Why Sunday

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Why did God Himself rest on the Sabbath?

Could it of had a deeper meaning? Jesus telling us to come under His yoke and there we will have sabbath?

I think the contrast of yokes is seen in the New Testament. That verse you quoted goes along with Acts 15 where the yoke of Moses could not be borne. And I think Jesus' yoke is a sabbath beyond a mere day.

From what I read, Esaias agrees that the sabbath day foreshadowed the spiritual priesthood of Christ on the throne. He just thinks we do not have to dispose of the shadow just because we have the "body".

Jesus's humanity rested and relied wholly on the Spirit, and we are invited to enter that rest, too. It's ceasing from the works that Hebrews 4 spoke about in telling us that we can find grace to help in the time of need at his throne of mercy.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by mfblume

I think the contrast of yokes is seen in the New Testament. That verse you quoted goes along with Acts 15 where the yoke of Moses could not be borne. And I think Jesus' yoke is a sabbath beyond a mere day.

From what I read, Esaias agrees that the sabbath day foreshadowed the spiritual priesthood of Christ on the throne. He just thinks we do not have to dispose of the shadow just because we have the "body".

Jesus's humanity rested and relied wholly on the Spirit, and we are invited to enter that rest, too. It's ceasing from the works that Hebrews 4 spoke about in telling us that we can find grace to help in the time of need at his throne of mercy.

Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus then goes to say that those who are weary from their hard work that Jesus is the one who gives rest. Work and rest can only be understood through the schoolmaster who utilized the the physical work week, and the physical sabbaths to the students. In Acts 15:10 (as you so kindly pointed out) we have the yoke of bondage which was Moses' precepts imposed by the harding of Israel's hearts. Jesus is telling the students of Moses that His Gospel is the rest which causes the weary to rest. Cease from all work, Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:9-10.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus then goes to say that those who are weary from their hard work that Jesus is the one who gives rest. Work and rest can only be understood through the schoolmaster who utilized the the physical work week, and the physical sabbaths to the students. In Acts 15:10 (as you so kindly pointed out) we have the yoke of bondage which was Moses' precepts imposed by the harding of Israel's hearts. Jesus is telling the students of Moses that His Gospel is the rest which causes the weary to rest. Cease from all work, Hebrews 4:4, Hebrews 4:9-10.

Amen!

[Evang.Benincasa]

Now, while all this is evidence, we still have days in which we gather together. The apostles met daily, went from house to house, breaking bread. Still we have specific commands which concern murder, the taking of life through passion, idolatry, bearing false witness, using God's name falsely, having any other gods other than the God, honoring parents, not betraying your spouse by adultery thereby desecrating what God has joined together, theft, desiring anything that your near brother owns, and not honoring a day of rest which is called the sabbath. When we are told that the OT has been satisfied and that the law no longer applies we still have moral law which applies to us. Therefore, it seems to me, that the keeping of a day of rest is part of the moral law?

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Now, while all this is evidence, we still have days in which we gather together. The apostles met daily, went from house to house, breaking bread. Still we have specific commands which concern murder, the taking of life through passion, idolatry, bearing false witness, using God's name falsely, having any other gods other than the God, honoring parents, not betraying your spouse by adultery thereby desecrating what God has joined together, theft, desiring anything that your near brother owns, and not honoring a day of rest which is called the sabbath. When we are told that the OT has been satisfied and that the law no longer applies we still have moral law which applies to us. Therefore, it seems to me, that the keeping of a day of rest is part of the moral law?

The issue at hand is whether or not the day of rest has to be the seventh day. Resting itself is not so moral, I think, as it is common sense. But to speak of a seventh day, and not another day of the week, is more ritualistic and regarding an actual day as holy, after Paul stated we are not to keep holy days in Gal 4.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Now, while all this is evidence, we still have days in which we gather together. The apostles met daily, went from house to house, breaking bread. Still we have specific commands which concern murder, the taking of life through passion, idolatry, bearing false witness, using God's name falsely, having any other gods other than the God, honoring parents, not betraying your spouse by adultery thereby desecrating what God has joined together, theft, desiring anything that your near brother owns, and not honoring a day of rest which is called the sabbath. When we are told that the OT has been satisfied and that the law no longer applies we still have moral law which applies to us. Therefore, it seems to me, that the keeping of a day of rest is part of the moral law?

Yes, exactly. It isn't just a day of rest, in and of itself, however. By remembering the Sabbath day to keep it holy, we are by our action declaring who our God is, that our God is "the Lord of the Sabbath", the Creator of heaven and earth. Our schedule itself winds up being constructed to the glory and honour of God.

Will any ole day do? Think about baptism, it's basically a quick bath. Will any ole dunking do? Or should we do the dunking that God instructs us to do? Immersion in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, vs any ole dunking? Seems we cannot really honour God by doing things other than as He specified? So it makes sense to me do it like the Bible says: "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy... the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."

Why wouldn't a Christian want to remember the day God sanctified as a memorial to Who He is?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by mfblume

But to speak of a seventh day, and not another day of the week, is more ritualistic and regarding an actual day as holy, after Paul stated we are not to keep holy days in Gal 4.

How is Sunday church service, EVERY Sunday, not "ritualistic" and not making Sunday a day set apart from the other days for corporate worship? In fact, how is footwashing not ritualistic? The Lord's Supper? Baptism? Lifting hands in prayer? Standing for the reading of the Word of God? Altar call at end of just about every service? Greeting one another? Prayer service in the prayer room before the main service? Anointing the sick with oil? Laying on hands for ordination, healing, deliverance, receiving the Holy Ghost? Wearing your Sunday best? And a dozen other things most of us do as Christians?

Also, Paul never said "we are not to keep holy days".

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by mfblume

The issue at hand is whether or not the day of rest has to be the seventh day. Resting itself is not so moral, I think, as it is common sense. But to speak of a seventh day, and not another day of the week, is more ritualistic and regarding an actual day as holy, after Paul stated we are not to keep holy days in Gal 4.

In Galatians 4:10 Paul is directing the readers to not being contentious over the calendar. From what we are reading in Galatians and the other epistles is that the different rabbinical schools could of been making issue concerning the calendar. Yet, the issue wasn't about the seventh day. Romans 14:5 Paul asks that their disputes concerning the calendar be settled in their own minds. while in Colossians 2:16 Paul speaks of the calendar not to be a point of judgement, that Christ had brought all under the power of the cross, and therefore the calendar was a shadow and that the shadow stemmed from the Body which is Christ's. Still my question is, concerning the seventh day isn't it part of the moral law?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Esaias

How is Sunday church service, EVERY Sunday, not "ritualistic" and not making Sunday a day set apart from the other days for corporate worship? In fact, how is footwashing not ritualistic? The Lord's Supper? Baptism? Lifting hands in prayer? Standing for the reading of the Word of God? Altar call at end of just about every service? Greeting one another? Prayer service in the prayer room before the main service? Anointing the sick with oil? Laying on hands for ordination, healing, deliverance, receiving the Holy Ghost? Wearing your Sunday best? And a dozen other things most of us do as Christians?

Also, Paul never said "we are not to keep holy days".

What I'm asking is that the sabbath is part of the moral law? If that is true then it isn't just about ritual. You not commiting murder isn't ritualistic, or giving honor to your parents with respect. Not to commit adultery, isn't practiced through ritual, or it would be some meaningless command done out of duty, not of love.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

What I'm asking is that the sabbath is part of the moral law? If that is true then it isn't just about ritual. You not commiting murder isn't ritualistic, or giving honor to your parents with respect. Not to commit adultery, isn't practiced through ritual, or it would be some meaningless command done out of duty, not of love.

Yes, the fourth commandment is moral law. It contains the following elements:

1. Honour God by sanctifying the day He instructed to be sanctified.
2. Imitate God by ceasing from "secular work" .
3. Love your neighbour by abstaining from exacting labour from them on that day, allowing them to keep Sabbath (an equality is in view, all, rich and poor, free and bond, paterfamilias and children, master and servant, even the animals, all free from mundane labour to join in a mutual honouring of God).

The Sabbath serves as a bridge between loving God and loving your neighbour.

Let's talk a moment about honouring parents, which you mentioned. If Dad wants no phones at the dinner table and everyone to say grace together before eating, would it be honouring him if.a son said "Look, I love and honour you on a daily basis as part of who I am, so I don't need these dinnertime rituals of putting my phone away and waiting and praying with everyone before stuffing my face"?

As for ritual, a ritual is anything done in a particular way. Is it ritual for a believer to regularly give ten percent of their money to the work of God? It CAN be empty ritual, or it can be an act of love. Is telling your wife you love her, before leaving for work each morning, a ritual? Sure it is. Is it meaningless? Rote duty? It can be, or it can be an act of devotion and a sign of love.

Do we abstain from idolatry out of bare duty? Or because we love God?

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments."

Love causes us to fulfill our duty. Duty is really essentially moral obligation. It is doing what is right, what is DUE, what we ought to do.

People get baptised for all the wrong reasons. But that doesn't stop sincere believers from being baptised. People pray as a matter of mere obligation, like punching the time clock, with no real love for God. Their prayers are nigh worthless. But that doesn't stop the saints from praying.

Besides, it's really not that difficult to put aside personal business/work for one day, and spend time with God, both privately and corporately.