Biblical Answers to Good Questions

“Christians are ‘saved by grace?’ So why keep the Sabbath?”:

Yes, undoubtedly, Christians are “saved by grace.” Ephesians 2:8. But it is vital to inquire, saved from what? Here’s the answer: Jesus Christ came to our dark world to “save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21. That was His mission. Next question: What is sin? Here’s the answer: “Sin is the transgression of the law.” l John 3:4. Next question: What law? Here’s the answer: Paul wrote, “I had not known sin , but by the law .” Then he quoted the tenth commandment, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7. Thus, according to Paul, it is the law of Ten Commandments that reveals sin to us. The Good News is that Jesus Christ “died for our sins, according to the Scriptures” (see 1 Cor. 15:3), which would include breaking the Sabbath commandment too . Ever since the days of Adam and Eve, humanity has strayed from its Creator. All have sinned” and are “guilty before God” for breaking His law. Romans 3:23, 19. Once guilty, we cannot be saved or “justified” (made right with God) by keeping the law (Romans 3:20), but only through faith in Jesus Christ our Savior (Romans 3:21-28). If we confess our sins, God promises to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Then Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15. Which ones? Here’s the answer: By comparing John 14:15 with Exodus 20:6, we discover that Jesus was quoting the second commandment. Thus the Ten Commandments are Jesus Christ’s commandments (along with all of His teachings), for Jesus Christ is God (see John 1:1-3; read carefully also Matthew 5:17-19). If we love our Savior, we will want to obey His commandments, not to be saved, but because we are saved by His love and grace.

“Are all ‘Sunday-keepers’ lost?”:

Obviously not.Throughout history millions of Spirit-filled Christians have not understood the Sabbath commandment and have kept Sunday. It is the same today. Yet listen to God’s Word: During “the times of this ignorance God winked; but now He commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). When further light comes, God wants us to follow it. In “the time of the end … knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4. Knowledge is now increasing on the Sabbath subject. You may not be aware of the trend, but around the world ministers and Christians of many denominations are studying and accepting the truth about the Sabbath of Jesus Christ.

“Is God so particular?”:

Ask Adam and Eve. One bite plunged our entire world into chaos and led to the death of Jesus Christ. The Sabbath day is very important to God. See Ezekiel 22:26; Jeremiah 17:19?27; Isaiah 58:13. The Bible says that breaking God’s Law is sin (see 1 John 3:4), and that sin is what caused Jesus Christ to die on Calvary (see 1 Cor. 15:3).

“Shouldn’t we worship God every day?”:

Of course, but only “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord.” Exodus 20:10. The Sabbath is the only day that God rested on, blessed, and sanctified. See Gen. 2:1-3.

“How can so many ‘good people’ be wrong?”:

Eve was not only a good person, but she was a perfect person, yet she was wrong when she obeyed the serpent (see Gen. 3:1-6). Only eight people entered Noah’s ark, which teaches us that majority opinion should not be our guide. See Matthew 7:13, 14. Jesus told a group of religious leaders that they were “making the word of God of none effect” by their “tradition.” Mark 7:13. If this happened to religious leaders in Christ’s day, it can happen today. Many “good people” have never really studied this subject carefully.

For more information, read Truth Left Behind by Steve Wohlberg, Sunday: The Origin of Its Observance in the Christian Church, by E.J. Wagonner, or watch the fascinating 5-part TV documentary, The Seventh-day: Revelations from the Lost Pages of History, produced by LLT Productions. All three are now available from White Horse Media. www.whitehorsemedia.com. 1-800-78-BIBLE.