Expert: Brenda Martin - 10/30/2009

Question
you say you use the bible, only but you used the 'holy Greek Scriptures' in your understanding of the Sabbath law. yet does not the holy greek scriptures also refereed as 'New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures' written by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. so you used a rewritten book, aka bible by a group of people who's beliefs are of a questionably charater? So why not just use the bible, only? in a past comment to a lady named Brenda on 6/11/2005, you stated that the sabbath was " ... the Sabbath was part of the Mosaic Law and that law was done away with at Jesus death. We as Christians are not under the law and so not obligated to keep the Sabbath on any day " But in Exo 20:11 God stated " ...wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." and this was well before any person was called jewish or christian, as a matter of fact there were only two people on this world at the creation of the 7th day. And if God hallowed a day or sanctified as its stated in Gen 2:3 wouldn't it be better to honer that of what God has set then that what man teaches? In Lev 19:8 God stated "...because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off ..." is it not also stated in Exo 31:17 " It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever ... " and this was not only for the jew but those who claim to be heirs to Abraham, the gentile grafted into the family of God. For even Jesus says in Mat 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law ..." and even in the last book of the old testament Mal 4:4  "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant ..." for all of israel and the heirs of Abraham, the children of God. Even in the very last book  Rev 22:14  "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life..." Its also the ONLY commandment that says "Remember the Sabbath" Exo 20:8, cuz He knew we would forget. You still believe the sabbath was done away with and we can pick and choose of the 10 commandments we want? take a look again at 2Cor 3:3,6,7,14,15,16 then go back and read Psa 37:31 & Psa 40:8. Also study all of Psalms 119. Eze 11:19 & 36:26 will also tie in to this thought. If the old testament does not suite you, then look at Heb 12:24 which speaks of a new covenant stated as a "NEW COVENANT" (KJV) and you cant get any plainer then that, one that is better then what Abel offered, a sacrifice that pointed toward Jesus's blood for sins. So the new covenant is now written on the hearts of the children of God, no longer on stone. Heb 10:16  "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them" Most 'experts' will state Mathew 5:17 " Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil", as being the end of the law cause Jesus nailed it to the cross. But they fail to tell of what Jesus wrote after verse 17, cuz in the very next verse of Mathew 5:18 & 19 Jesus says "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (and i know for certain that this is the same earth that Jesus died on some 2000 years ago, it has not passed away. so to those who teach other wise, [verse 19] "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." one more in the last book of the bible, Revelation 12:17 "...which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" the law of God and the blood of Christ; cant have faith with out works, works are governed by 'laws'. Isa 8:20  "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Tell me again of the New Covenant that was stated in Gen but given only to the people of Israel. then tell me why God said in Mal 3:6  "For I am the LORD, I change not ..."

Answer
HI Aaron, you asked--"GEN 2:3-- HONOUR WHAT GOD HAS SET THAN WHAT MAN TEACHES?"

I couldn’t agree more; I use various translations & I’m sure you will agree they are all what GOD teaches, so lets examine the verse-

God rested on the “seventh day” so you are assuming that the “day” spoken of here is a literal 24hr day, correct? & the preceding 6 days were also 24hrs long; well let’s see what the bible says—

More than 4,000 years after the seventh day, or God’s rest day, commenced, Paul indicated that it was still in progress. At Hebrews 4:1-11 he referred to the words of David (Ps 95:7, 8, 11) and to Genesis 2:2 and urged: “Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest.” By the apostle’s time, the seventh day had been continuing for thousands of years and had not yet ended. Since the seventh day has been continuing for thousands of years, it may reasonably be concluded that each of the six creative periods, or days, was at least thousands of years in length.

That a day can be longer than 24 hours is indicated by Genesis 2:4, which speaks of all the creative periods as one “day.” Also indicative of this is Peter’s inspired observation that “one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” (2Pe 3:8) Ascribing not just 24 hours but a longer period of time, thousands of years, to each of the creative days better harmonizes with the evidence found in the earth itself.

So you see God didn’t “rest” for 24hrs, he is still in that rest day. Paul in Hebrews 4;11 pointed out that “there remains a sabbath resting for the people of God,” and he urged his fellow Christians to do their utmost “to enter into that rest.”

JW’s do their utmost to “enter into that rest” every day of their lives.

"EX. 20:8, 11;EX. 31:17"

Remembering then that God’s rest “day” or Sabbath is still continuing; God desisted from earthly creative work in order to let his handiwork develop and come into full glory, to his praise and honour. As part of God’s creation, we should also fit into that arrangement. We should ‘rest from our own works & have faith that our salvation depends on the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ, through which all things will again be brought into harmony with God’s purpose.—Ephesians 1:8-14; Colossians 1:19, 20.

Ex. 31:16, 17: “The sons of Israel must keep the sabbath, so as to carry out the sabbath during their generations. It is a covenant to time indefinite [“a perpetual covenant,” REVISED STANDARD]. Between me and the sons of Israel it is a sign to time indefinite.” (Notice that sabbath observance was a sign between Jehovah and Israel; this would not be the case if everyone else were also obligated to keep the Sabbath. The Hebrew word rendered “perpetual” in RS is ‛oh•lam′, which basically means a period of time that, from the standpoint of the present, is indefinite or hidden from sight but of long duration. That can mean forever, but not necessarily so. At Numbers 25:13 the same Hebrew word is applied to the priesthood, which later ended, according to Hebrews 7:12.)

JW’s do their utmost to enter into God’s rest day or Sabbath that is thousands of years long, we do not keep just ONE day a week, we keep EVERY day.

"PS 37:31; PS 40:8.PSALMS 119".

“Law in heart, inward parts, walking in law”. Yes I agree; to be applied in everyday life. True happiness depends on our walking in God’s law. (Psalm 119:1-8) If we do this, Jehovah will consider us ‘faultless in our way.’ (Psalm 119:1) Being faultless does not mean that we are perfect, but it does indicate that we strive to do Jehovah God’s will. Noah “proved himself faultless among his contemporaries” as a man who “walked with the true God.” That faithful patriarch and his family survived the Flood because he pursued the life course outlined by Jehovah. (Genesis 6:9; 1 Peter 3:20) Similarly, our survival of this world’s end depends on our ‘carefully keeping God’s orders,’ thus doing his will.—Psalm 119:4.

"ISA 8:20"

In context--Jehovah’s law banning spiritism, together with his other commands, is not hidden in Judah. It is preserved in writing. Today his Word is available in its completed form in writing. It is the Bible, which includes not only a compilation of divine laws and regulations but also an account of God’s dealings with his people. This Bible account of Jehovah’s dealings forms an attestation, or testimony, teaching us about Jehovah’s nature and qualities. Instead of consulting with the dead, where should the Israelites be going for direction? Isaiah answers: “To the law and to the attestation!” (Isaiah 8:20a) Yes, those seeking true enlightenment should go to God’s written Word. All of JW's are avid students of the bible(any bible)

"EZEK 11:19 & 36:26"

At Ezekiel 11:18-20, we read the prophet’s description of the happiness of God’s people after their restoration. Jehovah cleansed his people and reinvigorated them to serve him. They began to remove from their spiritual environment all the Babylonish practices and doctrines that polluted them in his eyes. Then, according to verse 19, “I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I shall put inside them;…” Jehovah gave them a soft, pliable, obedient heart, a heart that would respond to his will.

God cleansed them of religious uncleanness and put in them “a new spirit” enabling them to produce the fruitage of his holy spirit. (Galatians 5:22, 23) And so that Jehovah’s name might not be profaned by worldlings because he had disciplined his people, he has blessed the remnant abundantly.—Ezekiel 36:16-32.

So far all these scriptures fit JW’s perfectly :¬)

"MAL 3:6; MAL 4:4"

Jehovah’s personality and cardinal qualities—love, wisdom, justice, and power—have not changed. He told the people of Israel: “I am Jehovah; I have not changed.” (Malachi 3:6) This was some 3,500 years after God’s creation of mankind. True to that divine statement, a close examination of the Bible as a whole reveals a God who is unchanging in his standards and qualities.

Why should we “remember . . . the law of Moses”? That Law is not binding upon Christians, yet it served as “a shadow of the good things to come.” (Hebrews 10:1) Hence, paying attention to the Mosaic Law can help us to see how the things written in it are fulfilled. (Luke 24:44, 45) Moreover, the Law contains “typical representations of the things in the heavens.” Studying it is essential if we are to gain an understanding of Christian teachings and conduct.—Hebrews 9:23.
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"MATT 5:17-19"

Both in word and in deed Jesus proved to be different from the Jewish religious teachers of his day. He spoke of a time when people would no longer worship God at the temple in Jerusalem. (John 4:21) He likened his teaching to “new wine” that “old wineskins” could not contain. (Luke 5:37) Jesus also took meals with “tax collectors and sinners” and performed miracles of healing ON THE WEEKLY SABBATH day. (Mark 2:13-17; 3:1-5) This conduct did not violate any law of God; but it did run counter to Jewish traditions that were viewed as of greater importance than the Hebrew Scriptures. Since they viewed Jesus as a transgressor of God’s law, the Pharisees and Herodians had plotted to kill him even before he gave his famous Sermon on the Mount.—Mark 3:6.

The Son of God assured his listeners that he had not come “to destroy” the Law. He neither disobeyed its commandments nor declared any part of it as not binding upon the ISRAELITES. Instead, Jesus came “to fulfill” that divine legislation. As a sinless person, he kept it perfectly, even “as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.” (Phil. 2:8; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 2:22) His sacrificial death also fulfilled prophetic types furnished by the Law’s system of animal sacrifices.—Dan. 9:26, 27; Heb. 10:1-9.

"2COR 3:3,6,7,14,15,16"

Jesus’ ministry was carried out in the face of “contrary talk by sinners.” (Hebrews 12:3) Yet, Jesus’ record of field activity, as found in the Bible, still stands true, and his work in the field speaks in commendation of him and argues in support of his being a true minister of Jehovah God.

The apostle Paul met a similar challenging situation in his day by submitting this argument: “Are we starting again to recommend ourselves? Or do we, perhaps, like some men, need letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves (Converts) are our letter, inscribed on our hearts and known and being read by all mankind. For you are shown to be a letter of Christ written by us as ministers, inscribed not with ink but with spirit of a living God, not on stone tablets, but on fleshly tablets, on hearts.”—2 Corinthians 3:1-3

v.7-9--The Scriptures urge worshipers of God to make continual progress in reflecting God’s glory. Regarding this, the apostle Paul drew upon Moses’ experience when he descended from Mount Sinai after receiving for the second time two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. On that occasion the face of Moses shone with rays of glory so brilliant that it was necessary for Moses to veil his face when speaking to the Israelites. (Ex. 34:29-35) Paul reasons: “If the code which administers death and which was engraved in letters in stones came about in a glory, so that the sons of Israel could not gaze intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, a glory that was to be done away with, why should not the administering of the spirit be much more with glory? For if the code administering condemnation was glorious, much more does the administering of righteousness abound with glory.”—2 Cor. 3:7-9.

(Jer. 31:31-34) Since the new covenant provides both “forgiveness of sins” and a “royal priesthood” for the blessing of all mankind, it FAR EXCEEDS the Law covenant in benefits. (Acts 5:31; 1 Pet. 2:9; Ex. 19:5, 6) Also, those in the new covenant worship God “with spirit.” (John 4:23, 24) That is, their worship is spirited, motivated from within rather than by written legislation. (2 Cor. 3:3) Indeed, a superior glory, or manifestation of God’s perfect personality, is here in evidence.

"HEB 12:24; HEB 10:16"

Jesus Christ sealed that promised “new covenant” with his own lifeblood when on the torture stake outside Jerusalem. The night before, when celebrating his last Passover supper with his faithful apostles in obedience to the Mosaic Law covenant, Jesus passed the cup of wine to them and gave a new significance to it by saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.” (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) In this way he became the Mediator of that new covenant, which proved to be a “better covenant” than the Mosaic Law covenant. (Hebrews 8:6; 9:11-28)

What does Jesus’ role as Mediator involve? Well, Jehovah applies the value of Jesus’ blood to those being brought into the new covenant. In this way, Jehovah legally credits them with righteousness. (Rom. 3:24; Heb. 9:15) God can then take them into the new covenant with the prospect of their becoming heavenly king-priests! As their Mediator, Jesus assists them in maintaining a clean standing before God.—Heb. 2:16.

The new covenant with Jesus as Mediator, took place of the old one with Moses as mediator.

"REVELATION 12:17;REV 22:14"

Unitedly JW’s engage in doing the “will of God” by observing His commandments and carrying out the work of “bearing witness to Jesus.” They bear witness to Jesus as being now enthroned in heaven and making ready to put an end to the “dragon’s” warfare against his faithful disciples by destroying all the dragon’s earthly agents and thereafter binding and imprisoning him and his demon angels for the thousand years of His peace-bringing reign. To those who are doers of God’s will on earth to the end, his promise will be fulfilled.

Satan endeavors to entice or force them to quit obeying the commandments of God. He wants to weaken and then completely destroy their spirituality. His objective is to silence the proclamation regarding Jesus as Jehovah’s Messianic King. But in this spiritual warfare loyal servants of God are coming off victorious.

Anointed Christians who truly “wash their robes” so as to be clean in Jehovah’s eyes are privileged to “go to the trees of life.” That is, they receive the right and title to immortal life in their heavenly position. (Compare Genesis 3:22-24; Revelation 2:7; 3:4, 5.) After their death as humans, they gain entrance into New Jerusalem by resurrection.

To conclude then--

1. Christians are not under obligation to keep a weekly sabbath day

2. Nothing in the Bible record says that God directed Adam to keep the seventh day of EACH WEEK as a sabbath.

3.Paul tells us in Rom. 7:6, 7: “we have been discharged from the Law"

4. Many of the moral standards set out in the Ten Commandments were restated in the inspired books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. (There was, however, no restating of the sabbath law.)

5. There IS “a Sabbath resting” that Christians share in every day however.

6. There IS also a thousand-year “Sabbath” rest that lies ahead for mankind.

I would love to discuss this further

All the best
Brenda