ANYONE WHO CONTINUES TO REJECT THE 7TH DAY SABBATH WILL REMAIN 'UNDER THE LAW' - UNDER THE CONDEMNATION OF THE LAW

Many professed Christians in this world do not realize that by either changing or rejecting the 7th day Sabbath of the 4th commandment, they are placing themselves "under the law." They accuse Sabbath keepers, who keep the law by the faith of Jesus Christ, of being under the law, and yet they completely miss the point of what it means to be 'under the law.' To be under the law, means to be under the condemnation of the law, and those who either reject or seek to change the 4th commandment are the ones placing themselves under the condemnation of the law. How do we know this? Because of what the apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:

"1 Timothy 1:8-10 ...'But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.'

Many misunderstand these verses, but the truth is clear if you read them properly. The first point to make here is what 'law' is Paul speaking of? Look at his words. He said the law was made for the "unholy and profane ... murderers ... whoremongers ... liars ... menstealers." He is listing sins against the ten commandments. So the law Paul is speaking of is the moral law of God - the ten commandments. Now take a look at the following quote:

"But if it is the duty of Christians to keep the law, how shall we understand Paul's statement that the law is 'made' for the wicked, and 'not for the righteous'? We can answer this question in no better way than by quoting a portion of Dr. Clarke's comment on 1 Tim.1:9:- "He [the apostle] does not say that the law was not MADE for a righteous man; but ["ou keitai"], it does not "LIE against" a righteous man, because he does not transgress against it; but it "lies against" the wicked; for such, as the apostle mentions, have broken it, and grievously too, and are condemned by it. -The word [keitai] - "lies", refers to the custom of writing laws on boards, and hanging them up in public places, within reach of every man, that they might be read by all; thus all would see against whom the law lay." - This is exactly in harmony with the primal meaning of the word law,- "something laid," -as given in the article last week. The law is 'laid' for the benefit of all; it lies against the man who violates it, and crushes him if he persists in his disobedience; but it does not lie against the righteous, because they "walk in the law of the Lord." There is no opposition between them and the law; to them the law is indeed "the way of peace," because they delight in it. But let one of the righteous ones step out of this way, and that step will bring the law against him." (E.J.Waggoner, The Signs of the Times, Dec.24, 1885, Vol.11, No.49, p.777)

Paul said that the law was "made for ['laid against'] the lawless and disobedient." So if the ten commandments, in it's written format, was 'laid out' for sinners and the disobedient, then what does the ten commandments reveal? IT REVEALS WHAT SIN IS. Please understand this point. If the ten commandments reveal to sinners what sin is, then any deviation from the 4th commandment is sin. God's law reveals to Sunday keepers and those who keep no day, that they are lawless and disobedient and are therefore still 'under the law.'

James 2:8-9 ...'If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.'

Do you see? Did James write the above before Christ came? No, he wrote it after Christ, under the new covenant. And yet the law STILL stands against any transgressor of it.

LOOK! - Let us get a picture illustration in our minds to understand this point more fully. Picture a person in your mind. He is someone who loves to tell lies. Now picture the stone tablets of the ten commandments 'lying against' him. Not just lying against him, but on top of him, crushing him. He is 'under the law', under the weight and condemnation of the law, because of his love for sin (telling lies). That law which is against him and crushing him is going to kill him. But he sees his wrong and repents, calling out to Jesus for forgiveness and help. Jesus comes along a removes those stone tablets off the man. Not only that, Jesus now helps the man to KEEP the law, so he no longer loves sin (lying), but instead, he now loves righteousness. The law is no longer 'lying against' that man, crushing him. He is free from the condemnation of the law through faith in Christ. But the law isn't done away with. The man is now simply a KEEPER of the law, through faith in Christ. So the law is no longer against him.

Had the the ten commandments been abolished at the cross of Christ, it could not have been a 'school-master' many years afterward to bring the Galatians to Christ! Had the ten commandments been abolished at the cross, the world could never know it's sinful state!

Romans 7:7 ...'I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.'

Again, Paul is referring to the ten commandments in Romans 7:7, quoting the commandment regarding coveting. And what did he confirm? That the ten commandments showed him what sin is. So naturally, ANY violation of ANY of the ten commandments, including the 4th commandment - is SIN.

1 John 3:4 ...'Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.'

Sin is transgression of God's holy law. And the apostle Paul said that "whatever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). Can you in faith, change or reject one of God's holy precepts? No, that is not faith, it is disobedience! And God's law was given in it's written format to SHOW the disobedient and sinner what sin is, so that he can repent of that sin and be free from it, through faith in Christ Jesus. But those who continue to reject God's holy law - even just one of it's precepts, will remain under that law - under the condemnation of it - "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:20).

Galatians 5:16-21 ...'This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.'

Do you see what Paul is saying above? Anyone can simply proclaim a 'belief' in Christ, but if we are led by the flesh, continuing to live in sin, then we will REMAIN under the law. It is only those who are 'led by the Spirit' who are not under the law. And think about this - will the Holy Spirit ever lead you to reject and break any of God's commandments? No, not a chance!

Who did Paul say the law of God was for? The Jews? No. He said it was for ANYONE who is lawless and disobedient. And this was written by Paul well after the resurrection of Christ. Jesus Himself said that the "Sabbath was made FOR MAN." (Mark 2:27). He didn't say it was made for the Jews, but for MANKIND. Which it was, at creation BEFORE any sin came into the world (Genesis 2:2-3). And Solomon in Ecclesiastes said ... "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The whole duty of WHO? The Jews? No. MANKIND.

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 1:8-10 that the law of God is 'good' if we use it 'lawfully.' And what is the lawful way to use the law? For it to convict the sinner of his sins. And who are sinners? Just the Jews? No. ALL the human race from Adam, before conversion - anyone who lives in opposition to any of those ten moral precepts, including the 4th commandment. That person who lives in opposition to God's ten commandments, is placed under the law - under it's condemnation - as the law is "laid against" that person, to convict him of his sin. But the man who is converted by the gospel of Christ will surrender his will to God and 'delight' to keep God's law, through the power of the Spirit of Christ in him.

Romans 7:22 ...'For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.'

Psalm 1:1-2 ...'Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.'

Romans 8:4 ...'That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.'

Revelation 14:12 ...'Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.'

Paul says in Romans 8:9 that a converted person is "not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." So IF the Spirit of God dwells in us, is that Holy Spirit of the Father going to cause us to live in opposition to any of His commands? No! God forbid! He is going to cause us to "walk in His commands" (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Not sin against it.

Matthew 5:18 ...'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.'

Has heaven and earth passed away yet? No? Then neither has 'one jot or tittle' of God's holy law passed or changed either. So let us allow God's law to do what it is supposed to do, as the apostle Paul said - convict you of SIN - Changing or rejecting the 4th commandment is sin! Repent therefore and be ye converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19).

Your God - Your Creator, has given you a moral code, the ten commandments, to show you what sin is. If you continue to reject the 4th commandment, or seek to change it in any way, keeping a different day to what the Lord has set, then God's moral code will declare you a sinner and you will be 'under the law' - under it's condemnation, no matter what 'faith' you proclaim to have. A person with true faith in Jesus Christ will 'delight' to walk in His ways. Is Jesus your Lord? He is also "Lord of the Sabbath day" (Matthew 12:8).

Please see our page - SUNDAY KEEPERS MISS THIS KEY POINT OF FAITH CONCERNING THE SABBATH DAY

Please also see - WHO'S AUTHORITY WILL YOU PLACE YOURSELF UNDER? GOD OR MAN?