"...If God intended that one day was to be observed by new covenant saints
in a particular way that was distinct from all the rest, Paul could never
have written Romans 14:5 and 6 under the inspiration of the Spirit of God!
Your brother in Christ,
Bruce
Dear Bruce,
There is an evil power that "shall speak [great] words against the most
High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change
times and laws....," but the week, ending with the Sabbath, is something that God esteems, as well as the writer of Hebrews.I definitely differ with this, Marlin.
HEB 4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
HEB 4:5 And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.Marlin, What is the rest that the Israelites did not enter into? Was it the keeping of the seventh day, or something else? Could it have been the entering into the promised land that they were forbidden to do because of their failure to believe the promise of God, and therefore not obey His instructions?
HEB 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
HEB 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.It seems that the day God reserved/limited was today (the now day) as opposed to the seventh day. It's the day on which we hear His voice/word to us that we are to believe and accept and in so doing obey the voice/word of the Lord.
HEB 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
If the argument of Hebrews4 pertained to the seventh day, how could Joshua have been expected to give them rest?
HEB 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest [Greek: sabbatismos, sabbath keeping] to the people of God. Amen! one of faith in the finished work of Jesus. Not in keeping of a day.Marlin, it seems to me that you are not doing justice to the passage. Heb 4 describes the rest that we are to enter in, like God did. You did not mention that. It says that He who enters into the rest of God has ceased from his works like God did from His. How did God rest, By ceasing from all His works. This tells us that If we are to fulfill God's sabbath, we are to cease from all of our works as well. That is not accomplished by 'keeping the sabbath day'.
The Romans were being troubled to esteem traditional fast days that Jews held special because of certain historical events. Paul merely points out that it did not matter whether somebody eats on those days or not.Marlin, surely you are aware that you are adding things in to the Romans passage that aren't there. The passage gives no qualification to the sabbath days as you give here. Neither does it say that he addressed eating on certain days? I would appreciate you pointing out where the passage indicates these things. Would you care to?
These were not commanded observances of the Lord at issue in Romans 14.
Sincerely,
Marlin
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