There are many reasons why individual Christians choose to worship on a particular day. Some believe in the Sabbath (Saturday), but the majority will worship on a Sunday instead. This issue has given birth to a mountain of controversies, transforming Christianity into what can be termed as a political debate. Both parties have found ways to justify and defend their beliefs against the other. One thing that is truly sad however, is that in the midst of this preferential battle, no one had bothered to ask "What does Yahweh have to say on the matter?". The views of both entities have been clearly established over the years. Now it is time to examine the views of Yahweh. Given the fact that He is the one being worshiped and that He is in charge, should not He be the one to decide? Which day did Yahweh say is the day of worship?
Christians who observe the Sabbath as the day of worship will quickly use Leviticus 23:3 to prove that Yahweh had given the Sabbath as the day of worship. Those who worship on a Sunday however, will establish profoundly that the law was nailed to the cross, quoting Colossians 2:14. Scriptures such as Romans 6:14, Romans 14:5, Galatians 4:10-11 and Colossians 2:16-17 are all used to rationalize worship being done on a Sunday instead of the original Sabbath day. From this standpoint, there seem to be far more scriptures in support of Sunday rather than the Sabbath; but is this really the case? Unlike Leviticus 23:3 that shows plainly that the seventh day Sabbath is the actual day of worship, none of the scriptures used to rationalize Sunday worship even hinted Sunday as an acceptable day of worship. In fact, "Sunday" was not even mentioned in any of them at all. The above quoted scriptures from Galatians, Romans and Colossians are scriptures that seem to vaguely speak against the Sabbath through the misinterpretation that the law was nailed to the cross. None of them however, supported or even promoted Sunday as an acceptable day of worship. Even if these scriptures were to be widely interpreted, they would still lack sufficient evidence to support Sunday as a biblically acceptable day of worship. Christians who have come to this realization admit that the Bible does not support Sunday as the day of worship, but profess that they now have the freedom of choosing any day of the week for worship since the law was nailed to the cross. Ironically, out of the seven days of the week; those who embrace this freedom, all involuntarily chose Sunday. It would therefore imply that Sunday is not necessarily a chosen day of worship, but one that was already stipulated. The question is, however, Who Stipulated Sunday As The Day Of Worship?
Was The Law Really Nailed To The Cross?
Christians who worship on a Sunday claim to do so not because they were commanded to, but because they have the authority to decide what day to worship on. The day, they say, is no longer of any great significance because it was a part of the old law which was nailed to the cross at the death of Yahshua (Yahshua is the actual name of the messiah in oppose to the mistranslated "Jesus Christ"). This belief can be anything but truthful as Yahshua himself publicly denied ever coming to abolish the law in Matthew 5:17-18. In fact, Yahshua himself kept the Sabbath as the day of worship. According to Luke 4:16, this was his only practice ever since he was a boy. Nowhere in the scriptures has it ever been seen that Yahshua neglected the Sabbath, or worshiped on any other day. 1 Peter 2:21 shows that the life of Yahshua is an example for Christians to follow. If then Yahshua kept the Sabbath and Christians ought to follow Yahshua's example, should not Christians keep the Sabbath as well? Many may argue to say that Yahshua was a Jew so he had to keep the Jewish customs. This, again, is NOT true. Yahshua rejected Jewish customs. He only kept Yahweh's laws Mark 7:5-6,9.
Many Christians are of the belief that the law was in effect until the day Yahshua died. This, they say, explains why he kept the Sabbath day as his day of worship. After he died however, the Sabbath was no longer necessary, thus the epistles of Paul spoke against the Sabbath. If it is that Paul really taught against the Sabbath, then he would have been a hypocrite and surely not inspired by Yahweh as Paul himself kept the Sabbath Acts 13:13-16, 42-44, Acts 17:2. Note carefully that all these events took place AFTER Yahshua died, and the Sabbath was being kept by both Jews and Gentiles. Evidently therefore the law was NOT nailed to the cross!
What Was Paul Saying In His Epistles?
Admittedly, Paul's writings do seem to speak against the Sabbath day if not analyzed carefully. Interpreting Paul's writings has always been a challenge, even to the very apostles at times 2 Peter 3:15-16. The fact that Paul kept the Sabbath and even preached in the synagogues on the Sabbaths shows evidently that he could not have instructed otherwise.
Romans 6:14 is quoted ever so often to show that Christians are no more under the law but under grace. Paul's message was not that the law is replaced with grace, as the functions of law and grace are distinctly different. The law is a set of instructions and prohibitions whereas grace is really mercy or forgiveness. How can instructions be replaced with forgiveness? Paul's message therefore is that man is no more under the PENALTY of the law, but under grace. In other words, instead of man being punished for his sins according to the law, he is forgiven and saved from this gruesome fate. This also explains what Paul was saying in Ephesians 2:8-9.
In Romans 14:5-6 Paul told the Roman Congregation that any day can be observed unto Yahweh, and that no member should judge the other. Christians today interpret this scripture to say one can worship on whatsoever one pleases. This interpretation was done without rational reasoning. Paul stated that "each should be fully convinced in his own mind". This shows that this was a personal matter, and not a matter of the assembly. Imagine one member being fully convinced in his own mind that he should go to church on a Sunday, but the pastor was fully convinced in his own mind that he should go on a Monday, and the choir was fully convinced in their own minds that they should go on a Tuesday, and so on and so forth. The church would have been entirely out of order, filled with chaos and would have become irrelevant as there really would not be an assembly. Father Yahweh is a god of order (1 Corinthians 14:33). He sets the order and man follows (Psalm 115:3). It is not man who makes the decision and Yahweh conforms or accept. Paul was not referring to the day of general assembly in his letter to the Romans. He was making reference to fasting. Some of the saints in Rome believed that fasting was only to be done on special days, but Paul reassured them that whichever day they chose to fast on, Yahweh will accept. This is simply because Yahweh never gave special days for fasting. He did, however, give a special day for general worship.
Galatians 4:10-11 is one of great controversy. Paul in this letter seemed infuriated at the idea of the Galatians observing religious festivals. A question to be asked is, 'Were these Yahweh's festivals?'. One cannot quickly assume that because Paul spoke about religious observances that he was referring to those of Yahweh. According to Galatians 4:8-9, Paul was NOT speaking in reference to Yahweh's festivals, but rather those of other idols. Paul said the Galatians were enslaved by those who by nature are not gods BEFORE they knew Yahweh; and that they were turning back to these miserable elements by observing these festivals. These religious festivals that Paul spoke of therefore were NOT those of Yahweh.
One who does not drink cannot be judged in his "drinking". Neither can a virgin be judged in her "sexual relationship". In the very same light, one who does not observe the Sabbath cannot be judged in his "observance of the Sabbath". Paul's statement in Colossians 2:16 therefore, more than it does anything else, promotes Sabbath observance. The majority interprets this passage to say that the Sabbath is not to be observed because of what they believe Paul meant in Colossians 2:17. Like unto the typology of Yahshua and the lamb, man had to continue in animal sacrifice UNTIL the real sacrifice came. The lamb was a shadow of the Messiah to come. Yahshua came and animal sacrifice ceased. In the very same light, Paul said in his letter to Colossians that the Sabbath is a shadow of things TO come. This shows that the fulfillment of the Sabbath, unlike animal sacrifice, has not yet come to pass. Man is therefore required to keep the Sabbath.
Colosse was a Gentile environment. The Sabbath then was seen as a "Jewish" practice. Whenever a Colossian was converted to Christianity, he would have to dissuade his former practices and adapt to the "Jewish" customs. Admittedly such an individual would come under harsh criticism from his contemporaries. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians encouraged their spirits by firstly reminding them of what Yahshua did for them in Colossians 2:14. From this many claim the law was nailed to the cross, but what was really nailed to the cross was the barriers in the law that stood between Jews and Gentiles. Initially only the physical descendants of Abraham were a part of the covenant with Yahweh (Genesis 17:9,John 4:22). Non-Israelites had to go through a process of ritualistic circumcision in order to be accepted into the covenant (Genesis 17:12-14). This was the old covenant until Yahshua came. Yahshua came and provided a way to the covenant through faith and not ritualistic circumcision (often referred to as works of the law) (Galatians 3:14). This was what was nailed to the cross; the requirement of circumcision to be accepted into the covenant of Yahweh (Galatians 5:2). This, therefore, is the new covenant - a system whereas anyone can become heir of the promise through faith instead of rituals. The promise of the covenant did not change, and neither did the conditions. Father Yahweh only further extended his gift to all humanity.
The only difference between the old and the new covenant is that the old covenant was limited to the Israelites, whereas the new covenant is extended to the entire world through Yahshua. This was all Paul was saying to the Colossians and all the other Gentile congregations who were not Israelites. Paul never spoke against the Sabbath nor promote the abolition of the law.
The Sabbath Day
The Sabbath is by far the most special day of the week. This is not because of anything man has done, but rather Father Yahweh Himself made it holy in Genesis 2:3. What Yahweh did to the Sabbath day He did to no other day in the week. From Isaiah's account in Isaiah 40:28 it is clearly understood that Yahweh does not get tired. His resting on the Sabbath therefore was not for Him, but as an example for us. This is further supported by Mark 2:27. In the ten commandments given, the command of the Sabbath was the ONLY command that Father Yahweh explained in great details. This shows that this day holds great significance in the eyes of Yahweh.
There are many speculations in regards to the Sabbath. Most of these are not even biblical. The Sabbath today is portrayed as a nuisance to humanity. To some, it is simply too burdensome. The Bible only gave to commands to govern the Sabbath day: (1) Abstain from work (Ex.20:8-11), and (2) Assembly for worship (Lev.23:3). That is all man is commanded to do on the Sabbath day, nothing else! This was why Yahshua was able to heal on the Sabbath and eat corn without breaking the law. None of these were ever prohibited -at least not by Yahweh. The Sabbath is a personal thing. Each individual spends the Sabbath in a way that is comfortable to him. The Sabbath is by far NOT a burden. Man is therefore without excuse if he chooses not to keep the Sabbath.
What About Sunday ... Is It Wrong?
The origin of Sunday worship and the symbolism of it is something to take into consideration when worshiping Yahweh. The earliest sign of Sunday worship can be dated as far back as Rome in the third century. During the time when the gospel was being preached all over the world by devoted men of God, the devil also had his workers trying to thwart the spreading of the gospel. They began from the first century by persecuting the very apostles. When persecuting the apostles achieved very little, Roman Emperor Nero redirected his persecution to Christians. From the first to the third century, Christians lived in fear, and worshiped in secrecy. It was a time of great joy for many Christians when a Roman Emperor, St. Constantine, became a Christian. Being torn between two beliefs, St. Constantine decreed in 321 AD that "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed" (Codex Justinianus lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Philip Schaff,History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 380, note 1). This would allow Christians to worship their God, and the Romans their Sun gods and goddesses in one accord. The Sabbath was changed to Sunday by a man to compromise with other pagan gods. The Catholics later admitted in 1894 that "The church...took the pagan Sunday and made it the Christian Sunday.... The Sun was a foremost god with heathendom.... And thus the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Balder, became the Christian Sunday" (Dr. William L. Glidea, The Catholic World, March 1894). Again, the Catholics admitted that "The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the Church had changed the Sabbath into Sunday, not by command of Christ, but by its own authority" (Canon and Tradition. pg. 263).
It is primarily wrong to try and compromise with other gods. Yahweh is supreme and His command forbids His people from worshiping Him in the manner pagans worship their gods (Deuteronomy 12:31). By observing Sunday instead of Saturday, Christians violate Yahweh's law and ignorantly show homage to Roman Sun gods. This very thing is something Yahweh greatly detest (Ezekiel 8:16-17). In addition to all that, no man has the power to change Yahweh's law (Revelation 22:18-19). Father Yahweh wants His people to do whatsoever He commands; nothing more, nothing less and certainly not what man think is best (Deuteronomy 12:32). Cain offered grains when he was commanded to offer a lamb and his offering was rejected. His reasoning was probably rational as he did not own a lamb, but Father Yahweh is not interested in rationality or what man has to offer when it comes own to His command. This thought may even come as a surprise to many, but this is who Yahweh truly is. More than He values anything else, Father Yahweh values obedience (1 Samuel 15:22). Saul, in 1 Samuel 15 was instructed to kill and he spared lives. Indeed it is a good thing to spear lives, but Yahweh requires obedience, so Saul was rejected as king because he did not obey Yahweh command (1 Samuel 15:26). In the very same light Yahweh does not accept any worship today which is not done according to His command (Mark 7:7-8).
Many Christians believe that having a relationship with Yahweh is about doing what is right, but there is no righteousness outside of obedience (Proverbs 14:12). All Yahweh wants is for man to obey His commands. That is all He has ever required (John 14:15). Yahweh has given man the Sabbath. It is, and will always be the only acceptable day of worship (Exodus 20:8).
"He Who Says He Loves Me And Does Not Keep My Command Is A Lair And The Truth Is Not In Him"
For additional information about the transition from Saturday to Sunday, click here
No comments:
Post a Comment