Orange Park Bible Church
2/27/2011
Genesis (8) 2:1-3
Day 7: God Rested
Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:8-11
Recommended reading from today's sermon review are represented by the pictures:
Reviews:
· God Made Genesis 1:1-25: By the self-revelation of God’s Word we know Him. All of creation points to Him as King, Creator, Powerful, Eternal, Creative, Loving, Sustainer, Sovereign, Personal, Judge – Most Glorious and to be Worshipped above all created things.
· God Blessed Genesis 1:26-31: Be Fruitful and Multiply (Intimacy; Union); Have Dominion (Submit under authority; Future Kingdom of God); Food (Taste and See; Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness)
· God Rested - Read Genesis 2:1-3: The seventh day of Creation is:
1) an example for man regarding physical rest
2) instruction for appointed times of spiritual worship
3) a shadow of Christ (announcement)
4) A pattern for growth in Christlikeness
5) The hope of our eternal rest
The creation cycle was completed on the sixth day and God rested on the seventh, providing man with a promise and picture.
There are two primary “camps” regarding what the “Sabbath” means for us as Christians today:
1) The Sabbath, as described in Exodus 20:8-11, was fulfilled in Christ – moving the day of Christian worship to Sunday (commemorating the resurrection), yet freeing us from the physical “ceremonial” stipulations described in the OT (John Macarthur; John Calvin; John Bunyan)
2) The Sabbath, as described in Exodus 20:8-11 was fulfilled in Christ – moving the day of Christian worship to Sunday. However, just like the other nine commandments, we are expected to fulfill the “moral” rather than ceremonial obligations of the OT Sabbath as an act of obedience to Christ (no work, not going to the store, no going out to eat). Men in this “camp” are Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, most puritans, and most prominent Presbyterians.
Back to Genesis 2:1-3
God blessed the Sabbath
Divine blessings on men and animals lead to fruitfulness and God’s approval.
The word “sabat” is the root of “Sabbath.” It is the rest of achievement, not inactivity – nurturing what we create; enjoying the fruit. God blessed it (made it fruitful).
God made the Sabbath holy
Six days were employed in the formation of the world; not that God, to whom one moment is as a thousand years, had need of this succession of time, but that He might engage us in the consideration of His works (Calvin). God did not command men simply to keep holiday every seventh day, as if He delighted in their laziness; but rather that they, being released from all other business, might more readily apply their minds to the Creator of the world.
How much of the Moral Law are we to Keep?
The difference between obedience (holiness) and legalism: one is to gain righteousness and one is because we have already attained righteousness through Christ.
We are never justified before God by keeping His law. Our justification does not do away with God’s requirement of holiness. Christians are to grow in grace or Christ-likeness. We know how to grow because of what God has revealed of himself in the law. This is where the original “Scofield” dispensationalist (legalism or liberty) gives us an incorrect interpretation of Scripture.
**Using God’s law to escape His wrath is no different than using His grace to escape His law (Sproul Jr.).
Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”
Christ came to fulfill this law perfectly in his active obedience, Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
For instance, sin is the transgression of the Law. Therefore, if there is no Law then there is no sin. Justification is a verdict based on the standard of the Law. We tell our kids they are sinning because we believe in the validity of the OT law. Therefore, if there is no Law, there will be no need for justification. Sanctification is the believer’s obedience, through the Spirit, to the Law. If there is not Law, there will be no need to be sanctified. Galatians 3:23-25 states, “But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Paul says that the Law was tutoring us towards the need of Jesus Christ. The law is a mirror, but we are never washed by a mirror. After Christ came in fulfilling and establishing the Law, the tutoring ended. Christ redeems us from the curse of the Law which we cannot fulfill, then leads us by the hand back to the Law that we may be obedient to it as a result of our new life in Him. The Law, now, does not justify us – Christ did that – rather, Christ now compels and empowers us that we may reflect the character of God seen in the Law we are keeping. This is called holiness.
Should we worship other gods? Should we make golden calves and bow down to them? Shall we use the name of God in a profane manner? Shall we rebel against our parents? Shall we murder, commit adultery, fornicate, lie, steal, or covet another’s possessions? If it seems so clear to the Christian that is addressed these questions that such commandments ought not to be broken, how then do they square this with New Testament’s instruction concerning the law? If the 4th commandment contains an allowable exclusivity from being kept in the New Testament, why then, are other laws excluded from the same warrant since the whole 10 constitute the moral Law in the Old Testament? In James 2:10 we are told that he who breaks one commandment breaks the whole Law. This is binding on the Christian. James does not say, “He who breaks one commandment, except for the 4th, breaks the whole law.” Neither Jesus Christ nor His apostles ever abrogated the 4th commandment. The question becomes what God requires of NT believers regarding the fourth commandment.
Why is this Important?
If men take it only upon trust, and keep the first day of the week because their parents taught them so, or because they see others do it, they will never be likely to keep it so conscientiously and strictly, as if they had been convinced by seeing for themselves, that these are good grounds in the Word of God for their practice (Edwards).
“When” is the Christian Sabbath?
The Answer is: There is no such thing as a Christian “Sabbath”
Corporate Worship (For God’s People)
Each account of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is noted on as having occurred on the first day of the week. (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1) John 20:19 describes Jesus visitation to the disciples when they are gathered together on the first day of the week. The Holy Ghost is poured out upon the 120 waiting in the upper room on the first day of the week which was Pentecost (Acts 2:1ff – this can be seen by measuring the time from the Festival of Weeks (Harvest or First fruits) in Leviticus 23:15-16). In Acts 20:6-7 Paul made it a point to stay through the night on his visit. He did not leave until the following day, Monday, to continue the missionary journey. Rather, he honored the first Day of the week and preached to them for a lengthy amount of time.
It is therefore most meet and suitable, that certain times should be set apart, upon which men should be required to throw by all other concerns, that their minds may be the more freely and entirely engaged in spiritual exercises, in the duties of religion, and in the immediate worship of God; that their minds being disengaged from common concerns. (Edwards)
“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7).
“Now concerning the collections for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come” (I Corinthians 16:1-2).
Jesus and the “Sabbath”
We see that Jesus upheld the Sabbath through His earthly ministry. He accomplished works of mercy (healing: Matthew 2:23-28) and approved works of necessity (picking grain for food: Matthew 12:1-12; I Samuel 21:5-6).
Works of Necessity
We must also remember the reformulation of the Sabbath from the words and actions of Jesus Christ. Jesus defended the disciples when they plucked and ate grain on the Sabbath Day against the accusations of the Pharisees. They were engaged on works of necessity. (Matthew 12:1-12; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5)
Works of Mercy
For example, Jesus healed the man with the withered hand in Matthew 12:9-14.
Are the Sabbath laws binding on Christians today? Are the Exodus 20 stipulations moral or ceremonial?
Answer
We believe the Old Testament regulations governing Sabbath observances are ceremonial, not moral, aspects of the law. As such, they are no longer in force, but have passed away along with the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and all other aspects of Moses' law that prefigured Christ. Here are the reasons we hold this view.
In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul explicitly refers to the Sabbath as a shadow of Christ, which is no longer binding since the substance (Christ) has come. It is quite clear in those verses that the weekly Sabbath is in view. The phrase "a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day" refers to the annual, monthly, and weekly holy days of the Jewish calendar (cf. 1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 31:3; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11).
If Paul was referring to special ceremonial dates of rest in that passage, why would he have used the word "Sabbath?" He had already mentioned the ceremonial dates when he spoke of festivals and new moons.
Read Galatians 4:9-11
The Sabbath was the sign to Israel of the Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 31:16-17; Ezekiel 20:12; Nehemiah 9:14). Since we are now under the New Covenant (Hebrews 8), we are no longer required to observe the sign of the Mosaic Covenant.
The New Testament never commands Christians to observe the Sabbath.
Romans 3:27-31 then Romans 8:3-4
Here is where we stand (with first viewpoint on p. 1)
1) It has been concluded that the “Sabbath” on Saturday and the shadow of its announcement has been fulfilled in Christ. The early Christians met on Sunday, celebrating the resurrection of Christ. We should meet corporately for worship on Sunday; however, this is not the “Christian Sabbath.”
2) The physical laws regarding the OT Sabbath are not binding.
3) Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount took the OT laws to another level “Your righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees” (examples of murder and adultery).
4) “Whether you eat or drink do all for the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31). As the Jews placed all their affections upon the worship of God on Saturday, we strive in scrambling eggs, parenting, and driving cars to glorify our Lord. Our striving after a day is replaced with a striving after Christ (Hebrews4).
5) Romans 14:5-6 is how we respond if we do not agree with one another
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