Q: Jesus teaches in Matthew 12:3-8 that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day. Since it is lawful to do good every day, and since its not lawful to do evil on any day, this effectively treats the sabbath-day like any other day. But the commandment to rest on the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments! Shouldnt the Sabbath-rest be required?
A: The question, Should Christians keep the Sabbath? has been written about a lot. One example of the approach taken by non-Sabbatarians be read at www.letusreason.org/7thAd9.htm . To me, the early churchs non-enforcement of the Sabbath-law is one of the clearest indications that Jesus taught, and that the apostles understood, that Jesus was leading His followers into a new dispensation. Christians were, and are, free to observe the Sabbath rest-regulations if they want to, but we are not required to; nor should we obligate other Christians to rest on Saturdays.
So what happened to the Sabbath-law? The same thing that happened to the rest of the Law (including the rest of the Ten Commandments): it was fulfilled in Christ. Our Sabbath-rest is now in Christ, as we work in this life as His body and anticipate our rest with Him in the Sabbath of the heavenly Promised Land. Many of the commandments in the Law are repeated and expanded upon in the covenant of grace (as I mention when explaining Matthew 5:17-18), but there is no re-affirmation of the command to abstain from work every Saturday. Colossians 2:16-17 is an important passage about this.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: The question, Should Christians keep the Sabbath? has been written about a lot. One example of the approach taken by non-Sabbatarians be read at www.letusreason.org/7thAd9.htm . To me, the early churchs non-enforcement of the Sabbath-law is one of the clearest indications that Jesus taught, and that the apostles understood, that Jesus was leading His followers into a new dispensation. Christians were, and are, free to observe the Sabbath rest-regulations if they want to, but we are not required to; nor should we obligate other Christians to rest on Saturdays.
So what happened to the Sabbath-law? The same thing that happened to the rest of the Law (including the rest of the Ten Commandments): it was fulfilled in Christ. Our Sabbath-rest is now in Christ, as we work in this life as His body and anticipate our rest with Him in the Sabbath of the heavenly Promised Land. Many of the commandments in the Law are repeated and expanded upon in the covenant of grace (as I mention when explaining Matthew 5:17-18), but there is no re-affirmation of the command to abstain from work every Saturday. Colossians 2:16-17 is an important passage about this.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
