A Small discourse

On the
SABBATH
 CONTENTS
********
An Apology
*
The Fourth Commandment
*
The Law
*
What's The Difference?
*
The First Day Of The Week
*
Other Passages Used To Argue For Sunday
*
Man Cannot Choose His Own Day Of Worship
A Look At Romans 14
*
Sunday Worship?
A Look At Acts 20:7
*
Grace Versus Law Or Law And Grace?
My Conclusion To You
********

I hope you the reader receive each of my points no matter how

repeated. I welcome any and all correspondence on them.
Tyrone. A. Harbert
[email protected]
 APOLOGY

Of all my trials, the sabbath issue has thus far been. the one with the most scars of battle.
I make no apology for this writings content,. I have only tears to offer you rny dear
readers ...
I do not know when I: came to understand that sabbath was Saturday; it seems to be one
of those .things I understood naturally, though I am quite sure it was long before my own
personal salvation, maybe as a child under the ministry of David Terrell. I can remember
back to my first days of church going always hearing "Yea Saturday is the sabbath but we
wo:rship on t.he Lord's day" in one shape, form, or fashion of ,another ; as I try to
remember these times hundreds of voices come to mind. But. knowing a. truth and
walking. in it are two opposing things. As for me coming to my current position, it is
rather recent. Although knowing the true sabbath I have long compromised and hid,
cowering at Jezebel's laugh, lurking under Acts 20:7. I freely admit my long held
cowardly position behind the pulpit and one on one, I was quick to defend other truths
like confronting the trinity lies or pre-trib flyaway pie in the sky, but on the sabbath I ran
like a dog. with its tail between its legs! For this alone do I apologize for here.
Of late I had a great job the Lord brought me into (financially). I was prospering for the
first time in my life. I actually felt as. though I was accomplishing as head of the house:
bills caught up, money to spare, a car, a computer; but something was starting to seem
dark all of a sudden, .my wife was not happy and I was suffering physically and
emotionally amidst all that seemed good. I began to seek God about it, since he led me
along the way. At first all the Lord gave to me was the times he comforted Paul
(Acts .23:11, 2 Cor. 12:9), so I endured. I sought the Lord one day about his will for me,
as he has shown me many things. One day he spoke to me to leave my Job and keep the
sabbath, not to work on. the Sabbath specifically (which sadly I did not admit to my
supervisor)! I quickly got a job the Lord had led me to take. I stayed all the while seeking
God. this job set me back financially and emotionally; I am still recovering from this
obedience to the Lord; but I held on during temptation to compromise my position. At
least one, I know whom the Lord supposedly dealt; with did likewise as I. Yet did
compromise and has gone away from me. I speak not of it, he answers to God not me. I
know God has dealt with me and I must follow his voice alone. As he has led me to Ex.
20:8-10 and asked me which of the commandments can I break--adultery? murder? theft?
What is the fourth? It's not. about law/grace, it's all about sin.
I am enduring through my trials that began at my sabbath decision, and through this all.,
watching my home and friends crumle away, the Lord. holds me and wipes my tears (1
Peter 1:7, 4:12. Heb. 11:36, Rev. 7:17,21:4). Glory to the almighty God! I will not detail
my trials~ each "spark" is merely purging me for God 's work ahead. To you the reader I
give my defense of my position with only one word of love to you; I will stand before
God and give an account not you or your manmade traditions or fancy reasoning. Peace
be unto you my friend.
Bro. Tyrone
Jude 3,4
 The Fourth Commandment

In Exodus 20:8-11 we do indeed find the sabbath as one of the basic ten commandments;
why is setting one day apart a week so important that God includes it as one of his
commandments? The commandment is found among those that define a proper
relationship with God--how we are to love, worship, and relate to him. it explains why
and when we need to take special time to draw closer to our creator. The seventh day was
set apart by God himself as a time of rest and spiritual rejuvenation. So why the seventh
day? How can our relationship with God benefit any more from observing that particular
day than any other day: After all Friday night and Saturday abound with much secular
activities why should we be different? Isn't this a symbolic commandment one never
meant to be taken literally- and didn't Jesus himself ignore this commandment, leaving us
free from this burden of keeping it? All these questions from assumed long held beliefs-
yet God's command is simple and easy to understand, so why is this commandment so
frequently ignored, attacked, and explained away by so many? Could it be because the
challenges to the sabbath command are views generated by the god of this present evil
world? After all he wants us to accept these views because he hates God's law, he does all
he can to influence us to ignore, avoid, and reason our way around it! Few grasp satans
influence on society's indoctrination; he is the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4) He deceives
most of humanity (Rev. 12:9). The whole world is prey to his influence (1 John 5:19).
His objective has always been to destroy the relationship between the one true God and
humanity, he wants nothing more than to keep people from developing a loving
relationship with their creator which is the exact purpose of the fourth commandment.
What about Christ's own personal example of keeping the sabbath for its intended
purpose of helping people develop a personal relationship with their creator as in Luke
4:16? After his death and ascension the apostles did likewise as in Acts 17:-2 and 18:4,
and what of it? Today, however, most people who profess to follow Christ do not follow
the example of the Lord or his apostles. Most fail to realize that the rejection of the
sabbath as a day of worship for the Christians did not start until 300 years after Christ;
the substitution of Sunday for the sabbath began in the days of Constantine. that Grand
Roman Emperor, along with state controlled religion whitewashing pagan worship with
tones of christian worship making all in the empire to serve and worship this anti-
christianity substitute; which included worship on Sunday rather than the true sabbath,
and with the doctering of early documents witth/by the aid of Eusebius and others pulled
this off, even as far as altering the very scriptures!
<note: As for any errors on this I refer the reader to the works of Samuele Bacchiocchi
such as “from Sabbath To Sunday”>
One fact. is undisputable: nowhere in the bible does God ever give permission to change
the seventh day sabbath to the first day sunday. No man, Institution , or state was ever
granted the right to tamper with what God called sacred and holy!
The sabbath is vital because it shapes the way we perceive and wcrship him .,why not
remember the sabbath by formally worshipping God on that day? Indeed it is by the
ceasing of our labors and activities we are reminded of an essential lesson each week-Gen.
2:1-3, the sabbath is a special day to rest from our labors and turn our full attention to our
relationship with God; not to do nothing,. but rather it is a dramatic change of focus of
our activity. God intended that it. be a. delightful period during which we busily draw
closer to him. You who honor Sunday as your chosen day (while ignoring God's day, by
the way) think about all of the excuses you give your own self on getting up and going to
church each Sunday to those who ask "why?" and you will quickly see you know the
meaning of the sabbath; I don't have to explain it a1l, you who have been deceived into
Sunday worship have merely substituted a counterfeit day for the true sabbath (all along
without some pitiful law vs. grace debate about going to church on Sunday)!
God through the prophet Isaiah in 58:13,14 speaks plainly of ,How we ,are to delight not
in our own ways but rather turning to the Lord. God chose the sabbath as.a special day to
build our ever growing relationship with him; a special time of worship; like in a
marriage;, he as our head gave. us this day as the time, are we to be rebellious (the very
sin of witchcraft-1Sam. 15: 23) and tell him I don't. care I 'm gonna do this on Sun-day
not your day, remember your grace and come down to me ! How sad you deluded ones,
it is on the sabbath we are to take an intermission in our life and devote it to God as our
creator-Ex. 20:11; that is the day he hallowed for this purpose. Despite the world's
influence around us, the observance of the sabbath reminds us of who our faith is directed
to, our creator-Heb. 11: 3. The faith in our bible was inspired directly by the spirit of God
and his will revealed to us in the very commandments. The sabbath reminds us he is the
creator of the universe. yet it reminds us not only of a past creation since the spiritual is
yet to come and is indeed a continuing event -2 Cor. 5: 17 , Eph.4:22-.24, Col. 3:10,
Heb. 4. It 18 not by our own will but his will that we are renewed- Rom. 7:18 -19,
Php.2:1.3.
If we are in Christ he is creating in us his own character, his own divine nature (2 Peter
1:4). The weekly time he set apart perpetually to remind us that he the creator molds us
into a new creation. God's word tells us we are to grow (1 Peter 2: 12). The sabbath is the
time God set apart for us to grow closer to him--through study of his word, prayer, group
instruction~-he has set it apart. as holy time {Gen. 2:1-3) and we are to delight ourselves
in it by seeking his participation in our spiritual development (lsa. 58 :14). It is the day on
which Christ's disciples should be growing closer to each other--Heb. 10:24,25. The
sabbath is the only day God commands a .weekly assembly--l.ev. 23:3. The evidence of
the New Testament is that Christ., the apostles, and their converts continued to ,assemble
on the sabbath; yet with a renewed emphasis on the new person God is creating, the
relationship of the seventh day to their lives grew in importance to them, as Hebrews
confirms--Heb. 4:9. Jesus and the apostles kept the sabbath holy, as is the commandment-
Ex. 20:8. As for me, I have decided by .and- through his grace t.o be obedient and trust
his judgment. and keep his commandments. You too will answer to your creator for
ignoring even one of his loving ,commands as sin--1 John 3:4. Grace is never an excuse
to sin my friend.
 The law

Many have ignorantly tried to use Eph. 2:8,9 against us who would hold to sabbath
keeping in some futile attempt to say we are equating works to salvation. These may be
well meaning, sincere men, however deceived and blind they may be. "For by grace are
ye saved through faith ... not of works lest any man should boast” Now dear friend look
at the entire context, Just look at verse 10, the very next verse: "For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” The obvious meaning of the
passage is that as Christians -the new man in Christ--we should be accomplishing good
works. God has ordained that we should walk (live/walk of life) in them! We are saved
not by works which earn salvation, but by God's grace, which is unearned, undeserved
forgiveness for sin. On the other hand, once forgiven,. God wants us to accomplish good
works! As James also agrees to in 2:10-18 and proves in 2:19-26. They are all too quick
to dismiss the law of God while defending their counterfeit sabbath easily throwing up
Rev. 1:10 saying Sunday is the Lord's day into a string of assumptions; ignoring that
Christ is the Lord of the sabbath (Mark 2:27,28). The sabbath is God's hallowed day
(Ex .20: 10), but one of the .pitiful dispensational arguments is to make the law apply
only to Jews (as I touch on in part of this work) labeling it mosaic quick to destroy those
tablets of stone to embrace free liberty under the guise of a cross.
So let us look for a moment at the true nature of God's laws and commands according to
the scriptures. Did not his laws exist before those tablets of stone?, Did not Israel break
his laws in Ex. 16:28 before ten commandments-were laid to stone later in chapter 20?
Did not 400 years earlier Joseph know the command of Ex. 20:14 back in Gen. 39:9?
Any casual reading of scripture from, Genesis onward reveals God's laws and commands
from the time of the sacrifices of Cain and Abel and the murder onward to the clean and
unclean animals and sacrifice of Noah upward to the days of Abraham the idol destroyer
and his sacrifice. My friend God has always had his commands and his people who
obeyed them through grace. Do not be deceived by some invisible web of law vs. grace
and Jew vs. Gentile (Ex. 12:49/ Ps.119:89).Does not God speak of sin long before Mt.
Sinai—such as Gen. 4:4-7? And,what is sin according to the bible? The scriptures say sin
is the transgression of the law; but there can be no sin , where there is no law to point out
what sin is-- where no law is, there is no transgression. There was a law in plaoe--:God's
command not to murder when Cain slew his brother! The law was revealed to our first
parents and is holy" righteous, and good--Ps. 119:172/ Rom. 7:12. God's law did not
come into existence at Mt. Sinai, it was and is an expression of God's will to mankind,
telling us how to live.
In order for the Sodomites to be called sinners (Gen. 13: 13) there had to be a law,
and it was broken. The wages of sin is death, as the ancients knew well (Gen. 6:7).
Abraham kept the commandments, and laws (Gen. 26:5) long before Sinai, even
Abimelech of another region, knew of sin and God's laws (Gen. 20: 3-9). It is only
because of "theological" blindness one would not understand the eternal nature of God's
laws and commands, which will all continue into the age to come (Isa. 66:23)! The law
Was before Exodus (Jer. 7:22). Paul writes of the codification of the law of Ex. 20/ Duet.
5 by saying it was added because of transgression (Gal. 3: 19). If one gets a broken leg:
and has a splint placed on it or a cast, it is added because the leg was broken.
Transgression is sin (1 John 3:4). Because of these stiff necked ones, the book of the law
was added as a splint!
Many who claim to be a Christian are opposed to God's law. The ten commandments is
the quickest way to see who is carnal and who is converted! Those led of the spirit are the
sons of God; The only ,way to receive the spirit is by repentance with Jesus name
baptism, ye shall receive (Acts 2:38). And he will only give his spirit to the obedient
(Acts 5: 32). A true Christian is one who has repented and is walking a life of obedience
to his commands (John 15:10/Rev. 12:17/14:12/22:14). What is the fourth command?
Does it matter the proof that Roman catholicism-man replaced Sunday for the sabbath
after hundreds of years? No man can change God's day!
Do you honestly think it was a coincidence that God spoke to Noah on the seventh day?
How odd the next sabbath he and his family were closed into the ark; that type of our
salvation (2 Det. 2:5) that foreshadowed the baptism (1 Pet. 3: 21). Could this also be, a
foretaste of that perpetual sign between God and his people (Ex. 31: 16,17, 12: 49)? The
seventh day God spoke to Noah to enter in and God's holy wrath destroyed his creation
that chose sin over his commands and ways! It's a good thing Noah didn't try some first-
day excuse! Anyhow, I have already shown his law in effect before Moses set foot on
Sinai.; I could go on into the Passover kept before they left .that way and mention
Melchezidek's meeting with Abraham or even go back to the days of ends ... I shall leave
this topic maybe for another day. But I shall leave off my point of God's law before Mt.
Sinai with one final example, our very topic; the seventh day: God had already set apart
and sanctified the seventh day long before (Gen. 2:2,3) the "jewish" law of Moses (Ex.
20:11); and as per God's eternal nature (Mal. 3:6) this shall continue on (Isa.66:23).
 What’s The Difference?

God commands us to keep holy his sabbath. the seventh day not the first. Does it really
matter? You may say so quickly, but when you look at God's word which is the divine
revelation of his unchanging attitude (Mal. 3:6), you find some very interesting things:
Did it matter that Uzzah touched the ark; breaking a seemingly minor command-Num.
4:15, 1 Chron. 13:7-10? Did it matter that Samson's hair was cut-Jud. 13-16, come on
hair, what's the big deal, right? Did it matter that the man of God disobeyed some very
minor instructions--l King 13:24, about whether he ate or drank in a certain place?
Clearly God specified the sabbath command, so it matters dear friend! It certainly
mattered in ancient Israel. Notice it was Christ who went with Israel into the wilderness--
l Cor. 10:1-6, the same leads God's people through the spiritual wilderness of this world.
It was he who reminded Israel of the sabbath day, and he does not change--Heb. 13:8.
The holy law given to Israel still stands friend (Mat. 5:17-19). Note that Israel's mistakes
are our examples (l Cor. 10:6). Paul lists many things they did in their wandering. Read
Ezk. 20:12,13; did it matter to God that Israel polluted the sabbath (20:15)? Why did God
refuse them entry (20:16)? They broke God's law and scattered them because they chose
the traditions of their fathers, didn't he (20:23,24)? The sabbath command may not seem
as "spiritual" as the others yet its violation was one of the major reasons they were
overthrown in the wilderness.
Some even try to say the commands having to do with "love" are important in the
Christian era, but what is love? How do we express love to God? God's mercy is
promised to those who keep his commands--Ex. 20:6. Notice the connection between
love and commandment keeping here as well as in 1 John 5:3. Love toward God does
involve human emotion '_ expressed first and foremost in obedience to him-John 14:15,
our obedience to God's law directly reflects the love we have for him. Could it be you
love something more than God, such as your family interests or traditions, or some
personal motivation--Mat. 10:37, John 12:25?
Some argue the sabbath is just a physical thing; but so is your neighbor's wife, his
property, and even his life, unlawful treatment of these is law, sabbath breaking is placed
side by side with idolatry and worship of false gods; never is there some distinction
between transgressions. If acknowledging the seventh day as God's holy day-and keeping
the day holy because God says to keep it holy- is not a matter of morality and spirituality,
then what is?
Some have tried to say the seventh day was only for physical Jews not Gentiles and
accuse us who keep the commandments as being Judaizers. Yet the scriptures reveal it
was a mixed multitude which left Egypt (Ex. 12:38) and God specifically instructed one
law for all (Ex. 12:49). There was never a time Gentiles could not join themselves to
Israel, from Exodus to Christ many Gentiles became citizens of Israel; they kept the laws
given to Israel and were considered Israelites. God blessed those who kept the sabbath
(Isa. 56:2). Fleshly Israel and the Gentile Joined to Israel (Isa. 56:3,6). The Gentiles were
to keep the sabbath: there was no differences in the way Israelites and Gentiles are to
worship God--but one law for them; just as the New Testament scriptures show--Gal.
3:28,29. Those who saw the seventh day is a jewish thing ignore the fact the sabbath was
made for man (Mark 2:27) and Gen. 2:1-3 is proof the sabbath existed long before the
first Jew was born, the _sabbath was for all mankind, not just Jews--for man's benefit and
God's blessing. How could a day of rest, blessed and given sanctified by a loving creator
be regarded as a "yoke of bondage"? Every imaginable argument has been contrived to
get rid of the sabbath, to nail it to the cross and call it "mosiac" and exchange it for
another day! Nine of the ten commandments are accepted by most all "christians"; few,
however, keep the fourth. Interestingly, this God gave as a special sign between himself
and his people! As we see plainly in Ex. 31:13-18 this very simple fact: a sign between
God and his.. people, and indeed God's people are those who keep his commandments-
Rev. 12:17. The true worshippers will be keeping the Ten Commandments! One cannot
imagine a true worshipper bowing to an idol or serving false gods, but how many
professing Christians completely disregard or reject the fourth commandment? Seldom
do you find a Christian bookstore selling sabbath material, except against it! Yet James
does indeed write (James 2) if you stumble in one point, you stumble in all; the same who
said do not murder said do not commit adultery is also the same who said remember the
sabbath, that perpetual covenant that will continue into the age to come--Isa. 66:23, Zech.
14:16. All nations will continue observing the sabbath the perpetual sign and covenant; it
did not end at the cross and not solely for the Jews. How sad you would reject a simple
command.
 The First Day of The Week
Only eight passages in the entire New Testament speak of the first day of the week, or at
least seem to. In contrast no fewer than 60 references to the sabbath are scattered
throughout the New Testament. Astoundingly when the case is made for Sunday worship,
these references are ignored, while those few that seem to refer to Sunday are seen as
confirming Sunday over the sabbath.
Of these few passages most focus on the time of the Savior's resurrection, using his
resurrection as the rationale for a worship day is groundless in the bible ; nowhere do we
find that the day of worship was changed because of his resurrection day! However, let us
look at these eight verses one at a time about the first day:

Matthew 28:1:
These women were sabbath keepers, they waited for the sabbath to pass, which in
scriptures would be sundown before venturing out, they were careful not to profane the
day God set apart. The Greek here of opse / epiphosko indicates one day is ending while
the other is beginning: end/even and dawn/drawon, the scriptures teach days end and
begin at sundown: Gen. 1:5, Ex. 12:18, Lv. 22:6,7, 23:32, Jud 14:18 and Neh. 13:19. It
was Saturday evening and he was already resurrected according to the angel.

Mark 16:2:
This is the second time the women visit the tomb.
As Mat.28:6 tells us he had already risen by the time the sabbath ended at sunset.

Mark 16:9:
"was risen" is past tense, early in the Greek is Pro: which would mean any time after
sunset Saturday. This verse is not telling us when he arose but when he first appeared to
Mary. He had not appeared at her first visit as we find in John 20:12.

Luke 24:1:
The Greek here of very early in the morning is orthrou (dawn) and batheos (deep) and
most assuredly means while still dark and as we see in John 20:1/Luke 24:3, it was not
yet dawn and yet he was already gone.

John 20:1:
It was; dark, not dawn. The stone was already moved away and he was risen.

John 20:19:
Because in scripture a day ends and another begins at sunset, the word evening would
indicate a new day. This gathering was not for worship, they were behind locked doors
for "fear of the Jews".
Acts 20:7:
In the Greek here it is plain that it is the first of the weekly sabbaths in the count to
Pentecost (as in John 20: 1 as well) “Te mia ton sabbaton” they were meeting on the
weekly sabbath 25 years after the ascension; being also the weekly sabbath Paul gave a
sermon. Here in Acts we see the holy days are still in effect (1 Cor. 5:7,8). Christ was our
offering in the count to pentecost and did not do away with this notable part of the feast
of unleaven bread. Paul waited until the next day, Sunday, to travel so as to not desecrate
the sabbath.

1 Corinthians 16:2:
Here the Corinthian brethren were being asked to store food for the brethren of Jerusalem
who were suffering a famine (Acts 11:27-30). In v. 1 he calls it a collection for the saints.
The Greek here is logiai meaning gathering. Paul wants them to have this laborious task
of gathering foodstuffs completed and stored at home so that he could have the collected
food ready when he came, if this were a sabbath the work of collecting would not be
going on (Ex. 20:8-11). There certainly isn't anything about an offering plate being
passed at a church!

And that's it, all the "first day" verses explained, if our day of worship/rest, if tbe.,sabbath
was changed to the first day; it was not done so in the scriptures. It was only done so by
men not God!
... "How be it in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men for laying aside the commandment of God ... full well you respect the
commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition"--Mark 7:6-9
The fourth commandment by God's own finger, he hallowed the seventh day, it is man
who chooses his own so called Sabbath!
 Some other passages commonly used
Romans 14:5,6:
The issue of a sabbath day is non-existent here, it is only read into the passage by those
who would hold their tradition! The chapter deals with fasting on certain days, whether to
eat or not to eat, to set aside a day or not. These are the issues Paul is discussing here, not
sabbatizing.

Galatians 4:9-11:
This chapter deals with the Galatians being influenced by paganism and judaizers
confused they were slipping back into paganism (verse 8). The weak/beggerly elements
were the baseless and useless arguments the heathen used to explain their world: nowhere
does "days, months, times, years" used to refer to God's appointed times, when biblical
writers mean the sabbath or holy days, they say so! Here Paul speaks of the heathen days
in verse 10 and 8 that they observed before they knew God!

Colossians 2:16,17:
No man refers to someone outside the faith, anyone in a general sense. God's holy days
are pivotal in the covenant relationship, and no one foreign to this has any business
telling you what to do or how to do it. The body of Christ is to Judge these things (v. 17).
The holy days foreshadow what is to come, they give us a glimpse of what is to come
when ma.n-made days like Christmas/Easter are done away with by banishment.

Revelation 1:10:
The sabbath has always been the Lord's day not Sunday, this was never changed by God
or scripture; only men! Any study of the term Lord's day / or day of the Lord never refers
to Sunday, rather his coming again. (Amos 3:1820, Zeph-. 1:14-16, Ezk. 30:3,4, Joel 2:31,
Mal. 4:5, I Thess. 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, Rev. 6:17)

The sabbath day is a sign of God's covenant with man (Ezekiel 20:12). If you are keeping
it, you are not only commemorating his creation, but you are showing him that you love
him and want to comply with his will. By keeping the ,sabbath, we acknowledge him as
creator and redeemer (Exodus 20:8-11/0uet. 5=12-15). He rested on the seventh day,. Rot
the first day of the week. The fourth commandment is devoted to the sabbath day! We, as
Israel are to observe these as it was given for an perpetual covenant (Exodus 31: 16).
It is very obvious and plain that the sabbath was observed and kept during the New
Testament days: Luke 4:16, Acts 13:42,44; Acts 17=2; Acts 18:4; and as Acts 13:42, 44
makes all too plain, Gentiles observed the sabbath; not just Jews of the flesh!
 Man Can’t choose his Own
In rejecting the observance of the weekly sabbath, many cite Romans 14:5; but does it
allow us to make our own decision about which day to keep holy? If this verse really
teaches that man may ignore the law and select any day he wishes in worship of the
almighty, then it runs counter to the other teachings of Paul in the same letter. Notice dear
friend he quotes the 10th commandment against coveting in Rom. 7:7 and in verse 12
Paul plainly writes the law is holy and the commandment holy, just, and good. Paul kept
and taught the law! In Romans 7:22 he says he delights in the law of God after the inward
man. Paul held the law in high regard and admits his having been taught according to the
perfect manner of the law. Paul admits himself "so worship I the God of my fathers,
believing all things ,which are written in the law and prophets" (Acts 22:3/24:14). Paul
followed the scriptures while rejecting the man-made teachings of the scribes and
Pharisees! Paul relied upon and quoted the Old Testament scriptures for his authority,
Paul was not against the law! Then how do we explain Rom. 14? Are we to understand
that puny man can ignore the commandments and do as he pleases?
The introductory verse in chapter 14 of Romans zeroes in on the person weak in the faith.
new to the word. just starting to assimilate bible truth.
Look at v.2; because most of the meats available, to them was dedicated to pagan gods or
was not drained of blood, some brethren would not eat flesh ,of any kind adhering to an
fruit/nut/vegetable diet, but Paul clearly taught that scripturally clean meats were not to
be rejected- Duet. 14, Lev. 11. 1 Tim. 4:5- God devotes two chapters to eating meats,
defining the differences, so as Paul says of meat itself, there is nothing wrong with eating
it.
In verse 3, Paul seems to refer to those who do not eat at all. but who select a day to fast,
some instead of one day had chosen two in Luke 18:12; but whether we fast or not is up
to the individual according to Paul; it is between God and them, if he is upright God will
strengthen him- verse 4.
And as he moves into verse 5, he comes to explain some prefer some days and others
deem any day suitable. Notice friend not one mention of observing a day of worship?
Nothing is said about the sabbath or first day of the week, is it? It is abundantly clear in
verse 6 the subject is fasting to the Lord!
The rest of the chapter goes on to show that we do not live or die to ourselves but all we
do is noted by God. There is nothing dealing with the sabbaths, festivals, new moons, etc.
here. Paul is teaching us to be tolerant of other believers, Elspecially those new in the
Lord.
If someone wants to make Romans 14 out to prove Paul did away with the .sabbath, just
remember it simply means man not God in preferring one day over another! Man can
choose whatever day fast (Luke 5: 35), and we are expected to fast. But we are not to
ridicule vegetarians. (Rom. 14:19)
Paul simply did not do away with the Sabbath or feast days, rather he too observed them
and taught us thusly. (Acts 22:3,24:14, Rom. 7:22, 1 Cor. 5:7)
 Sunday Worship?
One of the most cited and debated verses used to prove Sunday worship is Acts 20:7.
That somehow the Savior instructed us to observe Sunday, that we are to be now keeping
the first day of the week instead of observing the day we know as Saturday, the sabbath.
Those who worship on Sunday insist this is a powerful passage in support of Sunday
keeping. and is a paramount verse used to show that the apostle was now keeping Sunday
as a day of worship. But we sabbath keepers contend that it is indeed a Saturday evening
message Paul preached lasting into the night into the first day, Sunday, citing verses 8
and 9 showing it was evening and there were. many lights. Since biblical days end/begin
at sunset, this gives evidence to our explanation. Believe it or not Acts 20:7 was not
inspired to support Sunday worship; it has been twisted to teach a counterfeit day of
worship!
It shows rather Paul was keeping the same holy days given to Israel. Neither does this
verse teach of communion; "breaking bread" is sharing a common meal as in Acts
2:42,46; 27:35 and 20:11 shows him going back to finish his meal!
Verse 6 tells us Paul saved away after the days of unleavened bread, why does Luke
speak of this 25 years after Messiah's death and ascension if the days of unleavened bread
are done away with? Why does Luke call attention to them in Paul's dealing with the
Gentiles? Paul evidently stayed in Philipi to observe these days with these Gentile
brethren.
If these were observing communion, as some contend in 20:7-11, where is mention of the
cup; the fruit of the vine as in 1 Cor. 10:16? Verse 6 shows Paul did so before his arrival
in Troas. It is quite clear the brethren came together for a common meal, a farewell
supper at which Paul preached into the late hours.
Look at the Greek of Acts 20:7: Strong's concordance says #4521 for week and means
sabbath and is the equivalent of Heb. #7676: the sabbath in Green's Interlinear it reads on
"and the one of the sabbaths". God's annual holy days of Lev. 23 cannot have been done
away with looking at verses 6 and 7 of Acts 20 our attention is called .to these days.
Leviticus 23 begins with the sabbath (Lev. 23:1-3), then follows Passover and the 7 days
of unleavened bread (23:4-8); Pentecost is what Paul had in mind at Acts 20:16 and
onward to Acts2a~.J.7 noting also at 24: 11-13.; he went not to merely evangelize', rather
he went to worship and keep the feast!
While we have no record of what Paul preached, it may full well have been on Pentecost
the next feast day, since this was on his mind as 20:16 shows. Since Acts 20 has Paul still
observing the holy days in the New Testament era, it shows their importance and the fact
they were not done away with.
Acts 20:7 cannot be evidence for a change of weekly worship from Sabbath to sunday,
because Paul himself was a teacher to the Gentiles: Acts 9:15 the Savior chose a pharisee
of the Pharisees to go to the Gentiles to teach them the way of Christ; Paul continued to
teach the Gentiles on the Saturday Sabbath--Acts 16:13; Acts 13:42-46; 17:2; 18:4 etc.
Paul obviously taught the pagan Corinthians about passover as 1 Cor. 5:7,8 makes too
plain: Why write to the Gentile Corinthians and apply Old Testament principles of truth
in the feast days if these days were not kept by Gentile converts? Are they not to become
spiritual Israelites-Rom. 9:4-6?
The holy days will be kept in the millenium under the Messiah--Isa. 65:231 Mic. 4:1-4.
God says these sabbaths are a sign between him and his people, that he is the one who
sets them apart, sanctified, for his purpose; Ezk 20:12 through verse 20: He repeats his
demand of obedience and that the obedient will know that he alone is our God. Hebrews
8:8-10 says these laws will be kept and even now we (Hebrews 10:14) are to have His
law in our hearts and written in our minds.
Acts 20:7 shows Paul's dedication to keeping the Sabbath and he was determined to
observe Pentecost.
 Grace Versus Law OR Law and Grace?

Many say "we are not under the law" anymore going as far as to say it has been done
away with ignoring our Lord's very words in Mat. 5:17 against this thinking and turning
away from the apostles words of Romans 7: 12-16; somehow thinking because the
ceremonial laws are exhimpted that God's moral law is as well! Running around like
liberated homosexuals basking in their new found liberty and freedom laughing all the
way! Quickly citeing Rom.14 against us who would observe the sabbath chanting
Romans 6:14,15 to the tune of 10:4 with the harmony of Galatians 5:18 and melody of
James 1:25 marching all the way two by twos to an ark full of deceitful webs crafted by
the grand deceiver hImself, caught as flies by the sweet nector of self freedom and liberty:
Boundless; chained to no command but love- Rom. 13:10. The Beatles would be proud
"all we need is love"; Surely the shadow of grace pierces asunder by the light of truth.
Grace will never hide or condone the breaking of God's moral law written by his own
finger on stone and by his spirit upon our hearts!

What does the apostle who supposedly said we are not under the law really and
truthfully teach? Did he not say plainly: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effiminate ... nor thieves, nor covetous ... " 1 Corinthians 6:9-12. "The
works of the flesh are manifest which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, idolatry ... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of
God"- Galatians 5:18-21. No one with a clear mind can honestly say paul condoned a
doing away of the law, that he taught some grace is all and love is it doctrine; sin is sin.
God's commands have not been destroyed by any stretch of ones vain imagination!

Look plainly at the Ten Commandments and Paul's teaching to these Gentile believers.
Read Exodus 20 at God's words and tell me eyeball to eyeball we as New Testament
believers are not under his laws, that ,we are not expected to observe them; you go tell
Paul you do not have to do these things; you tell him "Christ is the end of the law" or
whatever verse you are twisting to justify your own lust or tradition!

Where do we read of not making graven images to bow down to them but in the
commandments of God (Ex . 20:4,5)? What is an idolater to paul? Where do we read
of .not committing adultery but in the commandments? (Ex. 20:14). So to Paul what is an
adulterer? Where do we read thou shall not steal but in God's holy commandments (Ex.
20:15)? What is a thief to Paul? So which of the commandments can I break? Just the
fourth about the sabbath? Why? God does not say remember the ,sabbath to keep it holy
for nought! Did he overlook this one when his spirit was to put his law into our hearts yet
expect obedience to all 9 others? Oh foolish and deceived ones are you that blinded by
satan's trappings you cannot see these things? I am truly sorry for you my friend. You
who would cry "grace" to me on this issue yet condemn adultery, thieves, idolaters, etc.
as guilty of sin and in need of repentance! Most assuredly the spirit speaks of you:
turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness--Jude,4 maybe you just love tradition
more than God's commands.
 The true law of God from Mt. Sinai shall ,never be altered (Ps. 89:34), and it is most
assuredly our part of love to keep his commandments, dare any man deny this all too
simple. truth that our Lord taught: John 14: 15 ,21; 15: 10? Can any deny Paul believed in
obedience to the Lord's word-l Cor. 14:37? Does not the scriptures teach if we do not
keep his commands we cannot even claim to know him--l John 2:3,4; is it. not we who
keep his commandments the ones with whom he dwells--1John 2:24? Isn't it the love of
God that we keep his commandments-1 John 5:3? It is those of us who keep his
commands and the ,testimony of Jesus who shall be hated will it not--Rev. 12:17? Is it
not us who keep his commandments that shall enjoy paradise in the life to come--
Rev.22:14? And what say you? Oh, I can break one of the commandments ... How utterly
foolish you who are deceived, I pr•ay your eyes be opened before that day to keep his
commandment.s that you find yourself not given to a strong delusion.

In Revelation 14:14 Christ is preparing for the harvest and in v.12 we get a glimpse of
the righteous saints--they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus!
Christ himself tells us that the law is the standard of righteousness even at the time of the
end,...-Rev. 22: 13 ,14. Satan has twisted and perverted the scriptures so much people
today really believe they do not have to keep God's law holding Gal. 5:18 as their banner
of liberty against us! Charging at us as if we are the enemy, when we only proclaim the
truth to them.

Look at Romans 8:7; does this mean the carnal mind is also not under any obligation to
keep God's law? To be subject means to be obedient, so the carnal mind cannot be
obedient to the law of God. Why? Because without Christ it is impossible to keep the law,
why should Paul discuss it if it was not important? We as Christians need a correct
understanding of God's law and we must understand the, requirement of our obedience to
this law. If God could change one precept, Christ would not have to had died. But the
provision of our salvation through his imputed righteousness that was made does not do
away with the law or lessen its claims. The law is the standard of righteousness.

Maybe people refuse to understand this because they know they do not keep his
commandments and know they can't. But that is the whole point we can't keep the law by
our own power, it is only by the holy spirit who writes the law in our hearts we are able
to obey his commandments. Christ provided the way for us to not sin; to keep the
commandments as Paul teaches many times (Eph. 2:2). If God's law was done away with
then there is on s1n--l John 3:4; an~ if he did away with his law what a horrible reward
for the righteous to live eternally in a violent, destructive, lawless society!
To reject God's commandments, to accept some man made tradition and doctrine is
exactly what is to come, and it is dangerous. See Isa. 9:16 for example. Satan tries to ,
replace and counterfeit everything of God, to replace him; It is such a surprise he tries to
replace God's sabbath with a counterfeit Sun-day? Or is that too hard for you to see dear
friend?
While we may not be under the penalty of the law, we are under its obligation to holiness
and righteousness--Acts 5 : 29 ,32; Heb. 5: 9 ; 2 Thess . 1: 8 ; 1 Peter 4: 17 ; Heb . 12: 14 .
As it always has been with God the effect of his grace is on the condition of our
commitment--Isa. 53/58.

Since eternal life is a free gift many feel we do not have to do anything but ask;
however, a covenant is an agreement between two parties with stipulations that both sides
must meet. Eternal life is a free gift because we cannot earn it. We must cooperate with
God in our own salvation, that requires we study his word and know his truth and what is
the doctrine of .men. We cannot compromise after the great sacrifice that has been made
on our behalf. Those of the true faith have always suffered more from the hands of those
who would pervert the faith than from the pagans.
Of a truth I say, there is only one kind of saint of God--those who keep his
commandments and keep the faith of Jesus--Rev. 12:10