Expert: Mr. McClellan - 1/6/2007

Question
Hi

Would you mind sharing with me your opinion on whether Christians ought to keep the Sabbath, and in what form?

I have heard many theories on this ranging from 'no, it's an OT-only thing' to 'yes and it should be on Saturday'. I note Jesus mentions it and as usual in connection with the right attitude rather than a particular prescription, adding that (I paraphase) the Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. In the epistles it seems to me that one day need not be esteemed above the other, however like eating/not eating certain foods if some feel they ought to/ought not and they do it 'to God' then their motives are in some sense correct.   From the OT I know that the Sabbath was important and established after the pattern of God's creation week, and therefore this (whether rightly or wrongly) in my mind suggests that it isn't just an OT thing, the creation of the world not having altered.

Personally, I keep it as a memorial to my God in that I go to church and use it for Biblical study etc, and don't go to work, however I do do things like prepare meals which if I was to completely rest I wouldn't do (and my understand of the OT is that they were specifically told to prepare them in advance, which I don't do). So I am somewhere in the middle in terms of action. I would certainly have no issue say rescuing someone from a burning building (who would not do good on the Sabbath?) and really I see it as a gift from God, a divinely-sanctioned holiday if you like and use it (mostly, occasionally I also play squash :) ) to orient myself on Him for the week ahead.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on whether this makes sense, as I feel my understanding is not quite right and am searching for another perspective.  

Answer
Hello Mike,
I don't remember answering your question it has been so long since I was able to get on the Internet. I am in China right now and the Internet has been out of service here since the quake in Taiwan. It just returned to service a day or so ago.
Now, for your question. The only people that were ever commanded to "keep" the Sabbath were the Jews, those people who were the physical descendants of Abraham. The spiritual descendants of Abraham, true Jews, are not legalistically bound by the Law of Moses. Jesus was bound by it but he did not observe it the way people were being taught to obey it by the Jewish leaders of his day. When Jesus died and was resurrected, he was give all authority in heaven and on earth and the purpose of the Law of Moses was finished and became null and void at that time. Since then, no one is bound to keep any of the holy days or sacrifices or ceremonies that the Law of Moses required of the Jews. They may if they want but they are not required. The apostles, guided by the spirit of God, established the practice of meeting on the first day of the week for fellowship, teaching, encouragement, etc., all acts of worship. As a matter of fact, everything a Christian does is to be done because they have surrendered their will to God in everything and they only do what God wants done for the reasons that he wants. So, everything that a Christian does is an act of worship. That is what the word means. Take note that the New Testament Church of Christ (or God) had been in existence for a good number of years when the book of Acts was written and the event in chapter 20 took place about twenty years after the event in chapter 1. Here, Paul and others wait for a week to meet with the members of the church in that city and it was on the first day of the week when they met. It was not on the last day of the week, the day known as the Sabbath. The Sabbath ended at sundown on the day we call Saturday and then the first day of the week began according to Jewish time keeping methods. So, according to our present day calendar, the church met on Saturday evening after sundown, Paul spoke to them until after midnight and departed near sun up, the beginning of the daylight hours of the first day of the week; Sunday. You see, Sunday had already begun at sundown on what we call Saturday. That fact is confusing to most people and many many people are completely ignorant of it. From what you have said, it is obvious that you have a very legalistic concept of Christianity which is precisely what Jesus so harshly condemned the Jewish leaders of. It made them hypocrites. When you keep what you think are the rules but you keep them for the wrong reasons, you are a legalist and you will never be able to please God that way. Yes, Christianity has very strict rules that you must follow but they are not what you think. I suggest that you read the writings of Paul in Ephesians and Galations for example and then get back to me.
Sincerely,
Mr. McClellan