StephenMartyr
Puritan Board Freshman
I had an interesting time last night. A group gets together to do Bible study at a local coffee shop. I had seen and been with the group quite awhile back, but lately as I went out with some friends, I saw the group again over in the corner, said hi and said I would join them next week. So that Bible study I attended was last night.
The group is very eclectic of denominations and beliefs. Arminians, and a Seventh Day Adventist are among them. At least two or three discounted Calvinism right off the bat.
But I was curious about the SDA guy. The main guy at the study doesn't believe in it and says it's history is one of false prophesies. I knew nothing of them. Looking at them tonight, as well as finding a former SDA's testimony from a link from another thread here in this forum, I was wondering how many here see the Sabbath as still binding.
I'm not against it, all I'm asking is some thoughts here.
The link said this:
"But, I wondered, if the Ten Commandments were a covenant no longer in effect for those believers entering the new covenant, then what about lying, stealing, adultery or the other commandments? I discovered in the New Testament that all of these commands were repeated in the instructions for new covenant living. The only things not repeated as a command were circumcision and Sabbath-day observance."
It then goes on:
"From my study I learned that the Sabbath was a sign of an old covenant no longer in effect. It was a shadow of things to come. It was a symbol pointing to Christ and to the rest He provides to lost humanity, the rest of perfect union with God that was lost in Eden. I realized that it is not the day that is important anymore, but my relationship with Christ. Anyone who accepts Christ enters into His true Sabbath rest because he is reconciled to God."
I realise there are some people that advocate this view that every day is holy, as we enter the true rest. And these verses here too:
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Hebrews 4 really, but:
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
The night was a hard night for me and made me very uneasy. I'm not a good debator and felt "ganged up on" in terms of me holding to Calvinism. I know they love the Lord though. It's just I came away with nothing.
Have any of you met these types of people where every day is holy? What are your thoughts on the above quote? Sorry to ask such a basic question!
Another guy at the table countered the idea saying God in the OT talked about the Sabbath or to keep the Sabbath some 40 times (so he said) and if Paul taught otherwise (that you don't need to keep the Sabbath) who was he (the guy) to believe: God or Paul? Obviously God! I was like, wow... Machen time! Yikes! But this second part might be another can of worms for another thread. First part first.
Here is the link to the testimony: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/testimony.html
EDIT:
Parts of the WCF on Sabbath I'm remembering too. Chapter 11, par. 7-8:
VII. As it is of the law of nature that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.
VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts, about their worldly employments and recreations; but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
The group is very eclectic of denominations and beliefs. Arminians, and a Seventh Day Adventist are among them. At least two or three discounted Calvinism right off the bat.
But I was curious about the SDA guy. The main guy at the study doesn't believe in it and says it's history is one of false prophesies. I knew nothing of them. Looking at them tonight, as well as finding a former SDA's testimony from a link from another thread here in this forum, I was wondering how many here see the Sabbath as still binding.
I'm not against it, all I'm asking is some thoughts here.
The link said this:
"But, I wondered, if the Ten Commandments were a covenant no longer in effect for those believers entering the new covenant, then what about lying, stealing, adultery or the other commandments? I discovered in the New Testament that all of these commands were repeated in the instructions for new covenant living. The only things not repeated as a command were circumcision and Sabbath-day observance."
It then goes on:
"From my study I learned that the Sabbath was a sign of an old covenant no longer in effect. It was a shadow of things to come. It was a symbol pointing to Christ and to the rest He provides to lost humanity, the rest of perfect union with God that was lost in Eden. I realized that it is not the day that is important anymore, but my relationship with Christ. Anyone who accepts Christ enters into His true Sabbath rest because he is reconciled to God."
I realise there are some people that advocate this view that every day is holy, as we enter the true rest. And these verses here too:
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Hebrews 4 really, but:
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
The night was a hard night for me and made me very uneasy. I'm not a good debator and felt "ganged up on" in terms of me holding to Calvinism. I know they love the Lord though. It's just I came away with nothing.
Have any of you met these types of people where every day is holy? What are your thoughts on the above quote? Sorry to ask such a basic question!
Another guy at the table countered the idea saying God in the OT talked about the Sabbath or to keep the Sabbath some 40 times (so he said) and if Paul taught otherwise (that you don't need to keep the Sabbath) who was he (the guy) to believe: God or Paul? Obviously God! I was like, wow... Machen time! Yikes! But this second part might be another can of worms for another thread. First part first.
Here is the link to the testimony: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/testimony.html
EDIT:
Parts of the WCF on Sabbath I'm remembering too. Chapter 11, par. 7-8:
VII. As it is of the law of nature that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.
VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts, about their worldly employments and recreations; but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
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