Intercontinental Church of God - Chicago Church
Affiliated with the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association

Questions:

 

Why Should You Keep the Sabbath Day?

What Would Jesus Do?

By: Jim Josephsen

            When you research the subject of the Sabbath Day, you will conclude that during the days of the Apostles, in the First Century AD, the Church of God observed the seventh-day Sabbath. The doctrine of worshipping on the first day of the week cannot be found in New Testament scriptures. The Word of God does not teach keeping the first day of the week holy. God never sanctified the first day of the week.

The idea of worshipping on the first day of the week (Sun-worship – Sunday worship) became prominent among the peoples who called themselves Christians only after the Catholic Church forced the issue, in the middle part of the 4^th Century AD. The Catholic Church, through the Roman government initiated a systematic program to stamp out all things Jewish, especially the Sabbath and the Holy Days.

There were however a considerable number of Christians who also waited for the Patriarchs calendrical information. For a great many Christians still observed the holidays common to Judaism and Christianity, especially the Passover, at the same time as the Jews, just as many of them observed the Jewish Sabbath rather than the Christian Sunday. This dependence on Judaism irked some Christian clergy and about the middle of the fourth century they prevailed upon the Roman government to forbid the Patriarchs to send emissaries with such information. A History of the Jews by Solomon Grayzel

            Promoting Sunday worship, the Catholic Church, under the strength of Constantine methodically detracted from the Sabbath, using every possible deception, utilizing scriptural gymnastics to justify the co-mingling of centuries established pagan sun-worshipping practices with Christological concepts. The idea of the Lord’s Day (the day on which Jesus was (supposedly) resurrected), became prominent and was forced upon the people, becoming a new doctrine (unauthorized by the Word of God).

No longer observing the Sabbath, but living in observance of the Lord’s Day (Ignatius).    

The Lord’s Day, as concocted by the Holy Roman Catholic Church is Sunday (the glorious sun’s day). Concepts such as the Lord’s Day, Resurrection Sunday and Easter (all occurring on the first day of the week) are doctrines developed to masquerade pagan sun-worshipping practices. All these doctrines were designed in order to bring the heathen into the church, without offending them. The truth of Jesus was distorted, diminished to become nice window dressing in the houses of pagan gods; flavorful salt and pepper to spice up the pagan’s diet.

            The True Church of God, under the authority and guidance of Jesus Christ has always been a commandment-keeping and a seventh-day Sabbath-keeping church. This fact will never be changed. The Sabbath Day was ordained at creation (Genesis 2:1-3) and codified as the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11).

            The Sabbath day is the only day of worship, as authored by God; which is still to be kept today.

            You can research thousands of documents, scour volumes of books and entertain the scores of arguments and theological debates in your quest to determine whether you should keep Sunday rather than observe the Sabbath.

You can exhaust your brain and tire your eyes in your endeavor to justify that the Sabbath has been done away and Sunday should now be kept. All your pursuits are to no avail when you measure up the arguments of man with the Word of God.

            Arguments abound, but in the final analysis, these arguments are nothing but the words of men and all crumble at the Glory and Truth of God.

            If you believe there is a God and you believe the Bible is His Holy word, then why not go to the Bible to find your answer. Better yet, why not take Jesus at His word and consider what He would say.

            Another way to look at this would be, why not do what Christ would do, what He has done?

            To borrow a recent slogan (yet in no disrespect), “What would Jesus do,” with regard to keeping the Sabbath, let us take this question seriously and find the answer?

            Let us find the answer from the Word of God, and not from the scholars or theologians.

            If Jesus is your savior, then certainly you cannot go wrong to do what He did. He after all, set the examples for you to follow. Consequently, whatever He did, He could not condemn you if you were to imitate Him.

            Let us review only words from the Scriptures to understand just why you should keep the Sabbath. Let God be true, but every man a liar.

            If you believe in God, it is time you believe God.

            The answers are simple, direct and easy to understand.

            1) Jesus Christ kept the Sabbath Day. Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read.

2) Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath. Mark 2:27-28 And he said unto them, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

3) We are commanded to remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy and keep it sanctified. Exodus 20:8-10 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God…. Deuteronomy 5:12 Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it ….

4) Jesus Christ did not do away with the Law. Mathew 5:17, 19 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfil….  Whosever therefore shall break one of the least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

5) Jesus Christ said if you are to enter into life, keep the commandments Matthew 19:17. The Sabbath Day commandment is number four of the Ten Commandments.

6) Christ stated if you love me, keep my commandments John 14:15; and in so doing you will abide in Christ love, even as Christ kept his Father’s commandments and abides in His love John 15:10.

7) We show the love of God by keeping his commandments which are not grievous I John 5:3.

8) The Law and the commandments are Holy, Just and Good Romans 7:12.

9) The law and the commandments are the truth Psalm 119:142, 151.

10) The judgment of God is according to the truth Romans 2:2.

11) The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making the simple wise. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether Psalm 19:7-9.

            12) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.

            13) Jesus Christ will judge us.  Romans 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother, or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.   Additionally, we read 2 Corinthians 4:10; For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

            14) For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works Matthew 16:27.

15) Jesus Christ commands that his servants imitate him. Luke 6: 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. Notice as well 1 Peter 2: 21 For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in his steps: who did no sin …. Then consider 1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

16) Christ did no sin; He never sinned. That is why he is the perfect sacrifice and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin … Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was I all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 1 John 3:5 And we know that he was manifest to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

17) Sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4. The law spoken of here is the law of God, including the Ten Commandments. Christ never sinned; He never broke the laws of God; He never broke the Sabbath Day. He always, as His custom was, kept the Sabbath.

            18) Jesus Christ kept the Sabbath. He requires that we imitate Him. He will judge us, according to the commandments of God, the Laws of God. If we are to follow Christ and do as he would do, as we ask the question “what would Jesus do,” we can come to only one conclusion; one answer.

19) We should therefore keep the Sabbath Day. 

20) Should you keep the Sabbath Day?   Yes!

21) Why should you keep the Sabbath Day? Because, Jesus Christ did. By keeping the Sabbath Day, the seventh day of the week holy, you are in good company. You cannot go wrong!

22) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8. He changes not, nor has He done away with the Sabbath Day.

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