C.A.M. - Christian Apologetics Ministries; Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN
Introduction
This article is a response to sabbatarian arguments in favor of seventh-day worship as a continuance of the literal observance of the fourth commandment of the Mosaic Law. Specifically, it is a response to an article produced by Pastor Henry Bechthold of H.E. H.A.D. Faith Ministries in Minnesota. Pastor Bechthold (or "Pastor Hank" as he is popularly known) took out advertisements in two issues of the Minnesota Christian Chronicle (November 21 and December 5, 2002), in which he made his case for Seventh-day Sabbath keeping. For the sake of clarity, I will refer to these advertisement/articles in the following way throughout the remainder of this essay (Pastor Hank, 11/21/02 or Pastor Hank, 12/5/02).
In this article, I will be arguing from a dispensational position. In this view, the Mosaic Law was a covenant between God and Israel and is not binding for Christians in this dispensation. It follows that since Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, neither are they are under the Sabbath commandment of that law.
It is important to note at the outset, that Christians have liberty in this matter, and therefore, should not judge one another based on their sincere convictions on this question. However, when one makes the Sabbath commandment a law for Christians, even though God has specifically made it a matter of conscience, it becomes legalism.
Unfortunately, Pastor Henry Bechthold (hereafter "Pastor Hank") and other sabbatarians have done just this; they have legalistically demanded of Christians what God has not (Sabbath-keeping). This is not to deny that Pastor Hank is a sincere brother in Christ, but nonetheless, his error must be answered.
Are Christians under the Mosaic Law?
In the introduction, I argued that the Sabbath commandment (the fourth of the Ten Commandments) is not binding for Christians, because the Sabbath is a part of the Mosaic Law that is itself not binding for Christians. The following is a string of New Testament passages that makes this clear.
Acts 15:5, 10:
"5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."
"10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?"
It should be noted that gentile Christians were specifically exempt from the Mosaic Law (including the Sabbath commandment) by the apostles at the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. If the Sabbath was a command for Christians, how could gentile Christians be exempt?
Romans 6:14:
"14For sin shall not
be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
Romans 7:4, 6:
"4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."
"6But now, by dying
to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve
in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."
Romans 8:2 (compare with 7:12-13):
"2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 10:4:
"4Christ is the end
of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes."
1 Corinthians 9:20-21:
"20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law."
2 Corinthians 3:7-11:
"7Now if the ministry
that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory,
so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because
of its glory, fading though it was, 8will not the ministry of the
Spirit be even more glorious? 9If the ministry that condemns men
is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
10For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the
surpassing glory. 11And if what was fading away came with glory,
how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!"
Galatians 2:14:
"14When I saw that they
were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front
of them all, 'You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.
How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?'"
Galatians 2:19:
"19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God."
Galatians 3:19, 25:
"19What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator."
"25Now that faith has
come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."
Galatians 4:8-11, 21, 30:
"8Formerly, when you
did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But
now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are
turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved
by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months
and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted
my efforts on you."
"21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?"
"30But what does the Scripture say? 'Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son.'"
Galatians 5:1, 18:
"1It is for freedom
that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be
burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
"18But if you are led
by the Spirit, you are not under law."
Ephesians 2:15:
"15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace."
Colossians 2:14-15:
"14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
Hebrews 7:14, 18-19:
"14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests."
"18The former regulation
is set aside because it was weak and useless 19(for the law made
nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to
God."
Hebrews 8:6-7, 13:
"6But the ministry Jesus
has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator
is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
7For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant,
no place would have been sought for another."
"13By calling this covenant
'new', he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging
will soon disappear."
Hebrews 10:1, 9:
"1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship." "9Then he said, 'Here I am, I have come to do your will.' He sets aside the first to establish the second."
Does the Mosaic Law (and the rest of the Old Testament) play any role for Christians today?
In response to my claim that Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, during a debate between Pastor Hank and myself, Pastor Hank liked to get on his soapbox and make the case that he, at least, still believes that the whole Bible is inspired. He suggests that because I think that Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, that this means I am essentially denying the inspiration of much of the Old Testament.
Yet, Pastor Hank himself teaches that Christians are not under the ceremonial and other aspects of the law. Since Pastor Hank doesn't think that the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law are binding for Christians today, does this mean that he is devaluing those aspects of the Old Testament?
Although, the Mosaic Law was a covenant between God and Israel, this does not mean that it has no value for Christians today. For instance, the apostle Paul stated in Romans 15:4:
"4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
Paul also stated in 1 Corinthians 10:6,10:
"6Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. . . 11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come."
More specifically, the Mosaic Law can still help people to see their hopeless condition in sin, and their need for Christ. Paul showed this purpose of the law in Galatians 3:24:
"24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith."
What about passages that appear to teach that the Mosaic Law is still binding for Christians today?
Pastor Hank stated:
"Moreover, the apostle Paul, who was known for his stalwart doctrinal stance on salvation by grace through faith; also proclaimed that we do not make the law void because of faith, but rather we establish the law (Romans 3:31)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Romans 3:31:
"31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."
In the context, Paul is saying that we uphold the Law in that Christ is the fulfillment of all that the Law pointed to. For instance, a few verses before Romans 3:31, Paul states in Romans 3:21-22:
"21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference."
Paul's point in Romans 3:31 is that, in that the Law pointed to salvation in Christ, the Law has been fulfilled (upheld) in the coming of Christ.
Acts 21:20-24:
"20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: 'You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.'"
At first glance this passage appears to provide support for the idea that Paul believed that the Mosaic Law was in force for Christians. But a closer look shows that not to be the case.
For instance, the passage shows that Paul and his associates also observed Jewish ceremonial Law, and yet sabbatarians like Pastor Hank do not argue that Christians should observe these Jewish laws. Also, in 1 Corinthians 9:20 Paul makes it clear that he observed such aspects of the law in order to maintain his evangelistic mission among the Jews, and not because he felt the Mosaic Law was still binding for Christians.
What about Matthew 5:17-20? Does it support Pastor Hank's claim that Christians are under the Mosaic Law?
Matthew 5:17-20:
"17Do not think that
I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish
them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven
and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and
teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly
not enter the kingdom of heaven."
Pastor Hank stated:
"And of Greatest importance, Jesus Christ stated that He did not come to destroy the law, and that heaven and earth would pass away before God's law does (Matthew 5:17,18)" (Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Pastor Hank argues that Matthew 5:17-18 supports the sabbatarian claim that the Sabbath commandment is in force for Christians today. D. A. Carson's comments on this passage are to the point:
"Certainly the phrase 'an iota or a dot' excludes any interpretation of the passage that claims that only 'moral'law is in view. . . Nevertheless, it must be vigorously insisted that sabbatarian appeal to the eternal validity of the Old Testament law - including Sabbath law - on the basis of Matthew 5:17-20 bristles with problems. If 'abolish' in 5:17 is given absolute force, for example, consistency demands the conclusion that our Lord's abolition of the food laws was a mistake" (D. A. Carson, Jesus And The Sabbath in The Four Gospels, chapter in 'From Sabbath To Lord's Day', D. A. Carson, Editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids: MI, 1982, p. 79).
In the same book, A. T. Lincoln wrote:
"The element of discontinuity should not be limited to certain aspects of the law such as the so-called 'ceremonial laws', for it is the law as a unit that is being spoken of both here [Matthew 5:17] and in verse 18, so that so-called 'moral laws', like that which bans murder, have also been realized and transcended by Jesus' teaching (cf. 5:21ff.)" (A. T. Lincoln, From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A Biblical And Theological Perspective, chapter in 'From Sabbath To Lord's Day', D. A. Carson, Editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids: MI, 1982, p. 373).
In verse 17, when Jesus uses the phrase "the Law or the Prophets," it refers to the whole of the law. There is no justification to assume that Jesus was referring only to moral aspects of the law. D. A. Carson makes this point:
"For that is what 'Law or the Prophets' here means: the Scriptures. The disjunctive 'or' makes it clear that neither is to be abolished" (D. A. Carson, Matthew, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids: MI, 1984, p.142).
In other words, if one wants to argue that the Sabbath is still binding for Christians today based on this passage, consistency demands that the whole Mosaic Law is binding for Christians today. This is so because Jesus spoke not only of "moral law,"but of the "Law or the Prophets"from which "not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear."
Jesus' point then is that He doesn't abolish the law (as though it was useless), but rather He fulfills all that it pointed to.
What about those Bible passages that Pastor Hank quoted that speak so highly of the Mosaic Law?
Pastor Hank stated:
"The Bible states that God's law and commandments are faithful, righteous, holy, just, good, spiritual, perfect, and convert the soul (Psalm 119:86; Psalm 119:172; Romans 7:12-14; Psalm 19:7)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
There is absolute agreement with the above verses. As part of God's inspired word, the Old Testament continues forever to be a blessing to God's people. But that is not to say that every command of the law is binding for Christians today. For instance, Pastor Hank agrees that the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law are not binding for Christians today, yet they were a part of the "law"that was praised in the verses to which Pastor Hank referred.
Are there passages that show that the Law was a burden to those under it?
Yes, for instance, Acts 15:10:
"10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?"
Galatians 3:23:
"23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed."
Galatians 4:1-11:
"1What I am saying is
that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although
he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees
until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children,
we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4But
when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under
law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full
rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his
Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father'. 7So
you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made
you also an heir.
8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those
who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God--or rather
are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable
principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You
are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I
fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you."
Galatians 4:21-25:
"21Tell me, you who
want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22For
it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other
by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the
ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.
24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent
two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are
to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai
in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is
in slavery with her children."
Galatians 5:1:
"1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
The foregoing passages show that those who labored under the Mosaic Law, were under the burden of the law. On the other hand, the apostle John said in John 1:17:
"17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
Was the Sabbath a command for all people since creation?
Pastor Hank says:
"On the other hand, the seventh day Sabbath was established at creation and was in existence for many centuries before the jewish ceremonial system was instituted (Genesis 2:1-3)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
"The Sabbath was instituted at the end of creation week, many centuries before Abraham and the Jewish people existed (Genesis 2:1-3)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Genesis 2:1-3:
"1 Thus the heavens
and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the
seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh
day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh
day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating
that he had done."
Genesis 2:1-3 is not a commandment, but an observation. No one is commanded to observe the Sabbath in this passage or any other before Exodus 16 when it is given to Israel.
If the observance of the Sabbath was a universal command for all mankind, how could it also be a distinctive sign for Israel as Exodus 31:17 shows?
"17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.' "
We see the same truth in Ezekiel 20:19-20:
19 I am the LORD your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 20 Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God."
Along the same lines, Pastor Hank said:
"Finally, the Bible states that the Sabbath was meant for the 'foreigners; or 'gentiles'too (Isiah 56:1,2,6,7)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Isaiah 56:1-7:
"1 This is what the
LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close
at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. 2 Blessed is
the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without
desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil." 3 Let
no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely
exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a
dry tree." 4 For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who
keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant-
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial
and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting
name that will not be cut off. 6 And foreigners who bind themselves
to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my
house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on
my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.""
What should be obvious is that the passage in Isaiah (see below) was referring not to gentiles in general, but only to those who converted to Judaism and chose to observe the Mosaic Law. So, this passage actually disproves Pastor Hank's position, because it shows that gentiles in general were not under the law (including the Sabbath).
If the Sabbath was observed since creation, why did it have to be given to Israel after the exodus? Why weren't they already observing it?
Exodus 16:29:
"29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.""
Nehemiah 9:13-14:
"13 "You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. 14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses."
When Moses failed to circumcise his son, God nearly killed him.
Exodus 4:24-26:
"24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met {Moses} and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched {Moses'} feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. 26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)"
Why did God punish Moses for his violation of the command to be circumcised, but ignore Moses failure to observe the Sabbath, if in fact the Sabbath law was really in effect?
Also, since circumcision was a command before the Mosaic Law (Genesis 17), and continued under it, does that mean that it is also binding for Christians today? The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 clearly rejects the idea that circumcision is binding for Christians.
Are other so-called "creation ordinances"still binding for Christians today such as the command to be fruitful and multiply? See Genesis 1:28 (see also Genesis 9:7):
"28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.""
If the Law has been in effect since creation (identical to the Mosaic Law), then did the first generation of Adam and Eve's children break it by marrying each other? Did Abraham also violate it by marrying his half-sister? For instance, note these passages in the Law that would have been violated by the first generation of Adam and Eve's offspring.
Leviticus 18:6, 9:
"6 " 'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD . . .
9 " 'Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere."
It is clear that Abraham would have been guilty of violating the Mosaic Law if it were in effect in his lifetime. See Genesis 20:12:
"12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife."
Romans 5:12-14 implies that the Mosaic Law (or its identical counterpart) was not in effect before being given to Israel at Sinai.
"12Therefore, just as
sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this
way death came to all men, because all sinned-- 13for before the
law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when
there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of
Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command,
as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come."
Romans 2:14 says:
"14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law."
This verse makes it clear that those who claim that all people were under the law (represented by the Ten Commandments) since creation are wrong. Paul states that Gentiles "do not have the law."
Deuteronomy states that the Sabbath is a sign of the Israelites redemption from Egypt.
Deuteronomy 5:15:
"15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."
It seems strange to argue that the Sabbath command was in force before that which it memorializes.
Does Isaiah 56: 1-2, 6-7 indicate that the law was in effect for gentiles as well in Old Testament times?
"1 This is what the LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil." 6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who
keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant- 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.""
These verses do not show that the Mosaic Law (or the Sabbath Law) applied to all gentiles, but only to those who converted to Judaism.
Some maintain that because Jesus stated that that the Sabbath was made for man, that this means that the Sabbath was made for all mankind (including Gentiles).
For instance, in Mark 2:27, Jesus said:
"27Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.""
However, in this account, Jesus was not arguing the extent to which the Sabbath command applied to the peoples of the world, but rather he was arguing about the purpose of the Sabbath, which was to help rather than burden man. The "man"he was referring to was obviously the Jews since it is only to them that the Sabbath was given.
Is the dispensational approach anti-nomian and lead to lawlessness?
Pastor Hank stated:
"This is not a minor issue. This is one of God's Ten Commandments! Would you consider it a minor issue if 98 percent of the church was committing adultery, stealing, lying, murdering, worshipping idols, or using the Lord's name in vain continuously week after week throughout each and every year?"(Pastor Hank, 12/5/02).
This statement by Pastor Hank is really a red herring in that it implies that there can only be morality for those under the Mosaic Law (or some identical law). However, believers were able to live moral lives before the Mosaic Law was given, and they can after it. Christians today live under the Law of Christ. Nine out of the Ten Commandments are repeated for Christians in the New Testament.
In the same vain Pastor Hank said:
"Therefore, if the Sabbath command is only for the Jews, to be consistent, the other nine commands are also only for the Jews."(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Pastor Hank is wrong. God chose to include nine out of the Ten Commandments for Christians in the New Testament, and yet chose not to include the Sabbath commandment in this company. On this basis, Pastor Hank's argument is without merit.
See Matthew 22:36-40:
"36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.""
See also James 2:8:
"8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself.""
See also Galatians 6:2:
"2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
In 1 Corinthians 9:21, the apostle Paul shows that he is not under the Mosaic Law, but the law of Christ.
"21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law"
Pastor Hank denies that his view is legalistic.
"Once again, to be consistent, if obeying God's Sabbath commandment is legalism, then obeying the other nine commandments is also legalism. . . The Bible does not call it legalism to obey God's commandments."Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
It is legalistic to demand of Christians what God does not demand of them. In Romans 14:5 and Colossians 2:16, God specifically made Sabbath keeping a conscience matter. Therefore, to argue that all Christians should keep the Sabbath is legalism.
1 Corinthians 4:6 shows us that we should not go beyond what is written in God's word and impose it on our brothers in the same way the Pharisees did.
"6Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another."
Pastor Hank will ask, Is it legalistic to say that Christians should not commit adultery, lie, or steal? This confuses the issue, because these things are proscribed for Christians in the New Testament, whereas the Sabbath is not.
In fact, the New Testament explicitly states that the Sabbath is a conscience matter and not a command for Christians in Romans 14 and Colossians 2:16.
Colossians 2:16
"16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day."
Pastor Hank says that Paul was "almost certainly"referring to special Sabbaths under the Mosaic Law and not to the weekly Sabbath. He then says that those special Sabbaths were ceremonial and no longer applicable to Christians, whereas the weekly Sabbath is "moral"and still applicable to Christians. Many scholars believe that even the weekly Sabbath was "ceremonial."
The idea that Paul was not referring to the weekly Sabbath cannot be maintained in light of the fact that Paul used a phrase that was common throughout the Old Testament and referred to the weekly Sabbath. For instance, see these examples.
Hosea 2:11:
"11 I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days-all her appointed feasts."
Ezekiel 45:17:
"17 It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths-at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel."
1 Chronicles 23:31:
"31 and whenever burnt
offerings were presented to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals
and at appointed feasts. They were to serve before the LORD regularly in the
proper number and in the way prescribed for them."
2 Chronicles 31:3:
"3 The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons and appointed feasts as written in the Law of the LORD."
2 Chronicles 2:4:
"4 Now I am about to
build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God and to dedicate it to him for
burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread
regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on
Sabbaths and New Moons and at the appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This
is a lasting ordinance for Israel."
2 Chronicles 8:13:
"13 according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for Sabbaths, New Moons and the three annual feasts-the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Tabernacles."
In each of the verses, the pattern is the same. The weekly, monthly, and yearly ceremonies are in view. It is this same pattern that Paul uses in Colossians 2:16 and clearly is referring to the weekly Sabbath.
Further, it seems unlikely that there would be a dispute over the observance of the special Sabbaths of the Mosaic Law.
Pastor Hank concludes his discussion of Colossians 2:16 as follows:
"Also, even if the Bible is telling us not to judge concerning the Sabbath, does that mean that it's all right to disobey God and break His Sabbath Commandment? In Romans 2:1,2, Paul says we are not to judge the sinners listed in Romans 1:22-31. . . Therefore, if not judging concerning the Sabbath means it's all right to break it. Then, to be consistent, when we're told not to judge all these other sins in Romans chapter one; it would also mean that it's all right to do all of those things.""(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
This argument is without any merit in that it is a false comparison. In Romans 2:1-2, Paul is warning Jews to not arrogantly and hypocritically judge gentiles. In Colossians 2:16, the case is very different. There, Paul is dealing with believers in the church and asking them to respect each other's opinions regarding Sabbath-keeping or lack thereof, rather than judging each other.
Romans 14:5-6:
"5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God."
In Romans 14, Paul lays out a principle for dealing with disputable matters in the church. One of these contentious issues was over the observance of certain days. The principle is that Christians should not judge each other over the celebration of these days. Therefore, it is wrong to condemn another Christian for the observance, or lack thereof, of special days like the Sabbath.
On Tom Marsland's radio program, Pastor Hank argued that Paul was not referring to the weekly Sabbath in Romans 14, because the word Sabbath is not in the text. However, by this same logic, Genesis 2: 2-3 is not referring to the Sabbath (as he suggests), since the word is not in the text there either.
Pastor Hank argued in debate that his Bible only shows that the Sabbath looks back to creation, and not forward to anything. However, the writer of the book of Hebrews seems to disagree with Pastor Hank.
Hebrews 4:9-10 says:
"9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his."
The same idea seems to be suggested by Matthew's gospel (though in a more subtle way) by his statement in Matthew 11:28-29:
"28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
This is all the more compelling in that this statement is immediately followed by the account of Jesus healing on the Sabbath and proclaiming himself "Lord of the Sabbath"(Matthew 12:8).
The typology is actually very beautiful. For the Jews under the Mosaic Covenant, the Sabbath was meant to be a rest from labor. How wonderful a sign is this of the rest believers gain by their faith in Christ. No longer do they have to bear the yoke and work for their salvation, but they rest in the finished work of Christ.
Pastor Hank argued that since believers in the Old Testament period observed the Sabbath, and since God does not change, Christians today should still observe the Sabbath.
Pastor Hank:
"Remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore. . . He would also surely denounce the ignoring of the Sabbath commandments because of the man-made tradition of Sunday observance. It reveals that the Sabbath was established by Jesus Christ. And when we remember that Jesus does not change, but remains the same yesterday, today, and forever (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8); and that He Himself kept the Sabbath as His custom"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Pastor Hank also said:
"Jesus kept the Sabbath as His custom, and even declared himself Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 4:16; Mark 2:28)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
However, this reasoning would necessitate the continuance of other aspects of the Mosaic Law that Jesus observed as well, including animal sacrifices and various Jewish festivals.
Also, it should be pointed out that Christ Jesus lived under the Old Covenant, and not the New (which he would bring about with His death and resurrection).
For instance, Galatians 4:4-5 says:
"4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."
Therefore, it should not be a surprise that as a Jew under the law, Christ observed the Sabbath. However, Jesus never commanded Christians to observe the Sabbath or any other aspect of the Mosaic Law.
Pastor Hank argued that since the apostle Paul observed the Sabbath, Christians today should as well.
Pastor Hank says:
"There are also several references to the apostle Paul keeping the Sabbath (Acts 13:42-44: Acts 17:2; Acts 18:1-4)."(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Let us first examine these passages that Pastor Hank refers to. The first is Acts 13:42-44:
"42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord."
Pastor Hank then referred to Acts 17:2. I will provide this verse in its context, Acts 17:1-4:
"1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, he said. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women."
The last verse Pastor Hank referred to is Acts 18:1-4:
"1After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks."
After examining these passages, certain points are clear. To begin with, none of them states that Paul was observing the Sabbath. They only say that Paul attended the synagogue on the Sabbath. His reason for attending, as we shall see, is for evangelistic purposes, and not out of compliance to the Sabbath commandment of the Mosaic Law.
Further, his attendance at the synagogue can by no means be mistaken as participation in a Christian worship service. In fact, it should be obvious that Christians who attended the synagogue on the Sabbath, must have held their distinctly Christian worship services at another time, and the record points to Sunday (1 Corinthians 16:2, Acts 20:7-12).
As I have just alluded to, the purpose for Paul's attendance at synagogues was to evangelize the Jews as the following verse make clear. Paul explained it this way in 1 Corinthians 9:20:
"20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law."
A further weakness in Pastor Hank's argument is that if the fact that the apostle Paul and the other apostles kept the Sabbath means that Christians should also keep the Sabbath, then it follows that since they also observed other aspects of the Mosaic Law, Christian should as well. The biblical record indicates that the apostles worshipped at the temple, and observed other ceremonial aspects of the law such as purification rites and the keeping of Jewish festivals commanded in the Mosaic Law.
For instance, Acts 21:26:
"26The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them."
This passage makes it clear that Paul participated in ceremonial purification and sacrificial offerings at the temple. Further, the early Christians also worshipped at the temple daily as shown in Acts 2:46:
"46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts."
The record of Acts also indicated that Paul observed Jewish festivals such as Passover and Pentecost.
Acts 20:5-6:
"5These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6But we sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days."
Acts 20:16:
"16Paul had decided
to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he
was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost."
Pastor Hank argues that there is a multitude of biblical passages that support seventh-day worship for Christians, and only a few passages that are mistakenly appealed to for support of Sunday worship.
For instance, in debate, Pastor Hank kept repeating "Show me one verse in the Bible that commands Christians to worship on Sunday."My response is: "Show me one verse in the New Testament that commands Christians to observe the Sabbath."There are none!
Again, Pastor Hank stated:
"On the other hand, there are nearly two hundred Sabbath references in the Bible, and many of them are stated as specific commandments from God to honor, keep, obey, or rest on the Sabbath" (Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
This statement, while technically true, is misleading nonetheless. This is because, without exception, every verse in the Bible that commands the observance of the Sabbath is in the Old Testament, as it was given to Jews under the Mosaic Law. Again, there is not one single verse in the Bible that commands Sabbath keeping for anyone before the Mosaic Law or in the New Testament for Christians.
Pastor Hank's position would have us believe that all the significant events that occurred on Sunday are mere coincidences, and do not point to Sunday Worship.
For example, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to the apostles on Sunday (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1-2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1).
A week later, Jesus again appeared to the disciples on Sunday night. Pastor Hank confuses the evidence for this appearance in the following way:
"In fact, in John 20:26, we're told that they gathered together eight days later again, which would have been a Monday. Does that mean the Sabbath was changed to Monday?"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
R. J. Bauckham commented on this text:
"The expression 'after eight days; (John 20:26) recalls the early Christian description of Sunday as the 'eighth day,'but it is a common ancient method of inclusive reckoning and cannot be pressed"(R. J. Bauckham, The Lord's Day, Chapter in in 'From Sabbath To Lord's Day,'D. A. Carson, Editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids: MI, 1982, p. 249).
The point is that in this "inclusive reckoning"both Sundays were counted which leads to a total of eight days, which by our reckoning is seven days (a week). In other words, this appearance was also on Sunday as any standard commentary will attest.
Not only do the verses describing the events surrounding the resurrection and appearances of Jesus Christ point to Sunday worship, but other significant events in the life of the early church occurred on Sunday. For instance, most scholars agree that the falling of the Spirit at Pentecost occurred on Sunday.
Two other passages also point to Sunday worship among the early Church (Acts 20:7-11, and 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 which we will look at shortly). In light of this, it is amazing that Pastor Hank can make the following statement:
"Sunday keeping was not established by commandment [from] God, but rather by tradition of man"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Pastor Hank is making an unsubstantiated accusation against the early Church. He has no proof at all to support his allegation. It is certainly possible, and even likely that Sunday keeping was instituted under apostolic direction.
At this point, I want to reiterate that even though many in the early church attended the synagogue, they did not consider this to be Christian worship services as they did not include those things unique to Christian worship such as communion, baptism in Jesus name (or the triune formula), etc. The evidence points to specifically Christian worship services being held in house churches on Sundays. Let us examine two passages that support this conclusion.
Acts 20:7-11:
"7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" 11Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left."
Pastor Hank says about this passage that:
"it was a "farewell meeting", and not a weekly worship service"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Again, Pastor Hank is very much overstating his case. He has absolutely no way of knowing that this was "not a weekly worship service."On the other hand, the fact that they broke bread together points to the meeting being a regular worship service. It is not at all unusual to have a "farewell meeting"as part of a regular worship service.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2:
"1Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made."
Pastor Hank denies that this verse refers to a collection or offering taken at the church during regular Sunday worship services. He thinks Paul was only suggesting to Christians to set aside money at home. However, it seems more natural to view it as a weekly collection taken during regular church services, so that it was immediately available to church officials to give to Paul when he arrived (rather than trying to quickly contact all the members when Paul arrived, and gather the money they had been setting aside, as Pastor Hank's view demands).
Pastor Hank regularly accuses non-sabbatarians of "cherry-picking"the commandments, taking the ones they like, and setting aside the others such as the Sabbath.
However, it is God who did the "cherry-picking"in that He is the author of Scripture, and therefore the one who chose not to include Sabbath-keeping in the New Testament for Christians.
Further, by Pastor Hank's logic, he himself is guilty of "cherry-picking"when he chooses to observe one part of the Mosaic Law (the Ten Commandments) while ignoring other parts of the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law was given to Israel as a whole, and not meant to be taken in piece-meal fashion.
In response to the argument I make here that God did not command anyone in the New Testament to observe the Sabbath, Pastor Hank actually stated:
"This argument would eliminate about two-thirds of the Bible. The Old Testament is about three times as long as the New Testament. It would be mathematically impossible to repeat more than about one-third of the content of the Old Testament within the New Testament. This argument would eliminate the majority of the Psalms and Proverbs, because they would only be valid if repeated in the New Testament" (Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
This argument is without the slightest merit. Is it really credible to argue that the reason God didn't explicitly command the observance of the Sabbath (important as it is supposed to be) for Christians was merely due to space limitations?
Pastor Hank said:
"There is not one single text in the entire Bible that says to honor Sunday because of the resurrection."(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
However, this argument works both ways because "There is not one single text in the entire Bible that"says Christians should observe the Sabbath.
What about Jesus'words about the Sabbath in the Olivet Discourse?
Matthew puts in this way in Matthew 24:20:
"20Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath."
Pastor Hank says:
"Jesus even stated that the Sabbath would still be important during the 'great tribulation'at the end of the world (Matthew 24:20,21)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
It is obvious from the context that Jesus'warning about the difficulty of flight on the Sabbath had reference to the Jews to whom he spoke and not to Christians today. That is, His warnings were initially fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70, and will have a later fulfillment during the future tribulation (the time of Jacob's great trouble).
Pastor Hank quotes a lot of verses that show the importance for Christians in keeping God's commands and equates these commands with the commands of the Mosaic Law.
1 John 2:3 says:
"3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands."
This passage makes it clear that it is the commands of Jesus ("his commands") that Christians need to obey (not the Mosaic Law God gave the Jews).
1 John 5:3 says:
"3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome."
In the context of these two verses in 1 John, God makes clear what these commandments are. For instance is 1 John 3:22-23:
"22and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us."
The most important "command"for Christians to keep is "to believe in. . . Jesus Christ"and live out this faith by loving one another. Jesus teaches the same thing in John 6:28-29:
"28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
This is all reminiscent of Saint Augustine's famous statement that we should "Love God and do as you will."Again, when we ask "who is it that will obey God's commands?, the answer must be "It is those who love the Lord who will want to obey Him. Paul put it this way in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3:
"3We continually remember
before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted
by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
Pastor Hank also refers to other similar verses (such as John 14:15, Revelation 14:12 etc.) to support his contention that Christian must obey the commandments of the Mosaic Law. Yet, in all of these verses, it is not the Mosaic Law and its commandments in view, but rather the Law of Christ. Most of the Ten Commandments are repeated for Christians, but the Sabbath commandment is not.
Does James 2:10 indicate that Christians are under the Mosaic Law?
Pastor Hank says:
"Finally, the Bible declares that we will be judged by the Ten Commandment law, and refers to it as the 'perfect law of liberty (James 2:10-12; James 1:25)"(Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
Pastor Hank also stated:
"Then why should you consider it a minor issue, that 98 percent of the church is breaking God's seventh-day Sabbath commandment continuously week after week? James 2:10-12 says when you break one of the Ten Commandments, you've broken them all"(Pastor Hank, 12/5/02).
James 2:10-12:
"10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom."
James is addressing those who seek to return to the Mosaic Law (which they have been set free from). James'point is that for those who want to return to the Mosaic Law, he reminds them that to do so requires honoring the whole law (not just a part of it like circumcision etc). James then points out examples of the Mosaic Law to remind them what they are up against if they want to be under the Law. James drives the point home by noting that, because the Law is a whole, to break it at one point is to be guilty of breaking the whole Law.
The proper response to James'argument is that Christians should be thankful that rather than being under the Mosaic Law, they are under the Law of Christ. This is exemplified in James statement that we should "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom"rather than the Mosaic Law. James called this law the "royal law"in James 2:8:
"8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right."
For James, the royal law sums up the call for Christians, as opposed to the Mosaic Law that was given to Israel.
Further, James may well have been alluding to Jesus'similar teaching on this subject in Matthew 22:36-40:
"36"Teacher, which is
the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And
the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All
the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.""
Although, believers are not under the Mosaic Law, by living the law of Christ, the law of liberty, the law of love, we will be, in effect, going beyond the demands of the Mosaic Law.
James offers no comfort to those who suppose that one part of the Mosaic Law is binding (the moral aspects) while other aspects are not (ceremonial, civil). James says to break one point of the Law is to be guilty of breaking the whole law. Therefore, if one is under any part of the Mosaic Law, they are under it all.
Pastor Hank argued that Jesus showed that he honored the Sabbath by resting on it during his burial.
Pastor Hank Stated:
"It is probable that the reason Jesus arose on Sunday, was because He was honoring the seventh-day Sabbath" (Pastor Hank, 11/21/02).
The great early church theologian Saint Augustine had a different interpretation of this. R. J. Bauckham reports that Augustine believed:
"That Christ fulfilled the Sabbath by resting in the sepulchre on the Sabbath." (R. J. Bauckham, Sabbath And Sunday In The Medieval Church In The West, Chapter in "From Sabbath To Lord's Day", D. A. Carson, Editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids: MI, 1982, p. 301).
Some will ask how we know that Saturday is in fact Saturday, and Sunday is Sunday?
We note that Jesus kept the seventh-day Sabbath and did not question the accuracy of the calendar being used then, and seems to indicate that we should have no concern today.