Question: Dear Greg,

We are writing in response to your answer to the questions about THE Sabbath.

Your reasoning that we as Christians are not obligated to keep the Sabbath is flawed. It is our understanding that when God said in Exodus 20:8, ‘Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy’ that it was the fourth of what is called the TEN commandments. You reason that the Ten Commandments were part of the "old covenant law." The commandments were not a covenant made with Israel but the codification of law that was already in effect from the beginning of creation. See Genesis 2:3! (I don’t think Adam was an Israelite, was he?)

Secondly, if your opinion is that the ten commandments were part of the "Old" Testament law, and that we are no longer bound or under the "old" law then what does that do to the commandments such as do not murder or lie, are we then not bound by these old covenant laws?

Many New Testament scriptures show Jesus reaffirming the ten commandments which include the Sabbath. (see Matthew 4:10; Luke 16:13; Matthew 5:34; Mark 2:27-28; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:28; Matthew 5:40; Matthew 12:36 and Luke 12:15). And Jesus himself says, "If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments". (see John 14:15)

Certainly, we are not justified by the law (the commandments). The writings of Paul illustrate that the law is the teacher and that we fall short of completely living to the standards of the law. (Which, by the way, Jesus expanded upon. Why would he do this if, in fact, the law was fulfilled by his coming and/or death and resurrection?) However, as a teacher, the law shows us the way – the basics of how to relate to God and to our neighbor. As Christians we know that it is the sacrifice of Christ that washes away our sins. But how do we know what sin is if we don’t have the law as our teacher?

Therefore, "Keeping the Sabbath holy" does not justify us but neither does it make us legalistic any more than "keeping" the law not to murder.

We are saddened to see the continuing assault on the fourth commandment. Why is observing the seventh day Sabbath so difficult? Our opinion on this matter is that many have traded the laws of God for the traditions of men – which the Sunday observance is. We know the tug and pull of wanting to "fit" into the mainstream Christian world. We don’t condemn anyone who observes Sunday worship and by no means can we say they aren’t Christians – that is for God to judge only. But for "former" Sabbath-keeping Christians to suddenly become "enlightened" to this new "freedom from the Old Testament Law" disturbs us. If you have truly studied the scriptures regarding the Sabbath, as we have – and at some point even hoping to find some new truth, i.e. justification to observe any other day – you can come to only one simple conclusion (if you leave off all the fancy re-working – Jesus has fulfilled the law, we don’t need to be legalistic, etc.). God worked for six days and on the seventh day he rested, set the day apart and made it holy and he asks us to do the same. (again, see Genesis 2:3). Doesn’t seem too complicated to us – if you are willing to live by the truth. (see 1 John 2:3-4).

Answer: Dear Tina and Veronica,

Before responding, I checked the questions and answers we have posted, and it seems to me that all of your positions are discussed in the many questions we have posted: forgive me for any lack of clarity in expression, but may I suggest, as an overview, that you review the questions and answers we have posted?

In your second paragraph, you note that our reasoning about a Sabbath requirement or obligation is flawed, and you state that the old covenant, or at least the commandments, were "in force" from the beginning, and you simply cite Genesis 2:3. The citation of one passage, which you seem to believe is one and the same as the fourth commandment (not allowed by the context or literary genre, not to mention the rest of Genesis, or the rest of the Bible that comments on Genesis) is not sufficient evidence.

In your second paragraph you ask about murdering and lying, as if they are also not part of the new covenant. As mentioned in our questions and answers, the New Testament lists a number of sin and virtue lists – murdering and lying are included, but nowhere do you find "Sabbath breaking" or "Sabbath keeping".

Third paragraph – you note that Jesus reaffirmed the ten commandments. He did not, and does not reaffirm the ten commandments, rather he give us new commandments. He kept the Sabbath day, he kept Jewish holy days (some listed in the Bible as commanded FOREVER, and others not listed), he went to synagogue (so if his example is what we follow, we should all attend synagogue), he was circumcised, etc.

Jesus’ teaching, and that of his disciples as contained in the New Testament, is based upon the old covenant, not a simple restatement, but rather a re-constitution. It is a "new covenant" – not the old one simply restated with a few new bells and whistles. Yes, we will keep Jesus’ commandments if we love him, but the seventh day Sabbath, sunset to sunset, "holy" time, is not included. No passage indicates or states that, many do just the opposite.

Your fourth paragraph states that justification is not by the law. (You did not say how we are justified. I presume you agree and believe that justification is by grace through faith). You ask rhetorically, "why would Jesus expand on the ten commandments if the law was fulfilled by his coming, death, and resurrection?" In fact, this is not a rhetorical question, as the answer is contained within what is called the sermon on the mount – to which I presume you have reference in what you intend as a rhetorical question.

Matthew 5:48 says that we must be perfect, and the word does not mean "become" in the sense of process of performance based obedience and works of holiness generated humanly – building character, etc. The passage means that we must be perfect. And Jesus clearly shows a better and superior way to do that, and to do that perfectly. Read Romans. Romans shows that it is Jesus’ perfect obedience, and his atoning work on the cross which is given/accounted to us by God, so that God declares us righteous because of Jesus. We are forgiven, justified, and sanctified by God’s grace. Period. Nothing else. We are sanctified, not by what we do, but by what he did, and what he will do in and through us as he lives his life within us. Titus 2:11-14 tells us what grace teaches us.

There is no assault on the Sabbath (the word you use in a later paragraph) intended here, but rather a correcting of priorities. Jesus is Lord of all, even the Sabbath – of all things. He is on the throne, we worship him. Christians do not worship days, months, or seasons. We worship him on days – and during months – but those "times" are immaterial. Wednesday is just as good as Sunday, and Thursday is just as good as Saturday. May 25 is just as good as December 25.

There is no tug or pull of trying to "fit" into the "mainstream" world (I’m unclear how mainstream is being defined here). If you do not condemn those who worship on Sunday, why are you alarmed at those who now worship on Sunday, while formerly worshipping on Saturday? Surely this is a de facto admission that those who worship on any other day than Saturday "don’t have all the truth", or some similar statement. It would seem that you regret their fall from "what word would you use – "truth" – presumably not "grace". For example, do you believe that Sunday-keeping is the mark of the beast and that those who have that mark will have to suffer a tribulation that those who worship 24 hours earlier will not endure? What leads you to such a conclusion? The teachings of the Bible, of Jesus, or of men and women who came along hundreds of years later and "re-established" the "Sabbath truth"? Sabbath observance is not a distinctive or even a part of the historic Christian faith. Were all of those people wrong, deceived, without all of the truth?

Living by the "truth" is what Christianity is all about – and the truth is not a set of esoteric affirmations. Jesus is the way and the Truth – he is our Sabbath Rest, all the time – he is our "Sabbath sign" just as the seventh day was the sign for the nation of Israel. Jesus is Lord, and to him and him alone goes the glory and honor. Not any day – Saturday or Sunday.

Hope this helps – please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht