Are Christians Required to Keep the Sabbath?

Okay, good to see everybody in again, and I always like to remind our television audience that when I open with those kind of words, it's because we tape four programs in succession in an afternoon, and in between our half hours, we have a coffee break while the guys get the cameras ready. So I suppose I'll just keep on starting that way. It's just good to see everybody back in, and you've had your coffee. All right, for those of you watching on television, you call almost every day asking if we have the past programs available, and indeed they are. They're all available in video, audio, and little book, and we've done a little different than most. For instance, we put 12 successive programs on a video, and then double it over on an audio cassette package, and then Jerry over here transcribes it and gets it ready for our editor, Keith Decker, and then Keith, in turn, of course, gets it to the printer, and so we have all three formats, the video, the audio, and the little book. So if you're interested in any of those things, you call us or write to us, and we'll get a catalog out to you. Okay, we're ready to go in Colossians chapter 2, and our next verse after last program would be chapter 2, verse 15. And remembering now in the last half hour how we saw the Law, the Ten Commandments were nailed to His cross. In other words, the work of the love of God that sent Him to the cross finished the power of the Ten Commandments over us as believers. Now, for the world in general, yes, it's still a criteria for society. We know that the world needs something like that. But for us as believers, it is no longer a valid thing. It's been nailed to the cross. It's been ended. It's been set aside. All right, now then, not only in verse 14 did He nail the Law to the cross and all the things pertaining to it, but now you come to verse 15, and having, a past tense participle again, having spoiled or defeated principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly. In other words, I think it's Paul who said, none of this was done in a corner. It was all done in the open. And He made a show of them openly, triumphing or becoming victorious over them in it. In other words, in His, again, His work of the cross. All right, let's go all the way back to Genesis chapter 3, verse 15. Been a long time since we've even mentioned Genesis in the program. The years have been going by, and we've been spending a lot of time, of course, in Paul's epistles, and we'll continue to spend quite a little time, because after all, that's where it's all at for us today. But now back in Genesis chapter 3, the chapter where, of course, Adam and Eve have disobeyed and partaken of the fruit of the tree, they've fallen, they're now a sin-natured individual, but God comes right back immediately with the potential remedy. And that is in chapter 3, verse 15, where the Lord Himself is speaking, of course, to the adversary, to Satan, and He says, "...I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed." Now of course, we have to pick up from other portions of Scripture that He's referring to the seed of the woman, which Paul says in Galatians is Christ. So what you have here, way back in chapter 3, the chapter of the Fall, you have the promise of a coming Redeemer, the seed of the woman. And so He says, "...it will bruise thy head." Now again, that's the symbolic language. Now remember, He's talking to Satan, who has embodied a serpent. And how do you utterly defeat and crush a serpent? You step on its head. And so that's the implication, that God will literally crush the head of the serpent, or Satan, and He would, of course, get His licks in by causing Christ to suffer, which is implied then in the bruising of His heel. So way back here, immediately after the Fall, we have the promise then of a coming plan of redemption. Now I guess the other verse that comes to mind—I didn't intend to use this one, but I think it's a good one—Romans 8, Romans 8. And coming down to—oh goodness, here again. I hate to just jump in on one verse, but let's stop at verse 20, honey. Romans 8, jump in at verse 20. But what I want you to see is how that, when Paul says in Colossians that He defeated these forces of Satan, and He did it openly, and just utterly defeated the powers that were also against us. But now in Romans 8, Paul looks at it in a little different light, beginning at verse 20, where he says, "...for the creature," and I think a better word is creation, because it includes everything in creation, not just man, "...for the creation was man's subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected, or inundated, the whole creation in hope." Now you see, as soon as he plunged everything in creation under the curse, by virtue of Adam's disobedience, he came right back in chapter 3, verse 15, with the promise of the seed of the woman, and that was what? Hope. See? And so for the last 6,000 years, all of creation has been living in hope of that which was accomplished, of course, at the cross, when the seed of the woman, then, became the victorious one over Satan and his minions. Then verse 21, "...because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of the Father, and to the glory of God." Which I feel now looks, of course, all the way forward to our resurrection state, and when we'll rule and reign with Him in the Kingdom. But then he goes on to say that we know, "...the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain until now." And then he says, "...and not only they, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit." Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, or the great transaction which we feel is getting closer and closer. That is to say, the redemption of our body, when we will be totally in union with Him in our resurrected state. Alright, now then, another one I like to have you look at is, go all the way to the right from Colossians, and go to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2, and drop down to verse 14. Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14. And this is all backing up the statement that he made, that Christ triumphed over the principalities and the powers of Satan and the demonic world. Alright, you got it? Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14. "...For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." In other words, he became flesh, as Paul says in Colossians chapter 1. He became the visible image of the invisible God. Alright? "...And so he took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death..." Who? The devil. "...and so he was utterly defeated, and operationally destroyed when he arose especially victorious over sin and death at the resurrection morning." Alright, now then if you'll come back to Colossians, we have to understand constantly that it wasn't just another crucifixion, it wasn't just another death, but he actually defeated all of the horrendous satanic powers, and the dominions and principalities that are under Satan's rule, and he triumphed over them. Utterly defeated them. Alright, now then, verse 16, "...since everything has been done, since the law has been crucified, since the law has been nailed to his cross, we can now rest assured that he was victorious over sin and death and Satan, and here we are as believers..." Now remember, Paul is writing to believers, "...so here we are, set totally at liberty, and we're free." Now look at our, what shall I call it, look at our situation, look where we are. Verse 16, "...let no man, nobody, therefore, judge you, don't let anyone point a finger at you with regard to..." Now look at this, "...oh, and the legalists, or I had a fellow call again the other day, I don't ever name any group, but you can use your own imagination, I had a young man call again the other day, that he was getting involved with a group, the first thing they want to do is put him under the Saturday Sabbath, and then the next thing they wanted him to do was quit eating pork. I said, can't you see they're putting you under the law, and we're not under law, we're under grace. Alright, here it is. "...don't let any man tell you what you can or cannot eat, or what you can or cannot drink, you're in liberty, you're free, and you're going to let the Holy Spirit help you decide what's good for you and what isn't." See, we're not under any set rules like the law demanded, and the law did demand that they could not eat of anything that was unclean, but we're not under the law, see, and this is what Paul is talking about, don't let anyone judge you in what you eat or what you drink. Oh, here's the next one, "...or with any respect to a holy day." Now number one, you always got to know definitions, what's the definition for holy? Well it isn't something supernatural, perfect and righteous, holy merely meant set aside for God's purposes. And so these holy days were simply days in Judaism and in the Jewish economy that were indeed set apart for God's purposes. You had the Passover, and you had the Feast of First Fruit, and all the other feasts, of course they were, but see we're not under that. We don't have days set aside for special treatment. Alright, so he said, don't let anyone try to tell you what you can eat or what you can drink, or what days you have to keep, or what you do according to the moon, or the what days, Sabbath day. See where he puts that? It's frivolous, has no use for us whatsoever. And don't let anybody try to tell you that you're going to hell because you don't keep the Saturday Sabbath. Oh, I hear it all the time, you know, somebody called, oh my preacher said today we don't keep the Saturday Sabbath, we're going to go to hell. How awful, when you got verses like this that contradict that completely. Don't you let anyone tell you what day you have to worship, or what day you have to keep for a holy or a feast day. Now those all things were valid. They did have a purpose in the Old Testament economy, because they were a shadow of that which was to come. And that was their purpose, they were to show forth something that was coming. Now even Israel didn't understand what they were, but God of course knew, and so He was showing it. Now let me show you another verse in Hebrews that says basically the same thing. Come back with me to Hebrews, honey, and chapter 9, Hebrews chapter 9. Oh, I can hardly wait until we get into the book of Hebrews. It'll take us a couple of years I'm afraid, but we're going to spend some time in the book of Hebrews. Even though it was written to Jewish believers and not necessarily the body of Christ, but nevertheless there is so much that we can learn from the book of Hebrews, and here is one of them. Hebrews chapter 9, and again I've got to say for time, not jump right in at verse 1 where I would like to, but let's start at verse 6 I think. Verse 6, where Paul is reviewing all of the aspects of the temple worship or the tabernacle out in the wilderness, whatever. And now in verse 6, now he says, "...when these things were thus ordained," that is the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat and all these things, "...now when these things were thus ordained, the priests," that is the priests of Israel, "...went always into the first tabernacle," that is the first room, what we normally call the sanctuary, "...accomplishing the service of God. But into the second," that is the little room behind the veil, the Holy of Holies, "...but into the second went the high priest alone, once every year," on the Day of Atonement remember, the Yom Kippur, "...never without blood, which he offered for himself," and then he'd have to go back out and kill the second animal and take its blood and bring it back in for the errors or the sins of the people. Verse 8, "...the Holy Spirit thus signifying," or showing, "...that the way into the holiest of all," that is into the very throne room of heaven, there behind the veil, "...that that which is in the holiest of all was not yet made manifest," in other words, no man dared go into the presence of God except the high priest once a year, "...while the first tabernacle was yet standing." Now here it comes, verse 9, "...all of those practices of Israel's temple worship were a figure," or a picture, see, or a type, "...for the time then present in which were offered gifts and sacrifices that could not make him who did the service perfect, or in total mature spiritual preparation as pertaining to the conscience." Now here is another one, verse 10, "...all these things stood only," or pictured, or were typifying, "...only in meats and drinks," in other words, their various offerings, "...and diverse washings," by the way, which in the Greek is baptizos, "...and carnal fleshly ordinances," what's the next word? "...imposed." You know what that means? Forced. They didn't have a choice. And so, "...all these things were forced on the children of Israel as part of their obedience to a holy God who was not operating in grace, he was operating under the severity of the law." Now when I say the law was severe, what do I mean? If someone was caught committing adultery, what was the sentence? Death. No ifs, ands, buts. No matter what the circumstances, no matter what the excuses, it was death. And it wasn't instantaneous death, it was by stoning. It was awful. The law was severe, see? Alright, but it was also a picture of that which was to come. Now, when I say that the law was severe, and it was hurtful when they had to be put to death by stoning, now all of this is a picture of the work of the cross. And what happened at the cross? Christ suffered beyond human comprehension. Christ suffered. But for what purpose? Because He loved the human race. And it comes down to that same concept then, that the work of the cross was precipitated by the love, and mercy, and grace of a holy and a righteous God. Now then, come on back to Colossians chapter 2, verse 17, and I would be willing to bend my wrench that 9 out of 10 church going Christians do not see the last few words of this verse 17. Look at it. All of these things in the Hebrew religion, everything, the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat, the Day of Atonement, the Brazen Altar, the Table of Showbread, and all the things that pertain to temple or tabernacle worship, were just a preview of things to come for what people? For the Body of Christ. Did you ever see that before? Verse 17, all these things are a shadow of things to come, but the flip side, the Body is of Christ. And that's what it was all pointing to. The day when Christ, because of His finished work of the cross, could call out sinners from every point on the globe, Jew or Gentile, black or white, rich or poor, and He could save them by grace and bring them into what? The Body of Christ. You know, I had a gentleman the other night that I had a nice, friendly discussion with, and I made mention of the fact that there are people in almost every group where there are true believers, depending of course on how much gospel they have preached at them. And I said, it doesn't matter whether they're Methodists, Lutherans, Catholics, whatever, if they're a true believer, they're in the Body of Christ. His eyes got that big. He said, you mean you think that people can be saved unless they're in one church? I won't say which one he said, you probably know. But listen, that's not according to the book, see. The Body of Christ is that compilation of believers from whatever background that have been saved by the grace of God when they believed the gospel that Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose from the dead. And that comprises then the Body of Christ, which was the fulfillment of everything that had been taking place for over 2,000 years. All right, now let's move on to the next verse. You know, I wanted to finish Colossians today. I really did, because that would have wound up one whole tape series. All right, chapter 2, now moving on to verse 18. And just like we saw in our last taping, Jerry put a perfect heading on it. Warnings to the Body of Christ. And here's another one. Let no man be guile, or deceive, or trick you. Don't let anyone be guile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of what? Angels. My goodness, someone sent me a little booklet the other day. And again, I don't have to name the group that gave it, but some group had come to their door, and they gave this little booklet to their little six or seven year old child, and just asked them to read it. Well, they sent it on to me, and I opened the very first page. Page 1. See, and that's what they want to hit these kids with right up front. Now, before God made anything, He created a special angel. And that angel He designated to create everything, and well, it was a reference to what Christ would do. Making Him nothing more than a created angel. See, oh, so contrary to what the Word of God says concerning Jesus Christ. All right, now here is a warning. Don't be taken in by that kind of thing, that you don't just establish a false humility, and then try to worship something less than the Christ of glory, the worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which He hath not seen, vainly puffed up by His, what kind of a mind? Fleshly. See, now that's the New Age movement. The New Age movement has to appeal to the flesh, because there is no power of the Holy Spirit in it, and that's what they'll do. They will appeal to the flesh, and with their high confluence statements, my, I read one again the other day that somebody sent me, and I just look at that, and it is. It is a compilation of highly intellectual, highly educated people. You can tell that. But there's not an ounce of truth in it, and yet people are falling for it. And Paul is warning us, don't fall for these things. See, it's a constant warning. All right, now verse 19, "...and not holding the head." Now in our last taping, you remember, I said the body goes up to here, and that's where we are. We're members of the body. But Christ is the head. It's from Christ that the central nervous system in the analogy would come from. It's the head that controls the body. And so that's what Paul is saying. Don't be beguiled by something that will turn you from the headship of Christ. See, which the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered," see, it all comes from the head, which is Christ, "...knit together, and increaseth with the increase of God." But where does it all originate? Christ, the head of the body. That's where it has to come from. All right, now then, let's move on quickly. Verse 20, "...wherefore," wherefore, because of our union with Christ, "...if ye be dead with Christ," that is, dead to the old sin nature of Adam, and you have considered him dead, and God has considered him crucified with Christ, "...therefore, if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments, or the very day of creation, why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances?" What happened to those ordinances? They were nailed to the cross. Why try to resurrect them and put yourself under them, see? And what are they? Touch not, taste not, handle not, see? Isn't that something? Oh, that's what the legalist tries to tell you to do. Oh, the legalist will say, well, no, you can't do that. You can't do this. You've got to do this. And that's what Paul is calling beguilement. It's deception. We aren't under that set of circumstances. All right, maybe I can finish the chapter. Verse 22, "...which all," in other words, these works of the flesh, I'm not going to take that, I'm not going to eat that, I'm not going to do this, "...all of those will perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of," what? Men, see? Men. Now you look at all the religions of the world, and way at the top they've got one or two top-kicked men. And the whole group goes by what one man has decreed, even though it may not line up with Scripture, see? All right, verse 23, "...which things have indeed a show," an outward show, "...of wisdom in will-worship," but remember this is all in the flesh, "...and humility." Now, when they try to show humility in the flesh, what kind of humility is it? Well, it's a false humility. It's the kind of a humility that people can say, Boy, I'm proud of the fact that I'm humble. Isn't that right? Yeah. Yeah, that's the flesh, see? The flesh can say, I'm proud that I'm so humble. All right, and then he says, "...and the neglecting of the body, not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh." Now, to bring that around to where we can understand what Paul is really saying, these kind of people do all of this to satisfy the flesh, but they don't bring any glory to God by doing it, because they're always going to come back and say, What? Look what I've done. Look what I've accomplished. And listen, none of us can ever say that. I can't say it. You can't say it, because if we have accomplished something, it's still not us. It's God working through us. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick. Through the Bible is a partner-supported ministry. 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