WHY I STOPPED TRYING TO OBSERVE THE SABBATH

WHY I STOPPED TRYING

TO OBSERVE THE SABBATH

Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

July 5, 2019

1. Genesis 1:3-31 6 days of “evening and morning”

Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Contrary to what I had always believed, Genesis 2:1-3 cannot be used to teach a universal weekly Sabbath for all mankind. Unlike the first six creation days, the 7^th has no “and the evening and morning were the seventh day.” This is because God is still resting from that original creation. Since Genesis there have been no new “kinds” of “species” being created today. We are all currently living in that original creation rest of God.

2. Genesis 12:1-4 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him …

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Galatians 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Salvation by grace through faith alone is first revealed in the Abrahamic, or everlasting, covenant. This was made to Abram, an uncircumcised Gentile, before the conditional old covenant Law and before God gave the Sabbath to Israel. It is unconditional.

3. Exodus 16:29-30 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day.

The Bible does not tell us how long Adam lived before he sinned. It might have been many thousands of years. At least 2500 after Adam sinned (Rom 6:23), Exodus 16:29-30 first mentions a 24-hour Sabbath. It is only for Israelites. The manna and double manna only fell for them. It is not a community worship day. Rather, God commanded only Israelites to rest with their families inside their individual tens on that day. This is a change from the endless creation Sabbath and is very different.

4. Exodus 19:3-6 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Unlike the unconditional everlasting Abrahamic covenant, the old covenant of Law was conditional upon Israel’s obedience and included the Sabbath. Only Israel was to be a “peculiar treasure above all people” and a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation” – nobody else! God never commanded non-Israelite Gentiles to observe His old covenant.

5. Exodus 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

God laid down His entire Law of commandments, judgments and ordinances to Israel by reminding them that He had redeemed them (and only them) from Egyptian slavery. Since this is not true of the Gentiles (including Egyptians), the Law was not addressed to Gentiles or relevant to them.

6. Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

This most-important Sabbath text in the Bible is never interpreted literally by Sabbatarians. First, YAHWEH had only revealed Himself as such to national Israel. He was only the LORD thy God to national Israel. Second, “remember” means He had told them before (In Exodus 16). God never commanded the Gentiles or any other people to observe His Sabbath. Third, the command very literally and very clearly was not intended to go beyond the gates of Israel to uncircumcised Gentiles. Fourth, if the command is interpreted to mean that Sabbatarians should not cause anybody else to work, then it is almost impossible to obey in modern society. Sabbatarians would not be able to live in cold climates requiring heating and they would not be able to use public roads, electricity, telephones, natural gas or sewage systems where others work constantly.  Fifth, the 24-hour weekly Sabbath day became a type, or shadow, of God’s unending rest from His creation sabbath. Sixth, the exact wording of Exodus 20:8-11 makes it a second change of the Sabbath in Scripture.

7. Exodus 23:32-33 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

God forbade Israelites from sharing their covenant with other nations or peoples. That covenant included the Sabbath. If the Sabbath were for all persons, this command would meaningless.

8. Exodus 31:13-18 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

First, God is again only speaking to “the children of Israel.” God was not instructing Gentiles concerning His covenant and His law. Second, “my Sabbaths shall ye keep” is only “between me and you throughout your generations” does not include Gentiles. Third, the Sabbath is a unique special “sign” of God’s covenant with Israel. If it also applied to Gentiles, this would be a meaningless statement; it cannot be both a unique “sign” only for Israel and also for everybody else! Fourth, God commanded that Sabbath-defilers be “surely put to death.” Sabbatarian churches are disobeying God by not insisting on the death of Sabbath-breakers within their own community. Fifth, since the Sabbath is only “a sign between me and the children of Israel forever.” Again, God never commanded Gentiles to observe the Sabbath.

9. Exodus 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

Again, God repeated that Sabbath-breakers “shall be put to death.” Yet Sabbatarians who insist on telling others to keep God’s law do not obey this part of it.

10.  Leviticus 26:14-17 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

It is wrong to teach that “law” and “commandments” only refer to the Ten Commandments. In reality, “law,” “commandments” and “covenant” all refer corporately to: (1) the Ten Commandments, (2) the civil judgments of judges, (3) the sacrificial worship statutes/ordinances of the Tempe, (4) the Psalms and prophets (Rom 3:10-18) and (5) everything God revealed to Israel (Rom 3:19-20). The Law was an indivisible combination of all of these as confirmed by at least the 20 sets of texts below. It is also very wrong to teach that the penalties for breaking the Law in the statutes and judgments were removed but the Ten Commandments remain. Either Christians are under of the law or none of it.

(1) Lev 26:14-15,  (2) Deut 5:1, (3) Deut 5:31 (4) Deut 6:4, (5) Deut 7::11, (6) Deut 8:11, (7) Deut 11:1, (8)  Deut 26:`17, (9) Deut 30:16, (10) 1 Kings 2:3; (11) 1 Kings 6:12, (12) 1 Kings 8:58, (13) 1 Kings 9:4; (14) Ps 89:30, (15) 2 Chron 33:8, (16) Neh 1:7, (17) Neh 9:13-14 (Sabbath reference), (18) Neh 10:29, (19) Matt 5:17-48, (20) Gal 3:10 BOOK.

11. Numbers 28:8 to 29:38.

Leviticus 23.

Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. [seasonal Sabbaths follow]

The Biblical fact that the weekly Sabbath required far less sacrificial animals than the seasonal Sabbaths proves that it was less important. The weekly 7^th day Sabbath was not more important than the yearly seasonal Sabbaths.

                

12. Deut 5:6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

This is God’s introduction to the second set of Ten Commandments. It was commanded to the new generation prior to entering Canaan forty years after Exodus 20. Again, both the Law and the Ten Commandments were only commanded to the people God redeemed from Egyptian slavery.

13. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

First, again God only commanded Israelites to observe the Sabbath day and only within their gates. Second, this would prohibit using animals to ride or pull wagons to church. Third, a further change of the Sabbath is seen where the reason for resting is redemption from slavery and not from creation. Sabbatarians naturally prefer to quote the first Sabbath commandment of Exodus 20:8-11.

14. Deuteronomy 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them.

Just in case the new generation forgot Exodus 23:32-33, God repeated His command forbidding Israel from sharing its covenant with other peoples (including the Sabbath). Missions are nowhere found in the Old Testament. Israel never used tithes or offerings to proselyte Gentiles. On the contrary, God commanded Israel to show no mercy to them.

15. Matthew 5:17-19 17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [Note: In Matthew 5:20-48 all three sections of the Law are quoted.]

First, Sabbatarians love to quote 5:17-18 to prove that the Ten Commandments are in force today and are for all people. They seriously err by ignoring the quotes from the remainder of the chapter which proves that “law” also refers to the judgments and statutes. Second, Jesus did fulfill all the righteousness of the law Lk 24:44). Third, many “jots” and “tittle” have passed when the judgments and statutes are discarded. “One of these least commandments” from 5:19 must include the judgments and statutes quoted in verses 21-48. 

16. Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled , which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Jesus fulfilled the righteousness all of the Law: commandments, judgments and statutes.

17. Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

Paul had been a fanatical Law-enforcer before being saved. After 14 years of re-education, he never imposed the old covenant law upon Gentiles. This can only be understood in view of Romans 8:2.

18. Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

John 16:8-9 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me.

John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

First, Christians are literally and spiritually “dead to the law” and the law cannot tell a dead person what to do! Second, having been raised in Christ to newness of life (Rom 6:4), true Christians are “new creations in Christ” (2 Cor 5:17). Third, being “new creations” with new natures, believers should obey God naturally and spontaneously. Fourth, instead of God commanding believers what to do (“Thou shalt not”), believers want to obey (“I want to obey”). That is the law of love created by the indwelling Holy Spirit which did not permanently indwell under the Old Covenant (Jn 14:26; 16:13-14).

19. John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

Rom 2:14-16 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

It is difficult for Sabbatarians to understand that God’s eternal character stands beneath His formal Law and is revealed to every person through nature and conscience. This is the “law principle.” Except for the specific 7^th-day Sabbath, nine of the ten commandments are known by nature and conscience. Instead of the specific 7^th-day Sabbath, every person knows that God wants him/her to set aside time to worship. Therefore, even Gentiles are guilty of God’s wrath (Rom 1:17) for not worshipping Him.

20. Galatians 3:8-10 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Gal 3:24-25 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The Epistle of Galatians contain Paul’s arguments against Jewish Christians who wanted to place Gentiles under the Law of Moses (Acts 15:1). In 3:1 Paul wrote that they have been “bewitched.” In 3:8-10. placing Gentiles under the Law is placing a curse upon them. In 3:19 Paul said the Law had an ending point which was the death of Christ. In 3:24-25 the Law’s function as a schoolmaster ended when faith in Christ arrived.

21. Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Ps 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Jer 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Quoted in Heb 8:8-13)

Old Testament prophets foretold the end of the entire Old Covenant Law. When David wrote that Messiah would be a high priest after the order of Melchizedek 1000 years before Christ in Ps 110:4, he prophesied the end of the Law which established the Aaronic priesthood. It had to be changed (Heb 7:18) and that change was its disannulment (Heb 7:18). Abolishing any one part of the Law meant abolishing all of it (Mt 5:17-19.

The prophet Jeremiah also prophesied that a new covenant would replace the old and God’s new law would be written in the heart (Jer 31:31-33; Heb 8:8-13). This covenant will be primarily with the nation Israel which would be regathered and receive God’s unconditional promises.

22. 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

All of Second Corinthians 3 is important. Paul specifically states that the “ministration of death written and engraven in stones” has “no glory” in comparison to the ministration of the Spirit.  The principle of interpretation applied most often after Calvary states “The Old Covenant which applies to the church in the New Covenant has been re-stated after Calvary in terms of grace and faith and re-applied.” And the 7^th-day Sabbath is not re-stated by the Holy Spirit to the church under the New Covenant.

23. Romans 14:5-6 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Gal 4:9-11 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

Col 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The 7^th-day Sabbath was particularly rejected by Paul and the early Gentile church. First, in Romans 14:5-6 Paul is trying to settle the dispute between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the church in Rome. Having taken compromising advice from James in Jerusalem (Acts 15:19-22), Paul took no position either for or against in Romans and First Corinthians 9:20-23.  Second, Paul took a stronger position against compelling Gentiles to keep the Sabbath in Galatians, Ephesians and Colossians. In Galatians 4:9-11 Paul reminded them that it is dangerous to replace weekly, seasonal and yearly pagan holy days with weekly, seasonal and yearly Christian holy days. In Ephesians 2:15 the strongest “commandment contained in ordinances” which separated Jew and Gentile was the 7^th-day Sabbath. And, in Colossians 2:16-17 the 7^th-day Sabbath must be included because the sequence is monthly, to seasonal to weekly holy days. Finally, there are no holy days in the New Covenant after Calvary. Sunday did not replace the Sabbath. Sunday was chosen by the early church to honor the resurrection of Christ.

24. 1 John 3:22-24 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 Cor 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

“Commandments” in Matthew 5:19 include the “judgments” and “ordinances” found in 20-48.

“Commandments” in Matthew 22:40 refer to Leviticus 19:10 and Deuteronomy 6:5.

John’s (and others’) use of the word, “commandments” in John 14:15 and 15:10 is not a direct reference to the Ten Commandments. Rather, “commandments” refers to the “teachings of Jesus.”

25. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit (and not the Sabbath) is the “seal” of God. While God’s Word never calls the 7^th-day Sabbath the “seal” of God, it does call it the “sign” of God’s covenant with national Israel twice in Exodus 31:13-18. The fact that the Holy Spirit occupies His new house and indwells the believer at the moment one accepts Christ is of paramount importance in the New Testament (1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:15.

26. Acts 15:19-20 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Acts 17:10-11 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Acts 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

Acts 19:8-9 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

Acts 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

In the book of Acts, Paul worshipped in Jewish synagogues on the Sabbath because he had an open pulpit. However, after being expelled from the synagogues, Paul usually worshipped on other days of the week. James, the leader of the Jerusalem church, compromised and did not compel Gentiles to observe the Sabbath. Paul was ultimately condemned by the Jerusalem church and sent to Roman prisons for not compelling Gentiles to observe the Law of Moses. Compare Acts 21:20-21 and context.

27. Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Salvation is “by grace through faith” ALONE. Adding anything to grace and faith denies that truth. Obedience is the result of justification by faith and not the cause.

28. Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Belief” (“faith”) in Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior results in the perfect sinless imputed spiritual REST of the believer. This is Christ’s righteousness received through faith. “In Christ” the believer’s spiritual position is the same as that of Adam and Eve BEFORE sin while they enjoyed their 24-hours per day 7 days per week Creation Sabbath in direct fellowship with God.

Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

russkellyphd@yahoo.com