by R. L. Morrison

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:2). The seventh day is not here called the sabbath. There is no record of God commanding anyone to observe or keep this day in the book of Genesis, a period of time covering more than two thousand years.

When Abraham's descendants were led by Moses out of Egyptian bondage, in the third month of that pilgrimage, at Mt. Sinai, Moses was called by God to go up on the mountain. There, Moses was given a system of law, which was to guide or govern the people in the land which they were to receive. Included in this law, written on tables of stone, were the "Ten Commandments". The fourth of these commandments was: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all they work. But the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:8-11). In Duet. 5, we find another account of the giving of this law. "The Lord, our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day" (vs. 2-3). Then "keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work: but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God" (vs. 12-14).

From these scriptures can be drawn several conclusions. First, God did not give a commandment regarding a sabbath observance to anyone before he gave it to Israel at Mount Sinai. Second, the command to keep the sabbath was given only to those descendants of Abraham (and their descendants) whom Moses led out of Egypt. There is no scriptural account of this command being given to any other people at any time.

"Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, "Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you" (Exodus 31:13). This passage clearly states that sabbath keeping was a sign between God and the people of Israel. If this command had been given to any other people, it would not and could not have served the purpose God intended for it.

The entire system of law given to Israel through Moses, which includes the ten commandments, was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. He said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am come not to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18). "After this, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scriptures might be fulfilled, he (Jesus) saith I thirst (John 19:28). The first of these two passages, spoken almost at the beginning of his ministry, says he came to fulfill the law. The second, just before his death on the cross, says that all things that were necessary to the fulfillment of the law had been accomplished.

In Colossians 2:14-15, Paul wrote: "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." This, of course, refers to the system of law given to Israel at Mt. Sinai, which included Sabbath keeping. But lest it be thought that this did not include the ten commandments, examine 2 Cor. 3:7 closely. "But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away ..." Then verse 11, "For if that which is done away is glorious, much more that which remains is glorious." Only the ten commandments were written or engraved in stone, the fourth of which required Sabbath keeping. It is very apparent that the complete law was abolished, or done away. This law, given only to Israel, was fulfilled in the life of Christ and was taken out of the way by his death. That law is finished, and not applicable to us today.

The New Testament does not teach or require sabbath keeping. Those who claim to keep sabbath today go back to a law that was fulfilled and done away to get it. Some follow the teaching of some one who claims to have received a latter day revelation. However, both Paul and Peter deny the possibility of any such revelations. Paul wrote, "But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8). In the same letter he said: "But now after ye have known God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days and months, and times and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon ye labor in vain" (Gal. 4:9-11).

Peter wrote: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2 Peter 1:3). Since all things necessary to life and godliness was revealed by the apostles, nothing more is to be revealed to man. The apostles did not keep the sabbath.

The New Testament does not teach Christians to keep or observe any day religiously. Lest the question arise: "How about the first day of the week?", consider this: The first day of the week is NOT the Christian sabbath, as many seem to believe. It IS the day of the week on which Christians assemble for worship. On this day, the Lord's Supper is observed, or eaten, in remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ. Worship is observed, but not the day. No day is said to be holy in the gospel. The gospel of Christ is God's last revelation to mankind. In it we find all things needed to guide us in God's way to eternal life.

There are numerous people today who claim to observe the sabbath. They meet or assemble on the sabbath (Saturday). But the law that required sabbath keeping made no provision for such an assembly. To Israel, to whom the law was given, the sabbath was a day of rest. No work, no fire, no cooking of food, and very limited travel was permitted. It is to be doubted if any religious group today keeps the sabbath as the law required the Israelite to do so.

Some today teach that one of the popes of Roman Catholicism, changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. Consider the following: "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them" (Acts 20:7). "Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him" (1 Cor. 16:2). Christians were assembling on the first day of the week as the result of the apostles preaching and practice. This was centuries before the Roman Catholic church ever existed, or had a pope.

Teaching sabbath keeping today and going through some form of doing so, is a false religion. It had its origin among men. It is contrary to the truth, which Jesus said will make men free. (John 8:32).

Do not allow yourself to be deceived by false teachers, attempting to transform themselves into angels of light, or teachers of righteousness, who deny the word of the Lord. They pervert scripture, promise liberty to those who hear them, while they, themselves, are servants of corruption to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever (Jude 12-13).

The Old Law, and Sabbath keeping, is finished; it is not applicable to any person or nation of people on earth today.

How do you stand with regard to the New Law?