Thirty-Six Pro Sabbath Arguments Examined
Fred R. Coulter claims to have the truth about the Sabbath. On his website he has posted a list of 36 arguments (which are adapted from the Bible Sabbath Association) entitled "The Biblical Truth About Sabbath-Keeping."
Coulter, founder of Christian Biblical Church of God (a group which teaches Herbert W. Armstrong's dogma), says he is concerned about those who are "corrupting the fundamental truths of the Bible." However, upon close examination, and with proper methods of methodology, it can be proved that this list regarding the Sabbath is in error and can cause the unwary and undiscerning to doubt and then be led astray from the pure teachings of the Word of God.
Below is this list on Fred Coulter's website which is an attempt to make the case for keeping the Sabbath. Missing from this list is any declarative statement from God that Christians are to keep the Sabbath. What follows then are rationales and arguments that have been collected to convince people to believe they must keep the Sabbath in light of there being no solid or "hard" facts or evidence to support the claim.
When confronted with a belief that has no supporting "thus saith the Lord" a red flag of alert should be raised in the mind. There are many methods people employ to circumvent the facts of Scripture in order to make a case for a belief that is false.
The hard facts concerning the Sabbath are as follows:
The Sabbath command is found within the confines of the old covenant which was a legally binding agreement or "contract" between the two parties, God and the Israelites.
The old covenant came to an end upon the death of Christ, who was the God of the old covenant incarnate. Paul explains this in Romans 7, using a marriage covenant as an example.
Gentile Christians were never a party to the old covenant. You cannot be held to the conditions of a covenant you are not a party to. God does not deal with mankind illegally.
The old covenant had a provision for those not a party to the old covenant to come under the old covenant through circumcision. Were Gentile Christians required to undergo circumcision? No. If there is no circumcision, there is no requirement to keep that old covenant law, including the Sabbath.
A Jewish Christian died to the Law via baptism in order to be free to enter into the New Covenant. See Romans chapters six and seven.
The New Covenant is not like the old covenant that was made with Israel. See Jeremiah 31:31-4 and Hebrews 8:9.
Christians are dead to the Law, not under the Law:
Romans 7:4; Galatians 2:19; Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:23-25; Galatians 5:18.
Christians are dead to sin, freed from sin:
Romans 6:2; Romans 6:7.
These are the hard facts of Scripture. The theology shared by all Sabbatarian groups is in conflict with these facts, and as a result, they seek to overthrow and circumvent the inspired written Word of God. The methodology employed toward this end is the methodology of deception and falsehood. These methods are:
Rationalizations, inferences, assumptions, accusations, unsupported claims, faulty drawn conclusions, eisegesis (proof texting; taking Scripture out of context), Replacement Theology (Substitution Theology), redefining words and terms, misquoting and misapplication of Scripture, and the use of logical fallacies.
In the statements below that are made in support of keeping the Sabbath, I will point out the method being employed, and show the fallacy behind the reasoning. Their reasons will be indented.
BEGIN:
Here are 36 profound reasons from Scripture why we should be observing the seventh-day Sabbath today, as the weekly day of worship to God:
It should be noted that the Sabbath was instituted as a day of rest, and not corporate worship. Note also that no Scriptural basis is made here in this regard. This "redefinition of words and terms" is slipped in so as to go unnoticed.
#1 In the beginning God created the Sabbath day (Gen. 2:3).
Redefinition. What was instituted on that seventh day of the creation week was God's rest. Note that the day shows having no end. This literary style was for the purpose of showing that God is still in His rest, and that it is not possible to conclude a weekly, recurring Sabbath rest for man was being created. See chapter 3 of "Lying for God." (What Adventists Knew And When They Knew It!) [NOTE: Since this offsite PDF book will not open from our site due to spaces in the title, the link will take you to their main page where the article can be found and downloaded under "What is New?"] (William Hohmann contributed much of the theological rebuttals in this.)
#2 God rested from His labors on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2).
Inference. God was finished. It was God who worked, and it was God who rested from that work. Man did not work. God rested from that work because it was finished and complete, even as a lawyer "rests" his case when he is through presenting it. God is still resting from that work as attested to in Psalms 95 and Hebrews chapters 3 and 4.
#3 The Sabbath was made for man, that is, for all mankind (Mark 2:27).
Proof texting (eisegesis) and redefining words and terms.
The word "man" here is anthropos. Is the "Son of man" literally the son of all mankind? No. The word "man" here is used in a more figurative sense.
"And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand." ― Mark 3:1
The word "man" here is anthropos. Does the word mean all mankind? No, for not all mankind was standing there with withered hands. Mark is referring to just one man.
The word anthropos is not a rigid word. It can mean anything from a single man, to any subset of men, to all mankind. To assign to it arbitrarily the meaning of all mankind simply because it is in line with one's theological beliefs is dishonest. It is poor and lazy scholarship. The Sabbath was given to and required of the subset of men known as Israelites.
#4 God blessed the seventh day because, on it, He rested from the work of His creation (Gen. 2:2; Ex. 20:11).
Inference. God blessed that seventh day wherein He rested. Nowhere in the narrative does it say God blessed the recurring seventh day at this time and place. We see no evidence of anyone keeping the seventh day as a day of rest until Sinai.
#5 God blessed the seventh day and named it the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10-11).
Note that this day was not called the Sabbath prior to this time, nor is there any reference to anyone ever even knowing of a seven day week prior to this time. Sabbath is associated with the understanding of "cease." It is about ceasing from one's labor on that day.
#6 God not only blessed the seventh day, He also sanctified it—that is, made it holy by His presence and declaration (Gen. 2:3).
Inference. God blessed and sanctified that day wherein He rested. It does not say, and neither does it follow, that God blessed and sanctified every seventh day. There does not even exist a declaration that a weekly cycle is being established here in Genesis chapter 2.
#7 There is no record in all the Scriptures that God ever removed His blessing from the Sabbath and placed it upon another day of the week.
Logical fallacy. A Non Sequitur. Nothing is proved through stating a negative. Other days of the week are irrelevant and also a Red Herring fallacy.
#8 God's people kept the Sabbath before the Ten Commandments were given at Mount Sinai (Ex. 16:22-26).
Irrelevant. The old covenant was not ratified and put in force until the book of the Law was written and sprinkled with blood. What was demonstrated with the Sabbath was the unwillingness of the people to follow God's instructions for them. Regardless, only the Israelites were there, and only they were commanded to keep the Sabbath.
If this argument though had any relevance, then what of other practices they may have performed prior to the Ten Commandments? Were they practicing sacrifices? They told the Pharaoh that is why they wanted to leave, in order to sacrifice unto God. Do we conclude we too are to be practicing sacrifices?
#9 God ordained that man should keep the Sabbath (Ex. 20; Heb. 4:3-9).
Redefinition. In Exodus 20, the Israelites are commanded to keep the Sabbath. In Hebrews 4:3-9:
"For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 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. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 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. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." ― Hebrews 4:3-9
This is describing God's rest that He began on that seventh day of creation, of which the weekly Sabbath (sabbaton) was a shadow. This "rest" is "sabbatismos" and the Greek shows it to be a rest one actively enters into through faith. The Israelites could not enter into this rest due to their unbelief/faithlessness. They had the shadow, weekly Sabbath (Colossians 2:16-17) which they entered into passively when it came to them weekly. God's rest is this "another day" mentioned in the passage, that is ignored by Sabbatarians.
#10 God forbade work on the Sabbath day even in harvest time (Ex. 34:21).
Irrelevant. Only the Israelites were required to keep the Sabbath.
#11 God promised the Gentiles, those of all nations, a blessing if they kept the Sabbath (Isa. 56:2).
Eisegetical. This is all in relation to the old covenant, and not the new. Verse 7 proves this. There are no animal sacrifices in the New Covenant.
#12 God promised to bless anyone who keeps the Sabbath (Isa. 56:2).
Again, eisegetical. This blessing is in relation to the old covenant extant at that time and place.
#13 Nowhere in the Bible do we find a command to observe any other day of the week as holy, as a substitute or replacement for the seventh-day Sabbath.
Logical fallacy. A straw-man argument and a Red-herring argument. "Another day" is irrelevant. I could make a similar statement as thus: "Nowhere in the Bible do we find a command to substitute or replace Israelites with Christians for the seventh day Sabbath." My observation is not dependent upon a straw-man or a Red Herring argument regarding another day.
#14 God calls the Sabbath His holy day (Ex. 20:10; Lev. 23:2-3; Isa. 58:13; Mk. 2:28).
In relation to Israelites. Scripture calls some sacrifices holy. Do we therefore conclude we need to practice the sacrifices? That first generation of Israelites were called holy, yet they all perished in the wilderness, save Caleb and Joshua. Also, Mark 2:28 does not declare the Sabbath day to be holy. It states that Jesus is Lord "also" of the Sabbath. There is nothing He is not Lord of. He knew what could be done and not done on that day.
#15 The keeping of the Sabbaths, weekly and annually, is a sign between God and His people (Ex. 31:12-17).
At that time and place, in relation to that old covenant. The Sabbath(s) are not a sign of anything in the New Covenant.
#16 The Sabbath commandment, one of the longest of the ten, is given to God's people so that they might show their love and obedience towards God (Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15; Matt. 22:37-40).
Substitution theology. God's people at that time were the Israelites. This is what was required of them, and not us.
Unsubstantiated claim. The Ten Commandments do not demonstrate one's love for God. The citation found in Matthew 22:37-40 is about the Two Great Commandments upon which all the rest of the Law hangs, including the Ten. This construct would have all hanging on the Ten instead.
#17 Jesus kept and observed the Sabbath as a habit, which expressed His love and obedience toward God the Father (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." ― Luke 4:16
One could just as easily claim a custom is something one does that is unrelated to a command. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that one meets the requirement to keep the Sabbath by attending synagogues on that day. Furthermore, nothing is stated in this passage to support the claim that Jesus did so in order to express His love and obedience to the Father.
#18 Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath—and as such, the Sabbath is the TRUE LORD'S DAY (Mk. 2:28; Isa. 58:13; Matt. 12:8).
Drawn out conclusion. The context of Mark 2:28 states that Jesus is Lord "also" of the Sabbath. He is Lord "also" of Monday. He is Lord "also" of Tuesday.
#19 Jesus Christ recognized the Sabbath commandment as binding (Matt. 12:12; 5:17-18; Mk. 3:4).
Non Sequitur. While Jesus was still alive in the flesh, the old covenant was still in force and binding. However, Sabbatarians cite Matthew 5:17-18 out of context, claiming the legalities of the Law remain inviolate down to jots and tittles, which is unsupported by the context. There are no laws codified in the prophets, which are cited, and later in the same chapter, Jesus alters points of that law way beyond jots and tittles.
#20 Jesus Christ kept His Father's commandments, which included the seventh-day Sabbath (John 15:10; 8:29; 5:46-47).
Redefinition and outright misrepresentation. "His Father's commandments" to Christ were in relation to His coming in the flesh, preaching what He preached, and fulfilling the prophesies in the Law and prophets concerning Him regarding His atoning sacrifice. The Sabbath command was never the Father's, seeing as Jesus was the God of the old covenant incarnate, and He stated in the Scriptures that He came to reveal the Father. The Father therefore was unknown previously. Who they knew previously as God was indeed Christ.
John 15:10: Assumption:
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
The Sabbatarian here is assuming Christ's commandments to His followers, destined to be Christians, includes old covenant points of law. Christ's commandments revolve around love, and not OC law.
John 8:29: Assumption:
"And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
It is assumed that Christ's "keeping" the Law pleased the Father. Yet John also states:
"Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." ― John 5:18-20
The Father loves the Son, and the Father shows the Son what He Himself does. What did the Father do?
"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." ― John 5:17
This is all in relation to the Sabbath. The Father worked on Sabbaths, and so did the Son. This however is anathema to Sabbatarians, so they spin it away using the same methods of deception listed earlier. Yet this is God's inspired, written Word.
"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" ― John 5:46-47
This is in relation to what Moses wrote about a coming redeemer; a prophet like unto Moses, and not what Moses wrote regarding the Law.
#21 The Sabbath was observed at the time of the crucifixion (Luke 23:56).
Non Sequitur. The sacrifices were being observed also.
#22 The observance of the Sabbath was Paul's practice years after the crucifixion (Acts 17:2).
Rationalization: Paul was a Jew, and made it a point not to give cause for Jews to stumble:
"And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;" ― 1 Corinthians 9:20
The debate in Scripture was never over whether Jewish Christians had to keep the Law and Sabbath, but whether Gentile converts had to keep the Law, which includes the Sabbath. The answer was no, as found in Acts 15.
#23 Paul recognized and observed the Sabbath during his ministry, about AD 45 (Acts 13:27).
Misrepresentation:
"For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him." ― Acts 13:27
Does this say Paul observed the Sabbath during his ministry? Whether he did or not is not discernible from this passage.
#24 Paul taught the Gentiles on the Sabbath day, at their own request (Acts 13:42).
"And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." ― Acts 13:42
What Gentiles were requesting this? Those who were in attendance in that synagogue on that Sabbath. Does this prove Paul was teaching Gentiles they should keep the Sabbath? No. That is a drawn out conclusion, unsupported by the context. It was Paul's custom to always go to the Jews first in every city, and invariably there were devout Gentiles in attendance.
#25 Paul preached to an entire city on the Sabbath day (Acts 13:44).
Drawn out conclusion.
"It was established the previous Sabbath that Paul would speak again the next Sabbath, and word spread of this. In the meantime, people worked the rest of the week, including Paul."
#26 Paul attended a prayer meeting on the Sabbath day, when no synagogue was available (Acts 16:13).
The location and the narrative hardly indicate this was some sort of organized prayer meeting. Paul would have been looking for the local Jewish community, if there happened to be one, and was told this was a place people gathered for prayers on Sabbaths. Regardless, the situation does not provide any evidence that Paul was teaching Gentile converts to keep the Sabbath.
#27 It was Paul's custom to preach Jesus Christ on the Sabbath day (Acts 17:2-3).
Taken out of context.
"Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." ― Acts 17:17-23
Although Paul did use the Sabbath as an opportunity to preach Christ in synagogues, this passage hardly supports the claim regarding it being Paul's custom to do so on Sabbaths, given the context of verse 17. Paul was meeting with people and preaching Christ every day possible for him. The claim here attempts to imply Paul preached on Sabbaths exclusively.
#28 At Corinth, Paul preached every Sabbath for eighteen months (Acts 18:1-4, 11).
Taken out of context, and assumption.
The context shows Paul preaching first in the synagogue as was his custom until such time here that the Jews were being overly contentious, at which point Paul quit teaching in the synagogue, and declared that from that time forward he would preach to the Gentiles. There is nothing in the narrative that indicates Paul did so on Sabbaths for these eighteen months.
#29 James recognized the seventh-day Sabbath many years after the resurrection of Christ (Acts 15:21).
Misdirection.
"For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." ― Acts 15:21
It is nothing more than a statement of fact. If I point out that Jews today in modern synagogues read and teach Moses, this observation does not validate Sabbath keeping for Christians.
#30 The seventh-day Sabbath will be observed during the Millennium (Isa. 66:23).
Misinterpretation.
"And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD." ― Isaiah 66:23
This is a Hebrew idiom that means, "from month to month, and from week to week" all flesh will come before God to worship. The Sabbatarian would have us conclude that every new moon, and every Sabbath day, all mankind travels to where God is in order to worship Him.
#31 The apostle Paul made it clear that the day of rest, the seventh-day Sabbath, was to be observed as a holy day (Heb. 4:4-9).
Misrepresentation/misinterpretation.
"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. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 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. For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." ― Hebrews 4:4-9
The apostle Paul did not write Hebrews. Regardless, this is talking about God's rest that He entered into on the seventh day "from all His works" back in the book of Genesis. This "day" is referred to by David in the Psalms as "To day" and is not the weekly Sabbath that the people had that they did enter into. This is God's rest they could not enter into because of their unbelief / faithlessness, and it is referred to as "another day" and not the shadow-rest they had. For the people of God, who are those in this context who are participants in the New Covenant, who possess God's Holy Spirit, they enter into God's rest as long as it is still called "To day", seeing as that day wherein God's rest began shows having no end. God is still in His rest, and His rest is not the weekly Sabbath as implied by the claim above.
#32 The sanctity of the seventh day was never transferred by Jesus Christ, nor by the apostles, to the first day of the week. Neither was it changed by Jesus' resurrection—for Christ rose "in the end of the Sabbath" and not on Sunday (Matt. 28:1-6).
Misrepresentation as well as a Straw-man argument (logical fallacy). Also followed by a claim that is misleading.
Sunday is irrelevant as to whether the Sabbath is binding on Christians or not. By rephrasing the debate into an "either/or" argument, a "double blind" is created, also known as a false dilemma. To word this simply, it is an attempt to say, "If x is untrue, then y is true" when in fact both x and y can be false.
Sunday began as a day of communal worship and prayer, as sanctioned by Christian liberty. Christians are free to worship God whenever and wherever they so desire. In the Law, worship was restricted to the temple, and at certain times of the year. Over the course of time, some people assigned the characteristics of the Sabbath to Sunday, declaring it to be a "Christian Sabbath" contrary to New Covenant theology. However, their error does not validate the Sabbath as being true and required of Christians as a result. Error does not prove truth. To claim the Sabbath as true and required of Christians because some Christians mistakenly believe Sunday to be a day of rest is deceptive reasoning.
Neither was it changed by Jesus' resurrection—for Christ rose "in the end of the Sabbath" and not on Sunday (Matt. 28:1-6).
Deception through misdirection.
Jesus' resurrection, and the day of His resurrection, has no bearing on the subject at all. What is relevant, and ignored by Sabbatarians, seeing as they are aware of the arguments and evidence put forth by those who refute the Sabbatarians claims, is that Jesus' death, and not resurrection, is what is relevant in this regard. His death ended the old covenant. With the passing of the old covenant, all the conditions of that covenant also passed and were no longer in force or enforceable. The apostle Paul explains this in Romans chapter 7, and Colossians chapter 2. Death terminates covenants/contracts between two parties, even as a marriage covenant terminates upon the death of either party. The Sabbatarian position is that we are all still legally bound to keep the Sabbath, despite this fact, and all these arguments presented in this list are nothing more than an attempt to circumvent the truths of Scripture in this regard.
#33 Sabbath-keeping is a requirement for eternal life—as the Christian must be keeping all of God's Ten Commandments (Matt. 19:17; Rev. 22:14).
The Big Lie. This method of deception is where a lie is told frequently enough so that people end up believing it, regardless of the evidence. The Scriptural citations are treated eisegetically.
Matthew 19:17:
"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
By taking Scripture out of context, you can "prove" just about anything.
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" ― Matthew 19:16
What was the man's question, specifically? He wanted to know what he, personally, could do in order to have eternal life. Jesus answered him honestly in this manner. However, unlike the claim made in #33 here, these "commandments" go beyond the scope of merely the "Ten."
"He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." ― Matthew 19:18-19
Is the last command here found within the confines of the Ten Commandments? No. It is associated with the Two Great Commandments, on which all the Law and the prophets hang upon.
Jesus could just as easily have said to the man that he needs to live a perfect life without ever sinning, for the Law was designed to reveal the sinful nature of man and to prove man cannot, based on his own efforts, live a sinless life. (Deuteronomy 31:26-27) If Sabbatarians wish to dispute this, then let them produce Sabbath keepers who have never sinned or transgressed even the Ten Commandments.
The conclusion of the situation in Matthew 19 is that the man had sinned; had not kept the commandments perfectly (he was not "complete"), and thus was not destined to have eternal life. But the answer to the dilemma is given there also:
"When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." ― Matthew 19:25-26
It is God, through Christ, and faith in Him that makes it possible for us to be saved, and not by any of us keeping the "Ten Commandments" as claimed here. In fact, the declaration of #33 is in direct conflict to the message of the gospel, and indeed falsifies the gospel, producing a false gospel of works.
Revelation 22:14:
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." ― Revelation 22:14
Assumption. We are led to believe that God's commandments for Christians are old covenant points of law. If this were indeed true, then no one alive today will have access to the tree of life (Christ) or enter into this city; i.e., eternal life.
[Note: Revelation 22:14 is covered in "Must We Keep the Law for Salvation?"]
#34 The seventh-day Sabbath remains as the day of rest for God's people (Heb. 4:9).
Covered under #31.
#35 Jesus warned that in the end time, as the Great Tribulation is beginning, we should pray that we would not have to flee on the Sabbath (Matt. 24:20).
Misquote of Scripture / misrepresentation.
The context here in Matthew chapter 24 is Christ addressing those who live in and around Jerusalem, and not in the "end time" or the "Great Tribulation" that was prophesied for much later.
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:" ― Matthew 24:15-20
#36 The sign of God's people in the end time is that they would be keeping the commandments of God (Rev. 12:17; 14:12).
Assumption.
It is being assumed that these commandments of God here are, again, old covenant commandments.
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." ― Revelation 12:17
What is the testimony of Jesus Christ? Salvation to those who place their faith in Him. These commandments must be in concert with the testimony of Christ, and not in conflict. If they are old covenant commandments, then there is conflict, where people's faith is divided between faith in Christ and "faith" in the OC laws they must now comply with, doing the works of that law, seeing as some commandments are works oriented.
[Note: Revelation 12:17 is also covered in Sabbath and Sunday (Common Arguments & Misunderstandings).]
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." ― Revelation 14:12
The Sabbatarian tends to overlook the testimony and faith of Jesus Christ while focusing on the "commandments of God."
By William Hohmann (former WCG member; Ambassador College graduate, 1976, B.A., theology)
Exit & Support Network™
April 28, 2011
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