Posted by Steve (Billy Steven Crider) on February 9, 2008, 1:11 pm, in reply to "A study on Sabbath...Dec 9, pt 1"
(continued...)it would be definition 1b or definition 2 in the 2058 edition of Websters Collegiate Dictionary. But I guess it still wouldn't actually be Easter. Oh well, go figure.
Now the reason that Sabbath is observed From Sunset Friday to Sunset Saturday, is that according to Hebrew Tradition and as recounted in Genesis Chapter 1 the day does not begin at sunrise, Nor 12 midnight Post Meridian time, as established in our current world order, but rather at sunset as "evening and the morning were the first day."
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day .
Genesis Chapter 1:4,5
So now you know why it is observed from Friday Evening to Saturday Evening.
This still leaves the argument of Saturday verses Sunday.
Well first of all there are two arguments in this matter towards observing Sunday as the Sabbath, I intend to argue to you that both are wrong and that both stem from ignorance. The first argument to be addressed is from the stand point of doctrinal. The error here in the argument of Sunday keepers is ignorance to the scriptures, and as well, flawed logic in the presentation of thier doctrine in the matter when compared to the overall context of their other doctrines and observances.
The second argument is from a historical standpoint. The error here is also doctrinal to some extent, usually citing that Christ did away with the law, and as such because he rose on Sunday, we now observe Sabbath on Sunday. This too is an argument quickly exposed as having roots in ignorance when taken into context of history and the actual establishment of the tradition. This tradition was established by Constantine and promoted and maintained by the Catholic Church, and is recorded, as I will quote in their own school books. Let me state now that I have no grievance against Catholics, in my experience they are people like anyone else. Some likable, some not. My concern here is the presentation of the historical establishment of Sunday keeping as being Sabbath, had the Buddhists been the ones to institute this tradition, we would be looking at them instead.
I shall outline the two arguments briefly then address them simultaneously as their issues and the answer to the same are intertwined.
The Doctrinal Differences in Sabbath and Sunday keeping.
First lets look at the original institution of Sabbath as recorded in the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments are presented in two places in the Bible, both in the Old Testament.
(three if you count Christ's summation of the law into "love God with all your heart and Love your neighbor" ...rightly dividing the word of truth to his generation.)
Exodus 20:2–17 Deuteronomy 5:6–21
2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
3 Do not have any other gods before Me.
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,
6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8 Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
9 For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
10 But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.
12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
17 You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
6 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
7 you shall have no other gods before me.
8 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,
10 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
12 Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.
13 For six days you shall labour and do all your work.
14 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you.
15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.
16 Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
17 You shall not murder.
18 Neither shall you commit adultery.
19 Neither shall you steal.
20 Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbour.
21 Neither shall you covet your neighbour's wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbour's house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
The doctrinal differences which arise in such arguments stem primarily in the establishment of the doctrine of Dispensationalism, a doctrine which cites that there were different dispensations, one of Law, and another Grace. The same Doctrine touts that we are in the dispensation of Grace and that the dispensation of Law ended at Calvary with Christs' ultimate sacrifice.
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