Why Sunday

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Attending a meeting to hear the word of God is not ritualistic unless we feel the actual day and the mere attending without anything else confers a blessing from God and is considered holy acts.

What dictionary are you using?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Makes me think of Daniel 2:33-35 where all the occupying forces are consumed by the rock, and all or overwhelmed by the new mountain. Now, the commonwealth of Israel goes from one geographical location to a universal location? Spiritual Israel, spiritual temple, spiritual priesthood, spiritual offerings, and spiritual rest?

Indeed. We all get a spiritual Father and a spiritual mother, too. So our response to the Fifth Commandment is now...?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by mfblume View Post
Attending a meeting to hear the word of God is not ritualistic unless we feel the actual day and the mere attending without anything else confers a blessing from God and is considered holy acts.

Just wanted to point out that neither I nor any Sabbath keeper I know argues in favour of "mere attending without anything else confers a blessing from God" etc.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

I need a break.

He giveth thee a break, as He promised.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Esaias

What dictionary are you using?

Here's the dictionary I use, with some definitiins:

RIT'UAL, adjective

1. Pertaining to rites; consisting of rites; as ritual service or sacrifices.

2. Prescribing rites; as the ritual law.

RIT'UAL, noun A book containing the rites to be observed, or the manner of performing divine service in a particular church, diocese or the like. (Webster's 1828)

So what are "rites" (the earlier word for what we today call "rituals")?

RITE, noun [Latin ritus.]

The manner of performing divine or solemn service as established by law, precept or custom; formal act of religion, or other solemn duty. The rites of the Israelites were numerous and expensive; the rites of modern churches are more simple. Funeral rites are very different in different countries. The sacrament is a holy rite. (Webster's 1828)

So a "rite" or "ritual" is "the manner of performing divine or solemn service as established by law, precept, or by custom. It is a formal act of religion or other solemn duty.

Is raising holy hands in prayer a "manner of performing divine service as established by law, precept, or custom"? Is performing baptism by immersing in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, upon a confession of faith, a "manner of performing divine or solemn service as established by law, precept, or custom"?

Come Sunday, will you:

Get dressed in nice attire, go to a particular location where prayer is wont to be made, go to a prayer room or kneel at the pew, pray until service begins? Which service begins with a musical call to worship, some songs and some exhortations to praise the Lord, passing a collection plate, followed maybe by a round of testimonies, a reading of a text of Scripture, a sermon, an altar call with an invitational song, an altar service, a final exhortation and a dismissal? Or something similar? REPEATED EVERY SUNDAY?

Is that not a "manner of performing divine or solemn service as established by law, precept, or custom"?

Everyone, Christians included, have rites or rituals. The new testament establishes numerous rites or rituals to be regularly practiced by Christians. They are never questioned (except by Quakers and hyper liberals). So the claim that Sabbath keeping is "ritual" and "therefore dispensed with by Christians" is clearly not correct and not consistent.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Ritualistic Cain, and devoted worshipper Abel. I know that there are many that believe a tiller of the earth needed to offer a blood sacrifice, even before an edict to do so was enacted. But, if we let the story play out we see what is happening. Cain offered his first fruits of his labor, and so did Abel. One was a tiller of the ground and the other a shepard. Abel loved God and therefore his gift was accepted. Cain offered his offering out of duty, ritual. I can't speak for everyone who keeps a day of rest, but no matter what we do we all should do it out of love for God. The commandments are written on stone, and not papyrus. On the stone tablet Israel are told that they are to have no other gods before the one true living God. This is focused on relationship. Since the schoolmaster has brought us to Christ are we no longer to hold this devotion? Everything about Jesus' ministry was to bring all of Israel back to the true devotion of God, not just a to do list ritualistic relationship. There is no sabbath without Christ devotion through the Holy Ghost. There is no true godly devotion to mother and father without a true desire to God first. There isn't a true prohibition against murder, blasphemy, theft, covetousness, or betrayal of a spouse without true loving devotion to God first. Same to keeping a day of rest.

The spiritual should manifest itself into a physical? Fig trees should give figs at the proper time?

How'd I do?

[Amanah]

doesn't this deal with the issue of observance of days?

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. Romans 14

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Amanah

doesn't this deal with the issue of observance of days?

I believe that this isn't dealing with the sabbath, but it is dealing with Rabbinical traditions. One would be THEIR calendar. A calendar which they modified, which were days of fasting. To place an elimination of a sabbath, or an allowance of a sabbath we can't really use this chapter. My opinion.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

I believe that this isn't dealing with the sabbath, but it is dealing with Rabbinical traditions. One would be THEIR calendar. A calendar which they modified, which were days of fasting. To place an elimination of a sabbath, or an allowance of a sabbath we can't really use this chapter. My opinion.

I see your point and have to agree

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

I believe that this isn't dealing with the sabbath, but it is dealing with Rabbinical traditions. One would be THEIR calendar. A calendar which they modified, which were days of fasting. To place an elimination of a sabbath, or an allowance of a sabbath we can't really use this chapter. My opinion.

How ‘bout this?

Colossians 2

[16] 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.