Category: Sabbath day keeping

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #99

Sunday, August 30, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

While certain parties currently measure spirituality based on whether one’s church attendance is Saturday or Sunday, Paul worried about believers adhering to a religious calendar that combined Judaism, Christianity, and heathenism (Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:16,17). In Scripture, the Sabbath has always been Saturday, so Sunday-church attendees are wrong if they claim to “keep the Sabbath.” Yet, Saturday church attendees are not Sabbath-keepers either, for they do not put to death by stoning those who so much as pick up sticks on that day of rest (Numbers 15:32-36). In fact, Mosaic Sabbath worship also includes special sacrifices and offerings (Numbers 28:9,10): Sabbath-keeping is now impossible, for there is no Tabernacle or Jerusalem Temple anymore!

Yet, there is additional confusion. Those in Christendom who recognize we are not obligated to keep the Saturday Sabbath have cleverly substituted it with a manmade holiday—the supposed “Lord’s Day,” a title derived from a misunderstanding of Revelation 1:10. The Day of the Lord (Daniel’s 70th Week, Christ’s Second Coming, and God’s earthly kingdom) is that context; Sunday has absolutely no relation whatsoever to the prophetic events of the Book of the Revelation! Notice how “Lord’s Day” never appears in 1 Corinthians 16:2, or Acts 20:7, or any other verse as touching believers assembling.

Alas, when religious men are mindlessly zealous, they grab any verse they can and use it to formulate a practice of their design. Hebrews 10:25 is then mentioned to bully people to come to church: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Unsurprisingly, simply to teach and do as they please, denominationalists have lifted yet another verse from its context! This “assembling of ourselves” is Israel’s believing remnant separating from their apostate (unbelieving) nation to prepare for the coming day of Divine wrath and war (see Hebrews 13:12-14; cf. Matthew 3:5,6; Luke 1:16,17). Unbelieving Israel (“as the manner of some is;” Hebrews 10:25) is described in Hebrews 10:26-31. Hebrews 10:25 has nothing to do with Gentiles going to church on Saturday, Sunday, or any other day….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #98

Saturday, August 29, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Bear in mind that Sabbath-Day keeping is part of the Law of Moses. In the prophetic program, resting on Saturday reminded Israel of her role in the LORD God’s purpose and plan in creation as touching the Earth (Exodus 20:8-11). Yet, in the mystery program, our Apostle Paul writes, “… for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Also, “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). When we “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we appreciate how we the Church the Body of Christ are under the operating system of grace, “the Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Ephesians 3:2).

Furthermore, we the Body of Christ are God’s heavenly people (Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:6,7). It would therefore not make sense for us to have one day a week set aside to remember God’s earthly program. For this reason, there is no spiritual value in keeping the Sabbath during the Dispensation of Grace: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16,17). This is the only time Paul in Romans to Philemon ever mentioned the Sabbath by name!

In fact, the Law-obsessed Galatians were warned about their theft of Israel’s religious calendar: “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain” (Galatians 4:9-11). This is not a compliment! Beloved, do not confuse Sunday church attendance with Sabbath-Day keeping! In the Bible, the Sabbath Day has always been and will always be Saturday. To say and/or believe otherwise is to advertise Bible ignorance, and countless churches and schools today are woefully uninformed or misinformed about this too….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #97

Friday, August 28, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Synagogues or Jewish places of worship arose circa six centuries before Christ, when the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. Exactly as the Lord Jesus did during His earthly ministry (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:9-15; Mark 1:21-29,39-45; Mark 3:1-7; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 4:14-38,44; Luke 6:6-12; Luke 13:10-22; John 6:59; John 18:20), Paul habitually visited such synagogues to address the Jewish people who had assembled on the Saturday Sabbath (Acts 13:13,14,42,44; Acts 17:2; Acts 18:4). Note how, according to Acts 17:2, this was the Apostle’s “manner” or regular practice! (Although there were not enough Jewish men to have a synagogue in Philippi, a group of women worshipped on the Sabbath there in Acts 16:13; similarly, Paul ministered to them.)

Part of Israel’s Sabbath religious services was gathering at synagogues to read and hear the Hebrew (Old Testament) Bible manuscripts (Luke 4:16-21; Acts 13:15,27; Acts 15:21). Being the time of the week when the Israelites were most interested in spiritual matters, Christ and Paul frequented those synagogues to teach and preach the pure Word of God that had been overwhelmingly ignored. Whereas Christ concentrated exclusively on the synagogues in the land of Canaan, Paul went abroad to those of Asia and Europe; God sought to save some of these exiled Jews through Paul’s apostleship (Romans 11:14; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 1 Corinthians 10:32,33). If they responded negatively to Paul’s preaching, God lumped them together in unbelief with their Jewish brethren in the Promised Land who had rejected Christ and demanded His crucifixion years prior.

The Bible employs this language when Christians of Paul’s ministry gathered for church services: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7). Surely, “the first day of the week” here is not the Saturday Sabbath, but rather Sunday; however, the Sabbath is the seventh, or last, day of the week (Genesis 2:1-3)! The only people under Paul’s ministry who “kept the Sabbath” did so in unbelief rather than faith….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #96

Thursday, August 27, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Emphasizing similarities in Scripture while ignoring marked differences has gotten Christendom in an immeasurable amount of trouble regarding a host of beliefs and practices. Superficiality or shallowness still leads to denomination after denomination—with a splinter group shooting off here and there, a clique forming here and there, a cult forming here and there, a theological system being founded here and there. Ancient heresies are yet being revived for newer (gullible) generations, which are then incorporated into modern churches, resulting in still another wide variety of unique factions. Regardless of what form it takes, or disguise it assumes, it is the same blindness, darkness, and ignorance distracting from God’s present will for us. Howbeit, it is human nature to avoid admitting such wrongdoing. This costly sentiment is encapsulated with, “I cannot leave what I was raised in. From the cradle to the grave, I will remain loyal to my family’s religion. How can it be incorrect? You cannot take it from me! You will not take it from me! I know what I have seen, heard, felt….”

In prior studies, we explored the verses concerning the Sabbath Day being a sign to Israel as touching the Creation Week. While they (hopefully!) have been sincere people, there have been some sincerely wrong people who have misconstrued Sabbath observance. They devised a Scriptural way to compel church attendance and coerce support for the denomination/program. (Did not God through Moses command Sabbath-Day observance?!) Such would make people feel good, “holy” or “religious,” as they did it too. After all, if we supposedly have replaced Israel or are Israel, we would have to keep the Sabbath as Israel. What makes it more complex is, like with water baptism, Saul/Paul was connected to Sabbath-Day keeping… and, like with water baptism, this was only during the Acts transitional period (his provoking ministry to Israel). See Acts 13:13,14,42,44; Acts 16:13; Acts 17:2; and Acts 18:4.

Seeking greater detail to differentiate like adults (rather than harmonize like children), we will search the Scriptures as to why our Apostle is linked to the Sabbath….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #74

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Dear friend, mark it well: Israel is God’s sign people. Whether the Abrahamic Covenant and its sign of physical circumcision, or the Old/Mosaic Covenant and its sign of Sabbath-Day keeping, or the Davidic Covenant and its sign of water baptism, or the Palestinian Covenant and its sign of Israel’s regathering into the Promised Land, or the New Covenant and its sign of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and spiritual gifts, all these irrefutably prove Israel is God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly people with literal, physical, visible, earthly works. In the Bible, Israel and signs are absolutely inseparable.

Now, observe carefully! Here is where Christendom, our denominations, our churches went wrong. They want the same evidence (tokens or proofs) of God’s working with them, for they think what He was doing (and will do) with Israel is what He is still doing with them/us. It is Bible ignorance and false assumptions, multiplied over the course of 20 centuries. “What God did then, He still does now. He never changes.” Our denominational and theological systems were founded on this mentality of, “I want to be like Israel,” or “I am Israel.” They suppose there is spirituality in copying Israel’s program, and, where they cannot copy it, they just pretend to follow it, which produces hypocrisy.

What intensifies the silliness is when those who believe we have not replaced Israel and believe we are not Israel, become the very people who steal Israel’s covenants and Israel’s signs and apply them to themselves! No wonder people are confused, having receiving such mixed messages; no wonder they are frustrated, blending that which God never intended to be mixed; no wonder they struggle with doubts (unbelief). Of course, God is then blamed for this mess, people are turned away from the Scriptures altogether, and Satan is thoroughly delighted. How fortunate I was that I spent just the first 10 years of my Christian life in this cesspool of spiritual sewage before I escaped it. Others remain there for several decades, quite satisfied with their traditions of men (!).

Let us get back to “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)….

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #70

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Since Israel refused to walk by faith in the Abrahamic Covenant—thereby repeating Abraham’s sin of depending on the flesh (works/Ishmael)—her people accepted the Old Covenant (Law of Moses) by promising to completely obey the LORD so as to become His people (Exodus 19:3-8). Amongst the 613 commandments He issued them at Mount Sinai, the Fourth was: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

The Sabbath is a “sign,” the sign or symbol of the Old Covenant: “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:16,17). Israel was ordered to quit working every Sabbath (Saturday!) and remember why God Himself had rested on the first Sabbath in Genesis 2:1-3: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” Remember, Israel plays a role in glorifying that God of creation, and this they do in the Earth. The Sabbath loops toward the ages to come, the kingdom “rest” of God’s earthly program (the kingdom of the Gospel of the Kingdom) (Hebrews 3:7–4:11).

Israel has yet another covenant, and yet another related “sign….”

The Spiritual Dexterity of Our Physical Posterity #61

Monday, July 20, 2026

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).

If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?

Christendom is rather notorious for severe controversies and bitter contentions. Its tens of thousands of denominations, cults, and sects all fight over a multitude of positions, practices, and persons. Yet, these can be reduced to one simple fact: different levels of spiritual maturity result in discussions of various degrees of importance. It is usually challenging for non-Christians or new Christians, or even longtime professing Christians, to make sense of it all—and to determine if it is even worth getting into. The matters that are most serious regard anything and everything that complicates salvation from sin and/or salvation from erroneous teaching, for these two points involve God’s will for us: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4).

Remember, just because it is in the Bible does not necessarily mean it is something that pertains to us or something we should do. Whether water baptism, confession of sins, tithing, the Lord’s Supper, Sabbath-Day keeping, good works, or spiritual gifts (including tongue-talking and healing), these exemplify the areas of debate amongst church members. The extent to which we are receptive to the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry determines how successfully we navigate through such issues and arrive at correct conclusions. We are destined to wind up with wrong views once we insert the traditions, assumptions, and opinions of men.

While most inconvenient, it has to be stated. There is a great deal of blind allegiance to religious leaders in our “Christian” churches and schools. Consequently, commoners do not think beyond where their denominational officials leave them, being too fearful to venture outside of anything they are not taught in their theological system. Sometimes, this is done in innocence: people who just need to be taught the truth and want to be taught it, but few are willing to teach them. However, others need to be taught the truth but do not care to be taught it, so they turn away from those who would teach them.

Beloved, let us see if we wish to resolve these disagreements for ourselves….

‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas

Sunday, December 21, 2025

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 KJV).

Let us not be so sidetracked by religion and commercialization that we miss the reason for the Christmas Season….

During the Christmas Season, we wonder how many people are visiting church for the second time this year (the other being Easter Sunday). How many will be going to church today—the Sunday before Christmas—just to feel “religious” or “holy?” How many really know Jesus Christ? For many, visiting a church building is just an obligation; they do not have faith in God’s Word and have no interest in God’s Word.

We do not go to church to “feel closer to God,” for if we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we cannot be any closer to God than we already are in Christ! “[Before salvation, we were] without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh [close to God] by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12,13).

Furthermore, we do not go to church in order to get God’s blessings, for God has already given us “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We go to church, not because we are keeping Israel’s Sabbath day, since we are not obligated to observe Israel’s religious days (Colossians 2:16). We go to church to fellowship with like-minded believers and hear sound doctrine… more than twice a year, by the way.

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy that whenever he would assemble with fellow Christians, certain behavior was acceptable and other types of behavior were not (described throughout the epistle of 1 Timothy). Recall that when the Bible refers to “the church,” it refers to the body of believers, not the physical building in which they meet.

As we get opportunities, let us make an effort to reach these dear souls misled by all the vain religious tradition and Christmas commercialization, and may we tell them of the wonderful Christ Jesus whose name is found in Christmas!

*Based on the poem “‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas.”

The “Friends” of Jesus #1

Monday, August 18, 2025

“And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21 KJV).

With “friends” such as these, did Jesus need enemies? (NO!)

In the context of today’s Scripture, the Lord Jesus has healed a man in the synagogue (verses 1-5). That man had a withered (dried out, disabled) hand, and Christ cured him on the Saturday Sabbath as a sign of His Kingdom’s “Sabbath rest.” Outraged that Jesus had worked (provided medical aid) on the Sabbath, here is apostate Israel’s response: “And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him” (verse 6).

Verses 7-12 continue the narrative: “But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.”

With crowds of people gathering and growing larger and larger, the Lord retreats into a mountain with a select few and ordains the 12 Apostles to be with Him, to preach, to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils (verses 13-19). As Jesus and those 12 enter a house (verse 19), the multitude re-assembles to become a nuisance, thus preventing Him and the Apostles from eating in peace and quiet (verse 20). Today’s Scripture, found nowhere else in the Holy Bible, states: “And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.” His friends label Him as a crazy man, a nut, an individual outside of His wits….

‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas

Sunday, December 22, 2024

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 KJV).

Let us not be so sidetracked by religion and commercialization that we miss the reason for the Christmas Season….

During the Christmas Season, we wonder how many people are visiting church for the second time this year (the other being Easter Sunday). How many will be going to church today—the Sunday before Christmas—just to feel “religious” or “holy?” How many really know Jesus Christ? For many, visiting a church building is just an obligation; they do not have faith in God’s Word and have no interest in God’s Word.

We do not go to church to “feel closer to God,” for if we have trusted in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we cannot be any closer to God than we already are in Christ! “[Before salvation, we were] without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh [close to God] by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12,13).

Furthermore, we do not go to church in order to get God’s blessings, for God has already given us “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We go to church, not because we are keeping Israel’s Sabbath day, since we are not obligated to observe Israel’s religious days (Colossians 2:16). We go to church to fellowship with like-minded believers and hear sound doctrine… more than twice a year, by the way.

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy that whenever he would assemble with fellow Christians, certain behavior was acceptable and other types of behavior were not (described throughout the epistle of 1 Timothy). Recall that when the Bible refers to “the church,” it refers to the body of believers, not the physical building in which they meet.

As we get opportunities, let us make an effort to reach these dear souls misled by all the vain religious tradition and Christmas commercialization, and may we tell them of the wonderful Christ Jesus whose name is found in Christmas!

*Based on the poem “‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas.”