Free Family Sabbath Resource – Sabbath Kids!
On this website, you will find many resources to help impart life-long lessons from the Word of God into your children on the Sabbath, such as:
– Videos about Bible Stories
– Online Coloring tools
– Bible-based games
And More!
Just click the link below to access this FREE resource!
Just What IS the Fourth Commandment?
BY JACK M. LANE
(this article is an excerpt from the Jan-Feb 1999 edition of the Sabbath Sentinel)
“There are a number of Sabbath keeping churches and congregations around the world. At times the only discernible difference between people who go to church on Sunday and those who go to church on Saturday is the Sabbath doctrine. The Sabbath observers’ point to the fourth commandment, showing that it says the seventh-day is the Sabbath of Yahweh. The Sunday observers follow the teaching that the church (specifically, the Roman Catholic Church) had the authority to change the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week, even enforcing the change by the edge of the sword. Many “Sunday keepers” and “Sabbath keepers” alike have inaccurately learned the fourth commandment. It seems most church-going people are confident that the commandment says, “Keep the Sabbath.”
As just mentioned, we speak about “keeping the Sabbath” as opposed to “keeping Sunday.” What does it mean to “keep” one day or the other? Does it mean to “keep” the day in a certain way? Does it mean to observe the day, or hold onto the day? How does one “keep the Sabbath”? Whether we favor Saturday or Sunday as our Sabbath day, perhaps it’s time to examine this oft-used phrase, “keeping the Sabbath,” more closely, so we can gain a better understanding of what it is God wants us to do with one specific day out of seven….”
To read the rest of this article, which starts on page 10, click this link:
http://biblesabbath.org/tss/475/tss_475.pdf
Were the Ten Commandments nailed to the Cross?
A Deeper Look at Colossians 2:13-15
By Kelly McDonald, Jr.
In Colossians 2:13-15, Paul wrote, “13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (KJV, emphasis mine throughout)
Common Argument: Many people use these verses to say that Christ nailed the Law of God or the entire Old Testament to the cross, including the Sabbath.
Think it Through: If Christ nailed the Law to the cross, then why did the Apostles continue to observe it? (including the Sabbath – see Acts 13:13-48, 16:11-15, 17:1-4, 18:1-4; 20:16; I Cor. 5:6-8, Col. 2:15-17).
Short Answer: Our sin debt was nailed to the cross, not the law of God
Longer Answer: The Greek word translated as law is nomos; it is not used at all in the entire book of Colossians. If Paul were referring to any kind of law, the appropriate language would need to be used. What is Paul really saying?
One way to learn the proper meaning of a verse is to look at the verses before and after it. In verse 13, Paul discussed 1) being dead in sin and 2) being made alive in Christ after the forgiving of our sins. Clearly, the mention of being ‘dead in sin’ before salvation in verse 13 is connected to whatever was nailed to the cross in verse 14.
In verse 13, the Greek word translated as forgiven is charisamenos, and it can mean forgive (as in sin), pardon, or to forgive a debt.
In verse 14, the Greek word translated as ‘blotting out’ is exaleipsas. It means to erase something that is written. This same Greek word is used in Acts 3:19 to repentance and having our sins erased: “Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out…” (ASV). This word is also used in the Greek translation of the old testament, called the Septuagint in Isaiah 43:25: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mind own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (KJV, emphasis mine; see also Psalm 51:9).
In verse 14, the Greek words translated as “handwriting of ordinances” are cheirographon tois dogmasin. Cheirographon means a signed bill of indebtedness. Dogmasin means a decree (of man-made origin). With this foundation we can better understand Colossians 2:13-15.
The word of God mentions that a record of our deeds are kept in heaven (Revelation 20:12, Hosea 13:12, Nehemiah 13:14, Psalm 109:14). This includes our sins. A bill of indebtedness for our sins was created by our life outside of covenant with God. As Paul wrote: “For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). We were owed the payment death because of our sins. No good deeds we could have accumulated would outweigh the sin we lived in and the payment of that sin, which is death.
Christ died for us (Rom. 5:9-20; I Peter 1:21-23). He erased the record of our sins and nailed it to the cross when He died on it. Thus, our sin debt and the subsequent punishment was nailed to the cross, not the Law of God. We are asked to continue to put to death the sinful desires within us (Col. 3:5; I Peter 2:24). Because He paid the price, we have eternal life (John 3:15-17).
In Galatians 5:24, Paul wrote: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Now that we are saved, we don’t crucify the Law of God, but those things within us that cause us to transgress it.
The newest version of the NIV words Colossians 2:13-14 this way: “13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”
In Colossians 2:15, Paul finished this section by saying, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Revelation 12:10 explains that Satan is the accuser of the brethren. When we repent, our sins are blotted out of the books in Heaven, so that the powers and principalities of this world are put to an open shame! They are disarmed! Their accusations are rendered null and void. This should be very humbling to all of us.
Kelly McDonald, Jr.
President of the Bible Sabbath Association (BSA)
www.biblesabbath.org
Welcome to the Sabbath Sentinel Blog!
This is the beginning of a new day for the Bible Sabbath Association (BSA). This new blog will be a way for the BSA to reach the public in a way that we have never done before. This blog will provide you exciting insight into the following avenues:
We want to get YOU involved!
If you want to contribute to the Sabbath Sentinel blog with inspired revelations on the Sabbath or your testimonial about how the Sabbath has changed your life, just email us at:
Thank you for your support and prayers!
Enjoy the great experience that will be the Sabbath Sentinel Blog!
Bible Sabbath Association
What Can You Expect from the Sabbath Sentinel Blog?
We are about 1 month from launching the Sabbath Sentinel blog. This article is a short sneak peek into what you can expect from the Sabbath Sentinel Blog. First of all, we at the BSA would like to thank you for your support and tuning in to this blog.
We believe strongly that testimonial s about the Sabbath have an impact on people. These personal stories will help encourage Sabbath keepers to continue on in their practice of the seventh-day Sabbath. Moreover, testimonials help draw the interest of people who do not presently observe the Sabbath.
We believe these will be powerful tools for the Kingdom of God.
Once a month, you will see an article called “Testimonial Tuesday” that will feature these personal stories of perseverance and faith.
This is just one of the many features through this blog!
It launches August 1st!
Be sure to follow us by clicking the button in the bottom right-hand corner and then entering your email so you can get emails whenever a post is made!
The Sabbath Sentinel 