Sabbath Keeping Denominations

[Amanah]

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. - Acts 2:42 (NKJV)

The Jerusalem Council was a serious matter because eating together is Apostolic fellowship:

1. Apostles' doctrine: The teaching and instruction of the apostles, which included the message of Jesus Christ and the principles of the faith.
2. Fellowship: The community and shared life of the believers, including their relationships and interactions with one another.
3. Breaking of bread: The practice of sharing meals together, including the Lord's Supper or Communion.
4. Prayers: Regular and ongoing prayer, both individually and corporately.

The decision of the council, regarding the 4 rules, was in regards to community meals, and had nothing to do with replacing all of God's commandments.

[Tithesmeister]

Originally Posted by Amanah

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. - Acts 2:42 (NKJV)

The Jerusalem Council was a serious matter because eating together is Apostolic fellowship:

1. Apostles' doctrine: The teaching and instruction of the apostles, which included the message of Jesus Christ and the principles of the faith.
2. Fellowship: The community and shared life of the believers, including their relationships and interactions with one another.
3. Breaking of bread: The practice of sharing meals together, including the Lord's Supper or Communion.
4. Prayers: Regular and ongoing prayer, both individually and corporately.

This verse emphasizes the importance of a balanced Christian life, including doctrine, community, worship, and prayer.

That being said. The decision of the council was in regards to community meals, and had nothing to do with replacing all of God's commandments.

And that’s the Gospel. . .

According to Amanah

The Bible tells a different story.

What do you think the apostles and the church and the Holy Ghost meant?

What were the Jews observing that they concluded that the Gentiles who believed were to “observe no such thing “?

You’re making things up, because you want so badly to believe in your pet doctrine (IMHO).

Be careful! The Pharisees were said to be subverting the souls of the Gentile believers. Perhaps Sister Amanah is doing the same?

Acts.15

[24] Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

Subvert from Merriam Webster
: to overturn or overthrow from the foundation : RUIN
2 : to pervert or corrupt by an undermining of morals, allegiance, or faith

If it is as benign as you would have us to believe, would the apostles have said of the Pharisees that they were subverting the souls of the Gentile believers?

It is a very serious matter.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

And that’s the Gospel. . .

According to Amanah

The Bible tells a different story.

What do you think the apostles and the church and the Holy Ghost meant?

What were the Jews observing that they concluded that the Gentiles who believed were to “observe no such thing “?

You’re making things up, because you want so badly to believe in your pet doctrine (IMHO).

Be careful! The Pharisees were said to be subverting the souls of the Gentile believers. Perhaps Sister Amanah is doing the same?

Acts.15

[24] Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

Subvert from Merriam Webster
: to overturn or overthrow from the foundation : RUIN
2 : to pervert or corrupt by an undermining of morals, allegiance, or faith

If it is as benign as you would have us to believe, would the apostles have said of the Pharisees that they were subverting the souls of the Gentile believers?

It is a very serious matter.

Since Acts 2:42 includes the Apostles' doctrine,
Yes, that would include the gospel!

[Amanah]

And by the way, circumcision is still a commandment,
It is now spiritual circumcision by baptism,
According to the Apostle's Acts 2:38 doctrine.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Amanah

And by the way, circumcision is still a commandment,
It is now spiritual circumcision by baptism,
According to the Apostle's Acts 2:38 doctrine.

Wasn't it always spiritual? Jeremiah 4:4?

Cain was religiously obeying what he was required to do. While his brother Abel was doing as required through his love and admiration towards God. One group keeps the ordinances through human discipline. While the other keeps ordinances as a byproduct because they love God. Abel loved God and therefore his sacrifice was accepted. Cain on the other hand couldn't wait for church to end.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Wasn't it always spiritual? Jeremiah 4:4?

Cain was religiously obeying what he was required to do. While his brother Abel was doing as required through his love and admiration towards God. One group keeps the ordinances through human discipline. While the other keeps ordinances as a byproduct because they love God. Abel loved God and therefore his sacrifice was accepted. Cain on the other hand couldn't wait for church to end.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Wasn't it always spiritual? Jeremiah 4:4?

Cain was religiously obeying what he was required to do. While his brother Abel was doing as required through his love and admiration towards God. One group keeps the ordinances through human discipline. While the other keeps ordinances as a byproduct because they love God. Abel loved God and therefore his sacrifice was accepted. Cain on the other hand couldn't wait for church to end.

And therein is the whole crux of the matter, the difference between being justified by works (establishing one's own righteousness based on "I do x, y, and z") vs being justified by Christ and allowing him to live out the will of God through you because you love him.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Bro Esaias. I understand that the scripture in totality is relevant and applicable. I would like to have clarification on how the old covenant applies to the new with possibly using this as a starting point:

Old Testament law and its relationship to the New Covenant
Categories are NOT mutually exclusive or exhaustive:

1. Decalogue (10 Commandments): Relevant for the New Covenant, serving as a foundation for moral principles.

2. Book of the Law: Reformed by the cross, with laws that can be categorized into:

Fulfilled in Christ: Laws that found their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, such as:
- Sacrificial laws (Hebrews 10:1-18)
- Ceremonial purity laws (Hebrews 9:1-14)

Spiritual Application: Laws that now have a spiritual or metaphorical application, such as:
- Dietary laws (Romans 14:14, 1 Corinthians 8:8-13)
- Sabbath laws (Hebrews 4:9-10, Romans 14:5-6)

Instruction on the Decalogue: Laws that provide further guidance on living out the principles of the 10 Commandments, such as:
- Laws related to loving one's neighbor (Leviticus 19:9-18)
- Laws related to justice and compassion (Deuteronomy 24:17-22)

Principles for Kingdom Living: Laws that reflect God's heart for His people and provide guidance for living in the Kingdom of God, such as:
- Laws related to caring for the poor and vulnerable (Deuteronomy 15:1-11)
- Laws related to forgiveness and reconciliation (Leviticus 19:17-18)

Laws that are still prophetic:
- Leviticus 23 festivals are prophetic, some have been fulfilled, some are still awaiting fulfillment.

The laws of sacrifice, relative to the priesthood, are in the new covenant no longer based on Levites and animal sacrifices and the liturgical acts performed by the Levitical priesthood, but are based instead on Christ and His sacrifice and His priesthood. Thus, we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God, we offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, etc. The Lord's Supper with bread and wine are in a sense a re-instatement of the bread and wine seen in the incident with Melchizedek and Abraham, that is, a fellowship meal with the priest (Christ is now the priest instead of Melchizedek, but His priesthood is of the same type).

Regarding the Divine calendar, the feasts have a new covenant signification, rather than an old covenant signification. It is interesting that the day of the Passover was the anniversary of the day that God made a covenant with Abraham, suggesting that the feasts existed before Sinai (though obviously without their Sinaitic and Exodus related components). Abel and Cain both offered to the Lord, which implies there was a particular time they made their offering. Others prior and after Noah likewise worshipped God, and considering the fact that God calls the feasts "MY feasts" (literally "appointments") suggests there was a divine calendar in place in those days which likely was then later given to Israel. So keeping the feasts in a new covenant context is simply part of the continuation of the ancient worship of Jehovah that pre-dates Sinai by who knows how many millennia.

The other laws governing human behavior and relations are still in force and basically always have been. Noah was aware of the difference between clean and unclean animals, for example. In any event, Paul affirmed the continuing validity of the food laws in 1st Tim 4:4-5 when he explained that food was sanctified for use by both prayer and the Word of God. Marriage law and laws governing carnal relations are still valid, the civil and judicial laws given to Israel are certainly still valid. While the particular situations relating to those laws and their purposes and goals may vary from society to society, they certainly can be applied. For example, the instruction to have a parapet or safety wall on the roof of one's house is in fact still followed today (every roof top or upper level roof built to code requires some kind of fence, wall, or other barrier to keep people from falling off unless the roof is not designed for human occupation, which in Bible days roofs WERE generally flat and designed for human occupation). And the principle of the command is also recognised, thus any time a place is constructed for human occupation that creates a fall hazard and risk of injury or death is usually equipped with some kind of barrier to keep the unwary from falling, like fences around swimming pools or excavation holes to keep people wandering by from falling in, etc.

The goal is this:

Deuteronomy 4:5-8 KJV
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. [6] Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. [7] For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? [8] And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

That is, Israel was to be a witness for God and his wisdom to all the nations, who would recognise the superiority of the true God to all idols and the superiority of His law to all other schemes of legislation. Because the nations were to learn from Israel how to live:

Micah 4:1-4 KJV
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. [2] And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. [3] And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. [4] But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

Of course, Israel repeatedly failed to do its duty, and instead of being a witness to the nations wound up encouraging the nations to blaspheme the name and reputation of God. Thus, Christ establishes the new covenant and writes His laws in the heart by the Spirit, producing genuine obedience, and commissions His people to go forth and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to be Christians who follow Jesus and the new covenant. And thus the law (the express will of God) goes forth from (new) Jerusalem to all nations.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Tithesmeister

And that’s the Gospel. . .

According to Amanah

The Bible tells a different story.

We have already seen that whatever story the Bible tells, it isn't the one YOU are telling.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Esaias

And therein is the whole crux of the matter, the difference between being justified by works (establishing one's own righteousness based on "I do x, y, and z") vs being justified by Christ and allowing him to live out the will of God through you because you love him.

Amen!