Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?
Why did Jesus Christ come to earth? When He was to be born, the Angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph these words:
Matt.1:21 "She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."
But there was also another purpose for which Jesus Christ came to earth. He spoke of this second purpose of His coming in these words:
Matt.5:17-18 "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished."
So, Jesus came to fulfill what God said in the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament). He perfectly fulfilled God's Law and all the commandments written in it. And He also fulfilled all the prophecies recorded in the Law and the Prophets about Him and His first coming to earth.
The Will of Jesus Christ Concerning His Disciples
After Jesus Christ told His disciples about the purpose of His coming to earth, He continued to speak and said the following words:
Matt.5:19 "Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."
Therefore, according to the teaching of Jesus Christ, we must fulfill the commandments of God and teach them to others. We must follow Jesus Christ in this, for He said:
John 12:26 "If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
How to Inherit Eternal Life?
Further in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, one story is recorded that teaches us about the importance of keeping God's commandments in order to inherit eternal life:
Matt.19:16-21 "Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.' 'Honor your father and mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The young man said to him, "All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?"Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
To enter into eternal life, we need to keep the commandments of God, obey the words of Jesus Christ and follow Him. One of the hallmarks of God's people, holy people, is that they keep the commandments of God:
Rev.14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Greatest Commandment
What are the most important commandments to fulfill in our lives? To answer this question, we need to turn to another story from the life of Jesus Christ, recorded in the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 12:28-34 "One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?" Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one dared ask him any question after that."
Our Love for Jesus Christ
Do we love God? Do we love Jesus Christ? It's easy to check. Our love for God is manifested in keeping His commandments. Our love for Jesus Christ is manifested in keeping His commandments.
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous."
John 14:15, 21, 23-24 "If you love me, keep my commandments... One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him... Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me."
The commandments of God and the commandments of Jesus Christ are the same. Jesus said that what He taught were not His words, but the words of God the Father who sent Him into the world. The most important commandment that Jesus gave us, is the commandment to love one another as He loved us:
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
The Importance of Keeping God's Commandments
Let's now read how the Apostle Paul wrote about the commandments of God and the importance of obeying them in our lives:
1Cor.7:19 "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."
That is, the outward sign of belonging to Israel (circumcision) does not matter for salvation, but what is really important is keeping God's commandments. Something similar is recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes. Perhaps the Apostle Paul referred to this very passage when he wrote about the importance of keeping God's commandments in our lives:
Eccl.12:13 "This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man."
We see in Scripture that the commandments of love for God and neighbor are the most important. We could also see that love of God is not just a sublime abstract feeling. Love for God is keeping His commandments. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) are the most important commandments of God, explaining what it means to love God and love your neighbor. Most Christians agree that nine out of the ten commandments should be kept, but they disagree that Christians should also keep the fourth commandment. Why do we believe that it is necessary to keep all 10 commandments, including the commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy (Ex.20:8-11)?
1) Sabbath Established in the Garden o Eden
From the very first pages of the Bible, we see that God blessed and sanctified the seventh day - Sabbath, and He did it forever:
Gen.2:2-3 "On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made."
When God rested on the seventh day, Sabbath (Ex.20:8-11), and also blessed and sanctified it, there were only two people on earth - Adam and his wife Eve. All people living on earth originated from them. Then there was still no division into Jews and Gentiles, there was no people of Israel or other nations. Adam and Eve were still in paradise at that time. They became the ancestors of all mankind. They knew that God had blessed and sanctified the seventh day - Sabbath, and passed on this knowledge to their children.
2) Blessing Forever
Nowhere in Scripture is it written that God took away his blessing or holiness from the seventh day, Sabbath. And nowhere is it written that He transferred this blessing or holiness to any other day. Scripture clearly states that when God gives something or someone His unconditional blessing, He gives it forever. It is immutable and can not be canceled. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, the Sabbath day, and it remains blessed and sanctified to this day and will continue to be so.
2Sam.7:28-29 "Now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord GOD, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing."
Rom.11:29 "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
3) The Commandment Applies to Non-Jewish Aliens
When God gave Israel the Sabbath commandment, He said in this commandment who should keep it. Among this listing is mentioned "stranger who is within your gates" (Exodus 20:10). A stranger is a non-Jew, a person who does not belong to the people of Israel, but who has come to live in the land of Israel, among the Jewish people. He, too, was not supposed to do anything on Sabbath. He also had to keep the Sabbath.
4) Sabbath is the Day of Worship to God for All Flesh
The prophet Isaiah, speaking of Sabbath observance, mentions foreigners, that is, non-Jews, who will receive the blessing for Sabbath observance (Isaiah, Chapter 56). Further, he prophesied about the time when all flesh, that is, all people, Jews and non-Jews, will come from month to month, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to worship before the face of the Lord (Isaiah 66):
Isa.56:6-7 "Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant; 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 on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
Isa.66:22-23 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," says the LORD, "so your seed and your name shall remain. It shall happen, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me," says the LORD."
5) Jesus Taught: "Sabbath is for Man"
Jesus Christ taught that the Sabbath is for man. He did not say that it was given only for Jews or only for Israel. Jesus said that it was given for a man, that is, for everyone who considers himself a human being. After all, as we have already considered above, God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, when there were still no Jews and non-Jews. There were only Adam and Eve on earth, from whom all people later descended. Having granted the Sabbath to Adam and Eve as a blessed and holy day, God in their person bestowed it on all their descendants, gave it for all people on earth. So let's read how Jesus Christ taught about the Sabbath:
Mark 2:27 "He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Sabbath is a wonderful gift from God for a man. The Lord gave it to all people, all mankind, back in the Garden of Eden, before the sin of Adam and Eve. In observing it, great blessings are hidden for a man, both physical and spiritual. Every person acts wisely who does not reject this gift of God, but gladly accepts it, calling the Sabbath a joy, the holy day of the Lord, honored. The Lord has prepared special blessings for such people (Isa.58:13-14).
6) Apostolic Decision
When the Apostles decided on the Gentile believers, they decided to write to them a few initial basic requirements that they had to observe. And immediately after this list are the words about the Sabbath and synagogues.
Acts 15:19-21 "Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
Probably, the Gentile believers were expected to (or already did) attend synagogues on Sabbaths to listen to the Law of God, which was regularly read there, and to continue to study the will of God and the commandments of God. At that time, few could afford to have personal scripture scrolls. Therefore, for many people, the only place where they could hear what is written in the Bible was the synagogue. Gentile believers were partakers of the Sabbath services in synagogues, and thus partakers of Sabbath-keeping with Israel.
7) The Early Christians Had No Other Holy Day Than the Sabbath
In the first century A.D. Christians had no other weekly holy day, and no recognized day for weekly meetings other than Sabbath. We can find many examples of this in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Let's take a look at some of them:
Acts 13:14-15 "But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak."
Acts 13:42-44 "So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God."
We see that the Apostle Paul did not establish and did not appoint any other weekly holy day, or day for meetings, except for the Sabbath, which was already established as such.
8) Gentile Believers Grafted into the Israel of God
Another reason why the Sabbath was given not only for Israel, but for all believers, is that through Jesus Christ Gentile Christians became part of the Israel of God. They became grafted like the branches of a wild olive tree to the natural olive tree of Israel of God and close to all that God gave to Israel. In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, in the eleventh chapter, God calls Israel an olive tree. The apostle Paul also calls Israel the natural olive tree in Romans chapter eleven:
Jer.11:16 "The LORD called your name, A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken."
Rom.11:16-24 "If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree; don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in." True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear; for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
Eph.2:11-13 "Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "uncircumcision" by that which is called "circumcision," (in the flesh, made by hands); that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world."
So, the Gentiles who believed in God, through Jesus Christ, became grafted into the natural olive tree of God's Israel. They became close to everything they were far away from, including the commandments of God and the commandment about the Sabbath. Israel, to which they became close, and to which those who believed from the pagans were grafted, is Israel, which accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God and its Messiah and Savior. Paul calls such Israel the Israel of God. So, being grafted or joined to the Israel of God, we became a part of it. Now this name applies to us.
9) The Commandment is Holy and Righteous and Good - for All
The Apostle Paul wrote very important words in Romans about God's Law and God's commandments:
Rom.7:12 "Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good."
Rom.2:18 "And know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law."
So, the Law of God is holy, and every commandment written in this Law is holy and righteous and good, including the commandment about the Sabbath. By reading and learning from the Law, we can understand what is best for us. Sabbath, as we said above, is God's gift to humanity, something very good for us. The Sabbath commandment, like every other God's commandment, is holy and righteous and good not only for Jews, but for all people.
10) Believers should follow the example of Jesus Christ and the apostles
The Apostle Paul repeatedly asked believers to follow the example of him and other Apostles, his co-workers:
1Cor.4:16 "I beg you therefore, be imitators of me."
1Cor.11:1 "Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ."
Phil.3:17 "Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example."
Phil.4:9 "The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
So, the Apostle Paul repeatedly called on believers to imitate him, and to do what they saw and heard in him. Did the Apostle Paul keep the Sabbath? Did the Gentile believers in Jesus Christ see that Paul, through whom they believed, kept the Sabbath? Let's look at Paul's own words for an answer to this question:
Acts 24:14 "But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets."
Acts 25:7-8 "When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."
We can clearly see from the above words of Paul himself that he kept God's Law and did nothing against the Law. He believed everything written in the Law and the prophets. The Sabbath commandment is one of the most important commandments in the Law. If Paul testified about himself that he kept the Law, then it becomes clear that he also kept the commandment about the Sabbath. Do we want to follow the example of him and the other apostles, as the Holy Scriptures repeatedly call us to do? Do we want to follow the example of Jesus Christ, who kept the Sabbath and taught his disciples to keep it? He even told them to pray that their flight would not happen in winter or on the Sabbath:
Matt.24:20 "Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath."
Luke 4:16 "He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read."
Luke 23:55-56 "The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment."
*Note, that the word Sabbath here refers to the seventh day of the week, commonly known as Saturday in English-speaking world, and Shabbat or Shabbos among Jews.
Clean Food
In addition to the Ten Commandments, there are other commandments of God that believers must obey in their lives in order to be holy:
1Pet.1:15-16 "But just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."
Where is this text written, in which God calls us to holiness, and which was quoted by the Apostle Peter? It is written in the book of Leviticus:
Lev.11:44-45 "For I am the LORD your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
We must be holy before God in everything, even in what we eat. In Leviticus 11, the Lord explains to His people what they can eat and what they cannot. If people eat unclean animals, they defile their souls. Even before the Law of Moses, the righteous men knew what was clean and what was unclean. For example, the righteous Noah knew about this:
Gen.7:1-2 "The LORD said to Noah, "Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation. You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female."
We can see from the New Testament that the Apostle Peter did not eat anything foul or unclean. When God showed him a vision of a vessel with unclean animals, and told him to kill and eat them, it was not permission to eat unclean animals. Peter's vision was about humans, not animals.
Acts 10:14-15, 28 "But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.
He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean."
God in His Word (Leviticus, chapter 11) separated some animals for food (that is, sanctified them by His Word). If we take this food with thanksgiving, it will be for our good. But we will never be able to sanctify with our prayer what God did not sanctify with His Word!
1Tim.4:4-5 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer."
Food must first be sanctified (set apart by God for consumption) by the Word of God, then it is sanctified by our prayer of thanksgiving.
Obeying and observing God's commandments is not legalism - it is demonstration of our living faith and love for God.
Bible verses for memorization:
The Ten Commandments
God spoke all these words, saying,
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.You shall have no other gods before me.
"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
"You shall not murder.
"You shall not commit adultery.
"You shall not steal.
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
(Exodus 20:1-17)
Why did Jesus Christ come to earth? When He was to be born, the Angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph these words:
Matt.1:21 "She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."
But there was also another purpose for which Jesus Christ came to earth. He spoke of this second purpose of His coming in these words:
Matt.5:17-18 "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished."
So, Jesus came to fulfill what God said in the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament). He perfectly fulfilled God's Law and all the commandments written in it. And He also fulfilled all the prophecies recorded in the Law and the Prophets about Him and His first coming to earth.
The Will of Jesus Christ Concerning His Disciples
After Jesus Christ told His disciples about the purpose of His coming to earth, He continued to speak and said the following words:
Matt.5:19 "Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven."
Therefore, according to the teaching of Jesus Christ, we must fulfill the commandments of God and teach them to others. We must follow Jesus Christ in this, for He said:
John 12:26 "If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
How to Inherit Eternal Life?
Further in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, one story is recorded that teaches us about the importance of keeping God's commandments in order to inherit eternal life:
Matt.19:16-21 "Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.' 'Honor your father and mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The young man said to him, "All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?"Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
To enter into eternal life, we need to keep the commandments of God, obey the words of Jesus Christ and follow Him. One of the hallmarks of God's people, holy people, is that they keep the commandments of God:
Rev.14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Greatest Commandment
What are the most important commandments to fulfill in our lives? To answer this question, we need to turn to another story from the life of Jesus Christ, recorded in the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 12:28-34 "One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the greatest of all?" Jesus answered, "The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one dared ask him any question after that."
Our Love for Jesus Christ
Do we love God? Do we love Jesus Christ? It's easy to check. Our love for God is manifested in keeping His commandments. Our love for Jesus Christ is manifested in keeping His commandments.
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous."
John 14:15, 21, 23-24 "If you love me, keep my commandments... One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him... Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me."
The commandments of God and the commandments of Jesus Christ are the same. Jesus said that what He taught were not His words, but the words of God the Father who sent Him into the world. The most important commandment that Jesus gave us, is the commandment to love one another as He loved us:
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
The Importance of Keeping God's Commandments
Let's now read how the Apostle Paul wrote about the commandments of God and the importance of obeying them in our lives:
1Cor.7:19 "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God."
That is, the outward sign of belonging to Israel (circumcision) does not matter for salvation, but what is really important is keeping God's commandments. Something similar is recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes. Perhaps the Apostle Paul referred to this very passage when he wrote about the importance of keeping God's commandments in our lives:
Eccl.12:13 "This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man."
We see in Scripture that the commandments of love for God and neighbor are the most important. We could also see that love of God is not just a sublime abstract feeling. Love for God is keeping His commandments. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) are the most important commandments of God, explaining what it means to love God and love your neighbor. Most Christians agree that nine out of the ten commandments should be kept, but they disagree that Christians should also keep the fourth commandment. Why do we believe that it is necessary to keep all 10 commandments, including the commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy (Ex.20:8-11)?
1) Sabbath Established in the Garden o Eden
From the very first pages of the Bible, we see that God blessed and sanctified the seventh day - Sabbath, and He did it forever:
Gen.2:2-3 "On the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work which he had created and made."
When God rested on the seventh day, Sabbath (Ex.20:8-11), and also blessed and sanctified it, there were only two people on earth - Adam and his wife Eve. All people living on earth originated from them. Then there was still no division into Jews and Gentiles, there was no people of Israel or other nations. Adam and Eve were still in paradise at that time. They became the ancestors of all mankind. They knew that God had blessed and sanctified the seventh day - Sabbath, and passed on this knowledge to their children.
2) Blessing Forever
Nowhere in Scripture is it written that God took away his blessing or holiness from the seventh day, Sabbath. And nowhere is it written that He transferred this blessing or holiness to any other day. Scripture clearly states that when God gives something or someone His unconditional blessing, He gives it forever. It is immutable and can not be canceled. God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, the Sabbath day, and it remains blessed and sanctified to this day and will continue to be so.
2Sam.7:28-29 "Now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord GOD, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing."
Rom.11:29 "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
3) The Commandment Applies to Non-Jewish Aliens
When God gave Israel the Sabbath commandment, He said in this commandment who should keep it. Among this listing is mentioned "stranger who is within your gates" (Exodus 20:10). A stranger is a non-Jew, a person who does not belong to the people of Israel, but who has come to live in the land of Israel, among the Jewish people. He, too, was not supposed to do anything on Sabbath. He also had to keep the Sabbath.
4) Sabbath is the Day of Worship to God for All Flesh
The prophet Isaiah, speaking of Sabbath observance, mentions foreigners, that is, non-Jews, who will receive the blessing for Sabbath observance (Isaiah, Chapter 56). Further, he prophesied about the time when all flesh, that is, all people, Jews and non-Jews, will come from month to month, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to worship before the face of the Lord (Isaiah 66):
Isa.56:6-7 "Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant; 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 on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
Isa.66:22-23 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," says the LORD, "so your seed and your name shall remain. It shall happen, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me," says the LORD."
5) Jesus Taught: "Sabbath is for Man"
Jesus Christ taught that the Sabbath is for man. He did not say that it was given only for Jews or only for Israel. Jesus said that it was given for a man, that is, for everyone who considers himself a human being. After all, as we have already considered above, God blessed and sanctified the seventh day, when there were still no Jews and non-Jews. There were only Adam and Eve on earth, from whom all people later descended. Having granted the Sabbath to Adam and Eve as a blessed and holy day, God in their person bestowed it on all their descendants, gave it for all people on earth. So let's read how Jesus Christ taught about the Sabbath:
Mark 2:27 "He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Sabbath is a wonderful gift from God for a man. The Lord gave it to all people, all mankind, back in the Garden of Eden, before the sin of Adam and Eve. In observing it, great blessings are hidden for a man, both physical and spiritual. Every person acts wisely who does not reject this gift of God, but gladly accepts it, calling the Sabbath a joy, the holy day of the Lord, honored. The Lord has prepared special blessings for such people (Isa.58:13-14).
6) Apostolic Decision
When the Apostles decided on the Gentile believers, they decided to write to them a few initial basic requirements that they had to observe. And immediately after this list are the words about the Sabbath and synagogues.
Acts 15:19-21 "Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
Probably, the Gentile believers were expected to (or already did) attend synagogues on Sabbaths to listen to the Law of God, which was regularly read there, and to continue to study the will of God and the commandments of God. At that time, few could afford to have personal scripture scrolls. Therefore, for many people, the only place where they could hear what is written in the Bible was the synagogue. Gentile believers were partakers of the Sabbath services in synagogues, and thus partakers of Sabbath-keeping with Israel.
7) The Early Christians Had No Other Holy Day Than the Sabbath
In the first century A.D. Christians had no other weekly holy day, and no recognized day for weekly meetings other than Sabbath. We can find many examples of this in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Let's take a look at some of them:
Acts 13:14-15 "But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak."
Acts 13:42-44 "So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God."
We see that the Apostle Paul did not establish and did not appoint any other weekly holy day, or day for meetings, except for the Sabbath, which was already established as such.
8) Gentile Believers Grafted into the Israel of God
Another reason why the Sabbath was given not only for Israel, but for all believers, is that through Jesus Christ Gentile Christians became part of the Israel of God. They became grafted like the branches of a wild olive tree to the natural olive tree of Israel of God and close to all that God gave to Israel. In the book of the prophet Jeremiah, in the eleventh chapter, God calls Israel an olive tree. The apostle Paul also calls Israel the natural olive tree in Romans chapter eleven:
Jer.11:16 "The LORD called your name, A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken."
Rom.11:16-24 "If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree; don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in." True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear; for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
Eph.2:11-13 "Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "uncircumcision" by that which is called "circumcision," (in the flesh, made by hands); that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world."
So, the Gentiles who believed in God, through Jesus Christ, became grafted into the natural olive tree of God's Israel. They became close to everything they were far away from, including the commandments of God and the commandment about the Sabbath. Israel, to which they became close, and to which those who believed from the pagans were grafted, is Israel, which accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God and its Messiah and Savior. Paul calls such Israel the Israel of God. So, being grafted or joined to the Israel of God, we became a part of it. Now this name applies to us.
9) The Commandment is Holy and Righteous and Good - for All
The Apostle Paul wrote very important words in Romans about God's Law and God's commandments:
Rom.7:12 "Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good."
Rom.2:18 "And know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law."
So, the Law of God is holy, and every commandment written in this Law is holy and righteous and good, including the commandment about the Sabbath. By reading and learning from the Law, we can understand what is best for us. Sabbath, as we said above, is God's gift to humanity, something very good for us. The Sabbath commandment, like every other God's commandment, is holy and righteous and good not only for Jews, but for all people.
10) Believers should follow the example of Jesus Christ and the apostles
The Apostle Paul repeatedly asked believers to follow the example of him and other Apostles, his co-workers:
1Cor.4:16 "I beg you therefore, be imitators of me."
1Cor.11:1 "Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ."
Phil.3:17 "Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example."
Phil.4:9 "The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
So, the Apostle Paul repeatedly called on believers to imitate him, and to do what they saw and heard in him. Did the Apostle Paul keep the Sabbath? Did the Gentile believers in Jesus Christ see that Paul, through whom they believed, kept the Sabbath? Let's look at Paul's own words for an answer to this question:
Acts 24:14 "But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets."
Acts 25:7-8 "When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all."
We can clearly see from the above words of Paul himself that he kept God's Law and did nothing against the Law. He believed everything written in the Law and the prophets. The Sabbath commandment is one of the most important commandments in the Law. If Paul testified about himself that he kept the Law, then it becomes clear that he also kept the commandment about the Sabbath. Do we want to follow the example of him and the other apostles, as the Holy Scriptures repeatedly call us to do? Do we want to follow the example of Jesus Christ, who kept the Sabbath and taught his disciples to keep it? He even told them to pray that their flight would not happen in winter or on the Sabbath:
Matt.24:20 "Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath."
Luke 4:16 "He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read."
Luke 23:55-56 "The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment."
*Note, that the word Sabbath here refers to the seventh day of the week, commonly known as Saturday in English-speaking world, and Shabbat or Shabbos among Jews.
Clean Food
In addition to the Ten Commandments, there are other commandments of God that believers must obey in their lives in order to be holy:
1Pet.1:15-16 "But just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior; because it is written, "You shall be holy; for I am holy."
Where is this text written, in which God calls us to holiness, and which was quoted by the Apostle Peter? It is written in the book of Leviticus:
Lev.11:44-45 "For I am the LORD your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth. For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."
We must be holy before God in everything, even in what we eat. In Leviticus 11, the Lord explains to His people what they can eat and what they cannot. If people eat unclean animals, they defile their souls. Even before the Law of Moses, the righteous men knew what was clean and what was unclean. For example, the righteous Noah knew about this:
Gen.7:1-2 "The LORD said to Noah, "Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation. You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female."
We can see from the New Testament that the Apostle Peter did not eat anything foul or unclean. When God showed him a vision of a vessel with unclean animals, and told him to kill and eat them, it was not permission to eat unclean animals. Peter's vision was about humans, not animals.
Acts 10:14-15, 28 "But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.
He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean."
God in His Word (Leviticus, chapter 11) separated some animals for food (that is, sanctified them by His Word). If we take this food with thanksgiving, it will be for our good. But we will never be able to sanctify with our prayer what God did not sanctify with His Word!
1Tim.4:4-5 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer."
Food must first be sanctified (set apart by God for consumption) by the Word of God, then it is sanctified by our prayer of thanksgiving.
Obeying and observing God's commandments is not legalism - it is demonstration of our living faith and love for God.
Bible verses for memorization:
The Ten Commandments
God spoke all these words, saying,
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.You shall have no other gods before me.
"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
"You shall not murder.
"You shall not commit adultery.
"You shall not steal.
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
(Exodus 20:1-17)
