Posted on 05/12/2013 5:55:26 PM PDT by narses
Full Question
Until recently, I always thought Catholics worshiped on the Sabbath, and that the early Church moved the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Is this true? Answer
This is a common misunderstanding. Catholics do not worship on the Sabbath, which according to Jewish law is the last day of the week (Saturday), when God rested from all the work he had done in creation (Gen. 2:2-3). Catholics worship on the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week (Sunday, the eighth day); the day when God said "Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3); the day when Christ rose from the dead; the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles (Day of Pentecost). The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "The Church celebrates the day of Christ’s Resurrection on the ‘eighth day,’ Sunday, which is rightly called the Lord’s Day" (CCC 2191).
The early Church did not move the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Instead "The Sabbath, which represented the completion of the first creation, has been replaced by Sunday, which recalls the new creation inaugurated by the Resurrection of Christ" (CCC 2190). Sunday is the day Catholics are bound to keep, not Saturday.
We see evidence of this in Scripture:
On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread, Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day, and he kept on speaking until midnight (Acts 20:7). On the first day of the week each of you should set aside and save whatever one can afford, so that collections will not be going on when I come (1 Cor. 16:2). Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or Sabbath (Col. 2:16). The Catechism also says:
By a tradition handed down from the apostles which took its origin from the very day of Christ’s Resurrection, the Church celebrates the Paschal mystery every seventh day, which day is appropriately called the Lord’s Day or Sunday. The day of Christ’s Resurrection is both the first day of the week, the memorial of the first day of creation, and the "eighth day," on which Christ after his "rest" on the great Sabbath inaugurates the "day that the Lord has made," the "day that knows no evening." (CCC 1166)
Other CCC references to the Lord’s Day: 349, 2174, 2175, 2191
Answered by: Peggy Frye
Shhh. Don’t tell anyone.
My lips are sealed.
Mt 12:40 “As Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the fish, so shall the Son of Adam be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth”
Jn 11:9 “Are there not 12 hours in a day (daytime, the time of light)? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
So it would seem that man is still having trouble counting hours and days. If the Son of God says 3 days AND 3 nights and that there are 12 hours to each of them, as Peter and the other apostles said, “we ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29-32)
So to say that the 4th Commandment, the Commandment that contains the sign, the mark of God's people is no longer valid for those who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, this is literally taking His Name in vain. Have you not read Isa 56 and the command and promise to the Gentiles concerning His Sabbath?
I thought the SIGN or the MARK of God's People was CIRCUMSION?
King James Version (KJV)
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Exodus 31:13
Speak you also to the children of Israel, saying, Truly my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD that does sanctify you.
But aren’t all Christians the “true Israel” or at least Children of Israel by “adoption”?
you tell me.
(I prefer being SHOWN, though...)
The Council of Jerusalem (49 A.D.) eliminated the act of circumcision as any type of outward sign or covenant to be called a child of Yahweh. It was established as many adult male converts were coming into the church.....but many more would not.... because of the circumcision requirement by the Church [Acts 15:1-5].
The Jerusalem Church had been sending out circumcision patrols throughout Asia Minor....telling adult converts they must be circumcised to belong to the new church [Galatians 2:12]. This was a source of great dispute by Paul and Barnabas and infuriated them [Acts 15:2]...and was the impetus for the Jerusalem Council.
After Peter, Barnabas and Paul finished their plea to the council regarding circumcision.....James, the leader of the Church relented and issued this decree:
[Acts 15:19-21] 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Notice that no such pronouncement was given regarding the Sabbath....and in fact, James even implies that these same adult, male, Gentile converts will continue to learn about "Torah" by attending Sabbath services....weekly.
Acts 15 eliminated circumcision for adult, male converts but nothing was said regarding the Sabbath. This fact stands out because..... if the Church had not yet done so....this would have been an excellent time to say, "Hey boys.....we'll see you at Sunday morning services!"
They hadn't....and they didn't!
Ex 31:13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.
Ez 20:12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. ... 19 I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; 20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’
Isa 56:1 Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; ... 6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 8 The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.
Circumcision is a command regarding one of the covenants, but the Sabbath is His sign, His mark that distinguishes between His people and the people of the world as His worship is never to be mixed with the worship practices of the world.
2Kings 17: 7 For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had feared other gods, 8 and had walked in the statutes of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9 Also the children of Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were not right, ... 34 To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the Lord had commanded, ...
Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars[b] are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil. Prov 14:12 & 16:25 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."
So one must ask themselves, whose eyes am I right in, God or man? Do I follow the precepts of men or do I cling to the precepts of God? Which path, which way do I choose?
Dt 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days
Dt 32:46 and he said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life,"
Dt 10:12 what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good
It has always been about the heart. He tests His children o see whether or not it is in their heart to obey Him (Dt 8:2-6). The Dt 13 test, which the Pharisees and scribes consistently used against Messiah is our guide in determining the false prophets and preachers.
Dt 13:1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ (false ways) —which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ (serve in that false way) 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ... 17 So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers, 18 because you have listened to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
Rev 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (falsehood, false ways).
2Thess 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Unrighteousness: doing what is right in one's own eyes rather than what is right in the eyes of God.
Oh???
Acts 15
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
Futility: Doing what the Chosen People were COMMANDED to do when it is NOT a 'requirement'.
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
And what is this that came down out of heaven?
John 14:6 Yeshua said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Psa 119:1 Blessed are the perfect in the Way, Who walk in the Law of God! Psa 119:142 Your righteousness is righteousness forever, And Your Law is truth. Psa 119:151 You are near, O YHWH, And all Your commands are truth. Psa 119:160 The sum of Your Word is truth, And all Your righteous right-rulings are forever. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and pitched His tent1 among us, and we saw His esteem, esteem as of an only brought-forth of a father, complete in favour and truth.
The Word was in the beginning and through the Word, all the commands were given and then the Word put on flesh and walked in the flesh as an example for us to follow. There is only one truth and that truth is the Word of God that is the Law of God and who was with God in the beginning.
1Pe 2:21 For to this you were called, because Messiah also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps, 22 “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth,"
He is our example to follow, it does not say He did it for us so we do not have to.
Tit 2:11 For the saving Gift of God has appeared to all men, 12 instructing us to renounce wickedness and worldly lusts, and to live sensibly, righteously, and reverently in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed expectation and esteemed appearance of the great God and our Saviour Yeshua Messiah, 14 who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people, His own possession, ardent for good works.
Rev 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him praise, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife prepared herself.”
1Pe 1:22 Now that you have cleansed your lives in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned brotherly love, love one another fervently with a clean heart, 23 having been born again – not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible
Luk 8:11 “And this is the parable: The seed is the word of God.
Gal 3:16 But the promises were spoken to Abraham, and to his Seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Messiah.
The 'seed' that is the Word of God that has been with God from the beginning. You believe in the created flesh, I believe in the substance that filled that flesh and that substance is the Word of God that fills and guides the flesh by the power of His Holy Spirit.
I maybe missing something here...but are you telling me that James [Acts 15:19-21], by suggesting the new converts to the Church....should learn about the "Halakhah Laws" [Leviticus chapters 17 & 18], this is somehow telling them the Sabbath Laws are no longer in effect?
I don't believe you could misconstrue this passage to that extent.....but correct if I'm wrong.
Just where does James tell them the Sabbath observance has been discontinued?
My statement stands..........Acts 15 eliminated circumcision for adult, male converts but nothing was said regarding the Sabbath.
The entire purpose of the Council was to discuss circumcision [Acts 15:2] When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Exactly....what was the question?
[Acts 15:1]And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Now.....do you want to show me where the word Sabbath is even used in chapter 15 (except for suggesting the Gentile Converts will be taught Halakhah on that day when they attend services....weekly)? If you have read through Leviticus 17 & 18 you will now have noticed that the Halakhah dealt with "Strangers among them". And.....this is exactly how the Jerusalem church (in its legalism) defined the new Gentile converts.
And it got smacked down for it.
What part of 'no other requirements' is so hard to figger out?
O.K., I see. Then according to you all that is required of a new Christian is to not eat blood..... or animals that have been strangled....or food that has been offered as a pagan (idol) sacrifice. Oh....and be sure to remain sexually pure.
[Leviticus 17:10-12]10And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 12Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
If you read the rest of the chapter....and chapter 18 you will then understand why James felt it was important for the Gentile converts to be taught Halakhah laws.
It is not surprising that you are unaware of this. Most other "Main Stream" Christians have not a clue....as well.
James chose these four conditions to mention as very important and knew they would be the beginning steps they (Gentile converts) would take to enter the congregation. Halakhah means...."The path one walks" and each of these commandments was based on the things found in the Torah that were peculiar to "Strangers" (Hebrew "Ger") who lived among the tribes of Israel.
James is defining the path that these Gentile converts must walk to be accepted by the Jews. James wasn't eliminating the law.....and replacing it with these four requirements. He was simply telling everyone that these Gentiles would soon become aware of the Mosaic Laws by attending Sabbath services but these particular items were germane to "Strangers among us".
Ask yourself.........should he have said.....,"Oh, by the way....tell them also not to kill anyone, steal anything or bear false witness against their neighbors either." Of course he didn't have to say that. It was tacit.
[Acts 15:21]For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
What does this actually mean? It's has not been truthfully preached by the Church for 1700 years....that's for certain. James is explaining the reason he has made his decision regarding the circumcision requirements of the Church. When you stop and think about his decision and the reason for the four Halakhah commands it starts to come together.
He is answering the previous demands by the Pharisees [Acts 15:5] that circumcision was necessary for salvation. He concludes that by attending Sabbath services the Gentiles would come to that understanding..... and would therefore insure that their male children would be circumcised as eight day old infants. As they grew in knowledge of the law they would naturally begin to obey it. He would not lay the burden of adult circumcision upon them (verse 19).
I'm very sorry that this has been a difficult concept for you to understand. It's that way with many Christians as they are ignorant of the Hebrew beginnings of Christianity and have been taught false doctrines for almost two Millennia.
Why is this still getting blamed on ME??
I am not the one who wrote Acts chapter 15, and I am not the One who spoke in John 6:28-29!
That St. Paul must have been nuts to write to the Galatians!
3:11
Because you're the one pretending to know something...........
If you want to debate the issue then present your case. If you want to continue to appear uninformed.......keep doing what you're doing.........
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