Re: [TruthTalk] Only 9 of the 10 commandments?

[michael douglas]

Michael D:   Marlin, usually, I will not read someone's commentary presented in answer to my comments in these discussions, because I am not interested in what any authority's position is per se, but in what I see in the scriptures.  For instance, to say that Christians have to keep the sabbath, and not only that, but all of the sabbaths, leads me to wonder at the level of deception these people are existing in. (I do not say that to be unkind, but out of deep concern). Do they not read in Colossians 2, where Paul says let no man judge you concerning keeping the sabbath(s), which were only a shadow of things to come, but not the true, but the body is of Christ? Where do these folks get off contradicting the Gospel of Christ and putting people in bondage that Christ paid to free us from? That is deep deception.

The fact that Paul said that the sabbaths are a shadow, and not the real, is the basis of the NT teaching that the sabbath was a type of our rest in Christ, through faith and emphatically spelled out in Heb. 4. For these folks to condemn that is to deny the salvation that is in Christ alone, and to nullify His work on the cross for us.

Now, why would any one want to hang on to the shadow and not accept the real, I don't know.

 Marlin Halverson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

"...because the commandment of Sabbath in the NT is our rest in Jesus as I previously mentioned re Hebrews 4."

 

The following is from: http://www.cbcg.org/true_sabbath.doc --Marlin

 

"Many ministers and theologians have applied the opposite meaning to Hebrews 4:9.  They have completely misinterpreted the King James Version of this verse, which reads, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”  They teach that Christians are no longer required to observe the Sabbath because Jesus Christ has given them “rest” by releasing them from commandment keeping and thereby He “fulfilled the law” for them.  As a result, they are told that he or she has entered into a spiritual “rest” from sin and does not have to keep the commandments of God.  Such reasoning is completely false???   Jesus Himself said that He did not come to abolish or “do away with” the laws and commandments of God, but to fulfill them.  Did you read I Tim 1, that I shared in a previous post? It says that there are people who want to use the law, but miss it altogether. Paul said that the law is good if a man uses it lawfully. It was not made for a righteous man but for sinners. This is hard for Sabbath keepers to accept, but they must look it square in the face. The law is for the ungodly and sinners!!! Did you consider that at all? Those who obtain righteousness in Christ are not under the law!!!!!               Neither did Jesus Christ fulfill any commandment for anyone in order to release him or her from the obligation to keep them.   He set the exam ple for us—not to force us but to free us from committing sin (I Pet. 2:21-22, I John 3:4). Right, by walking in the spirit.

 

When we understand the meaning of the Greek text, there is no question that the New Testament upholds the authority of the Fourth Commandment for Christians today.  The Greek word that is used in Hebrews 4:9, sabbatismoV, pronounced sabbatismos, which means “Sabbath rest, Sabbath observance” (Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament). Of course! These folks just refuse to see that God's sabbath is not a day, but a relationship of faith in Jesus Christ. I challenge you Marlin to read this passage yourself, then come back an let me know if the context does not show that the seventh day rest that God undertook, is not now accomplished by faith in Christ. (Again, please relate your answer in the context of the passage which these folks are using to refute the transition from the day, to the relationship with Jesus). Now, I have no problem with the definition of the word, I am just saying that the passage says that that sabbath is now accomplished by faith, which the passage says, does it not?

 

This definition of the Greek word sabbatismoV sabbatismos is confirmed by other historical works: “The words ‘sabbath rest’ is translated from the GK noun sabbatismos, [and is] a unique word in the NT.  This term appears also in Plutarch (Super set. 3 [Moralia 166a]) for sabbath observance, and in four post-canonical Christian writings which are not dependent on Heb. 4:9” (The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 5, p. 856).

 

The Greek word, sabbatismoV sabbatismos, is a noun. The verb form of the word is sabbatizw sabbatizo, which means “to keep the Sabbath” (Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament).

 

            This definition of sabbatizw Sabbatizo is confirmed by its use in the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament which dates from third century BC.  It is called the Septuagint, meaning “Seventy” because the first five books were translated by seventy scholars who were Greek-speaking Jews in Alexandria, Egypt.  Jews used the Septuagint in synagogues throughout the Roman empire, and by the Greek-speaking Jewish and Gentile coverts in the early New Testament church. The apostle Paul, quotes extensively from the Septuagint in his epistle to the Hebrews.  When Paul used the Greek word sabbatismoV sabbatismos in Hebrews 4:9, he knew that the meaning of this word was well known to the Greek-speaking believers of that day.  The verb form sabbatizw, sabbatizo was used in the Septuagint which was as familiar to the Greek-speaking Jews and Gentiles of New Testament times as the King James Bible is to Christians today.

 

The use of the verb sabbatizw sabbatizo in Leviticus 23:32 in the Septuagint leaves no room to mistake its meaning. The Greek English Lexicon of the Septuagint defines sabbatizw sabb atizo as “to keep sabbath, to rest” (Lust, Eynikel, Hauspie). The English translation of this verse in the Septuagint reads: “It [the Day of Atonement] shall be a holy sabbath [literally, ‘a Sabbath of Sabbaths’] to you; and ye shall humble your souls, from the ninth day of the month: from evening to evening shall ye keep your sabbaths” (The Septuagint With the Apocrypha, Brenton).

 

            The phrase “shall ye keep your sabbaths” is translated from the Greek phrase sabbatieite ta sabbata sabbatieite ta sabbata, which literally means, “You shall sabbathize the Sabbaths.”  The form of the Greek verb sabbatizw sabbatizo is the second person plural sabbatieite sabbatieite, which means, “ye shall keep.”  Since the verb sabbathize, means “to keep the Sabbath,” this verb is a special verb that also relates to and defines “Sabbath-keeping,” for God’s command for the land Sabbath every seven years.  In the entire Septuagint, the verb sabbatizw sabbatizo is never used to define the “keeping” of anything else. Rather, it is always used in relation to “Sabbath-keeping” and “Sabbath-keeping” only.  In keeping with this definition, the KJV translates sabbatieite sabbatieite, this way: “shall ye celebrate your sabbath.” 

 

There is no question that the Greek verb sabbatizw sabbatizo in Leviticus 23:32 is specifically referring to Sabbath observance.  This meaning applies equally to the noun form sabbatismoV sabbatismos, which we find in Paul’s epistle to Hebrews.  The fact that Paul used the Septuagint translation in this epistle confirms that the meaning word sabbatismoV sabbatismos, in Hebrews 4:9, is in complete accord with the meaning of sabbatieite ta sabbata sabbatieite ta sabbata, in Leviticus 23:32. Clearly Paul is upholding the observance of the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week.

 

The use of the Greek word sabbatismoV sabbatismos in Hebrews 4:9 contradicts the teachings that the Fourth Commandment has been abolished.  As the context of this verse shows, the observance of the seventh day as a day of rest and worship is as binding for the people of God today, as it was for Israel of old. In addition to the weekly Sabbath, the annual holy days that God commanded, which are also called Sabbaths, are included in the Fourth Commandme nt. In the same manner as true believers are commanded to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, they are also commanded to observe the annual holy days of God.  The early New Testament church kept the holy days of God, as determined by the calculated Hebrew Calendar.  The apostle Paul kept the holy days and commanded Gentile converts to keep them (I Cor. 5:7-8).  None of the apostles or the early converts to Christianity observed the pagan holidays that are now called Christmas or Easter.  These holidays, which originated in sun worship, were later adopted into Christianity, through the influence of the Roman church.  They became false substitutes for the annual holy days that are commanded by God, just as Sunday has become a false substitute for the weekly Sabbath.

 

            Paul carries his instruction even further, showing that we have to keep the Sabbath or lose salvation.  "For he that is entered into His rest [keeping the Sabbath], He also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His [when He created the Sabbath day]”

 

            "We should be diligent therefore to enter into that rest [Sabbath-keeping, as well as striving to enter into the Kingdom of God], lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.            For the Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:10-12, AT).

 

            What could be more clear?  God's Holy Word reveals that if we want to be true Christians, we must be loving God the Father and Jesus Christ.  We must be living by every word of God, keeping His commandments.  This is how we are to follow Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible.  There is no question that we should be observing the seventh-day weekly Sabbath as the day of worship and fellowship."

 

 

----- Original Message -----

From: michael douglas

To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Sent: Thursday, November 21, 2002 9:09 AM

Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] Only 9 of the 10 commandments?

 ShieldsFamily <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

 

 

 
Michael D:   Izzy, do you hope to achieve by seeting yourself to obey the ten commandments?            What do you hope to “achieve” by obeying the other nine? Or don’t you believe they exist anymore, either? Izzy

Also, If I may add... Keeping your Sabbath is something you must do because you need to obey your conscience (from what you have shared),  but I would suggest that it is not part of fulfilling the ten commandments, because the commandment of Sabbath in the NT is our rest in Jesus as I previously mentioned re Hebrews 4. Why did Jesus, the apostles, and all the Believers keep the Sabbath? Please write specifically what scripture you think says this.       

Michael D: Izzy, I am in agreement with Glenn's answer on this. Many things Jesus did, He did it because He submitted to the old covenant. That's why I keep asking, and ask here again, where in the Church age are we commanded to keep the sabbath day. Can you furnish me an answer for that one? I would appreciate that.

Also, I keep referring you to Hebrews 4. I quoted some of the verses for you and Marlin in a recent post. Have you had an opportunity to consider those verses, and the thoughts I expressed concerning them?  

Sabbath in the Church is no longer a day. If we have worry or unbelief,  or if we try to be accepted by God through our good works, or our faithfulness/obedience to Him... we have broken God's Sabbath, we enter into God's Sabbath when we enter into the rest of faith, as Hebrews 4 says ...he that has entered into his rest has ceased from his own works as God ceased from His... We accept the finished work of Jesus on the cross, that is the fulfilling of the OT type y sabbath.  So you have ceased from all good works?

Paul encourages us to keep good works as a testimony to Christ in our lives...

And from obeying God’s laws? IWhere does it say to do this? I am forbidden by the scriptures from walking in the old covenant. I fulfil God's commandments according to the new covenant...

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