Whatsoever Things Are True
by Dan Coburn
Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church
pastordan@mtida.net
We are just finishing our Easter observance where we have not mourned a corpse, but celebrated a conqueror.   But are we done?  We celebrate this — not once annually, but fifty two times a year, or more desirably, every day of our Christian life.  Why not on the Sabbath?  This is a frequently asked question, that mainstream Christianity tends to ignore, so let’s explore this.  Some don’t care, but for some this is a or “the” most pressing topic.  Let me not presume to speak for anyone but myself. I receive about four mailings per year telling me I’m hell bound for not worshiping on Saturday. So why do I?  It is an undisputed fact that Saturday is the Sabbath. We have not endeavored to change that, so why Sunday?   Well first of all, we claim to be a “New Testament Church”, and the 1st century Church met on the 1st day; Sunday.  Paul would, upon entering a new town, visit the Synagogue on the Sabbath to witness to the Jews as that’s when they were there, but it was on the 1st day that the Christians met to break bread - (both for just fellowship and to observe the Lord’s Supper), to worship, received offerings and for preaching/teaching.  Secondly, nine of the Ten Commandments have New Testament references, 109 times, but not #4, except in Col. 2:16, Rom. 14:5 and 6, and Gal. 4:9-11. In each of these Christians are clearly urged not to let the Sabbath become an issue, or a stumbling block. Thirdly;   the vast majority of the time when the Pharisees tried to trip Jesus up, it was with respect to the Sabbath. At one of these times Jesus replied: “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:”- Mark 2:27.   Fourthly; and my particular favorite, God’s Word calls Sunday “the Lord’s day” - Rev. 1:10. 
Nugget: People who believe that they can earn a spot in Heaven by observing this, or wearing that, or abstaining from these are in for a rude awakening.   God calls my righteousness “filthy rags” - Isaiah 64:6   Read this slowly: “Knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Gal. 2:16.    Peter preached one of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard of at the Jerusalem Council when the Jewish converts were trying to get the newly converted Gentiles to be circumcised, and observe all the festivals and sacrifices. In response Peter challenged them: “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Acts. 15:10.  Here it is in a nutshell.  If God tells you to wear a certain dress, or not to color your hair, or worship on Saturday, great. I’m with you. I think it’s beautiful. But for those who believe that will buy them a ticket, my heart breaks. We bring nothing to the table.  We are saved by repentance and faith in Christ alone, and His redemptive work on the Cross of Calvary; the rest is all fluff.  I worship the Person of Christ, not a day.  Arguably the greatest theologian of recent history is Charles Spurgeon who when asked about this said: “Redemption is greater even than the creation”.  God Bless.

Cottonwood, Idaho 83522
 

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