Under the New Covenant, was the law abolished and is the Gospel Sabbath now Sunday?

Question

Galatians, Colossians, and some of Paul’s writings say we are not under the law, but under grace, and what does free us from the law mean?

Answer 1

Yes it was abolished, and NO it isn’t. That sounds conflicting, but most preachers say at Pentecost things changed. Yes they did—at Pentecost the arguing, wimpy, disciples received POWER TO PREACH—that’s all!--(Acts 1:8). They had worked miracles under the Spirit’s power before this under the New Covenant.

Jesus dates the Gospel in Luke 16:16: “The law and the prophets were UNTIL JOHN: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it.”

THIS MEANS THAT SINCE JOHN, EVERY WORD JESUS SPOKE AND EVERY LAW HE ENFORCED WAS UNDER THE NEW COVENANT, because “the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21).

For example, Jesus told the lady at the well: “But the hour cometh, AND NOW IS, when the true worshippers …shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Then He asked her about her shack-up relation--“Where is your husband?” To another woman he said: “sin no more”—and to another He added: “unless a worse thing happens to you.”

More than any other commandment, Jesus enforced the Sabbath by telling us what good things could be done—“It was made for man,” He said, “because He was the LORD OF THE SABBATH.”

In attempting to define sin, the Jews made the Sabbath restrictive—you could not heal, and must carry lunch in your pocket all day—picking an apple would be considered sinful. Jesus showed that eating fresh-grain was not a sin—He never said you could lawfully harvest with a scythe and put produce in storage on the Sabbath.

Jesus taught the Sabbath was for doing good, for showing kindness to burdened animals, and ministering to the sick and needy. He even read the scriptures on that day (Luke 4:16). Yes, Saturday is “made for man” (Mark 2:27).

God says the man of sin would “think to change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25). Many, to quote Peter, “wrest [Paul’s epistles], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) They do not know that SUNDAY IS A TRADITION, and the Sabbath was changed by man at the First Nicene Council. This is all explained when you break the hidden Bible code. The only part of the Bible that says you will not understand it “until the end of the days.” Read THE WISE SHALL UNDERSTAND: www.revelado.org/revealde.htm

Blessings and AGPAE love, One-Way

Answer 2

We don't really know when the original Sabbath was. Two reasons: (a) changes in calendar, (b) the ancient Jews count a day from dusk to dusk.

Anyway when interpreting the Scriptures, one should not immediately conclude that this and that passages are conflicting. One should harmonize them.

So, here are pertinent biblical passages about Sabbath:

10 commandments: Keep holy the Sabbath Day

Jesus: I have not come to disregard the law but to fulfill it

Jesus ( when questioned by pharisees why his disciples picked grains and ate during the Sabbath ) : You do not know the meaning of the Scriptures, I want mercy and not sacrifices.

Paul: He (Jesus) abolished the law w/ its commandments. Sabbath are not for Christians.

Paul: Spirit of the law remains, old letters discarded.

These passages are not really contradictories. They can be harmonized this way: The intent of the law (or the spirit of the law) on Sabbath remains. But, the literal interpretation of the law was what was abolished.

This means that one should set aside one day a week at least to do God's works and not man's.

For further readings read the references below

Answer 3

What`s a covenant - its more than just an agreement,its something you pay with your life if you dont respect it.

The Law (Old Covenant) was given to show people they were sinners. We cannot keep the 10 commandments on our own,and we sin. The Law was abolished in the New Covenant, represented by Jesus. The old covenant,was between man and God. But man could not keep the covenant,and the punishment for that is death (the payment for sin is death).
That`s when God decided to free us from the old covenant which we were not able to keep. Instead of us, God made a new covenant ..and Jesus took our place in it. Its a covenant between Jesus (the Son, God) and God (the Father).Two infailible Persons, in One God. That`s why Jesus had to die. The only way to cut a new covenant is by blood.
In the Old Covenant, people had to give bulls and goats on the altar. Now we have Jesus` blood,which was shed once and forever. God does NOT impute sin to you,anymore,because they have been PAYED at the cross. You receive the GIFT of righteousness,and if you still sin sometimes,its because your flesh is still worldly.But your spirit has been made right. read Romans 7,8. (specially 8:1)

Your status has been changed: it is no more "I do ..therefore i am" , it is "i am ,therefore i do". Your good deeds dont save you. Your acceptance of Jesus does.

And ,yeah, Jesus is the end of the law,because He accomplished and kept it. He was the ONLY ONE to do it. And He did it for us,because we COULD NOT. we are under grace.

Answer 4

God's covenant with the Jewish people still stands; however, St. Paul declares it no longer binding to the Gentiles (that's us).

Hebrews 8,7.13
For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one.

13
5 When he speaks of a "new" covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing.

Commentary:
3 [7-13] Since the first covenant was deficient in accomplishing what it signified, it had to be replaced (Hebrews 8:7), as Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34) had prophesied (Hebrews 8:8-12). Even in the time of Jeremiah, the first covenant was antiquated (Hebrews 8:13). In Hebrews 7:22-24, the superiority of the new covenant was seen in the permanence of its priesthood; here the superiority is based on better promises, made explicit in the citation of Jeremiah 31:31-34 (LXX: 38), namely, in the immediacy of the people's knowledge of God (Hebrews 8:11) and in the forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 8:12).

Peace and every blessing!

Answer 5

Let me put this in a more general way ... the law was made to keep us safe in our minds, bodies and spirits. But man has this unique way of being legalistic, and took the beautiful laws that God gave us for safety and turned them into a binding that they used to control others.

The Pharisee was the worst of the lot; their hearts were rotten and they used the law to manipulate each other. They made people think that if they didn't follow every single law to the letter (which is impossible btw) then they were doomed to hell. Does that sound familiar? Just look at some of the questions on this forum :)

Jesus said no, that is not right, you forget there is grace. God knows that we sin, and He will forgive us this breach of His law as long as He knows that our hearts are in the right place.

This is what Paul meant by not being under the law; we are free from that doom and gloom of the 'Pharisee' because God knows that we are truly seeking Him, even if we sin.

Here's a little example of what I mean. In my home, it is a "law" that you MUST wash your hands after you go potty (I have a 3 & 5 yr old). It's a firm rule, no exceptions, you WILL do it. I do this now to get it into their heads the importance of clean hands. But 10 years from now, if they forget once because they are sick, or because they see a bug in the bathroom and freak, will I punish them for it? Noooo, of course not. They are no longer "under the law". Get it? :)

Answer 6

The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God's kingdom. The Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts.(Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:32.)

Answer 7

Free from God's Law means that we are saved only by the Grace of God although we should obey God's Law we are not saved by the practice of it. It would be impossible to practice God's Laws perfectly because human beings fall very short of God's Glory. No the Holy Sabbath is still the first day of the week which is Saturday.

Answer 8

we were freed from the letter of the law- because it was made spiritual- example-letter of law- you shall not commit adultery-- spiritual law- you shall not even think about committing adultery- we are to walk by the spirit, not the letter- to love and believe and follow Jesus in all ways-so.... when did Jesus worship? Sabbath as did His disciples after Him. the sunday worship came from the romans- they changed the day- and the holidays now that I think of it- oh yeah- they even changed Gods calendar- Wow- hey isn't that in the Bible?! the antichrist will change days and seasons- lets all thank the Roman catholics for our new religion- one that Jesus never followed or practiced! and for those who say the calander has been changed- yes it has- but it always had 7 days in a week that never changed!!!!

Answer 9

The Sabbath is always a Saturday. Friday night to Saturday night.
It has been changed by people for their own ends.
In the Old Testament, you were punished by death for breaking the laws. Now, on repentence, you are forgiven by the grace of God.

Answer 10

Romans 10:4 Jesus Christ is the END of the LAW, we are now under grace. By faith, & there is only one Faith.