[mfblume]

...

Paul taught that the Jews were under Law as a student is under a
schoolmaster. But that was to occur only until Christ came. After
that they are no longer under the schoolmaster of Law.

Gal 3:23-25 KJV But before faith came, we were kept under the law,
shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. (24)
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is come, we
are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Notice the term WE and US. Paul was a Jew and was speaking to gentile
Christians and explained that the Jews, not gentiles, were under law
until Jesus came. And when Jesus came, Jews were no longer under law.
This leads into chapter 4.

Gal 4:1-5 KJV Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; (2) But
is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
(3) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the
elements of the world: (4) But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To
redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption
of sons.

Notice again the WE and US. JEWS. The "elements of the world" is a
term referring to the law's ordinances that were like a schoolmaster,
or ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Jews were heirs of all, but until they left
elementary school, they were not different than gentiles who were like
servants. But when Jesus came, graduation day from elementary school
of law arrived, and they were actively made into heirs to enjoy their
heritage.

Then Paul referred to the gentiles who got saved. Notice how he
switches from US and WE to YOU.

Gal 4:6-8 KJV And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (7) Wherefore thou
art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God
through Christ. (8) Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did
service unto them which by nature are no gods.


While the Jews were heirs, no different than servants before they
graduated from elementary school of law, Gentiles were servants to
false gods. This is why he called Gentiles "servants" in 4:1. So
while the Jews left elementary school, Gentiles left idolatry. But
BOTH WERE IN BONDAGE. Jews were in bondage under law and Gentiles were
in bondage to false gods.

Gal 3:23 KJV But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut
up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

And then Paul really drives the point home:

Gal 4:9-11 KJV But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are
known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (10) Ye observe days, and
months, and times, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest I have
bestowed upon you labour in vain.


Notice he refers to YOU since he is speaking to gentile Christians. He
is actually asking them why they want to go under the bondage that the
Jews were under while they were in elementary school of the law, when
even the Jews are not under that any more. And he scolds them for
trying to keep days, months and years. Those days INCLUDED SABBATHS.
Paul actually is teaching here that we should not keep any more days
as holy. And he refers to the months and years which were referring to
JEWISH FEASTS like Atonement and Passover, etc. All these things are
fulfilled in Jesus. They were all a shadow of Jesus.

Some think the days, and months and years refer to pagan holidays, but
that cannot be true. The context was from Gal 3 where Jews kept
ordinances of Law and it carries into chapter 4, making the days,
months and years to be the sabbaths, feasts and sabbath years! A
person has to catch the US and WE contrasted from the YOU to get this.

Sabbath day was only for Israel. there are parts of the world in
northern Canada where the sun never goes down for months during
summer. And it never comes up for months in winter. Sabbath is the
seventh sundown to sundown. This shows sabbath cannot be kept for all
the world's people. It was strictly a Jewish thing in Israel before
Christ came.. It was elementary school using natural object lessons
like refraining from natural work every seven days to foreshadow the
rest in Christ!

Paul also taught in Colossians 2 that the elements of the world were
Law keeping from the Old Testament. It was like elementary school,
hence the term ELEMENTS. And he said the elements of the world, the
elementary school using NATURAL ordinances, was passed away. He said
Moses and all that came before Christ was series of TOUCH NOT, TASTE
NOT, HANDLE NOT, and sabbath falls into that category.

Col 2:16-21 KJV Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of
Christ. (18) Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary
humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which
he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (19) And not
holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having
nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase
of God. (20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments
of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances, (21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

He said that is living a life as though we never were crucified with
Christ to become dead to the things of the world, or the natural.
RUDIMENTS of the world is the same thing in referring to Law as
ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD. We are supposed to be resurrected with Christ
and thinking on things that are ABOVE and spiritual, not below and
natural like sabbath days.

Col 3:1-3 KJV If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set
your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For
ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Instead of concentrating upon touch not, taste not, handle not, like on
sabbath, he said our minds should be focused upon higher things like:

Col 3:12-16 KJV Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
longsuffering; (13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye. (14) And above all these things put on charity,
which is the bond of perfectness. (15) And let the peace of God rule
in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.


Sabbath days were never meant to be kept by the church. Gal 4:10-11
drives that home the strongest.

I have some studies that touch on this issue at my website here:

http://mikeblume.com/eternsab.htm

http://mikeblume.com/messian.htm

http://mikeblume.com/aug1504p.htm

http://mikeblume.com/thelaw.htm

http://mikeblume.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1179338695

And many more that mention sabbath occasionally. Taking one day a
week, ANY DAY to rest is wise and our bodies need it. But it is no
longer a requirement to serve God today in the Spirit.