The Ten Commandments are the Covenant, did you know?

[mailmandan]

comment:

"says it all right there. Why would you feel sorry for believers"

"""for not keeping a commandment they were never given to keep under the new covenant"

Matthew 19

16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Plural

Christ did not say "just keep these" or all but the 1st - the 4th.

Jeremiah 31

: 33 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.

The word translated as Law is Torah #8451. The whole Torah is to become our Nature. If it is our nature we will be keeping it.

Paul taught:

Hebrews 8

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

the ONLY change made to the New Covenant was to the Promises, that means the Torah remains the "consideration" what we give, must do -- to gain the promises.

New Covenant;
between God and Israel, same
the Torah is now our "spiritual" consideration, still physical as well
the promises are now spiritual: God's Holy Spirit in us and eternal life, not just physical blessings
and a Spiritual High Priest, Jesus Christ

In regard to Matthew 19, Jesus showed the rich young man how short he falls of keeping the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) which is the first of the two great commandments (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). The rich young ruler confidently and (self righteously) declared that he has kept the commandments from his youth up and qualified for heaven under those terms. Yet Jesus knew the man's wealth had become his idolatrous god, which kept him from believing in Jesus.

The rich young ruler missed the point that Jesus was making, failed to place his faith in Jesus for salvation, and continued instead to trust in his riches (vs. 21-23). His face fell and he went away sad because he could not part from his great wealth, not even in exchange for eternal life. If keeping the commandments is the basis or means by which we obtain salvation, then why isn't this remark the pattern for all discussions concerning eternal life? Paul would have said to the jailer who asked, "what must I do to be saved?" by replying in Acts 16:31 - keep the commandments, yet that's not what Paul said. Instead, Paul said, Believe in/on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.."

Jesus knows the hearts of all men and responds to each individual a little differently because He knows where their need is. He didn't respond to the woman at the well, or to Nicodemus or to the rich young ruler the same way, yet the consistent pattern in scripture is salvation by grace through faith, not works. (Ephesians 2:8,9)

God has made the old covenant obsolete to legally put into place the new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:6-9; Hebrews 8:6-13) The life of discipleship flows out of the new command, to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34), and the apostle Paul says that by bearing one another's burdens, we fulfill "law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2) So, love fulfills the law (Romans 13:8-10) and out of this single command comes other commands, including references for the moral aspect of 9 of the 10 commandments which are reiterated under the new covenant, yet the command to keep the sabbath day is not binding on Christians under the new covenant.

1. You shall have no other gods before Me. - Acts 14:15
2. You shall make no idols. - 1 John 5:21
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. - James 2:7; James 5:12
4. Keep the sabbath day holy. - Not binding on the Church - Colossians 2:16-17
5. Honor your father and your mother. - Ephesians 6:1-2
6. You shall not murder. - Romans 13:9 10; 1 John 3:15
7. You shall not commit adultery. - Romans 13:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
8. You shall not steal. - Romans 13:9-10; Ephesians 4:28
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. - Romans 13:9-10; Colossians 3:9-10
10. You shall not covet. - Romans 13:9-10; Ephesians 5:3

 

[TMS]

History shows that sabbath keeping was vbelieved by Christians for at least 200 years after Christ. And not just because of Jews.. there was fighting between the different groups. But keeping the sabbath was associated as Jewish by the Roman pagans so Christians were persecuted by both Jews and Romans who were fighting against the Jewish revolts.
Pagans started to incorporate Christian teachings into there philosophy which caused lots of false teachings. And finally Constantine was converted to Christianity and forced Sunday worship.

True sabbath keepers have lived from Christ's day until today.

Robert Leo Odom succinctly explains:
"The second century opened with intense antipathy manifested throughout the Roman Empire by pagan Gentiles toward Jews as a result of Jewish uprisings against the Roman government in Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, and Cyrene during the reign of Trajan (98-117). It reached its climax during the Jewish revolt led by Bar Cocheba in Judea during 132-135. Emperor Hadrian (117-138) crushed the long and bloody revolt with terrible severity, razed Jerusalem, and established a heathen community there, and made it a capital crime for a Jew to set foot on its soil. Judaism was outlawed by harsh decrees of the emperor, and all of its religious practices- especially Sabbath observance, Passover celebration, and circumcision- were prohibited under penalty of death. Although the Hadrianic decrees were softened somewhat by Antonius Pius (138-161), widespread animosity toward Judaism and everything that seemed to smack of it smoldered long afterward.[2]

The stakes were high for those early Christians who kept the sabbath. Furthermore, because Christians were linked with Jews, as was the case in the minds of many Romans, the early followers of Christ were also worthy of persecution. This volatile environment was the setting in which the early Fathers lived and ministered. This persecution also shows that, at least for many early Christians, the sabbath debate was not a mere academic exercise; it was, potentially, a matter of life and death. They had good reason to avoid the “Christian Sabbath” terminology, and to use the Lord’s Day language instead.

So Christians were greatly persecuted for keeping the sabbath.

 

[vassal]

Can you prove from scripture that sabbath keeping is a valid commandment for EVERYONE? This does not sound like EVERYONE. (Exodus 16:23, 29; 20:1-2; 31:12-18; 35:1-3; Leviticus 19:30; 23:2-3, 32; Numbers 15:32-36; 28:1-10)

Yes, Scripture does prove that the Sabbath is a valid commandment for everyone, not only for Israel. When we read the Bible in order the picture becomes clear.
Jesus Himself shows that the Sabbath is broader than Israel. In Mark 2:27 (NKJV) Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” He did not say it was made for Jews only. He said it was made for man, meaning humanity. Jesus points back to creation, not to Sinai. This matters because creation happened long before Israel existed. The Sabbath rest was given when God made the world, showing it was meant for all people from the beginning.

Jesus also says in Matthew 5:17–19 (NKJV) that He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it, and that whoever breaks even the least commandment and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom. The Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments spoken by God Himself. Jesus never removed it. Instead, He corrected false rules added by men and showed how to keep the Sabbath the right way, by doing good and showing mercy.

Jesus also speaks about the future and assumes Sabbath observance will still matter. In Matthew 24:20 (NKJV) He tells His disciples to pray that their flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. This was spoken about events after His resurrection. That shows He did not see the Sabbath as a command that would disappear.
After Jesus, His disciples continued in the same understanding. In Acts 13:42–44 (NKJV), Gentiles asked to hear God’s word on the next Sabbath, and almost the whole city came together on the Sabbath. This was not forced on Jews only. Gentiles chose to gather that day to hear God’s word. In Acts 18:4 (NKJV), it says that Paul reasoned every Sabbath with both Jews and Greeks. Even non-Jews were hearing and learning on the Sabbath, showing it was not seen as a Jewish-only day.

Now going back to the Old Testament, the Sabbath was already blessed and made holy at creation. Genesis 2:2–3 (NKJV) says that God rested, blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it. No Jew existed yet. This was for all mankind.
When the Sabbath commandment is given in Exodus 20:8–11, it is rooted in creation, not Israel’s rescue from Egypt. That shows it is a moral command, not a national one. Also, God clearly includes non-Israelites. Exodus 20:10 (NKJV)says that the Sabbath applies to “your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, and your stranger who is within your gates.” The “stranger” was a non-Israelite living among them.

God makes this even clearer in Isaiah 56:1–7 (NKJV). God speaks about foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, who keep the Sabbath and hold fast His covenant. God says He will bring them to His holy mountain and make them joyful in His house of prayer. This passage directly includes Gentiles and shows that Sabbath keeping is pleasing to God for them too.

So when the verses listed in the question say “the children of Israel,” that does not mean the Sabbath was only for them. Israel was chosen to receive and guard God’s commandments, just as they were chosen to receive God’s Word. But the command itself is rooted in creation, affirmed by Jesus, practiced by His disciples, and promised to foreigners who follow the Lord.
The Sabbath was made at creation for all people, spoken by God in the Ten Commandments, kept and honored by Jesus, continued by His disciples, and promised as a blessing for Gentiles who turn to the Lord. Scripture does not limit it to one group only.

 

[TMS]

4. Keep the sabbath day holy. - Not binding on the Church - Colossians 2:16-17

This has been explained before but do you understand the difference between the yearly sabbaths and the weekly sabbath?

Do you see the differences between the laws of Moses given because of sin. And the laws that define sin.

Sabbath days (plural).
The 7th day sabbath (Singular)

1Ch 23:31-32
31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD: 32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

Notice "ordinance" notice sabbaths (plural)

2Ch 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

Isa 66:22-23
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

Notice the sabbath (Singular)

Exo 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (Singular).

It is clear that the sabbath days (cerimonial), were added, when the ordinances were added but the 7th day sabbath was from creation.

There is only one weekly sabbath day.

There are different and multiple cerimonial sabbaths.

Prove that the sabbath days (plural) in Col 2 are not the cerimonal sabbaths. ...


Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

God does not make sense or is strange if He nails the 10 commandments to the cross then reinstated 9 of them.

 

[pinebeach]

If only you would KNOW what Jesus was teaching and believe all of what he said is true, we would not have any arguments.

It is your unbibical contributions and obstinate refusal to accept what Jesus says, regarding the fact His blood is the New Covenant and the old is passed away, that creates the 'arguement' as you put it. You are not on the right side of this.

 

[pinebeach]

Pray that your flight isn't on the sabbath.

where yah goin? and when did you become a Jew living 2000 yrs ago?

 

[vassal]

It is your unbibical contributions and obstinate refusal to accept what Jesus says, regarding the fact His blood is the New Covenant and the old is passed away, that creates the 'arguement' as you put it. You are not on the right side of this.

Do not twist Scripture to shut out obedience. Jesus Himself said, ‘If you love Me, keep My commandments’ (John 14:15). The New Covenant in His blood does not cancel God’s law; it fulfills it. To reject His commands is not being ‘on the right side’ of Him.

 

[soulprobe]

“Verse 5 repeats the same issue: “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” The dispute was about how a person is saved, not whether God suddenly stopped caring about obedience. The apostles were rejecting forced conversion to Judaism as a requirement for salvation, not declaring God’s commandments meaningless.”

Verse 5 repeats the same issue but adds the most important part of the dispute: “and to command them to keep the law of Moses”.

It wasn’t circumcision that was the greatest scare to the Gentiles, as I mentioned earlier, that can be over and done with. But the real scare was that they were to be commanded to keep the law of Moses, which includes the Sabbath, which is clear evidence that that was something that they were not doing at that time.

Now this doesn’t mean they were declaring “God’s commandments meaningless”. They were just currently observing God’s commandments through a different contract/agreement.

The commandments of God to the followers of Christ, in this context; the Gentile followers of Christ in Asia, are not identical to the commandments given to the children of Israel during the time of Moses. Yes, there are some similarities because they’re coming from the same God, but they are not identical as they are presented through a new and different contract/agreement. This new and different agreement is between God and His Children, whereas the old contract was between God and the children of Israel.

Now this new contract is not an extension of the old one, or a mutilated version of the old one merged with a transcribed and altered version of the new one as I see so often around here, it’s a replacement of the old one between God and a different party. The first party were the children of Israel, this new party are the Children of God. The decree says that the children of God, who are Gentiles, do not have to subject themselves to an old contract that they were never a party to. (Neither did the Jews at the time of the decree need to subject themselves but that’s a different topic). That old contract has observances and duties that are not in the new contract. Also, the new contract is not written down on anything…. Yes, we can’t murder under the new contract, but it’s not written down… in fact, every commandment in the new contract, which are virtually innumerable because it deals with the nuances of man’s nature compared to God’s nature, are not written down, which is powerful evidence that your contract, the Ten commandments, that were written down, has no part of the new contract… But yet again, because both contracts were initiated by the same God, there will be some similarities.

“You say there was never any commandment from the apostles or elders for Gentiles to keep the law. This ignores what James actually says when he gives the final judgment. After listing four immediate instructions for Gentile believers, James adds: “For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath” (Acts 15:21, NKJV). This sentence has a purpose. It shows that Gentile believers were entering communities where God’s ways were already taught regularly. The decree answers the salvation question; it does not cancel learning and obedience over time.”

You are totally misunderstanding what James meant when he said, “For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath”. But this is very common… you’re not alone.

What James was saying is that for generations, Jews were being taught Moses in the synagogues every Sabbath, whereas the Gentiles never had this… this sudden observance of the law of Moses, building synagogues and going to them every Sabbath would put them into shock as their diverse cultures were not accustomed to this, whereas for the Jews this was all second nature as they were practicing this for generations. So this was definitely not a shock that they wanted to impose on the Gentiles.

“You correctly say that the law of Moses includes the Sabbath, but your conclusion goes beyond Scripture. Jesus kept the Sabbath, taught on it, and corrected false traditions about it. He never said it was abolished. He said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, NKJV). He also warned clearly: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19, NKJV). Acts 15 cannot be used to undo the words of Christ.”

Yes… Jesus not only kept the Sabbath, He kept the whole law of Moses and He encouraged all the Jews to even excel beyond the Pharisees in keeping the law of Moses. And Jesus wasn’t only the Lord of the Sabbath, He was the Lord of the law of Moses which He kept perfectly. Why are you not keeping the whole law of Moses just as Jesus did? Well I know why… because that’s impossible. So you attempt to keep the summarized portion of the law of Moses, the Ten commandments, even though you probably fail miserably at a few of those, especially the Sabbath which I know you’ve all changed to suit the modern 9 to 5 western lifestyle.

And yes… while Jesus lived in the flesh the law of Moses was in full effect and anyone at that time who taught that the least of the commandments in the law of Moses can be broken they shall be called least in the Kingdom of God. And who was Jesus addressing when He made that statement? He was addressing Jews, not Gentiles… Jews who were in Judea who were granted by the Romans a full functioning Temple and priesthood were all obligated, just as Jesus was Himself, to obey all the law of Moses.

“Mocking the argument by bringing up murder, lying, and stealing misses the real issue. No one is saying believers are free to sin. The real problem is selective obedience. You cannot keep the commandments you agree with while dismissing the ones Jesus honored. Jesus tied love directly to obedience when He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15, NKJV). He did not separate God’s will into “binding” and “discarded” parts.”

Selective obedience is exactly what you’re doing. Even the Sabbath that you keep is not in accordance with the details laid out by God through Moses in the original commandment. And since when did God make a special contract with the SDAs that isolated the Ten commandments from the law pf Moses and allowed the SDAs to alter the Sabbath for the modern American lifestyle? Nowhere in the bible are the Ten commandments viewed as not part of the law of Moses… they were given during the time of Moses from Sinai… not before or after… but the SDAs believe they have the power to alter God’s contracts without even having Him as a signatory to their altered contract… What arrogance!

Yes Christ does have commandments… He’s God.. and because He’s God he can make up new contracts with whomever He chooses and whenever He chooses through which He can deliver His commandments according to His purpose… And His commandments He delivers through His new contract with a different and new party are not exactly the same as the commandments He delivered through the old contract to the old party. Contracts must be changed according to the nature of the party, their location, their environments…. Many who are under the New contract are slaves, living under dictatorships…. This is why God didn’t give the law of Moses to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the children of Israel while they were in Egypt… He waited to get them under His complete rule and control and even then they still disobeyed and yet the SDAs come around with their own contract expecting people to be saved with it.

Finally, your language about transformation, higher realms, and dwelling where there are no sunsets may sound spiritual, but it is not grounded in what Jesus taught. Jesus never said closeness to God removes obedience. He said the opposite: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV). True transformation leads to obedience, not away from it.

Where did I say closeness to God removes obedience…. I am obedient to God... that’s one of the main reasons I’m also close. I’m just not obedient to you and the SDAs… God will let you know about my obedience if you should care to ask Him when you come before Him and see His Face.

Acts 15 does not abolish God’s commandments. It rejects salvation by ritual conversion. Using it to dismiss obedience to Jesus is not deeper understanding. It is a serious error that places human interpretation above the clear words of Christ.

Yes… Acts 15 does not abolish God’s commandments, it only abolished the duty of God’s Children to subjugate themselves to commandments framed within an old contract that they were not a party to… especially ad hoc contracts made up by dead American women.

 

[Inquisitor]

History shows that sabbath keeping was vbelieved by Christians for at least 200 years after Christ. And not just because of Jews.. there was fighting between the different groups. But keeping the sabbath was associated as Jewish by the Roman pagans so Christians were persecuted by both Jews and Romans who were fighting against the Jewish revolts.
Pagans started to incorporate Christian teachings into there philosophy which caused lots of false teachings. And finally Constantine was converted to Christianity and forced Sunday worship.

True sabbath keepers have lived from Christ's day until today.

Robert Leo Odom succinctly explains:
"The second century opened with intense antipathy manifested throughout the Roman Empire by pagan Gentiles toward Jews as a result of Jewish uprisings against the Roman government in Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, and Cyrene during the reign of Trajan (98-117). It reached its climax during the Jewish revolt led by Bar Cocheba in Judea during 132-135. Emperor Hadrian (117-138) crushed the long and bloody revolt with terrible severity, razed Jerusalem, and established a heathen community there, and made it a capital crime for a Jew to set foot on its soil. Judaism was outlawed by harsh decrees of the emperor, and all of its religious practices- especially Sabbath observance, Passover celebration, and circumcision- were prohibited under penalty of death. Although the Hadrianic decrees were softened somewhat by Antonius Pius (138-161), widespread animosity toward Judaism and everything that seemed to smack of it smoldered long afterward.[2]

The stakes were high for those early Christians who kept the sabbath. Furthermore, because Christians were linked with Jews, as was the case in the minds of many Romans, the early followers of Christ were also worthy of persecution. This volatile environment was the setting in which the early Fathers lived and ministered. This persecution also shows that, at least for many early Christians, the sabbath debate was not a mere academic exercise; it was, potentially, a matter of life and death. They had good reason to avoid the “Christian Sabbath” terminology, and to use the Lord’s Day language instead.

So Christians were greatly persecuted for keeping the sabbath.

Another spectacular statement see below.

So Christians were greatly persecuted for keeping the sabbath.

The SDA is around 160 years old or so and there is no historical record of sabbath keeping
among early Christians. Except for some whacko Ethiopians perhaps.

So any persecution for taking a day of rest would be seen as miniscule.

Historically, persecution of Christians is because of believing in Jesus Christ and living a godly life.

Here have a read of 21st century Christian persecution.

According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2020 report, Christians in Burma, China, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Vietnam are persecuted; these countries are labelled "countries of particular concern" by the United States Department of State, because of their governments' engagement in, or toleration of, "severe violations of religious freedom".[15]: 2  The same report recommends that Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, the Central African Republic, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Sudan, and Turkey constitute the US State Department's "special watchlist" of countries in which the government allows or engages in "severe violations of religious freedom".[15]: 2

Much of the persecution of Christians in recent times is perpetrated by non-state actors which are labelled "entities of particular concern" by the US State Department, including the Islamist groups Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Houthi movement in Yemen, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province in Pakistan, al-Shabaab in Somalia, the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Islamic State as well as the United State Army and participants in the Kachin conflict in Myanmar.[15]: 2 (wiki)

I don't think any of those countries mentioned above even have an SDA church.

Having a day of rest is not so much a godly lifestyle and I don't think anyone would notice.

Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and you will die in most of those states.

 

[Inquisitor]

This has been explained before but do you understand the difference between the yearly sabbaths and the weekly sabbath?

Do you see the differences between the laws of Moses given because of sin. And the laws that define sin.

Sabbath days (plural).
The 7th day sabbath (Singular)

1Ch 23:31-32
31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD: 32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

Notice "ordinance" notice sabbaths (plural)

2Ch 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

Isa 66:22-23
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

Notice the sabbath (Singular)

Exo 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (Singular).

It is clear that the sabbath days (cerimonial), were added, when the ordinances were added but the 7th day sabbath was from creation.

There is only one weekly sabbath day.

There are different and multiple cerimonial sabbaths.

Prove that the sabbath days (plural) in Col 2 are not the cerimonal sabbaths. ...


Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

God does not make sense or is strange if He nails the 10 commandments to the cross then reinstated 9 of them.

Sabbaths are weekly, new moons are monthly, and rest days and festival sabbaths are yearly.

Hey, cerimonial is a misspelling of ceremonial.

There is not a singular sabbath there are actually 52 sabbaths a year.

The pattern in the OT and in the NT is weekly, monthly, yearly.

Colossians 2:16
Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a
festival (yearly) or a new moon (monthly), or a Sabbath day (weekly).

 

[Prycejosh1987]

This distinction is important. The Ten Commandments being described clearly as the Covenant were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant, showing their eternal, unchanging nature as the foundation of the covenant. The rest of the law was placed beside the Ark, acting as a witness.

Well said. The witness you speak of, i believe it was approved by God but Moses created the 613 laws which the Jews were to follow. but the 10 commandments were created by God.

 

[mailmandan]

Yes, Scripture does prove that the Sabbath is a valid commandment for everyone, not only for Israel. When we read the Bible in order the picture becomes clear.

When we read the Bible it becomes clear that the sabbath commandment was for Israel. The word "Sabbath" first appears in Exodus 16:23 - Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning." Who was this addressed to? The children of Israel. (Exodus 16:1-3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, 31, 35). In verse 6, we read - Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought YOU out of the land of Egypt. In Exodus 20:2, who was God giving the 10 commandments to? I am the Lord your God, who brought YOU out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. The children of Israel.

Jesus Himself shows that the Sabbath is broader than Israel. In Mark 2:27 (NKJV) Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” He did not say it was made for Jews only. He said it was made for man, meaning humanity. Jesus points back to creation, not to Sinai. This matters because creation happened long before Israel existed. The Sabbath rest was given when God made the world, showing it was meant for all people from the beginning.

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, which means humanity and Jesus did not say ALL of mankind, yet the Israelites are of humanity, mankind. In context, Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their false accusation against the disciples (who were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat) accusing them of breaking the law regarding resting on the Sabbath. Jesus responded by giving an example from the Old Testament that David was once in need of food and was given consecrated bread that was only lawful for the priests to eat. (1 Samuel 21:1-61) The bread had served a practical need for David and his followers, just as it did with Jesus and His disciples. The disciples had not broken God’s law; they had only violated the Pharisees’ legalistic, interpretation of the law. Jesus reminded the Pharisees of the original intent of the Sabbath by saying that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

There was no sabbath law to keep at creation. If every man from Adam to Moses kept the sabbath, why is the Hebrew word for the weekly sabbath found in the Ten Commandments, never found in the book of Genesis? Why is no one before Moses ever being told to keep the sabbath? Why are there no examples of anyone keeping the sabbath before Moses? Why were the Patriarchs never instructed about the sabbath but were instructed regarding: offerings: Genesis 4:3-4, Altars Genesis 8:20, Priests: Genesis 14:18, Tithes: Genesis 14:20, Circumcision: Genesis 17:10, Marriage: Genesis 2:24 and Genesis 34:9.

Jesus also says in Matthew 5:17–19 (NKJV) that He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it, and that whoever breaks even the least commandment and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom. The Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments spoken by God Himself. Jesus never removed it. Instead, He corrected false rules added by men and showed how to keep the Sabbath the right way, by doing good and showing mercy.

So according to your logic, Jesus failed to fulfill the law, and we are still under the law of Moses? The Sabbath was shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)

Jesus also speaks about the future and assumes Sabbath observance will still matter. In Matthew 24:20 (NKJV) He tells His disciples to pray that their flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. This was spoken about events after His resurrection. That shows He did not see the Sabbath as a command that would disappear.

How about a little context. Matthew 24:16 - “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the sabbath. Praying that "your flight not be on the sabbath or winter" in verse 20 has to do with "let those in Judea flee" in verse 16. Matthew 24:20 applies to those living in Judea. Travel for pregnant and nursing women would be very difficult. The only reasonable explanation of Jesus' reference to the sabbath here is that He was concerned with the difficulties these Israelites would face if they were forced to leave Judea on the sabbath day.

After Jesus, His disciples continued in the same understanding. In Acts 13:42–44 (NKJV), Gentiles asked to hear God’s word on the next Sabbath, and almost the whole city came together on the Sabbath. This was not forced on Jews only. Gentiles chose to gather that day to hear God’s word. In Acts 18:4 (NKJV), it says that Paul reasoned every Sabbath with both Jews and Greeks. Even non-Jews were hearing and learning on the Sabbath, showing it was not seen as a Jewish-only day.

Paul's work there was evangelism and not sabbath worship. The Greeks were Jewish converts to Judaism known as proselytes. They practiced the law of Moses and kept the sabbath. The only Greeks that were in the synagogue would be these proselytes. These Greeks were not yet Christians. Acts 13:43 - "Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God."

Acts 14:1 - "In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks."

Acts 17:4 - "And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

Acts 18:4 - "And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks."

CONTINUED...

 

[mailmandan]

Now going back to the Old Testament, the Sabbath was already blessed and made holy at creation. Genesis 2:2–3 (NKJV) says that God rested, blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it. No Jew existed yet. This was for all mankind.

Now although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future sabbath law, there is no Biblical record of the sabbath being kept before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. *Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that sabbath keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses.

Deuteronomy 5:1 - And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive.

Nehemiah 9:13 - Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, and laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses.

When the Sabbath commandment is given in Exodus 20:8–11, it is rooted in creation, not Israel’s rescue from Egypt. That shows it is a moral command, not a national one.

The Sabbath commandment is rooted in both creation and Israel's deliverance from Egypt.

Exodus 31:16 - Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’

Deuteronomy 5:15 - Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

Also, God clearly includes non-Israelites. Exodus 20:10 (NKJV) says that the Sabbath applies to “your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your cattle, and your stranger who is within your gates.” The “stranger” was a non-Israelite living among them. God makes this even clearer in Isaiah 56:1–7 (NKJV). God speaks about foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, who keep the Sabbath and hold fast His covenant. God says He will bring them to His holy mountain and make them joyful in His house of prayer. This passage directly includes Gentiles and shows that Sabbath keeping is pleasing to God for them too.

Key words - within your gates. In regard to Isaiah 56:1-7, foreigners were to "join themselves to the Lord;" and "love the name of the Lord;" and "be his servants;" and "take hold of God's covenant." The OLD COVENANT. But to do this they had to be circumcised, for God said: “No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary." (Ezekiel 44:9) When Gentiles thus "joined themselves to the Lord" they ceased being Gentiles and became proselytes to the Jewish religion. They kept the Sabbath AS JEWISH PROSELYTES, NOT as Gentiles.

But where are Gentiles as Gentiles ever commanded to keep the Sabbath? Furthermore, if the Sabbath was of universal application, why were the Gentiles called "strangers?" The apostle Paul, speaking of the Gentiles during the Jewish age, says they were "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world?" (Ephesians 2:12) When God gave the Sabbath commandment at Sinai, why did he make it binding ONLY on "the stranger that is within your gates?" (Exodus 20:10) Where is the passage that proves the Sabbath was binding on the Gentile OUTSIDE the gates? All this shows the Sabbath was NOT universally applied. If it had been, there would have been no "strangers from the covenants of promise."

So when the verses listed in the question say, “the children of Israel,” that does not mean the Sabbath was only for them. Israel was chosen to receive and guard God’s commandments, just as they were chosen to receive God’s Word. But the command itself is rooted in creation, affirmed by Jesus, practiced by His disciples, and promised to foreigners who follow the Lord.

Jesus' disciples were Jewish and under the law and Jesus Himself was born under the law (Galatians 4:4) so they practiced keeping the sabbath. Now just because Jewish proselytes within their gates practiced keeping the sabbath along with the Israelites does not mean that it's a universal command for Gentiles who are not proselytes.

The Sabbath was made at creation for all people, spoken by God in the Ten Commandments, kept and honored by Jesus, continued by His disciples, and promised as a blessing for Gentiles who turn to the Lord. Scripture does not limit it to one group only.

Show me the word "Sabbath" in the book of Genesis. Again, although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future sabbath law, there is no Biblical record of the sabbath being kept before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. *Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that sabbath keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses. The sabbath is not all inclusive.

 

[vassal]

Verse 5 repeats the same issue but adds the most important part of the dispute: “and to command them to keep the law of Moses”.

It wasn’t circumcision that was the greatest scare to the Gentiles, as I mentioned earlier, that can be over and done with. But the real scare was that they were to be commanded to keep the law of Moses, which includes the Sabbath, which is clear evidence that that was something that they were not doing at that time.

Now this doesn’t mean they were declaring “God’s commandments meaningless”. They were just currently observing God’s commandments through a different contract/agreement.

The commandments of God to the followers of Christ, in this context; the Gentile followers of Christ in Asia, are not identical to the commandments given to the children of Israel during the time of Moses. Yes, there are some similarities because they’re coming from the same God, but they are not identical as they are presented through a new and different contract/agreement. This new and different agreement is between God and His Children, whereas the old contract was between God and the children of Israel.

Now this new contract is not an extension of the old one, or a mutilated version of the old one merged with a transcribed and altered version of the new one as I see so often around here, it’s a replacement of the old one between God and a different party. The first party were the children of Israel, this new party are the Children of God. The decree says that the children of God, who are Gentiles, do not have to subject themselves to an old contract that they were never a party to. (Neither did the Jews at the time of the decree need to subject themselves but that’s a different topic). That old contract has observances and duties that are not in the new contract. Also, the new contract is not written down on anything…. Yes, we can’t murder under the new contract, but it’s not written down… in fact, every commandment in the new contract, which are virtually innumerable because it deals with the nuances of man’s nature compared to God’s nature, are not written down, which is powerful evidence that your contract, the Ten commandments, that were written down, has no part of the new contract… But yet again, because both contracts were initiated by the same God, there will be some similarities.



You are totally misunderstanding what James meant when he said, “For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath”. But this is very common… you’re not alone.

What James was saying is that for generations, Jews were being taught Moses in the synagogues every Sabbath, whereas the Gentiles never had this… this sudden observance of the law of Moses, building synagogues and going to them every Sabbath would put them into shock as their diverse cultures were not accustomed to this, whereas for the Jews this was all second nature as they were practicing this for generations. So this was definitely not a shock that they wanted to impose on the Gentiles.



Yes… Jesus not only kept the Sabbath, He kept the whole law of Moses and He encouraged all the Jews to even excel beyond the Pharisees in keeping the law of Moses. And Jesus wasn’t only the Lord of the Sabbath, He was the Lord of the law of Moses which He kept perfectly. Why are you not keeping the whole law of Moses just as Jesus did? Well I know why… because that’s impossible. So you attempt to keep the summarized portion of the law of Moses, the Ten commandments, even though you probably fail miserably at a few of those, especially the Sabbath which I know you’ve all changed to suit the modern 9 to 5 western lifestyle.

And yes… while Jesus lived in the flesh the law of Moses was in full effect and anyone at that time who taught that the least of the commandments in the law of Moses can be broken they shall be called least in the Kingdom of God. And who was Jesus addressing when He made that statement? He was addressing Jews, not Gentiles… Jews who were in Judea who were granted by the Romans a full functioning Temple and priesthood were all obligated, just as Jesus was Himself, to obey all the law of Moses.



Selective obedience is exactly what you’re doing. Even the Sabbath that you keep is not in accordance with the details laid out by God through Moses in the original commandment. And since when did God make a special contract with the SDAs that isolated the Ten commandments from the law pf Moses and allowed the SDAs to alter the Sabbath for the modern American lifestyle? Nowhere in the bible are the Ten commandments viewed as not part of the law of Moses… they were given during the time of Moses from Sinai… not before or after… but the SDAs believe they have the power to alter God’s contracts without even having Him as a signatory to their altered contract… What arrogance!

Yes Christ does have commandments… He’s God.. and because He’s God he can make up new contracts with whomever He chooses and whenever He chooses through which He can deliver His commandments according to His purpose… And His commandments He delivers through His new contract with a different and new party are not exactly the same as the commandments He delivered through the old contract to the old party. Contracts must be changed according to the nature of the party, their location, their environments…. Many who are under the New contract are slaves, living under dictatorships…. This is why God didn’t give the law of Moses to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the children of Israel while they were in Egypt… He waited to get them under His complete rule and control and even then they still disobeyed and yet the SDAs come around with their own contract expecting people to be saved with it.



Where did I say closeness to God removes obedience…. I am obedient to God... that’s one of the main reasons I’m also close. I’m just not obedient to you and the SDAs… God will let you know about my obedience if you should care to ask Him when you come before Him and see His Face.



Yes… Acts 15 does not abolish God’s commandments, it only abolished the duty of God’s Children to subjugate themselves to commandments framed within an old contract that they were not a party to… especially ad hoc contracts made up by dead American women.

The real issue is not Acts 15, the Sabbath, or contracts.
The real issue is picking who defines obedience.
You accuse others of selective obedience, but you do the same by choosing which commandments belong to which people and time. Jesus never taught this kind of division.
Jesus did not replace God’s commandments with a different set. He confirmed them and showed how they are to be kept. He said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17, NKJV). Fulfill does not mean remove. It means bring to their true meaning.
The difference of the new covenant is not that the commandments disappear, but that they are written in the heart, not imposed by fear or ritual. God already promised this: “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33, NKJV). Jesus came to make this possible.
That is why Jesus kept the commandments and taught mercy, love, and faith as their true purpose. He corrected hard, legal obedience and replaced it with living obedience. When He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15, NKJV), He did not give permission to choose some and dismiss others. He taught how to keep them rightly.
Acts 15 does not remove God’s commandments. It removes forced conversion, fear-based law, and obedience without love. True obedience remains, but now it flows from a changed heart, following Jesus, not from a checklist or a divided contract.
That is what many still misunderstand.

 

[mailmandan]

This has been explained before but do you understand the difference between the yearly sabbaths and the weekly sabbath?

You mean "explained away."

Do you see the differences between the laws of Moses given because of sin. And the laws that define sin.

Sabbath days (plural).
The 7th day sabbath (Singular)

1Ch 23:31-32
31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD: 32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

Notice "ordinance" notice sabbaths (plural)

2Ch 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

Notice the sabbath (Singular)

Exo 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (Singular).

It is clear that the sabbath days (cerimonial), were added, when the ordinances were added but the 7th day sabbath was from creation.

There is only one weekly sabbath day.

There are different and multiple cerimonial sabbaths.

Prove that the sabbath days (plural) in Col 2 are not the cerimonal sabbaths. ...

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Colossians 2:16 is not simply talking about "ceremonial Sabbaths." The words "ton sabbaton" or "sabbath days"; are the same words translated "Sabbath day" in Exodus 20:8 in the Septuagint.

We see Paul's reasoning, "Let no one judge you regarding a, festival - yearly Sabbaths, a new moon - monthly Sabbaths, or a Sabbath day - weekly Sabbaths (or Sabbath days)" CHRIST, he goes on to say is the "Substance", these things were shadows.

When this passage is compared with Galatians 4:9 we can see that a connection in Paul's teaching is revealed: "But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years."

In verse 10, we read - "you observe..,"

days (weekly Sabbaths, corresponding to "Sabbath days in Colossians 2)
months (new moons, corresponding to "a new moon" in Colossians 2)
seasons (the 7 feasts, corresponding to "festivals" in Colossians 2)
and years (the sabbatical year and the 50th year of Jubilee)

Paul is clearing speaking about the observances of all Jewish holy days, including the weekly Sabbath. When God wants refers to the whole system of Jewish holy days, rather than naming them all, He would refer to the yearly, monthly and weekly as representing the whole system and yearly Sabbaths were already referred to in Colossians 2:16 as "festivals". The "Year, Month, Week" pattern is well established in the Old Testament and Colossians 2:16 must also refer to the weekly Sabbath.

Yearly, monthly, weekly pattern proves it is the weekly Sabbath

1 Chronicles 23:31 - Yearly (fixed festivals), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbaths)

2 Chronicles 2:4 - Yearly (appointed feasts), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbaths)

2 Chronicles 8:13 - Yearly (annual feasts), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbaths)

2 Chronicles 31:3 - Yearly (fixed festivals), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbaths)

Nehemiah 10:33 - Yearly (appointed times), monthly (new moon), weekly (Sabbaths)

Isaiah 1:13-14 - Yearly (appointed feasts), monthly (new moon), weekly (Sabbath)

Ezekiel 45:17 - Yearly (appointed feasts), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbaths)

Ezekiel 46:1-11 - Yearly (appointed feasts), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbath)

Hosea 2:11 - Yearly (festal assemblies), monthly (new moons), weekly (Sabbaths)

Galatians 4:10 - years, months, days

Colossians 2:16 - festival, new moon, Sabbath day

God does not make sense or is strange if He nails the 10 commandments to the cross then reinstated 9 of them

The moral aspect of 9 of the 10 commandments are reiterated under the new covenant and not reinstated as old covenant laws, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6-9) The law on our heart and mind is the love of the Spirit, not the law of the letter. This is why Paul tells us that the new covenant is a covenant of the Spirit, and not of the letter. Make sure you understand the difference.

Isa 66:22-23
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

In regard to Isaiah 66:22-23, this simply teaches that from month to month and from week to week, God’s people will worship the Lord. In the new heaven and the new earth, we read there will have no need of the sun or moon, there will be no night there, but one perpetual day and the glory of God will illuminate it. (Revelation 21:23-25).

How then could there be a cycle of seven days that would allow for literally keeping the weekly sabbath day under the law? The Isaiah passage simply means that God’s people will perpetually worship Him in contrast to keeping the weekly sabbath day under the law.

Furthermore, if one insists on weekly sabbath observances based on Isaiah 66:23, then one also needs to observe new moons as well. Yet from what I hear, Sabbatarians don’t observe new moons, which is inconsistent. New moons require night, hence Sabbatarians have night in heaven, yet there is no day and night cycles in heaven. You cannot have "new moon to new moon" or "sabbath days" without day and night.

Will there be Levitical priests in the new heaven? If Isaiah 66:23 teaches that we will keep the weekly sabbath day under the law in the new heaven, then it also teaches in Isaiah 66:21 that the Levitical priests will be in the new heaven, because it's also mentioned. What happened to the Levitical priesthood under the new covenant terms? Priesthood changed so did the law. Hebrews 7:12 - For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. The old and new covenants do not mix.

 

[vassal]

just would like to remind the OP is about the ten commandments being the New covenant is is NOT about the Sabbath command if you want to argue against the sabbath please adress someone from the SDA they can explain it better then I PLease stick on topic
The Ten Commandments are the Covenant, did you know?

Now although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future sabbath law, there is no Biblical record of the sabbath being kept before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. *Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that sabbath keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses.

Deuteronomy 5:1 - And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive.

Nehemiah 9:13 - Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, and laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses.

The Sabbath commandment is rooted in both creation and Israel's deliverance from Egypt.

Exodus 31:16 - Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’

Deuteronomy 5:15 - Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

Key words - within your gates. In regard to Isaiah 56:1-7, foreigners were to "join themselves to the Lord;" and "love the name of the Lord;" and "be his servants;" and "take hold of God's covenant." The OLD COVENANT. But to do this they had to be circumcised, for God said: “No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary." (Ezekiel 44:9) When Gentiles thus "joined themselves to the Lord" they ceased being Gentiles and became proselytes to the Jewish religion. They kept the Sabbath AS JEWISH PROSELYTES, NOT as Gentiles.

But where are Gentiles as Gentiles ever commanded to keep the Sabbath? Furthermore, if the Sabbath was of universal application, why were the Gentiles called "strangers?" The apostle Paul, speaking of the Gentiles during the Jewish age, says they were "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world?" (Ephesians 2:12) When God gave the Sabbath commandment at Sinai, why did he make it binding ONLY on "the stranger that is within your gates?" (Exodus 20:10) Where is the passage that proves the Sabbath was binding on the Gentile OUTSIDE the gates? All this shows the Sabbath was NOT universally applied. If it had been, there would have been no "strangers from the covenants of promise."

Jesus' disciples were Jewish and under the law and Jesus Himself was born under the law (Galatians 4:4) so they practiced keeping the sabbath. Now just because Jewish proselytes within their gates practiced keeping the sabbath along with the Israelites does not mean that it's a universal command for Gentiles who are not proselytes.

Show me the word "Sabbath" in the book of Genesis. Again, although God's rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future sabbath law, there is no Biblical record of the sabbath being kept before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt. *Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that sabbath keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses. The sabbath is not all inclusive.

I will answer briefly, since the Sabbath is not the main point here. But understand this. The fourth commandment is a commandment of God. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27, NKJV). It was given for our good, so we remember God and His creation, and it comes with a blessing.

It is one of the Ten Commandments, written by the finger of God, placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 31:18, Deuteronomy 10:2, 5). Revelation shows God’s temple in heaven and the Ark still there (Revelation 11:19), showing these commandments are not temporary.

The new covenant does not remove these laws. God promised, “I will put My laws in their mind, and write them on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33, NKJV). The law is the same. What changes is how it is lived.

Jesus did not teach obedience like the Pharisees, who added rules and focused only on the letter. He showed the right way to obey, through love, mercy, truth, and a changed heart (Matthew 23:23). That is why He came.

 

[memberofthebride]

This has been explained before but do you understand the difference between the yearly sabbaths and the weekly sabbath?

Do you see the differences between the laws of Moses given because of sin. And the laws that define sin.

Sabbath days (plural).
The 7th day sabbath (Singular)

1Ch 23:31-32
31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD: 32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

Notice "ordinance" notice sabbaths (plural)

2Ch 8:13 Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

Isa 66:22-23
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

Notice the sabbath (Singular)

Exo 35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (Singular).

It is clear that the sabbath days (cerimonial), were added, when the ordinances were added but the 7th day sabbath was from creation.

There is only one weekly sabbath day.

There are different and multiple cerimonial sabbaths.

Prove that the sabbath days (plural) in Col 2 are not the cerimonal sabbaths. ...


Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

God does not make sense or is strange if He nails the 10 commandments to the cross then reinstated 9 of them.

Comment:

""Keep the sabbath day holy. - Not binding on the Church""

So, all those claiming the 7th Day Sabbath, made Holy on the 7th Day of Creation and observed by Jesus Christ and His 13 Apostles during their life time, is no longer to be kept Holy, I would guess it ruins their weekend.

They, in effect, are telling us Jesus taught "do not do --- as I do" do what the Catholic Church tells you to do.

James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of our Fathers, 88th ed., pp. 89.

"But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify."

 

[Inquisitor]

Well said. The witness you speak of, i believe it was approved by God but Moses created the 613 laws which the Jews were to follow. but the 10 commandments were created by God.

Are you saying that the so called 'ceremonial law' was not from God?

You can uphold 'do not kill' and 'do not lie' but you can commit the kidnapping of children.

You can commit sorcery and witchcraft, you can brutally mistreat your employees.

You can commit all kinds of sexual sin but enforce the commandment against adultery.

You are able to afflict widows and orphans because that is ceremonial law and your not
under that law.

You have a twisted, contradictory, reading of the New Testament.

You claim that the law is binding but at the same time you say you are not under
the law?

 

[vassal]

Are you saying that the so called 'ceremonial law' was not from God?

You can uphold 'do not kill' and 'do not lie' but you can commit the kidnapping of children.

You can commit sorcery and witchcraft, you can brutally mistreat your employees.

You can commit all kinds of sexual sin but enforce the commandment against adultery.

You are able to afflict widows and orphans because that is ceremonial law and your not
under that law.

You have a twisted, contradictory, reading of the New Testament.

You claim that the law is binding but at the same time you say you are not under
the law?

he spoke of the law of moses for the israelites of that time and the ten commandments being different being given by god directly, you like to provoke a response but you understood well enough what was said. did he say the ceremonial laws were not from God ? are you one think the Ten commandments are part of a ceremonial law also? the rest you wrote is pure provocation and not necessary, why mention these vile things here on a christian site knowing he never said this? He never said we can do these evil things, I grow tired of your constant false accusations just to provoke a response, don't you have anything better to do than bothering people.

 

[Inquisitor]

he spoke of the law of moses for the israelites of that time and the ten commandments being different being given by god directly, you like to provoke a response but you understood well enough what was said. did he say the ceremonial laws were not from God ? are you one think the Ten commandments are part of a ceremonial law also? the rest you wrote is pure provocation and not necessary, why mention these vile things here on a christian site knowing he never said this? He never said we can do these evil things, I grow tired of your constant false accusations just to provoke a response, don't you have anything better to do than bothering people.

The book of the law refers to the entire law.

There is no separation in the law even though the philosopher Augustine thought so.

I asked AI whether the literal reading of the text promotes a division in the law?

Here is what AI had to say on this point is the book of the law the ten commandments?

1. Are the Ten Commandments “the book of the law”?
A. The Ten Commandments are called “the words of the covenant.”

Exodus 34:28

“He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.”​

B. The “Book of the Law” includes much more than the Ten Commandments.

Deuteronomy 31:24–26

“When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book… Take this Book of the Law and put it beside the ark…”​

This book contains everything Moses wrote (Deut 1:5; 31:9; 31:24).

C. The Ten Commandments were placed inside the ark; the book was placed beside it.

Deuteronomy 10:1–5 — tablets in the ark.
Deuteronomy 31:26 — the book placed beside the ark.

Conclusion:

The Ten Commandments are not called “the book of the law.”
They are part of God’s covenant words, but the “book of the law” is the entire written law Moses recorded.


2. Does the phrase “the law” refer to the entire Mosaic Law (613 commands)?

The Bible uses the phrase “the law” in different ways, but most often it refers to the entire Mosaic Law, not only the Ten Commandments.

Examples where “the law” clearly refers to the whole Mosaic system:

Joshua 8:31

“as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses”​

2 Kings 23:24–25

Josiah obeyed “the law of Moses.”​

Nehemiah 8:1

“the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.”​

John 1:17

“The law was given through Moses…” (not just the Ten)​

Galatians 3:10

“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things written in the book of the law to do them.”​

This clearly means the whole body of commandments, not just ten.

Most decisive NT reference:

Galatians 4:21

“You who desire to be under the law…”​

If “the law” only meant the Ten Commandments, Paul’s argument in Galatians fails. Instead, the context includes circumcision (Gal 5:2–3), festivals (Gal 4:10), dietary laws (Gal 2:12), and the entire Mosaic obligation.

Conclusion:

Yes. Scripture overwhelmingly uses “the law” to mean the whole Mosaic law, not simply the Ten Commandments.


3. Are there commandments in the so-called “ceremonial law”?

(Scripture does not use the term “ceremonial law”—but the question can be answered using Scripture.)


Yes. The Mosaic law contained many commandments besides the Ten Commandments. Scripture calls all of them commandments, even those about sacrifices, priests, food laws, and rituals.

Examples:
Sacrificial commandments

Leviticus 1:1–3

The Lord commanded Israel how to offer burnt offerings.​

Leviticus 4

Commands for sin offerings.​

Priestly commandments

Exodus 29:4–9

Commands for consecrating priests.​

Festival commandments

Leviticus 23

Commands regarding feasts and Sabbaths.​

Dietary commandments

Leviticus 11

“These are the commands concerning animals…” (v. 46)​

Circumcision

Leviticus 12:3

“On the eighth day the flesh… shall be circumcised.” (a command)​

Ritual purity commands

Leviticus 15

Commands regarding uncleanness.​

Moral commands outside the Ten

Leviticus 19:18

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”​

Conclusion:
Yes. Scripture calls these regulations commandments, even though they are not part of the Ten Commandments.


Final Summary (Scripture Only)
1. Are the Ten Commandments the Book of the Law?

No.
The Ten were written on stone tablets and placed in the ark (Deut 10:1–5).
The “book of the law” contained the full Mosaic Law and was placed beside the ark (Deut 31:24–26).

2. Does “the law” refer to the whole Mosaic system?

Yes.
Scripture repeatedly uses “the law” to refer to everything Moses wrote (Gal 3:10; Neh 8:1; John 1:17).

3. Are there commandments within the so-called “ceremonial law”?

Yes.
Leviticus and Exodus are full of God-given commandments regulating sacrifices, festivals, priests, purity, and more.