The Sabbath Debate Continues

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Dr. Brown continues to debate the issue of Sabbath observance, dietary laws, and other aspects of Christians and the Law on this Thoroughly Jewish Thursday. This is your day to call in and express your view. Listen live here 2-4 pm EST, and call into the show at (866) 348 7884 with your questions and comments.

 

Hour 1:

Dr. Brown’s Bottom Line: Do not divide over disputable matters, and the day that we set aside Sabbath is a disputable matter.

Hour 2:

Dr. Brown’s Bottom Line: Let the spirit of Romans 14 prevail in our attitude towards the Sabbath.

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Other Resources:

What Do Seventh Day Adventists Believe?

Dr. Brown Interviews Walid Shoebat and a Debate about Dietary Laws

Dr. Brown and Pastor Gino Geraci Discuss Myths and Facts About Bible Translations and Bible Interpretation

24 Comments
  1. Dr Brown
    Nice to communicate with you.
    In terms of the Sabbath, we all need to ask this question first; What God did the next day after he rested at the 7th days? Did he came back to work the following Sunday or Monday?, after God finished his work, he rested forever, we lost the rest due to sin, so we need to go back to the his rest as Hebrew says. Now The Sabbath was just a sign/shadow of the things that would come. Now Jesus said, Come to me and I will make you rest, So Jesus is our Sabbath and all the law and sign end at Jesus work.
    Yes we will keep the Sabbath for ever, but the Sabbath is not a day the Sabbath is the rest of God that we lost at the begging. Hebrew explain it so clearly on Chapters 3 and 4.

  2. The church for a long time has brushed aside the truth of how to be saved from sin and what we must leave behind to follow JESUS . By making false converts and believing a lie that we can clean them up make them walk in match step with JESUS later . By doing so we have stripped the truth out of GODs word and made Null and void the Church. In so doing we find our selves in a place Israel was , good for nothing but to be thrown out . We must change this world by making legitimate children for GOD. Let us pray for pastors teachers evangelists who are called by God and not by men. We will know they are of God because they will not be afraid to hurt people’s feelings.

  3. While I do agree partially with the Sabbath- arguement.

    When Messiah comes, we will not be eating pork sandwhiches on Sunday.

  4. lets remember cults never tell all they believe until you are trapped in it . Apostle Paul said I didn’t bring you in by trickery I told you the cost. meaning you must die to JESUS ie not a follower of men.

  5. The point was rightly made that the Seventh Day Adventists are inconsistent for not also keeping YHWH’s feasts since they think that the dietary laws and the Sabbath are to be kept. Their reliance upon E. G. White for their doctrine and instruction in righteousness is very problematic also for we know that Paul specified that we get our doctrine and instruction in righteousness from the Torah and the Prophets. That is where the Apostles got theirs and Messiah rebuked the religious leaders of His day for inventing their own traditions and commandments of men instead of following scripture. So the pot is calling the kettle black when the rest of modern Churchianty accuses the Seventh Day Adventists of inconsistency. “How?” you say.

    The kettle calls the pot black as well because SDA members rightly claim that the other side is wrong for only accepting 9 of the 10 commandments. This inconsistency is more striking than that of the SDA movement, because Churchianity is relying on the Pope for their doctrine of Sunday worship. Protestants rightly protest the papacy, but have not broken free from the traditions and commandments of men concerning this. At least the SDA’s accept doctrine from a woman that they think is a prophetess. The rest of Churchianty accepts doctrine from a person/office that they think is not a prophet or rightly in authority.

    I know that there are some that do not think that that Sunday is the Sabbath, but does that make them better or worse? At least the real Sunday “Sabbath” keepers are trying to keep a Sabbath instead of claiming that YHWH’s commandment has no force.

    Dr. Brown is correct when he asks that everyone involved in this debate be careful that they are not just accepting what they have been taught by men and their systems of religion, but I am not sure that he is doing it any more than the rest. His idea that something must be reiterated, in what has been called the “New Testament,” to remain in force is a manmade doctrine in itself. It has been foisted upon us in our ignorance or in our youth. The writings of the “New Testament” do not claim that they tell us everything we need to know. These writings do not say that anything that is not mentioned as a commandment in them is not a commandment, but quite the opposite. (I’ll get to that in a minute.)

    Those that hang on to this idea of reiteration are not consistent in applying this doctrine of men, for they accept many things as instruction in righteousness and holiness that are not reiterated from what they call the “Old Testament.” It is never reiterated that we must not take YHWH’s name in vain in the NT. It is not specifically reiterated that we may not eat human flesh. It is not specifically reiterated that we may not lie with a beast. Some will say that these are included in some way by general reference or because they fall into a category that is reiterated. I am fine with that…but are they? So I ask what things are reiterated and generally included in:

    Lu 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

    Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

    Re 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

    You see, all the words of YHWH are for mankind to obey. They do not pass away until heaven and earth pass away. The ones in what we call the “Old Testament” are what Paul told Timothy to use to understand correct doctrine and be instructed in righteousness and even to teach those in his charge.

    2Ti 3: 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
    16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
    17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
    Ch. 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
    2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
    3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
    4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

    Timothy was warned that there would come a time when so-called believers would not accept sound doctrine that Paul told Timothy to get from the Law and the Prophets. It is a fable that something must be specifically reiterated in the NT for it to remain in force. It is a fable that we can know what is commanded in YHWH’s perfect law and only give lip service, or ear service rather, to it and not be deceived. It is a fable that we can ignore YHWH’s law because we have come to faith in Messiah.

    Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

    Jas 1: 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
    24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
    25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

    Mt 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

    Messiah is the one that told us in no uncertain terms that we would receive our place of authority in His kingdom according to our commitment to doing and teaching even the smallest of YHWH’s commandments. That means that they are still commandments. It means that if He taught or sent any of His disciples to teach that we need not keep the dietary laws or YHWH’s Sabbath and feast days that He violated His own teaching and has forfeited being the greatest in the kingdom. But we know that this cannot be, because He is the king of that kingdom and has been given a name above every other name.

    Since no NT or OT passage says that only the commandments reiterated in the NT are binding, it is a man-made doctrine that has no basis in scripture and thus is a false teaching. It is a self-defeating argument to declare that if it is not in the NT it is not for us when there is nothing in the NT that says this. The doctrine of reiteration is refuted by the very scripture that Messiah and Paul called scripture.

    De 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
    Ch. 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
    2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
    3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
    4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
    5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

    It does not matter what is reiterated. Anything that is in opposition to what Messiah and Paul called the scripture is from a false prophet. If Messiah or Paul opposed any commandment of YHWH in their teaching, they are not to be obeyed. Paul went to great lengths to prove that he continued to keep the law and he proved that he did not teach against it.

    Ac 21: 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
    21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
    22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
    23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
    24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

    Ac 25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

    Shalom

  6. Dear Bo, it appears that you posted the same long comment after 2 different radio shows. Do you post this argument frequently? As I pray for myself, May you see Him with unveiled face, but please know that when you repeat posts like this, it’s hard for me to regard it as anything other than graffiti.

    Shalom

  7. Dear Jack,

    I posted this on the second thread because it appeared after I posted it on the the earlier one that the conversation was basically forwarded to it since it said it was a continuation of the Sabbath discussion. It would be good for you to respond to any fallacies that the post contains instead of brushing it off without regarding the points that were made.

    Shalom

  8. I would agree the post belongs on both days. Ironically we are also talking about Saturday and Sunday both days. The post is relevant on either day.

  9. Thanks for your post Bo, and thanks to Sarah who called in on the radio show today. Even though I disagree with Dr. Brown on his view of how followers of Jesus relate to the laws of God, I need to express my love and gratitude for him and the others working with him in ministry. Thanks, Dr. Brown for providing a platform for discussing this topic even though it stirs up quite a bit of emotions. I’ve wrestled with my understanding of this for several years now, but Christ’s words in Matt. ch5:17-20 have given me the lenses to view all of the scriptures through, concerning this subject. Plus, it seems to be indicated in Isaiah 56 & 66, Zechariah 14, just to name a few, that ALL people should be or at least will be feast keeping, sabbath keeping, diet keeping, worshippers of God.
    I still have a lot to learn and I know our teacher, Jesus will teach us everything we need to know. He loves his church.

    Sarah, who called in on the show today, I thought of psalm 119:99&100 when I heard you talking.
    Love y’all in Christ

  10. I love Shabbat.I love all the festivals.The only thing asked to do on Shabbat is to abstain from making a fire. A car makes sparks of fire when it drives. The internet and electricity has been ruled to be making a fire, by leading rabbis.

    For Christians who keep Shabbat, usually they make fires on Shabbat. Either through cooking, smoking, or using electricity or driving.How is this following the letter of the law concerning Shabbat.

    My respect for people’s Bible exegesis is lessened when there isn’t consistency in the argument.

    If the Gentile Christian wants to keep Shabbat because they feel its the law of the Bible over Gentiles, then don’t make fire.

    Shabbat to a Gentile Christian is going to a service, or singing songs in a church.

    Going to a service or singing songs is no where a law of Shabbat.

    In the opposite, on Shabbat, it is recommended in the Prophets, to not leave your place of domain and to do no business.

    In Israel, Shabbat to me became a time of sleeping, since I worked 6 days a week and was exhausted.

    Let me explain my point. Shabbat to a Jew is worship to YHWH, same as every day of the year. Plus we go to the sinagog every day three times a day to worship YHWH. The only thing that makes this day different is abstaining from fire making.

    It says zachor v shamor – remember and keep.
    The Christians remember but they still light fires.

    What is my issue. Many that judge others for not keeping Shabbat, I end up judging them for not being consistent. They look down on others while I see them as confused or dogmatic plus ignorant.

    We know that in the wilderness, no one cooked on Shabbat, we know that the manna came double portion on the day before Shabbat. Yet those that judge others for not keeping the Bible rules, they themselves do cook on Shabbat. They look down on others. This is my issue with them. I would have it that the whole universe lived like Jews, worshipping YHWH every day, even after going to the bathroom.

    For a Jew, we do because YHWH said so, it does not need to make sense.

    I have done enough blabbering.

  11. Exodus 35:3

    לא־תבערו אש בכל משבתיכם ביום השבת

    Do not burn fire in all your habitations on the day of Shabbat.

    So Gentile Christians ignore this verse despite it being so clear.

    They go to a church service on a Saturday and then look down on anyone that goes to a service on a Sunday. And I look down upon them for being so hypocritical, ignorant and needing more consistency.

    Basically either put both feet instead of putting one foot in and one foot out. They choose which parts of the Bible they want to apply to their lives and ignore the rest.

    So if you want to live out the the Torah then do it. But half way doing it looks like bad reasoning
    Remember that the Ten Commandments are just a few laws out of hundreds of laws in the Torah writings. Why only keep the Ten Commandments and leave out the hundreds of others. Where is the reasoning in that.

  12. When I was a small boy I would go fishing with my Dad along the brooks and rivers here in NEW England. I wanted to be with Him. He was strong confident and capable .But the whole time I feared having to cross water. At some point the shoreline would run out and my Dad would cross. Water was always deep and at times up to his shoulders. He would tell me to come to him and he would carry me across. I would say to him who will carry you? I remember this in my walk with JESUS to relay upon HIM. My work is not sufficient.

  13. Dear Bo,
    Thank you for your thoughtful response above. I find your argument, for the most part, sound and well supported in scripture.

    Do you know for a fact Dr. Brown asserts that unless something is reiterated in the New Testament writings, it is no longer in force? I’m not sure that is his position.

    His assertion, as I understand it, is that gentiles (this would include Cornelius and his family, et al – Acts 10, etc.) were not required to keep the Sabbath on the seventh day after they were saved.

    What does the Bible teach us? Acts 15:23-29 is explicit in instructing gentiles what NOT to do! These words (proscriptions) do not restrict gentiles from celebrating Shabbat on Saturday.

    On the other side of the coin, Romans 14:4-6 makes clear (to me) that gentiles are not required to celebrate Shabbat on the seventh day, but have the option (permission) to do this…if they are so led by the Lord. (Romans 14:6-8)

    For me Romans 14:4-6 militates against a heavenly mandate declaring there is only a one-way street for celebrating Shabbat in the New Covenant in Jesus Christ.

    As for Jack above who criticized your “repeat” posting, let me say this. Yesterday I was meditating on Proverbs 3:5-6. I memorized these profound words over 30 years ago when I was first saved. I find repetition of God’s Word is very beneficial, and the opposite of decorative, mindless, wasteful, boring, or useless graffiti.

    I agree with you. The substance of what you wrote is what should be focused upon, not the fact that you may have re-posted something you believed was worth repeating. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 supports the fact that God also endorses scriptural re-posting and repetition as something good, useful, needful, and important!

    Finally, if I happen to get bored after spray painting graffiti on the local freeway overpass, and there’s nothing worth watching on television…like Dr. Phil or Judge Judy, I cut and pasted your piece above so I can look at it again. Thank you.

    As unto the Lord,
    Michael

  14. @gringo- thank you for the kind words. I have dedicated my life to studying God’s word and He has shown me so much. I never feel compelled to call into a radio show, but the Ruach Hakodesh moved me that day. I am guessing there was someone that needed to hear what was spoken. I am sad that Dr. Brown wouldn’t let me show him Acts 15:20 and 21 where it states:

    “20but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21″For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

    Here is where Dr. Brown said they never went to Synagogue, but on the contrary, the whole reason the disciples saw it good for them to start with the basics was on the fact that they would learn the law of Moses when they went to Synagogue every Shabbat.

    If anyone is interested in understanding more about what I was speaking about you can look at some videos I did on my youtube page. Whenever YHWH tells me to, I will post something.

    Homestead Hippie-Youtube.

  15. Eliyahu Moshiach,

    I appreciate your pointing out the fact that we sometimes think that we are obeying when in actuality we are not. For the Sunday “Sabbath” keepers, they are trying to obey but are obeying the doctrine of man and keeping the wrong day. As for the everyday is the same crowd, they are ignoring everything that YHWH says about Sabbath. As for some that attempt to keep YHWH’s Sabbath, they do things or fail to do things that are part and parcel with keeping it truly holy.

    I remember when we first got the revelation that we should be keeping the Sabbath. We had already done the normal Christian things for many, many years. Sunday was just a day to go to church and it was not a Sabbath to YHWH to us. Then we realized that the day should exclude working for a living. Then we tried everyday the same which means no day is actually the same and there is no order for the family. So we tried pretty much all forms of man’s ideas about it.

    When we first tried to keep the Sabbath, I cooked so as to give my wive a Sabbath. I thought that cooking was not customary work for me and so I unknowingly was disobeying. I did not know how to rest. I did not know how to let work go and focus on YHWH and family for a whole day. But as we practiced and realized the things that scripture teaches about Sabbath, we learned to rest and enjoy the gift that YHWH had given mankind at creation. We learned about starting fires and not cooking and having a holy convocation and staying in our place and not looking ahead to the next day of work, etc. It became a day of real blessing, rest and shalom once we knew how to keep it holy.

    We cannot have a true Sabbath without a preparation day for it. Gathering manna for two days is an important principle. Doing the cooking for Shabbat ahead of time is an important principle. Getting the house work done and the week’s business wrapped up and entering Shabbat around a table of delicious food and among a joyous, thankful and expectant family ready to accept YHWH’s gift of real rest is better than Thanksgiving and it is every seven days and does not get old.

    Mr 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

    It was created for man not just the Jews or the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When was the Sabbath created? At creation. Who was it made for? Mankind. Sure it is not spoken of per se in Genesis and not until Exodus 16 do we get a good glimpse of it, but there are a lot of things that are not spoken of in Genesis that we know for sure happened. The point of Genesis is not to explain every doctrine and every truth. It is to catch us up to speed with Israel and YHWH bringing them forth from slavery into nationhood.

    Ge 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

    De 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.

    YHWH’s law existed even in the time of the Patriarchs…even back to the expulsion from the garden. YHWH’s character has not changed and He has always wanted things to go well for us and our children. Without YHWH’s perfect law of liberty this cannot happen because we end up being slaves again…only to a worse taskmaster than the Egyptians…to sin. That YHWH needed to reiterate His laws and commandments and ordinances to a nation of people that had been slaves is the most natural of things to happen. When they were in slavery, they could not serve YHWH.

    1Co 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
    22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
    23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

    But a free man, a free nation, has to know how to not damage and curse those around them and themselves. They need YHWH’s Perfect law of liberty once they have been set at liberty so that they may remain free. Arguably, the the most free nation in the world is the USA. It has a vast array of laws in place to be sure that it remains free and prosperous and a blessing. Law does not enslave when it is a righteous law. YHWH’s law is completely righteous. The USA’s law is not that good and it is getting worse. We are slowly being enslaved, not because there are laws, but because our taskmasters are showing their faces and implementing their plan that is anything but righteous.

    Ask the woman that has had an abortion 20 years later if she was made free by a law allowing her to murder without punishment. The law against murder in YHWH’s Torah would have kept her free…free from damaging her own soul and the nation, not to mention her child.

    Remembering to keep the Sabbath holy is this kind of law. It was created for us from day 7 of creation. It helps keep us free from self-centeredness and avarice and of being a slave driver to ourselves and our employees and of cursing ourselves and our family with the early death of their parents and even of thinking that we are the masters of our own life.

    It is the one commandment that testifies that we worship the Creator of the universe who made time and who owns the whole thing…including us. It is the one commandment that takes dedicated planning and shows our willingness to deny ourselves. It is the one commandment that tests whether we will simply accept YHWH’s will and word over logic and over our own ideas. No other commandment in the 10 does not make logical sense. If there is an all powerful Creator of everything, we would logically think that taking His name in vain or worshiping another deity would not make sense. We could logically deduce that to shun and/or curse our parents was not in keeping with gratitude and propriety. We realize that to practice murder and stealing and to coming between husband and wife would erode society and make the world a horrible place. We can see that to lust after something brings us closer to stealing and murdering and committing adultery. These can all be logically deduced to be good laws and most societies throughout time have enacted these laws.

    There is no logical way of coming up with remembering to keep the seventh day of each week set apart to YHWH. It is just simply decreed by our Creator as the way He wants things done in remembrance of His ownership. There is no natural division of time into a seven day cycle. It requires faith in YHWH’s word and devotion to it and Him at the most basic level and the deepest level.

    When we refuse to keep YHWH’s Sabbath holy, we steal from Him, we commit spiritual adultery, we refuse to honor Him as Father, we bring dishonor to his name, we covet the time for ourselves, we set ourselves up as our own god and we testify falsely against Him that His law is bondage and that He is unjust and that He can be disobeyed without consequence. We break almost every law on some level when we reject YHWH’s simple command. It proves, just like He said it proves, that we will not be obedient to Him. It proves our divided heart and that we are more concerned with our natural desires than with His every word.

    Ex 16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
    29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

    De 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
    3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

    The Sabbath command is a test. If we commit ourselves to keeping it, we learn that man does not live by bread alone and we gain faith in YHWH’s every word. If we refuse to keep YHWH’s Sabbath holy, we fail the test and show that we are our own god and that we live life on our own terms. When we do this we proclaim that we would rather continue to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of walking the narrow way back to the tree of life.

    Re 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
    13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
    14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
    15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

    Do we love the lie that says that we can do what we want on any day that we want or that it does not matter to YHWH which day we keep holy? Or do we do YHWH’s commandments and prove our love and dedication to Him by keeping His commandments? We will only have the right to eat of the tree of life and enter the gates into New Jerusalem if we found to be commandment keepers. The Sabbath is the test of whether will walk in YHWH’s law or not. It is the sign to Him that we will obey Him when we hear His word. Obedience…keeping YHWH’s commandments is the path back to the tree of life. It is not that we can work for salvation, we can’t. It is that those that have been saved, endure to the end and enduring to the end will be saved. That enduring includes keeping YHWH’s commandments and holding on to our faith in Messiah.

    Re 14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

    Mt 24:11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
    12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
    13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

    The false prophets have told us that keeping YHWH’s Sabbath is unnecessary. They cause our love for YHWH to grow cold so that we disobey YHWH’s commandments. We see more and more of this lawlessness. Messiah began and ended His sermon on the mount with some very eye opening statements.

    Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
    18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
    19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

    Mt 7:21 ¶ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
    22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
    23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
    24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
    25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
    26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

    Our house is built on the sand even when we call Messiah “Lord, lord” if we do not do the Father’s will and ignore His law. This ignoring of the Father’s law will keep us from the tree of life and from entering the kingdom. Even those that break the least of the Father’s commandments and teaches others that it is fine to do so, though they keep the vast majority will be relegated to least in the kingdom. The great in Messiah’s kingdom will be those that continued to keep and teach others to keep all of YHWH’s law. This is how Messiah begins and ends His most comprehensive sermon to us. Take to heart that it may go well with you and your children. Think not that Messiah came to make YHWH’s law void. Think not that our faith in Him does that either. Be real children of Abraham and do not deceive yourselves.

    Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

    Ge 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

    Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
    23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
    24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
    25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

    YHWH’s law is perfect. We ruin it when we only accept parts of it…or rather we ruin ourselves.

    Shalom

  16. I assert that that YHWH is concerned with specific days and the ways in which we keep them. Like David that did some horrendous things and still was called a man after YHWH’s own heart, we can do the same thing with our celebrations and by grace still be considered people after YHWH’s own heart. But if David would have continued in murder and adultery, he would have no doubt lost that title and we also if we continue to sin after coming to the knowledge of the truth. (Heb 10:26)

    It is not, as some suggest, that YHWH is 100% concerned with our heart and 0% concerned with how and what we celebrate or what we eat. Our hearts are shown by our actions. (Jam 2:18-20) The aspects of what we do and what we think/believe cannot be separated. We dare not justify an action by virtue of the fact that the person performing it has a true heart for YHWH. We also dare not justify the heart of a person by virtue of the fact that he outwardly adheres to what is right either.

    That said, YHWH has specified some days and ways that He calls holiness. We are not allowed to invent our own holiness or we are actually just being holy to ourselves or to a system or group and not to YHWH. For us to have a true heart toward YHWH while in our ignorance of YHWH’s instructions concerning holiness, we might be found celebrating/worshiping and eating contrary to His instructions. In these instances we are declared righteous by faith and grace covers our unintentional sin. But in the instances that we know to do good and do it not (Jam 4:17) or are not completely sure that what we are doing is correct according to YHWH’s instructions (Ro 14:23) or if we are knowingly transgressing YHWH’s law (1 Jo 3:4), we reveal our deceitful heart (Jer 17:9; 5:31) and must repent to be forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness. (Prov. 28:13; 1 Jo 1:9) Knowingly rejecting YHWH’s instructions concerning holiness to Him is idolatry and rebellion.

    Be careful that you do not encourage those that are in the root of bitterness. Those that think that they can do what they want while ignoring YHWH’s direct instructions defile many by their attitude of blessing themselves in their hearts while walking according to their own inventions.

    Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

    De 29:18 lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from Jehovah our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
    19 and it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry.
    20 Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven.

    And yes the “root of bitterness” that the author of Hebrews is referring to is the “root that bears gall and wormwood” in Deuteronomy.

    Nu 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
    39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
    40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

    If we are constantly going with the crowd and forgetting YHWH’s instructions concerning holiness, then we prove that we need a reminder. When we refuse to accept YHWH’s instructions concerning this reminder, we prove that we do not really care about what He calls holiness. Yes, we go a whoring after all sorts of things that YHWH never commanded and continue to reject YHWH’s holy commandment. “WWJD” jewelry is a perfect example of rejecting YHWH’s commandment in favor of our own ideas of a reminder. Maybe it really means “what would Judas do?” He would come up with a marketing ploy to fleece the flock while keeping them in ignorance of what YHWH’s word does say. He would say, “It doesn’t matter if you keep YHWH’s Sabbaths and obey Him in your diet…what matters is that you are sincere in your heart.” But that sincerity only matters for our good when we do not know what scripture commands.

    2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
    21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
    22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

    We have turned from the holy commandment of YHWH concerning our diet and when and how to worship Him on the days that He made holy and are gone a whoring because the root of bitterness in this area has been allowed to defile a very great many.

    Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

    The above verse comes just before the “root of bitterness” verse. We will not see YHWH if we continue to disregard His version of holiness. Being at peace with all men is not the same as going along with their polluted, vain worship.

    Mr 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

    Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

    We need to find out what Peter is referencing in the following passage.

    1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
    16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
    17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
    18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
    19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
    20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
    21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
    22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
    23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

    Only in obeying the truth are our souls purified. Peter is referring to some very specific passages written that were before ordained that we should walk in in YHWH’s Torah. These passages inform us as to what living in holiness includes. This “word of God” abides forever. It has not been set aside.

    Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

    To be continued below:

  17. Continued from above:

    Check out a few of the “be ye holy” passages that Peter calls our attention to:

    Le 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
    45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
    46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
    47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

    Le 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
    3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
    4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.

    Le 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
    8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you…
    22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
    23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them…
    26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

    Nu 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
    39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
    40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

    One thing is abundantly clear. We are not holy to YHWH if we are attempting to remember and keep His commandments. He asks us to do some simple things concerning His sabbaths/feast days and concerning our diet and our clothing and concerning not keeping the traditions of the nations. These are part of true holiness.

    Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
    18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
    19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
    20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
    21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
    22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
    23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
    24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

    Walking in uncleanness is not true holiness. Consistently eating the things that YHWH has told us are unclean is walking in uncleanness. It shows our greediness and deceitful lust. It shows our ignorance and blindness of heart. We are not supposed to act like gentiles any longer in the vanity of our minds…going a whoring after our own ideas. We are to cleanse ourselves of uncleanness both spiritual and physical.

    2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
    18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
    1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

    We deceive ourselves if we think that we are perfecting holiness while we are ignoring YHWH’s holiness laws. A new heart keeps YHWH’s statutes and ordinances. It loves YHWH’s law.

    Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
    27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

    Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah…
    33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

    It is not written on our hearts if we do not want to do it. If we do not want to do it, if it is grievous to us, we are not in the new covenant and we do not really love either YHWH or our brothers.

    1Jo 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
    3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

    So the heart and spirit that YHWH is 100% concerned with must directly affect our actions according to what He has written concerning holiness or we deceive ourselves by being hearers only. His perfect law is still perfect and has not been set aside or made void.

    Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
    23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
    24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
    25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

    If the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths are not acceptable according to YHWH’s holiness laws, we will be in danger of unknowingly sinning (secret faults), sinning presumptuously and of committing the great transgression.

    Ps 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
    8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
    9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
    10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
    11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
    12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
    13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
    14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

    Jer 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
    8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
    9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

    Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

    When we are still going by the “vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers” instead of by every word that has come from YHWH, can we expect the modern pastors and prophets to not speak lies…especially if the so called “believers” love to have it so? What will we do in the end thereof? A world filled with lawlessness and commandment breakers.

    Shalom

  18. Bo, I am not so sure that G_d is concerned at this time if the gentile keeps the sabbath or not. I think at this point in time I have to agree that the Noachide laws apply to the gentiles for this 6000 year period., (Note I am not making the arguement of what someone personally chooses- or what day is the correct day or pork ect.) I am just pointing out that the gentile has only been, and at this time is under the Noahchide laws. If someone chooses to go further, that is great you get an A plus for working ahead.

  19. jon,

    Thanks for your comment. The problem is that the Sabbath was made for man, not the Jews. And even if one has the view that it was a gift to Israel, Paul says that gentile believers have been grafted into Israel and that we were once gentiles, but are now part of the commonwealth of Israel. There is only one manner of law for the stranger and the homeborn. It is completely wrong and being a respecter or persons to have different requirements for different people groups. YHWH is no respecter of persons and His righteous and perfect law is not reserved for half of the body of Messiah.

    Ex 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

    Le 24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

    Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
    12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
    13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
    14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

    Ro 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

    Jas 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons…
    8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
    9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
    10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

    1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

    Ro 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

    Le 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
    16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
    17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
    18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

    It is having respect of persons to have two different requirements…one for the native born Jewish believers and another for the believer that has been grafted in from among the gentiles. The Noachide laws are a man-made construct. We are one body with one law and one master and one faith.

    Shabbat Shalom

  20. I do agree with you Bo, and am a Shabbot and Kosher kind. I just don’t think it is ever going to be changed until the Messiah comes. I am just trying to reach people where they are at and not over reach with too much. If you can get the person just to turn and look up and ask Jesus into the heart to change that person. I will leave the rest up to that relationship. The rest is not up to me, there is more- however, that person must find it.

  21. While I respect your biblical knowledge, I am troubled Dr. Brown, regarding your views on Christmas, Easter and now the Sabbath. You insisted to some callers, “show me where it says in the N.T. that Gentiles have to observe the Sabbath.” Micah 3:6 says I am the Lord thy God, I change not.” You show me Dr. Brown where God has changed and said it’s o.k and optional to observe the Sabbath. God sanctified the Sabbath day in the days of creation.

    You seem to look at these his appointed times through Hebrew Christian lenses. I however interpret these scriptures like Jesus, James, John, Peter and Paul who were Torah observant Messianic Jews. And they observed the Sabbath and taught Gentiles to do the same because our Father in heaven commanded it for Everyone.

    I post these comments in love my Jewish brother.

  22. Dr. Brown is talking particulair views that the SDA hold, and not the arguement directly of the Sabbath. The SDA holds a view of a remnant people by obeying the 4th comandment are the special peoople. The Jews rejected the messiah, but the adventist have a complete view of perfectness through the prohetic teachings of Ellen White. The kosher is now complete with the health teachins of EG White. Adventist accept the Messiah, the Kosher, and all while keeping the Sabbath. God has just been waiting for a people to get it together, and here they are the SDA church.

  23. Invariably Dr. Brown asked question that was a trap. Dr. Brown asked an old covenant new covenant question, why do you not keep all the feasts? The problem with that question is the keeping of the Sabbath by Seventh-day Adventist is not done out of the old covenant It is done as a result of creation, out of the garden, out of Genesis. The calendar system was set up at creation. The festivals were added after The fall and sin entered the world. It is done as a reminder of who God is what he is like and what he wants for us. The garden of Eden is still the goal for humanity. Christ became the new Adam, Which means he is replacing the old Adam. Christ is restoring what Adam lost in the garden of Eden. That restoration will be complete in Christ rules and rains on the earth for 1000 years. The Sabbath was the sign of God’s sovereignty in the garden, and the sign that he wanted to come down and spend time with us . It was a weekly appointment. It takes on additional meetings after the fall and in the old covenant, including a prophetic promise of him ruling and regining in Jerusalem, and the promise of sanctification for anybody who sees themselves as unholy, God will do the job to get you ready for heaven you just come and spend time with him. B.A. Union college, M.A.. GCTS, cert. RTS,.WTS, CT

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