts Observe As the Sabbath in the New Testament?

Did Paul teach Gentiles to keep the seventh day Sabbath or the Roman Sunday?

HAT DAY DID the New Testament Church of God observe in the first century?

Did the Gentile converts keep one day while the Jewish converts went to church

on a different day? Did God have two churches -one for the believing

(converted) Jews and a totally different church for the Gentiles? For example did God have one

church for white Jewish believers and a different church for Black Gentile believers meeting on

a completely different day of the week to keep them separated? Or, were they all "one" in

Christ and did they all meet on the same day of the week to avoid confusion? Is God the author

of confusion? Did Jesus say He would build a number of many confusing churches meeting on

different days of the week, one day for Jews but a different day for Gentiles? Or did He build

only one true Church for Jews and Gentiles? Did Jews and Gentiles worship together in the New

Testament Church? If they did, then by necessity they would have had to worship on the same

day!

We have seen that no Scripture in the entirety of the Bible commands religious worship and

rest on the first day of the week -our Sunday. We have also seen that the apostles of the early

Church did not conduct church services on Sunday. And that the first known "blue law"

requiring religious observance of Sunday came from a pagan sun-worshipping emperor who,

while not spiritually converted to the true Faith of the New Testament Church, nevertheless

had, for political reasons, "converted" to the new Roman religion of what we have now proved

to be ''the whore" of Babylon in Revelation 17.

So now the question arises, which day did the early New Testament Church of God observe

for weekly religious services if not Sunday? Or did they observe any day at all?

Was the fourth commandment completely abolished? Was it destroyed, annulled, or "done

away" at the cross? Some today teach we observe no Sabbath but that we work seven days a

week. They tell us that to observe any day of rest puts us "under bondage." (It would seem that

working seven days a week without a break is even more bondage! But apparently they haven't

thought of that!).

So what is the truth?

Again, the Bible student is admonished to "prove all things" and to hold fast that which is

proved to be good and right - the truth of God (I Thess. 5:21). Let's see if they early church

continued to keep a Sabbath to God or if they never met for church, never rested on any day of

the week and simply ignored one of the very Ten Commandments of Almighty God!

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The true Church of God- A “Commandment-keeping” Church

In Matthew 19:17 Jesus tells us if we will enter into eternal life that we should "keep the

commandments" and then He actually made reference to The Ten Commandments in Exodus

20 by quoting from that chapter!

Jesus' physical brother, James, who later became the chief apostle over the New Testament

Church (see Acts 15) later wrote, many years after the cross, that if we break even one of the

Commandments then we are guilty of all. And then he quoted, as an example, two of the Ten

Commandments so we would know which commandments to which he was referring. James

therefore said if we keep the WHOLE LAW and yet break just ONE, then God considers us to be

guilty of breaking ALL the Ten Commandments (see James 2:10-11). Thus in the sight of God we

are not commandment-keepers! We are rather "transgressors of the Law" sinners! (See 1 John

3:4).

Therefore in order to avoid sin, we must keep ALL TEN of the Ten Commandments!

Isn't that plain?

As explained in a previous Bible lesson, we are saved by grace - not our own "law

works." But God's grace -His mercy and favor -are only given to those who repent of sin -turn

from transgressing the Law (which is sin; 1 John 3:4) and begin obeying Him.

For if we do not have the Holy Spirit, then we do not belong to Christ (Romans 8:9) -are not

counted among His disciples. Therefore we are not saved.

But the Holy Spirit - while given by God's grace - is still only given to those who OBEY GOD

(Acts 5:32). If you have not repented of transgressing God's Law, then you are still NOT

OBEYING the Ten Commandments and are still in sin. Until you repent, you will not be forgiven

- will not be saved by God's grace.

James says we must keep the WHOLE LAW. Obviously then 30 some years after the cross,

the Law was still being kept by the early true Church before the apostasy had taken a good

foothold in Rome!

Also in the Book of Revelation Christ reveals that at the END TIME when the "dragon" or

Satan, is persecuting the saints - that the remnant of His true Church will be those who "keep

the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12: 17). Even in

the tribulation period, the true Church of God are those who "keep the commandments of God

and the faith of Jesus"! (Revelation 14:12). Satan will come after the saints of God during this

horrible "Great Tribulation." Yet those who truly keep His Word - by obeying His Word, and will

not deny His name are PROMISED PROTECTION from the Great Tribulation! (Revelation 3:10).

But those lukewarm saints who do not truly obey the commandments of God, even though

they are saved, will be the ''tribulation saints" we read of in the book of Revelation. No

protection is offered such Christians! Will you be a "commandment keeper" so you can be

spared the indescribable horrors of the Great Tribulation? Or will you be like the end time

"Laodiceans" -the saints who refuse to truly obey God?

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Did Paul Keep the Law?

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles also told his Gentile converts that he himself kept the Law

of God! Paul wrote to the Gentiles "I myself serve the Law of God" (Romans 7:25). He even said

he delighted in the Law! (verse 22) though he had struggles in the flesh, as do we all.

No, Paul did not teach that the Law was abolished. In fact, when he came to Jerusalem, the

Elders there told him they had heard a rumor that the Jews were spreading about him. They

were telling people that the apostle Paul was teaching the Gentiles that they should not keep

God's Law! This same rumor has been perpetuated down to our day today!

However the Jews who had become believers in Christ were "all zealous of the law" (Acts

21:20). To quell this false report (which has survived among protestant churches to this day!)

the Jerusalem Elders asked Paul to go to the temple so all would see he still had respect for the

Law. And there he actually offered up an animal sacrifice (under the supervision of the Levitical

priesthood). This showed the Jews that if he was willing to go to that extent to honor the Law

of Moses that he surely still kept the Feast days of God, the Ten Commandments, yes and also

the seventh day Sabbath commanded in the fourth commandment.

Since the Law of Moses nowhere commanded weekly observance of Sunday, then what day

did Paul keep as the Sabbath? Obviously he was not working seven days a week because the

Ten Commandments forbid it! So what day did Paul himself still observe -and more importantly

for us, what day did the apostle to the Gentiles command his Gentile converts to observe?

Which Day in the Old Testament?

First let's nail down which day the Sabbath was originally. Was it, as many have assumed,

just one day out of seven that we ourselves are allowed to pick?

Remember in Genesis 2 God hallowed and sanctified THE seventh day as His Sabbath. That

original seventh day which God rested on is actually called the "Sabbath" in Exodus 20: 11. But

was it only "every seventh day" as you determined it? Or was it THE seventh day of the week?

Let's not assume! Let's get Bible proof for everything we believe!

In Leviticus 23:3 God lists the weekly Holyday as one of His Feasts, in addition to the annual

Holydays or Sabbaths we studied in a previous lesson. There is one weekly Sabbath and seven

annual Sabbaths - but all are called FEASTS of the Lord. But was the weekly Feast day on the

same day for everyone?

Notice verse 3 says that God's Sabbath day was a day of rest "in all thy dwellings"! This

necessitated it be observed on the same day.

Yes but was it the seventh day "of the week" -or just one day in seven?

Look in the New Testament to see which day the apostles called ''the Sabbath" of the Lord.

Matthew 28: 1 says that in the end of the Sabbath - (the Greek can be translated, "after the

Sabbath") the first day of the week, the day we call Sunday, followed. And notice here also that

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Sunday is not called the Sabbath. It is also not called the "Lord's Day" even though Matthew is

writing years later after the resurrection of Christ. No, he only refers to Sunday as ''the first day

of the week" without any special religious title whatsoever!!

And notice also that THE Sabbath occurs immediately before the first day "of the week"!

Then the Sabbath is indeed the seventh day "of the week" and not just any day a person might

wish to call his "Sabbath." One thing is certain from reading Matthew 28: 1 the Sabbath was not

on "the first day of the week"! -our "Sunday."

Also for additional proof check each of the four Gospel accounts, especially Luke 23:56 and

24:1 where we read that the Disciples of Christ "rested the Sabbath day according to the com-

mandment" which immediately proceeded the first day of the week.

Every Catholic and Protestant knows Sunday is "the first day of the week." Therefore the

day that the New Testament calls ''the Sabbath" is the day immediately preceding Sunday. The

Sabbath therefore is on the day we call "Saturday" - the seventh day of the week and not just

"one day out of seven." Now we have proven which day the Sabbath was in the New

Testament as well as the Old.

What about Pentecost?

Many will remember that the early church kept the Day of Pentecost called the Feast of

First fruits in the Old Testament). Which day of the week was Pentecost? The New Testament

does not give us this information. But we may learn it from reading the Old Testament

Scriptures in Leviticus 23 where all of God's Sabbaths (weekly and annual) are listed. Pentecost

is given in verses 15-22. Though it is not called "Pentecost" (which is a Greek word used by

Gentile Christians when they kept this Feast Day -see First Corinthians 16:8), still we may learn

that by counting seven weekly Sabbaths (Saturdays) we arrive at 49 days. And the next day was

the celebration of those seven weeks of Harvest. For this reason Pentecost is also called "the

Feast of Weeks" as seven weeks (counting by Sabbaths) are counted.

So Pentecost - an annual Old Testament Feast Day - was still observed by the early church in

the New Testament and is indeed on an annual first day of the week, which is "the morrow

after the Sabbath." However the early church only observed that "Sunday" once a year when

Pentecost, an annual SABBATH day, fell on Sunday. On rare occasion other Holydays (Sabbaths)

may fall also on Sunday - or any day of the week as they are counted from the first day of the

month which can fall on any day of the week.

Pentecost is unique in that it falls according to the Jubilee cycle, after seven Sabbaths of

rest, and then the 50th day is Pentecost (compare the Jubilee cycle in Leviticus 25).

The absolute fact that the early true Church of God kept the annual Feast days (such as

Pentecost -the Feast of First fruits) indicates they would have also joyously kept the weekly

Feast day -the weekly Sabbath!

As one theologian wrote, the weekly Sabbaths, and the annual Sabbaths, stand or fall -

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together. You can't have one without the other. If the early church kept annual Sabbaths (which

we have seen proof that they did) then yes, they would certainly have kept the seventh day of

every week Holy as well!

What Day Did Jesus Keep?

There really is only one very simple question we need to ask. It is not Paul or the other

apostles, after all, to who we look for an example. It is Jesus! He is our Example. Read the proof

in First Peter 2:21. Here we read that Christ set us an example that we should follow His steps!

It is impossible to follow in His steps if we do not know what His steps were. Jesus knew the

commandments of God. It is unthinkable that He would command us to "keep the com-

mandments" (Matthew 19: 17) and yet He himself fail to do so. Indeed in John 15:10 we read

Jesus' own words where He said, "I have kept my Father's commandments"!

One of the Ten Commandments is to observe the seventh day of the week - the Sabbath,

and to keep it holy. Today the whole Christian-professing world follows the traditions of Rome -

not the Example of Jesus Christ!

In Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:27-28, and Luke 6:5 Jesus said He was Lord of the Sabbath. The

Pharisees were hypocrites who accused Him of breaking God's Law - specifically the Sabbath.

However as we have just seen, Jesus said He had indeed "kept" His Father's commandments.

That must include the fourth commandment (the Sabbath) as James wrote that if a person

breaks just one, he is therefore (in the sight of God) guilty of having broken all! (James 2: 10).

Jesus therefore kept the Sabbath day and even went to church on that day "as His custom

was" (Luke 4:16). Jesus set the Example. Did the early church -the true church before the

apostasy at Rome grew great - follow that Example?

Notice Acts 13:13-14. Here we read that the apostle Paul - the apostle to the Gentiles! -

taught the Gospel on the Sabbath! But was he only teaching the Jews? No. For verse 42 states

that after the Jews left the church house that the GENTILES asked Paul to preach to them "the

next Sabbath."

Did Paul tell them they did not need to wait until the following Sabbath -a whole week

away? Did Paul tell these Gentiles that he would have a religious service with them on the very

next day -Sunday?

Will you believe your own Bible? Will you accept what your Bible says? Read it yourself.

"And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God"!

(verse 42). And remember, this was a GENTILE city! The apostle to the Gentiles then did not just

preach to Jews on the seventh day of the week, but to Gentiles as well. It was the day Paul

himself observed and taught the Gentiles (as well as Jews) to observe! Else why would he have

passed up a Sunday in order to preach to them "the next Sabbath day"?

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Gentiles Worshipped on the Sabbath - Not Sunday

Acts 15 is the famous Jerusalem Council where a decision about Circumcision was made.

Notice that James, the leading apostle of the New Testament Church of God in those

days, states that they were only to give four points to these new converts for they would hear

the rest of the Law of God - (also called the Law of Moses) on the Sabbath.

Notice: "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the

synagogues every Sabbath day"! (verse 21). Why were the newly baptized believers among the

Gentiles in church "every Sabbath day"? Obviously the apostles had taught them to observe the

Sabbath!

The word translated "synagogue" in this verse is the exact same word translated "assembly"

in James 2:2 when he refers to Christian assemblies - or church services! Thus the Law was

being taught in the assemblies "every Sabbath day." How different from today!

The Gentiles then were assembling for worship services "every Sabbath day"!

Can anything be plainer?

Paul's Practice among the Gentiles

Now notice Acts 16:13. Here we read that Paul assembled with other believers - not Jews -

but Disciples of Christ in a Gentile city -on what day? Read it. "...on the Sabbath ... where prayer

was wont to be made."

Here we see Paul having prayer meetings with other believers on the Sabbath day! Surely if

the Sabbath had been done away at the cross, the apostles would have known about it and

would no longer have been observing it! In Acts 18:4 we read that the apostle Paul reasoned

with these people "EVERY SABBATH and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks"!

Notice that Paul preached to the Greeks on the Sabbath. Can we find one single verse where

Paul ever preached and persuaded the Greeks the Gentiles - concerning Christ, on Sunday, the

first day of the week?

Remember there are only eight places where Sunday is mentioned by name (by the term

"first day of the week") in the New Testament. We have already seen from the previous Bible

Study Lesson that on not one of these occasions do we ever find the apostle Paul preaching to

Gentiles on Sunday! Why did he not preach to Gentiles on the first day of the week? Obviously

he considered that day to be the Roman day of sun worship and continued keeping number

four of the Ten Commandments. It was because Paul was a "commandment keeper" that he

continued keeping the Sabbath and preached and taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath day.

Here repeatedly we find him preaching to Gentiles on the Sabbath! (And remember we have

already seen that in the New Testament, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week that

immediately precedes the day we call Sunday -the first day of the week Matthew 28:1, etc. etc.)

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The Old Testament Commanded Gentiles to Keep God's Sabbaths

In Isaiah 56:2-3, 6-7, we read that ''the sons of the stranger" -the term used in the Old

Testament that referred to the non Israelite - the Gentile was allowed to join themselves to the

Lord- "everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it"! So it is not true that God only

intended the Israelites to keep the Sabbath. God also intended that Gentiles as well keep His

commandments.

Which Day When Jesus Returns?

In Isaiah 66 we read a prophecy about the 1000-year "Millennial" Kingdom of God which

Christ will set up at His second coming. Will all nations be allowed in that day to determine for

themselves what day of the week they will observe?

No. Read it yourself. "For behold the Lord will come with fire [the second coming of Christ] it

shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory

(Isaiah 66:15, 18).

"All nations and tongues" include the Gentiles. Notice further: "... and they shall declare my

glory among the GENTILES. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and

from one Sabbath to another, shall ALL FLESH come to WORSHIP before Me, saith the Lord"!

(Isaiah 66:23).

Fascinating!

All flesh -no matter what your race -red, yellow, black and white -all nations of every race

and tongue -will come to worship the Lord "from one Sabbath to another"!

How plain!

Just as the Feast of Tabernacles and other Feast days (annual Sabbaths or Holydays) will be

observed in the Kingdom of God when the Lord is "King over all the Earth" (Zechariah 14:9, 16-

19) so also shall all nations keep the weekly Sabbath "from one Sabbath to another"!

No nation on Earth then will be allowed to observe any of the days of Rome -the fourth

"beast" of the prophecy of Daniel upon whom the "whore" sits in Revelation 17.

December 25th, Easter, Halloween and yes the weekly observance of "rest" on Sunday -all

of these days will be abolished. But none of God's Law will be abolished. Jesus said until heaven

and earth pass away, not one jot or title -the smallest part of a single Hebrew letter -would pass

from the Law! (Matthew 5: 18). All will remain in force and effect!

This is why all nations will continue to worship Him by resting on His Seventh day Sabbath.

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But Do We Know the True Seventh Day?

But some will say, "How can we be sure which day is the true seventh day of the week?

Why, for all we know Sunday may actually be the true seventh day and our calendars may be

wrong! Perhaps man has tampered with the weekly cycle!"

Historians, calendar experts and Bible scholars all agree on one point. They know that the

weekly cycle has never been altered. All nations around the world which have different calen-

dars and start their years at different times, all nevertheless observe the same day of the week

around the world, as it comes to them! When it is Sunday in the United States it will not be

Wednesday in Russia! As the day begins around the world (either midnight on Roman time, or

sunset, on God's time) the same day begins.

Also we know Jesus knew the true Seventh day of the week. For He kept that day and the

Bible says He never sinned -never transgressed the Law (I Peter 2:22). Therefore we know He

was right! And in the last nearly 2000 years no one believes the weekly cycle has been lost or

tampered with. Why, the Roman Catholic church knows that Sunday IS the first day of the week

and , has kept it all these centuries (for nearly 1700 years) just as the Jews have maintained the

seventh day of the week for nearly 2000 years since the time of Christ. Though we keep

different days, they agree that Saturday is the true seventh day of the week Just as Roman

Catholics agree Sunday is the first day of the week. No, time was never lost. The weekly cycle

was never changed. Such arguments come from men who are looking for excuses not to keep

the Ten Commandments, especially the fourth one!

Are All Ten Commandments Found in the New Testament?

Some uneducated and ignorant would-be Bible teachers have said that Christ abolished the

Law, and then turned right around and reinstituted NINE of the Ten Commandments! Would

that not make Him a very fickle Head of the Church? Doesn't the Bible say that Christ is the

same yesterday, today, and forever? (Hebrews 13:8).

No, Christ is not fickle and ever changing. Such is the ridiculous reasoning of those who

refuse to obey God! Can anyone really be gullible enough to fall for such arguments?

Believe it or not, all ten of the Ten Commandments are commanded over again in the New

Testament Scriptures. For example read Matthew 19:18-19 and Romans 13:9. These passages

refer to the last six of the Ten Commandments. Does that mean that the first four of the Ten

Commandments have now been "done away"? Of course not!

Notice. Jesus refers to the first commandment of the Ten Commandments in Luke 4:8. And

John is obviously thinking of the second commandment when he commands, "Little children,

keep yourselves from IDOLS" in I John 5:21.

Jesus is also referring to the third commandment in condemning blasphemy in Matthew

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12:31 though He doesn't actually quote it word for word. But what about the fourth

commandment? Is it the only one not commanded again in the New Testament? We have now

seen that at least nine out of the Ten Commandments are referred to as still binding in the New

Testament. But what about the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments -the one

where God commands us to REMEMBER the Sabbath day to keep it holy?

Did the New Testament writers FORGET the very commandment we were specifically told to

remember?

A New Testament COMMAND to Keep the Sabbath!

It's true! There is also a commandment in the New Testament Scriptures to keep the fourth

commandment just as we have seen all the other nine commandments are repeated! -brought

forward into the New Testament for today's Church. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles actually

commanded his converts to keep the Sabbath day. And if it is in the New Testament then it is

for us today!

Paul wrote that the Sabbath was a type of the Promised Land and of the coming millennial

kingdom. All theologians would agree with this. But notice also he referred to the seventh day

as a day of rest!

Paul wrote: "For He spake in a certain place of THE SEVENTH DAY on this wise ["in this way"

or in this manner], 'And God did REST the seventh day from all His works ", (Hebrews 4:4).

Then he adds that Joshua (Paul is writing in Greek and uses the Greek name for Joshua

which is, ironically, "Jesus" in Greek) did not give them true rest. Rather the true rest will be in

the Kingdom of God (verse 8).

The early church believed that God had a 7,000 year plan and that the first 6,000 years -like

the first six days of the week -were for man's "work." But then comes the seventh day of the

week which is a day of rest. The early Christians believed that the seventh day of the week

represented the seventh thousand year period (what we call the Millennium -under the

Kingdom of God inaugurated by the second coming of Christ) which would fulfill God's seven

thousand year plan for man on the Earth before God the Father comes to this Earth to fashion

the "New Earth" (Revelation 21).

Then Paul shows that because of the weekly seventh day being a type of this millennial rest

we should keep the Sabbath today to picture that rest!

The King James Translation is a highly accurate translation but in this particular verse we are

about to read, we have actually one word that is mistranslated Since you are using a King James

Version, look in the margin to see what the correct translation should be, from the original

inspired Greek. But first let's read verse nine in the King James Bible.

The King James Version reads: "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."

The word "rest" is mentioned nine times in this one chapter alone! The Greek word

translated eight times as "rest" in this chapter is the word katapausis (see #2663 in Strong's

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Exhaustive Concordance). This word merely means to "pause" or "rest." But in verse nine, it is a

completely DIFFERENT word altogether! It not only is spelled completely different, but has a

totally different meaning than katapausis. Look in the margin of your Bible to see the CORRECT

TRANSLATION as it should read. The word mistranslated "rest" here (according to the margin in

your Bible) literally means "a KEEPING of a Sabbath"!

This is indeed the correct translation. It means "Sabbath keeping." The Greek word is

actually Sabbatismos. The margin of your Bible has it translated correctly. It does not mean

"rest" as is used in the other eight places in this chapter. This word Sabbatismos - or Sabbath-

ism (or, "Sabbath keeping") means the "ism" or practice of "keeping the Sabbath."

Now read Hebrews 4:9 adding the correct translation from the margin! The apostle Paul -

the apostle to the Gentiles -actually commanded Sabbath observance in this chapter, showing

now that ALL TEN of the Ten Commandments are indeed given again in the New Testament

Scriptures!

The actual inspired Greek text reads: "There remains therefore a KEEPING OF THE SABBATH

to the people of God"!

Paul said the "keeping" of the Sabbath REMAINS! It has not been done away! Nor has

another day been substituted (by Christ or the apostles) in its place! For he plainly said the Sab-

bath that had existed before remained! He was not here instituting some brand new day and

calling it the Sabbath for this Sabbath was a day that had already existed from the Old

Testament and now "remained" for the New Testament period.

It Remains for the People of God

Who are "the people of God"? Since Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, did he not

consider them now to be a "people of God," when they accepted Christ?

Yes! Notice what Paul said in Ephesians 2:19. He said the Gentiles who had now come to

Christ are no more strangers "but fellow citizens with the saints"! They are now "the people of

God." Peter added, "Which in time past were not a people, but are now THE PEOPLE OF GOD"!

(I Peter 2: 10).

Do you see? There remains therefore the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God! It

has not changed! It has not been abolished. Jesus said that not even one "jot" or one "title"

(the smallest part of a letter of the Law) shall pass away from the Law until all the prophecies

(He specifically mentioned the passing of Heaven and Earth) be "fulfilled" (Greek: ginomai,

meaning: "come to pass").

Until that last prophecy in the Bible "comes to pass" - about the New Heavens and the New

Earth - not one single commandment of God will pass away from the Law! Not one!

How plain!

Will you believe Jesus? Will you believe His apostles, including the apostle who is a teacher

even today to true Christians among the Gentiles (throughout the Scripture)? For Paul was the

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teacher of the Gentiles.

This is why Jesus continued to keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. This is the

reason His disciples still rested on the Sabbath day "according to the commandment" (Luke

23:56). And this is why the great apostle Paul continued to keep the Law and actually

commanded his Gentile churches to keep God's Law by imitating him just as he imitated Christ!

(I Corinthians 11:1).

Can anything be plainer?

Why were the unconverted men in Colossae persecuting the new converts (among the

Gentiles) to God's true Religion? They were severely "judging" them, probably scolding,

ridiculing and laughing at them for obeying God!

Paul admonished his newly converted Gentile believers to let no man judge them in "meat

or in drink" (the Greek literally reads, "in eating or in drinking") and adds "or in respect of an

HOL YDA Y, or of the new moon, or of THE SABBATH days"! (Colossians 2:16).

Notice this word "days" in your King James Version is written in italics, showing that it is not

found in the actual Greek text but was supplied at the privilege of the translators, hoping to

make verses more readable and in most cases easier to understand. In this instance, it would

have been better to have not inserted this word "days" in the text. Now read that verse again

without the added italicized word.

Do you see? Paul commanded the Gentiles to let no one judge them in eating or drinking, or

in respect of a holyday (an annual Sabbath or Feast day), or of the new moon (the first day of

God's months on His calendar) or of THE Sabbath!

Why would these unconverted Gentiles, be judging their neighbors, these newly saved

"people of God" in these areas except that these saints of God were now observing - for the

first time in their lives - the HOLYDAYS, NEW MOONS AND THE SABBATH of God?

Some ignorant would-be “Bible”...teachers" and preachers have actually assumed the

expression "let no man judge you" was Paul's way to say that all these things he mentioned in

this verse were utterly abolished! But be careful with that ridiculous interpretation, for Paul

also said we should not let a man judge us "in eating and in drinking"! Was Paul abolishing food

and drink? No! Of course not!

Such are the lengths false prophets and those ignorant of the Scriptures will go to keep from

obeying the Law and the Word of God.

If he was abolishing one, then he was abolishing all. For he said to let no man judge us in

any of these things.

Let no one condemn you in these things. But why would they?

They wouldn't! -unless you had started KEEPING them!

Think!

Have any of your Gentile neighbors ever judged you for not obeying God in the keeping of

His weekly Sabbath and His annual Holydays? Of course not! But start keeping these days, and

then watch what happens! They will then begin "judging" you harshly just as they did these

faithful Christians, by ridicule and persecution! We are not to let that bother us, but to obey

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God regardless.

Now you have seen PROOF that God commanded His people to keep His Sabbath day along

with all the other nine commandments in this New Testament age.

The Sabbaths -a Perpetual Covenant

Now some will still argue that the Sabbaths (annual and weekly) were only part of the Old

Covenant. Therefore now that we are under the New Covenant, they no longer are applicable

to "the people of God."

That isn't what Paul taught.

Rather, they are ignorant of the special Sabbath COVENANT that God made in addition to

the Old Covenant He made with Israel! Believe it or not, God made an extra covenant in addi-

tion to the "Old Covenant" He also made a special Sabbath Covenant that could not ever pass

away with the Old Covenant as it is a TOT ALLY SEPARATE covenant from the Old Covenant alto-

gether! If the Old Covenant passes away, it in no way affects this special Sabbath covenant!

This special Sabbath Covenant is found in Exodus 31:12-17. Read it.

Here God says that His people are to keep His Sabbaths (plural: both weekly and annual

Sabbaths) as a special SIGN between Him and His people. In verse 13 God says that they were

to keep His Sabbaths (weekly and annual) "throughout your generations"!

Then this special Sabbath covenant could not have been "done away" or abolished at the

cross, could it? No, for this sign will exist "throughout your generations”!

How then could the weekly Sabbath abolished? It couldn't!

Notice in verse 16 God again says that His people are to keep the Sabbath throughout their

generations -but notice -He adds "for a PERPETUAL COVENANT"!

Here God makes a special Sabbath Covenant with His people. When the Old Covenant

passes away, the Sabbath covenant still remains, in force and effect - still binding upon ''the

people of God"!

What does a "perpetual" covenant mean? This word perpetual means continuous -

unending. Therefore this covenant did not end at the cross but is still very much binding upon

''the people of God" today!

Some will still object however, that this Sabbath covenant was only for ''the children of

Israel" and not the Gentiles today. But remember Paul did not delineate between Israelite and

Gentile. God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11).

In Galatians 3:26-29 we read: "For ye are all the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus"!

The children of God are "the people of God."

So it is no longer just the Jews who are the people or <'children" of God, but Gentiles as

well, as Paul was addressing this epistle to the Gentile Christians in Galatia.

Paul adds, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither

male nor female: for ye are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye

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ABRAHAM'S SEED [descendents] and heirs according to the promise"!

When you come to Christ, you then become a part of Abraham's "seed" or "Children" of

Abraham, in the sight of God, just as much as the natural descendents (Israelites) are his seed!

In his epistle to the Romans Paul likens the nation of Israel to an olive tree. Gentiles are likened

to branches taken from other trees but grafted in so that they become a part of the olive tree

that is Israel! (Romans 11: 17).

You AND I ARE NOW A PART OF ISRAEL if we have come to Christ by confessing Him as Lord

of our lives and have been saved.

There is no further distinction! For "ye are all ONE in Christ"!

There is no inferior salvation for Gentiles. There are no "second rate" Christians in God's

family. You may be racially an Israelite or you may be Chinese, Russian, Indian, German, Black,

or Eskimo. It matters not to God.

Understand! When you become a truly converted "child of God" you become "Abraham's

seed" -an Israelite!!! Yes, you are an Israelite!

Will you believe the Bible? Gentiles are not racially "Jews" but when they receive the Holy

Spirit in conversion, God places them into His Family -the seed of Abraham.

Are you a true Christian? Then you indeed are a true Israelite! (Romans 2:28-29).

And notice that Galatians 3:29 adds that we are "heirs according to the promise." That

promise was made only for Abraham's seed -the Israelites -promises of physical and national

blessings IF they would obey God's Law! Since God is no respecter of persons, He considers you

to be an heir of those very same blessings! IF you keep the very same Laws guaranteed to

PRODUCE those blessings!

Of course! For as Paul tells us God really is no respecter of persons!

(Romans 2:11). We are now heirs to the same promises - because God now expects us to

keep the same Laws.

Now go back once again to Exodus 31:12-17. And notice verse 17 where God says the

keeping of His "Sabbaths" are a "sign" between Him and His true people. But for how long?

Read it in your own Bible. God says that the Sabbath "is a sign between me and the children of

Israel FOREVER"!

"Forever" means everlasting. So then how long is "forever"? If "forever" ended at the

cross, then can we possibly believe we truly have "everlasting life" that lasts "forever"? (John

3:16). No, we cannot. In fact, we would have no promise whatsoever of living "forever."

Thank God the Bible does mean what it says!

How long does a "perpetual" continuous covenant last? How long is "throughout your

generations"?

Even Gentiles are now a part of the spiritual seed of Abraham, and our generations have

certainly not ended! Therefore the keeping of the Sabbath is still in force! It remains to be kept

by the people of God - 'forever"!!

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The Sabbath is Saturday

Jesus commands those who come to Him that we "keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:

17). How does He expect His people to keep the seventh day Sabbath?

Since the Sabbath is a Biblical day or rest and worship, it must be kept the way God

determines the day. Nowhere in the entire Bible are we told to begin a day at midnight. Rather

the 24-hour Sabbath Day begins when the sixth day of the weekends at sundown. So on Friday

evening in the eyes of God, the sixth day of the week is over and His holy seventh day begins.

And God commands us to remember this day to keep it holy!

"From even [evening] unto even [evening] shall ye celebrate your Sabbath" (Leviticus

23:32). Evening is the time when the sun sets (Leviticus 22:67a and Mark 1:32). So one 24 hour

period ends at sunset, and the next 24 hour day begins. Every commandment keeper knows

that the Sabbath begins at sunset at the end of Friday. So Friday night begins the holy hours of

God's Sabbath day and continues until the next sunset on Saturday evening.

This 24 hour period is called the Sabbath Day in the New Testament and the early true

Church of God continued to rest on this day "according to the commandment" (Luke 23:56).

Will you? Now that you have seen the proof that the early church kept the Sabbath and that

the apostle Paul actually taught Gentiles on the Sabbath even commanded them to keep the

annual Sabbaths or Holydays (I Corinthians 5:8) will you now begin obeying God as a true

Christian should, and keep His annual and weekly Holydays?

Remember, if you decide not to obey God in keeping His commandments you will not be

counted among His true church in the End Time who "keep the commandments of God"

(Revelation 12:17 and 14:12). Those who truly keep His Word are promised protection from the

Great Tribulation (Revelation 3:10). You can be counted among that number!

This does not mean there are not sincere Christians who don't understand God's command

to keep His Sabbath day in the Roman-Sunday observing churches. But remember Jesus calls

His people out of Babylon. Will you come out and begin keeping His Sabbath day by resting on

the hours God made holy? We may have a minister near you that can visit you if you desire to

have someone to come and answer your questions. No one will call on your unless you yourself

request it however. But if you still have questions that need to be answered, write or call today

to see if we have a representative that can come and answer any questions you may still have.

Also remember that if you neglect to begin keeping God's annual and weekly Holydays now,

that Christ will FORCE all rebellious mankind to obey Him then (Isaiah 66:23 and Zechariah

14:16-19). Will you be among those rebellious individuals that will be forced to obey God?

Or will you voluntarily bow your knees now in humble submission and begin keeping God's

Sabbaths as He commanded?

God's Law has not been done away. Jesus commands us to "keep the commandments"

(Matthew 19: 17). How could that mean we can keep the ones we want to and neglect the

others?

God is waiting on your response. What will you decide?

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Should You Attend Church on the Sabbath? Is it necessary to attend formal church services on the Sabbath day in order to keep it?

SOME YEARS AGO I met a man who learned the truth about the Sabbath commandment from

the Bible and so he immediately began attending "church" each Sabbath by attending a Jewish synagogue. He found this to be quite dry for Jesus Christ was never preached. The Bible commands us to assemble with other believers of like Faith. And he soon stopped attending the synagogue.

One should also be wary of cults. Ellen G. White began a protestant church which many today deem a cult due to the fact that the church holds Mrs. White to have been a "prophetess." Her writings are basically put on a par with Scripture itself believe it or not! -exactly as the Mormons put the writings of "prophet" Joseph Smith on an equal footing with the Bible. The church that Mrs. White founded was named the Seventh Day Adventist church. They openly admit that Christmas and Easter are pagan -of heathen origin, but observe them anyway because Mrs. White, their 19th century prophetess did not understand the Bible enough to know that it FORBIDS us to mix paganism with Christianity!!

There is also a Baptist church that keeps the Sabbath believe it or not! This very small group however is very much a protestant daughter church of Rome as they also keep Christmas and Easter and believe in other Roman doctrines not found in the Bible and are also very much a part of the ecumenical movement to unite Romanism with Protestantism! But Jesus Christ commands you and me to "come out" and to be separate!!! Further we are told to turn away from those who deny the power of God even if they do have the correct form of godliness (the Phillips translation reads "religion" - II Timothy 3:5).

Is it wrong to worship God on Sunday? Mrs. White said it was, but then she said many things out of her own heart that later proved to be false prophecies, etc.

Understand: it is not wrong to worship God on any day as long as we REST on the day we are commanded to rest in the Ten Commandments! If you have enough true fellow believers to have services on the Sabbath, that is great. But it would be better to simply STAY HOME on the Sabbath and rest rather than join a church that puts more credence in the false prophecies of a dead woman prophetess than the Holy Word of Almighty God. The important thing is that we obey God and REST each Seventh Day of the week. Begin obeying God this week.

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Frequently Asked Questions about

How to Keep the Sabbath

What should you do if your employer threatens to fire you if you attempt to rest every Seventh day of the week as the Scripture commands? What exactly IS required for “Sabbath observance” today? Should you work the first six days of the week?

HERE ARE QUESTIONS that people frequently ask and here are the Bible answers.

Should I begin working on Sunday now that I know I am to rest on the seventh day of the

week, the true Bible Sabbath?

The word "Sabbath" literally means "rest' and the fourth commandment is a command to

rest on the seventh day of the week. Most people work on the Bible Sabbath but then take off

from work and rest on the first day of the week, contrary to scripture. Of course you can take a

day off any time you want as long as you rest when God commands you to.

Ezekiel 46: 1 refers to the Sabbath after "the six working days" which includes Sunday as a

"working" day. Also the fourth commandment tells us to labor the first six days of the week. As

a rule, unless we are sick or on vacation, we should work or do some thing constructive, six out

of seven days of every week. Otherwise we are lazy. This does not mean you must work your

regular public employment, but you can work at home; mow the grass, clean out the garage, or

find something work related to do that needs to be done -find some constructive "labor" and

begin working each Sunday -to break the habit of "rest" which was incorrectly ingrained in most

of us from childhood. It's also a great day to clean house!

What is required and not required for true Sabbath "rest"?

We must be careful not to observe the "Jewish" Sabbath. They added a multitude of

manmade interpretations of do's and don'ts for the Sabbath of Almighty God. For example,

they said you cannot pour hot water into cold water (for you are heating water on the

Sabbath). You cannot swat an insect unless it bites you first. They created the "Sabbath day's

Journey" which was the maximum distance one could walk on the Sabbath - but God never

legislated on that. In modern times strict orthodox Jews will not push elevator buttons on the

Sabbath!

(They consider it "work"!). And there are many other added Jewish traditions. Jesus Himself

did not observe the "Jewish" Sabbath - the Jewish way of keeping God's seventh day of the

week holy. Rather He only followed God's explicit Biblical command to "rest" "worship" on

God's Holy day. Just go by the directives given in Scripture alone without adding any Jewish

interpretation and you will be right with God on the matter.

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If my job requires me to work on the Sabbath, what should I do?

First, tell your boss that you are a "Bible believing" Christian and have recently learned that

Christ still requires Christians to keep the Ten Commandments and that you are requesting the

Sabbath off every week in order to obey Christ. Volunteer to make up work on Sunday if

necessary and allowed. In most cases they will not let you do this. Does this mean you must

quit your job?

Space does not allow a detailed Biblical explanation but suffice it to say that the Sabbath

was made for a free people. Israel could not keep the Sabbath as long as they were slaves

"employees" of Pharaoh. But when they were free God then expected them to keep His

Sabbath. Most of us are not free to choose our own days. We punch a time clock and work "for

the other guy." If you are not self employed God does not expect you to go hungry by

voluntarily quitting your employment and letting your family starve.

Most Sabbath keepers have wrongly assumed that they are required to relinquish their jobs.

But in wartime for instance, God did not require Israel to stop and rest on the Sabbath day. God

Himself even commanded them to march around Jericho seven consecutive days for this was

the initial stage of their battle with that city.

In the New Testament era most people were self-employed. Some however worked for

others as “servants” for their “masters.” The apostle Paul instructed Christians to “obey in ALL

THINGS your masters according to the flesh” (Colossians 3:22). Paul knew when he wrote that,

that this would mean that those so employed may have to work on the Sabbath, yet he made

no alternate ruling addressing this problem. (See also Ephesians 6:5, I Timothy 6:1-2, and Titus

2:9).

Jesus did not break the Sabbath when He pulled grain from the field and ate it. But He was

accused of such by the religious leaders of His day. Rather than debate their misunderstanding

of what constituted “Sabbath breaking” He rather addressed the issue of having a need. By a

careful comparison of the two accounts given in Mark2:25-2 and Matthew 12:4-7, we learn that

even if we engage in something that is “unlawful,” when we have a need we are considered

“guiltless” before God.

Paul tells us in II Thess. 3:10 that we must work in order to eat. In I Timothy 5:8 he also says

that if we do not provide for the needs of our own family, we are worse than an “infidel” –an

unbeliever –perhaps an agnostic or even an atheist –who keeps no day at all but works all

seven days of the week to provide for the needs of his family! If the unbelieving sinner works

and provides for his family, (and being an unbeliever he does not keep the Sabbath) –yet if we

as Believers remain unemployed and let our children and family go hungry in order to rest each

Sabbath (because we are Believers) then Paul says we Believers are worse that the unbeliever

who does provide for his family!

Jesus said that David did in fact break the Law of God and “did that which was unlawful” yet

because “he had need” God considered him “guiltless.”

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Few Sabbath observing churches have understood this Truth and have brought great

hardship on their members due to forcing them to resign good paying jobs in some cases, to

rest each Sabbath.

God commands us to rest, yes! –but He also commands us to provide for the needs of our

family. In you cannot do both, then the higher commandment is to feed your family first.

Resting each Sabbath while your children are starving is not a very good testimony after all, is

it?

So yes, you are commanded to rest each Sabbath day, but if your employer threatens to fire

you, providing for your family takes precedence.

THE END