More Education on The Sabbath

I received the information below from a friend regarding my last entry, talking about my concerns about "The Sabbath" and what Scripture says about it. I've so much to learn and I know I'll never get to all of it...but I'm trying to educate myself as best I can. With that, my wise friend provided me with this information below. I feel compelled to share it since I was so opinionated in my previous entry as well as I quoted and interpretted from a book I'm currently reading. This book I'm reading, American in Prophecy, is not something I would believe, hook, line, and sinker--or however that saying goes. It just provides a perspective from a 7th Day Adventist. I am reading it for educational as well as just simple interest purposes. I do not know enough about the author or "religion" to even comment on integrity or factual consideration. It's just research.

I've not meant to make such a big deal of this, but since I already did in my last entry, I'm sort of stuck in having to re-address it now. Oh well, perhaps this is helpful to others - hopefully it won't be a stumbling block. I know, why don't you just join me in my journey to understand Scripture? How about that? :) Seriously, though, while God instructed us to keep holy the Sabbath, I don't think whether it's on a Saturday or Sunday is a heaven/hell thing. I'm simply just trying to understand things. I will try not to make this same mistake again...of spouting off something that I really don't know all that much about.

OK, here's what my friend provided me with:


I love that you always tackle the tough stuff! I have some Sabbath info for you to aid in your study.

There is no New Testament command to follow the Sabbath. The other nine commandments, however, are reinforced in the New Testament. At the Jerusalem Council, where the Apostles determined what customs Gentiles were to follow, the Sabbath is never mentioned.

That leaves Christians today with only the examples of what the Apostles did. Prior to the Catholic Church 'changing' the Sabbath day, the 1st Century Apostles and Christian gathered together on the first day of the week. Our sins were paid for on the first day of the week and Jesus only appeared after the cross on the first day of the week. That began our tradition of celebrating the Lord's Day on Sunday, the first day of the week, but not a Sabbath Day as in the Catholic Church.

I am always mindful of one thing Jesus did say, however, and that is that the Sabbath (rest, actually) was created for man and not that man was created for the Sabbath. I can gleam from that that we do need rest and while I understand....that it is not a Jewish Sabbath, I am careful to seek out times during the week when I can rest in our Lord. Most of the rules and regulations regarding the Sabbath were instituted by the Pharisees apart from the Law in rabbatical teaching. Those wouldn't apply to either the Jews or Gentiles, but our need for rest has not changed nor has our Lord, who provided us with the rest that we so dearly need.