The very first public message Jesus Christ delivered after beginning His ministry was what is commonly referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount” and is recorded word-for-word in Matthew’s gospel account, chapters five, six and seven. Putting first things first, Jesus flatly states that “till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.” He makes certain we know exactly what law He was speaking of by quoting word-for-word two of the commandments contained in that law: “thou shalt not commit adultery,” and “thou shalt not kill!” And He gives this fearful warning: “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.” (See Matthew 5, verses 18, 19, 21 and 27).
Friends, listen, Jesus Christ categorically stated that NONE of the Ten Commandments could be changed or altered in any manner, not even in the least degree. That would include the fourth commandment: “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy!” He said heaven and earth would have to pass away before that could possibly happen. And I am to believe that overnight without any warning God’s sacred, eternal, holy sabbath was changed to a completely different day when Jesus was resurrected from the dead?????? Though Jesus Christ at the very beginning of His ministry said this could NEVER be done, and though no such statement is ever recorded by any writing apostle, still I am to believe that this did happen, that Jesus Christ’s fulfilling of the law meant that the Ten Commandments were abolished or changed in some manner??? That is utter satanic delusion!
The apostle John wrote, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments, that, AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING, you should walk in it” (2 John 6). “For this is the love of God (this is how we show God we love Him) THAT WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, and his commandments are not grievous (not a burden, not a yoke of bondage)” (I John 5:3). This apostle says that when we keep God’s commandments it is pleasing in His sight. (See I John 3:22). “He that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him (in the commandment keeper). And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us (both inspiring us to keep His commandments and enabling us to do so)” (I John 3:24).
The fact that a group of disciples gathered together one Sunday to hear Paul preach one last time is cited as “proof” God’s sabbath had been abolished and replaced by Sunday as a holy day! It was widely advertised that Paul was leaving the area never to return. It just happened to be a Sunday before they could all gather together. (Read the entire 20th chapter of Acts). Had it been a Monday before that occurred I suppose Satan would have deceived millions of Christians into believing Monday was now a holy day designated for worship and cessation from work!!!
“Ah, but there’s more,” crow the Sunday observers. They then cite how Paul urged the believers to “lay by them in store” foodstuffs collected for the starving believers in Jerusalem as their first priority of the week so that there would be no delay caused by gathering such upon his arrival in Corinth. (See I Corinthians 16:1-3). Somehow this is interpreted as Paul saying, “When you go to church on Sunday and pass the collection plate give liberally and I will come and get that money and take it to Jerusalem.” Some folks can read a lot into a scripture that just isn’t there!
“But wait, wait, we’ve got one more text that proves God abolished His holy sabbath. Read what Paul says in Romans Chapter 14.” Yes, friend, do read what Paul says in that woefully misunderstood text. He is not talking about our having the freedom to choose any day we like as a holy day. He is informing believers they have the right to choose any day they wish as a day of fasting!!! LOOK AT THE CONTEXT.
But then the Sunday keeper, ignoring all the foregoing, introduces his clincher, his absolute “proof” text God abolished He holy eternal sabbath – Colossians Chapter 2. He fails utterly to see that the holy days and sabbaths that were blotted out by the cross were the sabbaths “which were a shadow of things to come” – NOT the sabbath that LOOKED BACKWARD to creation week, the weekly sabbath. The annual sabbaths and holy days all looked forward to a different aspect of God’s work on this earth, especially regarding the physical nation of Israel, from Passover’s looking forward to our Lord’s sacrifice of Himself on Calvary to the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles that depicted the Messianic age when our Lord would return and finally dwell with men. Believers need not journey to Jerusalem – or any other site – three times a year to keep the annual sabbaths and holy days contained therein. These annual feasts were, in general, tied to an agrarian or agricultural society. The time of the feast of Pentecost was actually launched at the time of the Spring harvest.
Some brethren need to re-think how they interpret God’s Word lest they unknowingly place themselves back under a law of works that was set aside two thousand years ago. God help you to understand.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley