Correspondence: A Sabbath for us to Keep?; Meaning of Col. 2:16

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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God did not put the whole world under the law. Only one nation; that is Israel.
The law is not dead. The Jew is under it still, and can only be freed from it by believing on the Lord Jesus. Paul by the Spirit writes (Gal. 2:19-2019For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:19‑20)), “I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ.” “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” (Rom. 10:44For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4)), and believers are not under the law, but under grace (Rom. 6:1414For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)). The law is not dead, but believers are dead with Christ. (See Rom. 7:66But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:6), marginal reading.) The unbelieving Jew is still under the law, and will be judged by the law (Rom. 2:1212For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (Romans 2:12)). People who put themselves under the law now, are delivered from it by seeing themselves dead with Christ.
The Sabbath was the sign of the covenant between Jehovah and the children of Israel (Ex. 31:13-1713Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. 14Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:13‑17)). They broke the law and did not keep the Sabbath and are thus cursed (Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10); Ezek. 20:12-13, 16, 20-2112Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. 13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. (Ezekiel 20:12‑13)
16Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. (Ezekiel 20:16)
20And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. 21Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. (Ezekiel 20:20‑21)).
There is not a word in Scripture to tell us that the Sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week. The Sabbath is the seventh day and is entirely Jewish. The first day, the resurrection day, the Lord’s day, is Christian. In the reign of Christ over the earth, Israel will then keep their Sabbaths (Ezek. 45:1717And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel. (Ezekiel 45:17)).
It does not say in the New Testament, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” The gospel has set that aside for all true believers. Christ rose from the dead the first day of the week. The Holy Spirit was given the first day of the week. The gospel was first preached that day; and Acts 20:77And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7) tells us, that was the day when the disciples came together to remember the Lord as having died for them.
Revelation 1:1010I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (Revelation 1:10) calls it the Lord’s day (there is no Christian Sabbath), and while Christians are not under law, Christ’s love reigning in their hearts, would lead them to give the day specially to Him as free from all secular employment, as far as it is possible.
Since it is the Lord’s Day, may we devote it to His service. Let our heart’s delight to own His claim upon us in this matter in sweet communion with our risen Head.