I would never presume to speak for all my brothers
and sisters in the churches of Christ. Let me speak for just myself, please. The Sabbath
was given as a sign between God and the children of Israel according to Exodus 31. It was
a part of the Old Testament law to which I am now dead by the body of Christ so I can be
married to another, even Him who was raised from the dead (Romans 7:4-6). The law to which
we have become dead is the one which says, "Thou shalt not covet" according to
Romans 7:7. That includes the whole ten commandment law and for that matter the whole Old
Testament law. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3 the law written and engraved on stones was a
ministry of death. Thank God we are now under the New Covenant. This Covenant became bound
when Christ died on the Cross (Hebrews 9:14-17). I do not observe the Sabbath because it
is not bound in the New Covenant.
How much do you observe the Sabbath? Do you really
follow it as taught in the Old Testament? Do you stone people to death who pick up sticks
on the Sabbath? What kind of observing are you talking about?
In Colossians 2:14-16 Paul declared that Christ
death one the cross was what blotted out the handwriting of ordinance which was against
us, nailing it to the cross. His conclusion was, "Let no man therefore judge you in
meat or in drink or in respect of a new moon or of a Sabbath Day." I'm trying to
follow what the New Testament teaches about the Sabbath and everything else. I'm certain I
fail in many things. But it is certainly my intent to follow what the Lord says.
Leon Barnes