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The New Hampshire Confession of Faith #15

Colossians 2:11 

XV. OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord s Day, or Christian Sabbath; and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes, by abstaining from all secular labor and sinful recreations; by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public; and by preparation for that rest that remaineth for the people of God. 

  1. SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
    1. The Old Testament Sabbath observance has given way to the reign of grace.
    2. Every principle of the Ten Commandments has been restated in the New Testament under the covenant of grace except the Sabbath.
    3. The Christian Sabbath is called The Lord's Day


  2. THE TWO FALSE OBSERVANCES
    1. Those Who Continue To Observe The Seventh Day
      1. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law - Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
      2. Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law, which prefigured his life and death, so the ceremonial law ceased.
      3. But Jesus did not bring an end to the moral law, so the moral law is still in effect. Notice Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
      4. Those who continue to observe the Old Testament Seventh Day do not recognize the importance of grace. They are putting themselves under the law.
    2. Those Who Observe The First Day But Give It The Character Of The Seventh Day
      1. The strictness of the Law required perfection, so trying to keep the seventh-day Sabbath requires perfect obedience to it.
      2. We must observe either a day of law or a day of grace, and the New Testament Sabbath is a day of grace, not a day of law.


  3. THE NEW DAY OF GRACE
    1. A new day was prophesied in Psalms 118:22-24 The stone [which] the builders refused is become the head [stone] of the corner. 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it [is] marvellous in our eyes. 24 This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
    2. The commentary on these verses is found in Acts 4:10-11
    3. The Lord's Day Is The First Day Of The Week. There is no mention of the first day of the week in the Old Testament
      1. The disciples saw the empty tomb on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1ff)
      2. The Lord appeared to his disciples on the first day of the week (John 20:1)
      3. The disciples came together on the first day of the week (Acts 20:6-7)
      4. The believers gave offerings on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2)
    4. The New Testament Pattern Of The First Day Is Our Continual Pattern
    5. To Change The Day Would Be To Mar Its Symbolic Meaning Of The Resurrection Of Jesus.


  4. THE NEW DAY SYMBOLIZES CREATION
    1. A New Creation In Christ
      1. Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
      2. This is the new birth, a new creation in Christ
    2. The Sabbath of the Old Testament depicted the first creation, of the world.


  5. THE NEW DAY SYMBOLIZES GRACE
    1. The Sabbath Ends A Week Of Work
      1. One day of rest was rewarded to those who worked all weak.
      2. This is the Old Testament covenant of works to which Israel agreed.
      3. One day of rest belonged to a people who were related to God by works
    2. The Lord's Day Begins A Life Of Work For Christ
      1. Ephesians 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.
      2. This is the order of the covenant of grace: first salvation, then service
      3. A day of ceaseless worship and service belongs to a people related to God through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
    3. The Lord's Day was observed on the first day of the week beginning with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the centuries until now.


  6. WHAT THE LORD'S DAY IS NOT
    1. It Is Not For The Unregenerate; therefore, its observance should not be legislated.
    2. It Is Not A National Day, as the Sabbath was for Israel.
    3. It Is Not Subject To Rules
      1. Every exercise of worship and service on the Lord's Day should be voluntary as well pleasing to the Lord.
      2. It is a day of personal worship and delight in the Lord's salvation.
      3. It should exhibit the most Christian activity of the entire week.
      4. It is to be observed under the constraint of Christ's love - 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:


  7. ACTIVITIES OF THE LORD'S DAY MAY BE EXTENDED TO OTHER DAYS
    1. Sunday may be the unchangeable worship day for all believers, but that does not mean that we cannot exercise worship and service to the Lord on other days - Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
    2. Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
      1. This word "rest" is sabbatismos, which means a Sabbath-keeping.
      2. This Sabbath-keeping, however, is on the first day of the week, because it recommends the resurrection of Jesus Christ in our worship.

 

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