THE APOSTOLIC COMMISSION—IS IT AGAINST THE SABBATH.
By R. F. C.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Amen." Matt. xxvii, 19, 20. To show that this text has any bearing against the Sabbath, it must be made to appear that Christ and the apostles did not teach the Sabbath law. We shall find the teachings of Christ and the apostles in harmony on this subject, for Christ taught and commanded his disciples, and then sent them forth to teach those that yielded to the gospel "to observe all things" that he had commanded them. 1. That Christ taught his disciples to "do and teach" the Sabbath law. 2. That they followed his instructions, teaching the Christians to keep the Sabbath. If they taught the perpetuity of the entire code of ten commandments, they taught the Sabbath law, for it is one of the ten. In the first place then we enquire, What did Christ teach his disciples on this subject? "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you,45Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. v, 17-19. Here Christ speaks of a previously existing, written law, and affirms the perpetual obligation of the entire code upon all that would enter into the kingdom of heaven. "Whosoever," in all coming time, should "do and teach" these commandments, should be called great in the kingdom of heaven. What commandments did he mean? Did he mean the national, civil code of the Jews? No. The ritual, ceremonial or typical law? No. What law then but the ten commandments? Which of the three did Christ command his disciples to "do and teach"? for it was one of these three unless a fourth can be found existing at that time. The claim, that Christ fulfilled all this law, and that it was abolished at the cross, is sufficiently refuted by the fact that he required every one, in all the unbounded future, to keep it, as they would enter into the kingdom of heaven. "Till all be fulfilled" does not refer to the law, but to all things in heaven and earth; it reaches to the consummation of all things—to the fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of God. That this is the right view of the subject, is confirmed by the teachings of the apostles. They were to teach whatsoever Christ had commanded them. Did they teach Christians to keep the whole of the ten commandments? They did. "If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, Thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James ii, 8-12. In this text the apostle teaches Christians, (for he addresses himself to them,) to keep the whole of that law which says, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery. What law is that? The ten commandments. That "whole law" included the Sabbath; therefore the apostle taught them to keep the Sabbath. Thus it is proved that Christ taught his disciples the Sabbath law, and that they went forth in obedience to the great commission, and taught it to others—to all the household of the faith. R. F. C.