Remember the Sabbath ....and other NT matters

[GodsStudent]

Hi Everyone. I wonder if we've, in the past, discussed the matter of the Sabbath. After Christ came, things changed, as in what the believer in the God of the Bible was supposed to do and not supposed to do any longer. For example, sacrifices, which we are currently discussing elsewhere, were abolished.
I have always struggled somewhat with various things related to that....such as, for example, the feasts....are we supposed to be doing anything related to those in this day and time? In the various churches I've attended in my lifetime, there has been little mention of these. We have celebrated Christmas and Easter, which I don't see in scripture, but for the most part, we haven't done much with other things in scripture (such as honoring in any significant way, all of the feasts in scripture.

I titled this thread "Remember the Sabbath..." but I am wondering what other believers think are important post Christ's first coming.

Are we to still celebrate, weekly, the Sabbath (7th day of the week, which ironically is EITHER Saturday or Sunday, based on the calendar).
How did we get to a Sunday worship, calling it the 7th day of the week? Which really is the Sabbath....Saturday or Sunday? Why do we or do we not have to honor the Sabbath, and in doing so, what is expected of us? Do we cook the day before so that we do NO work on the Sabbath? Do we spend the entire day in worship? What is the biblical proper behavior here?

Other than the Sabbath, what else should we be doing or not doing anymore (based on scripture)?

I know this is a loaded OP....and I am only asking for feedback and your thoughts and opinions on these things. I'm hoping for some good feedback, and while I don't do a whole lot of debating, it is really good for bringing out scriptures and edification.....
I hope this post will bring about some great discussion....or even cause links to be given to threads covering these topics that have occurred in the past.

[Sonbeam]

Hi GS,

You have touched on some very important questions that many, if not most, Christians have regarding behavior in our Christian walk.

The biblical answer to all your comments is simple though.

All the stipulations/laws/requirements under the Sinai Covenant God made with the Jews are obsolete
because that covenant is obsolete.

But even if that covenant were still in effect, which is not, Christians would not be bound under it for two reasons.

1. God made the Sinai Covenant only with the Jews.

2, Christians are under the New Covenant of grace.

Having said the above though, under the believers' freedom we have in Christ, we may choose to keep or participate in
some of the obsolete requirements of the law covenant if we so desire. I attended a seder meal a couple of times many years ago.

The Believer’s Freedom

1 Cor 10

23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

After reading the above verses , the question then becomes:

Why do Christians have the right to do anything under the NC?

The answer is because we as Christians are not under law.

Romans 4:14- NIV
14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

Romans 5:13

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.

sonbeam

[bchandler]

We still have a ritual "sacrifice" in Christianity, it's called communion. In which we commemorate and participate in Christ's sacrifice.

The Sabbath wasn't really changed, except for the day of the week, in most Christian churches. Although Paul writes about some who keep a sabbath, and those who don't. His comments toward those who didn't keep a sabbath was to live Every day walking in holiness.

[Exit40]

We still have a ritual "sacrifice" in Christianity, it's called communion. In which we commemorate and participate in Christ's sacrifice.

Luke 22:17 ¶ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;

“for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

God Bless

David

[GodsStudent]

Thanks for the answers thusfar. I hope others might reply, if you like.

[Spreading Salt]

In agreement with the responses. New covenant. Grace

[aaron]

Great topic! Looking forward to what others have to say. This verse from Mark 2 comes to mind:

23One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. 24So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

25Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”

27Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

You can see religious people wanting to make the sabbath ‘a thing’ as my teens would say ...but I get a sense of the grace of Jesus in this passage, and it makes me want to just spend time with him.

Over the years, I’ve wondered about how best to keep the sabbath something more relational and less religious. One clue I glean from the pastors at church is they take Monday off as their sabbath since they ‘work’ on the sabbath.

Being a lay person that serves at church almost every week, I’m left with no official rest day, as many lay people are, but when I get a day off during a week, I enjoy it and treasure it above all activity and entertainment.

Perhaps one may think of the sabbath as time spent walking with God in the garden in the cool of the day before sin entered the world.

[GodsStudent]

Hi aaron! I loved the scripture posted and your comments after. I sometimes see people participating in the law, but not understanding the scriptures in the Word....and not watching for Christ's return. This is not directly pointing to what you had to say, but just something I am pondering at the moment.
I enjoy my relationship with the Lord pretty much daily. I can't think of a day when I didn't think about Him, pray or witness to someone else, even a believer, because we all need to remember the scriptures and our Creator at different times, and on different days.

As to the Sabbath, it's a sticking point in my home for various reasons, and yet in my heart, I know we are not under the law, so I do not fret. Football is played on both weekend days here, and has not a lot to do with the Lord....just another thought. Even the believers have their teams and engage in this social activity (as well as, of course, all other sports, also usually enjoyed on the weekends).

[Ready1]

As to the Sabbath, it's a sticking point in my home for various reasons, and yet in my heart, I know we are not under the law, so I do not fret. Football is played on both weekend days here, and has not a lot to do with the Lord....just another thought. Even the believers have their teams and engage in this social activity (as well as, of course, all other sports, also usually enjoyed on the weekends).

As an aside, I have often thought that the sports industry has evolved into something that takes a man's heart away from following that which is truly important...every Sunday.