Chafer, Bible Doctrines: The Sabbath & Lords Day

The Sabbath and the Lord’s

Day

Chafer chapter 41

Monday 12 September 2011

A. The sabbath in the OT

From creation God chose to set apart (sanctify) one seventh of all time - a seventh day as a day of rest, or seventh year as rest for the land - Ex 23:10-11, Lev25:2-7. The year of jubilee was held in the 50th year - 7x7.Chafer says this is prophetic of the kingdom age - which is the 7th, and last, age or dispensation. In this age it is the first day of the week which is to be celebrated in new creation order.


Sabbath means cessation, or perfect rest, from activity. Due to current confusion Chafer says this needs clarification in this age.God rested after 6 days of creation - but there is no record of this being commanded for man until after the Exodus. In Job there is no record of sabbath - the beginning of sabbath is with Moses and the giving of the law - Ex 16:29, Neh 9:14, Ex 20:12


Prior to the imposition of the first sabbath - Ex 16:1-35 - Israel took a long journey, from Elim to the wilderness of Sin, on what would have been the sabbath - at this time they spoke against the Lord and he provided food from heaven for them - the point Chafer wants to make is that this was a sabbath day but was not observed as one.From Moses to Christ the sabbath was in the law and was enforced - Ex 20:10-11 - it was not imposed on Gentiles but was a sign for Israel and the Lord - Ex 32:12-17


Failure of Israel to observe the sabbath was emphasized in its judgment.Hosea prophesied that as part of the judgment on Israel sabbaths would stop - Hos 2:11 - Chafer states this is yet to be fulfilled.Christ observed the sabbath - and said it was given for the benefit of man, not man for the sabbath - Mk 2:27 - the fact that Christ observed and followed the sabbath does not mean that Christians living in another age under grace should feel compelled to follow suit.


B. The sabbath in the present church age

After Christ’s resurrection there is no record of a believer observing the sabbath - the Jews probably did but Chafer notes this is not recorded. No command to observe it is made - and no correction for not observing it is ever mentioned in a list of sins.Gal 4:9-10 - Heb 4:1-13 - Col 2:16-17 - Rom 14:5 - there is no “Christian Sabbath” - instead the Lord’s Day replaces it with far greater glory, blessing and privileges


B. The sabbath in the present church age

After Christ’s resurrection there is no record of a believer observing the sabbath - the Jews probably did but Chafer notes this is not recorded. No command to observe it is made - and no correction for not observing it is ever mentioned in a list of sins.Gal 4:9-10 - Heb 4:1-13 - Col 2:16-17 - Rom 14:5 - there is no “Christian Sabbath” - instead the Lord’s Day replaces it with far greater glory, blessing and privileges

9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years!16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.


C. The sabbath in the coming age

The Lord’s Day relates only to the church - prophetically the Sabbath will be reinstated immediately when the church is completed and called out from the world.Sabbath will be observed in the tribulation - Matt 24:20Sabbath is a vital feature of the coming kingdom age - Isa 66:23, Ezek 46:1


D. The resurrection of christ and the first day of the week

From the resurrection the church has celebrated the first day of the week - seen not only in the NT but in early church fathers and church history. Chafer states those not understanding the new creation order are the ones who want sabbath observance - and their reasoning combines unscriptural doctrines.


D. The resurrection of christ and the first day of the week

From the resurrection the church has celebrated the first day of the week - seen not only in the NT but in early church fathers and church history. Chafer states those not understanding the new creation order are the ones who want sabbath observance - and their reasoning combines unscriptural doctrines.

“The believer is appointed of God to observe the first day of the week under a new relationship of grace, confusion arises when that day is given the character of and governed by Sabbath day laws. Such teachings ignore the NT doctrine of the new creation”Chafer


E. The new creation

In this present age God is calling out the church - Acts 15:13-18 - a heavenly people who will be glorified and perfected, Eph 5:25-27 - individually they are part of great undertakings and transformation by God.The body is related to Christ - 1 Cor 12:12 - and so is the invdividual 1 Cor 6:17, Rom 6:5, 1 Cor 12:13


The individual believer...- is cleansed, forgiven and justified- has the indwelling HSp, and is a legal heir of God (co-heir of Christ)- we have been made the righteousness of God, 2 Cr 5:21, Eph 1:6, a member of Christ’s body, and a partaker of the new creationTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old [position not experience] has gone, the new is here! And all these[positional things] are of GodChafer’s wording in [ ]1Pet 2:9 - chosen generation - heaven born in the power of God


Christ, the last Adam, is now, by the Spirit, forming a new race which takes on his eternal life and perfection.1 Cor 15:45 - So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.Being in Christ we are raised, Rom 6:4, Col 2:12-13 - but we have not yet received our glorious resurrection body, Phil 3:20-21 - but we will be made like him 1 Jn 3:2 - Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.


The new creation began with the resurrection of Christ - and is a born again heavenly company who are in Christ. This is often contrasted with the old creation from which we have been saved and deliveredThe sabbath was instituted to celebrate the old creation - Ex 20:10-11, 31:12-17 - the Lord’s Day celebrates the new creation.The Sabbath was limited to the people of Israel, the earthly people of God - the Lord’s Day is limited to the church as the heavenly people of God


F. The Lord’s dayChafer states there are many reasons for observing the Lord’s Day - the first day of the week.1. A new day is prophesied and appointed under gracePs 118:22-24, Acts 4:10-11 - Christ in his crucifixion was the rejected stone and in his resurrection became the cornerstone - this is divinely appointed as a day of rejoicing and gladness - hence in Matt 28:9 “Greetings” Chafer states means “O joy” - and being the day that the Lord had made is now called the Lord’s Day


2. Observance of the first day is indicated by these events:A. On that day Christ rose from the deadB. On that day he first met his new disciples in new fellowship - Jn 20:19C. On that day he gave them new instructions - Lk 24:13-45D. On that day he ascended into heaven as the firstfruits - Lev 23:10-12, Jn 20:17, 1 Cor 15:20, 23E. On that day he breathed on them - Jn 20:22F. On that day the Spirit descended from heaven - Acts 2:1-4


G. On that day the apostle Paul preached in Troas - Acts 20:6-7H...the believers came together to break bread - Acts 20:6-7I...On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income 1 Cor 16:2J...Christ appeared to John on Patmos - Rev 1:10


G. On that day the apostle Paul preached in Troas - Acts 20:6-7H...the believers came together to break bread - Acts 20:6-7I...On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income 1 Cor 16:2J...Christ appeared to John on Patmos - Rev 1:10


3. The eight day was the day of circumcisionCircumcision = separation from the flesh and the old order by the death of christ Col 2:11The 8th day being the fist day after a completed week is symbolic of a new beginning


4. The new day is of graceA week of toil was followed by a day of rest by the law - under grace a day of worship is appointed at the start of the week, a believer then lives and serves for the rest of the weekA day of rest is for those related to god by works - a day of ceaseless worship belongs to those related to God by the finished work of Christ.7th day was of unyielding law - 1st day of liberty in grace7th day hoping for acceptance - 1st day assured of acceptance by God


5. The new day has been blessed by GodSpirit filled devout believers have, in this age, always kept the Lord’s Day - if they had been guilty of Sabbath breaking surely they would have been convicted?6. The new day is committed only to the individual believerNot to the unsaved - there is no acceptance for unsaved before God through practicing it (though socially and physically it might be good for them) - it is not committed to the church as a whole only the believer


7. No command is given to keep the Lord’s DayIt is all of grace and no way of observing it is prescribed. Therefore it is a not a duty but from the heart. We stand before God as adult sons with god asking us to do things willingly - Rom 12:1-2, Eph 4:1-3.“There is little question to how a well instructed, Spirit filled believer will be occupied on the day celebrating the Lord’s resurrection and the new creation. If the person is not yielded to God no unwilling observance will correct his carnal heart nor will God be pleased with it”


8. The manner of observance of the Lord’s Day will be extended to all daysChrist was devoted to his Father equally on all days - we might have more time on the Lord’s Day but the worship, joy and service should be the same on every day Rom 14:5


Spiritual

Chafer, Bible Doctrines: The Sabbath & Lords Day