NOT THE JEWISH SABBATH, BUT THE LORD'S SABBATH.
By Editor
We are asked to notice a little note in the Christian Herald and Signs of Our Times of January 3. The question is asked, "Why do Christians observe the first day as the Sabbath instead of the seventh?" and it is replied that they observe the first day in commemoration of Christ's resurrection, which was the culminating event in the inauguration of the new dispensation under which we live. It is not observed as the Jewish Sabbath, a day of absolute quiescence, but as a day of spiritual activity in Christ's cause. The Jewish Sabbath, if observed at all, should logically be observed according to Jewish law, which forbade a man carrying a pail of water to a thirsty animal, forbade him lighting a fire, and many other things. Christ rebelled against it and broke the law by healing the sick on that day, opening the eyes of the blind, and excused his disciples when they plucked the ears of corn. The writer then goes on to say that the early Christians observed the first day of the week, calling it not the Sabbath, but the Lord's day, and quotes in proof of that Justin Martyr, just as though Justin Martyr used the term "Lord's day," whereas he used the term "Sunday." The "Teachings of the Apostles" is also brought forth as proof, and is said to be "believed to have been written about the end of the first century," whereas it is well known that it isn't believed by those well informed to have been written at any such time, especially that part which refers to the first day of the week. Now, with reference to the question above, there is nothing whatever in Scripture which would indicate, or from which we might infer, that Sunday was to be observed in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ. The reason is a wholly Roman Catholic reason. The fact of Christ's resurrection, in God's design, was to be ever kept before the world in the regenerated lives of believers in Christ. But the backslidden and worldly church brought in the pagan Sunday as a substitute, which many honest souls are observing, we wot, in ignorance of its origin. Again, no genuine, well-informed Christian keeps the "Jewish Sabbath," nor has the Bible ever enjoined such an institution. The commandment refers to the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord our God. The "Jewish Sabbath," a term entirely unknown to the Scriptures, was the seventh day loaded down with Jewish tradition and superstition. Christ did transgress, according to Jewish standards and Jewish traditions, but Christ did not break God's law of the Sabbath, for the transgression of that law is sin (1 John 3:4), and Christ "did no sin." In fact, he expressly declares in Matt. 12:12 that the works which he did were law-ful, that is, according to the law of the Sabbath. That is just what the commandment enjoined, and Christ simply exemplified in his life the law of God. He was the living demonstration of God's law. The editor refers to Col. 2:16, a text which refers only to the yearly and typical sabbaths; and also to conditions imposed upon the Gentile Christians, as recorded in Acts 15:23-29, and says that the Sabbath law was not among them. It might also be said that disobedience to parents, profaning God's name, murder, and theft are not forbidden by the apostolic injunctions. He who will transgress the Sabbath because the Sabbath is not there mentioned, would also, were it not for other restraints apart from God's law, transgress other commandments. But this question and answer noted above are characteristic of many others which come under our notice, where it would seem that editors of papers were either totally ignorant of the Scriptures of truth or else designed willfully to mislead those who were making honest inquiry. As to which it is we leave the Lord to judge. We can only point our readers to God's word and the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. If they follow him, if they abide in his word, the end is everlasting life.