Hi all,
In this discussion "Is The Old Testament Still Valid In The New Testament Churches?" -- Tomme has stated, "Why wouldn't It be? Every page is filled with Jesus Christ. You can't discard ANY of It. Jesus is Its grandest subject, our good is designed, and the Glory of God is Its end. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Word is ALIVE! It cuts like a sword through the darkness, with a message of Life to the hopeless and afraid, breathing Life into all who believe!"
And, Firenze has replied, "If it's valid today, why are we not offering animal sacrifice and worshiping on the sabbath (yes, I know Seventh Day Adventist do)?"
There is a simple answer. In the Old Testament, the Jews sacrificed animals under the Law to attain temporary atonement; but, had to continue their sacrifices since no one could be saved under the Law (Romans 3:20). The Law was given to make them aware of their sin, to make them aware of their need for a Kinsman Redeemer, their Messiah (Galatians 3:24).
Jesus Christ came to be the "once for all" sacrifice. His death on the cross took the "sin debt" for all people and marked it "Paid In Full!" In other words, His death was the full payment for our pardon. We had been convicted and condemned to death. He took our place and paid that debt in full. All we -- you, me, Deep, David, Skeptik, and all people -- have to do is to accept and receive this Full Pardon which He purchased with His blood on the cross.
Can you imagine anyone on death row, in any prison in the world, being offered a full pardon -- and refusing it? Yet, that is exactly what folks do when they refuse to receive the free gift, the full pardon, "paid in full" by Jesus Christ on the cross.
That sacrifice of Jesus Christ was the last sacrifice needed -- under the Law and in today's church.
Why do we worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, in most churches today -- rather than on the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday?
The Sabbath was established when God created the heavens and the earth in six day, and on the seventh day, He rested (Genesis 2:2). Did God really get tired from all that creation work and need to rest? No. He was setting a pattern that we finite humans should follow -- work six days and take a day of rest. This was to protect our health. He set the same standard for domestic animals. And, for the fields which provide food, they are to be planted six years and then allowed to lay for one year. The Sabbath is the rest needed by all created beings and life.
The word Sabbath is from the Hebrew word "shabbath" which comes from the Hebrew root word, "shabath" which according to Strong's Concordance means, "to cease, desist, rest."
So, the Sabbath in the Old Testament was to be a day of rest -- not necessarily a day of worship.
And, in Mark 2:27-28, Jesus confirmed this when He said to the Pharisees, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
In other words, the Sabbath day, the Rest day, was made for man to rest and to recover his strength -- not made to enslave man to a "one day a week" worship. Truthfully, we should be worshipping God seven days a week; but, we meet for fellowship and corporate worship one day a week.
Mark 16:9, "Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons."
In Acts 20:7 we read of the early church, "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them,. . ." In other words, on the first day of the week, Sunday, they gathered for fellowship, breaking bread -- and Paul taught them -- corporate worship.
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath; yet, He chose to rise, to be resurrected, on the first day of the week, Sunday. His resurrections is the cornerstone of Christianity. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the Gospel: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day when He appeared to over 500 believers. That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The anchor of that Gospel is that He Rose, He was Resurrected.
In 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 we are told, "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain." In other words, if Christ was not resurrected -- there is no risen Savior, He would still be in the grave -- and all the teachings of Christianity would be empty words. Why do you think the atheists try so hard to invalidate the Bible? If the Bible is not the true Word of God; then what we are told in the Bible of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not true. And, if the resurrection is not true -- there is no Christianity, there is no salvation, there is no eternal hope.
However, praise the Lord! The resurrection is true! Jesus Christ did rise from the grave; thus assuring that all men will also be resurrected: those who follow Him to eternal salvation; those who deny Him to eternal condemnation. And, Jesus Christ did ascend into heaven in His immortal, glorified body to sit at the right hand of God the Father -- where He is our Advocate, our Mediator, our Intercessor -- interceding with the Father for all believers 24/7/365. Praise God!
And, this is why we Christians place so much emphasis on worshiping Him on the day He was resurrected -- the first day of the week. He blessed it through His resurrection; we honor it in His name.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
