7th Day Sabbath not for New Testament believers

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This subject needs its own thread outside of the Islam section where it initially occurred.

Originally Posted by Esaias

Colossians 2:8 speaks of the stoicheion (rudiments or elements) of the world, connected to philosophy and vain deceit and traditions of men. That clearly does not describe the law of God.

We do not determine the reference of a term like elements and rudiments based on what list items are associated with it when the term itself is defined in a distinct way that clearly shows its reference. ELEMENTS means basic necessary building blocks. Necessary and good is the basic note.

STOICEION

Neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of G4748; something orderly in arrangement, that is, (by implication) a serial (basal, fundamental, initial) constituent (literally), proposition (figuratively): - element, principle, rudiment.

A fundamental.

The reason it's listed among vain deceit is because it is abused as being necessary when it's actually been fulfilled.

The same word is here:

Galatians 4:3.. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:


Israel was under bondage to these elements of the world. Paul is speaking of WE as in himself and the other jews who were under law. He just said (!!) in the previous chapter (Gal 3) that the law was a schoolmaster under how they no longer abide once Christ comes. The idea he is giving for being under schoolmastery of LAW is a bondage.

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

PHROUREO (kept means GUARDED)

SUGKLEIO (SHUT UP) in subjection to.

It's clearly talking about elements of Old covenant rites and rituals and observances. The elements of the world under which Israel was kept and shut up under in bondage is LAW and its now-fulfilled rites and rituals.

When Paul plainly stated in Galatians that Israel was bound and subjected to the schoolmaster of Law, and then said that time of tutoring was over when "graduation" came, he not only is showing the expired purpose of the tutoring of law as a schoolmaster, but shows the error of remaining beneath it, letting us know the reason it's listed with traditions of men and vain deceit in Colossians 2 is because it's as wrong to follow traditions of men and vain deceit as it is to remain under a bondage that one is no longer meant to remain under. It's like saying, "You follow men's ideas and deceitful teachings at the same time you're under a set of rules observances and rites that were fulfilled and no longer meant to be followed."

Therefore, the stoicheion in Galatians do not "need" to be the law of God. In fact, Galatians 4:3 speaks of the "stoicheion of the world", not the stoicheion of God,

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It's called the elements of the WORLD, not because it is not of God, but because LAW used material and outward observances that were physical representations using physical acts that were foreshadows of non-physical realities like a rest after physical activity that foreshadows a rest after spiritual activities of a sacrifice made by Jesus in heaven in atonement. His work was non-physical while the work engaged in before a sabbath rest is worldly activity of labour that is not speaking of evil or good, just necessary labour.

The world does not only involve evil. The day to day labour of a man working to support his family is a worldly activity that is not evil.

Anything of THIS WORLD that is not evil is noting in comparison to the greater existence of heavenly realities that are intangible. It's a contrast of the world, and its good and innocent things, versus heaven and its superior realities.

and Galatians 4:8 says the Galatians were previously pagans who did not know God and worshipped that which was not actually divine, and then verse 9 says they were falling BACK to the weak and beggarly stoicheion

I already showed that BONDAGE is the object here, and as Israel was in BONDAGE UNDER THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD when they were KEPT and made SUBJECT to the rituals and observances of LAW, but were meant to have graduated from them when Christ came is as much of a bondage as bondage under idols, albeit intended of God whereas bondage under idols was not. But the bondage under law is bondage nonetheless, and when saved gentiles went under Old Covenant rituals and observances that Jews were kept in subjection under til Christ came, it was a subjection and bondage similar to their bondage under idols. They went from one form of bondage to another!

to which they had previously served. Thus, the Galatians were not "going back to the law" but to the stoicheion (elements) of their paganism. The text is clear, the grammar is clear, the meaning is clear.

Their servitude under law, as Israel experienced, was as much of a servitude as under idolatry, as Paul clearly said what it was like under law in chapter 3.

Paul never speaks of the law of God in such disparaging terms as "weak and beggarly".[/ The same epistle says if a law could have been given that would produce righteousness it would have been the law of God given through Moses. Elsewhere Paul describes the law as weak - not in itself, but through our own flesh. That is, the law is fine but WE are the problem. And the solution God provided is Christ, and His Spirit, which accomplish what the law itself could NOT: secure our righteousness. And this looks like "doing the things contained in the law" per Romans 2:14-15. And so any doctrine which concludes with it's okay to NOT actually do the things written in the law (like it's okay to NOT remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy) is not in conformity with Paul's doctrine.

Paul said the law written in the heart produces "doing the things written in the law". The Bible is clear that the law written in the heart is a product of the new covenant work of the Holy Ghost. Therefore the new covenant work of the Spirit is to write God's laws in the heart, producing the actual performance of the commandments of God. Nothing Paul says is contrary to that, he repeatedly affirmed it. He further declared he was NOT without law, but under the law to Christ. Being "of the law" or "of the works of the law" means to seek justification through the old covenant. It does NOT mean just to obey the commandments of God. Being "of faith" means to seek justification by Christ, through faith in God's provisions of mercy. It does NOT mean to NOT be obedient to the commandments of God. Genuine faith results in actual obedience to the commandments of God.

All the arguments used against Sabbath keeping - if correct - would dissolve all ten commandments, and even apostolic practices like the Lord's Supper, baptism, laying on of hands, etc, as I already proved.

The commandment is to sanctify the DAY, the seventh day of the week. You most certainly are violating that commandment if you choose not to sanctify the DAY as God commanded. The commands to offer animal sacrifices are NOT obeyed by believing in Jesus, they are SUPERCEDED by the new covenant, which the old testament plainly anticipates concerning burnt offerings and the Levitical priesthood, and which since 70 AD you couldn't offer anyway no matter how much you wanted to. But the same old testament not only does NOT teach the fourth commandment would be altered, superceded, and done away with, but in fact teaches the opposite. And Jesus and the apostles confirmed that as well.

to be continued...