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#4.02 DOESN'T THE SABBATH APPLY ONLY TO THE JEWS?

This bible study gives many scriptures to prove that the Sabbath day commandment was intended for Gentiles as well as Jews. This study uses a Unicode Greek font.

Greek Word Study on 4521 σάββατον sabbaton Sabbath.
Hebrew Word Study on 7676 שַׁבָּת shabbat Sabbath.
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Introduction 4.02

The idea that the Sabbath commandment applied only to the Jews seems to be a fairly common view point, and some very prominent teachers have expressed it. Here is one example.

(Derek Prince FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING p149) "Nowhere in the bible is there any suggestion that God ever intended that Gentiles, either nationally or individually, should observe the law of Moses, either in part or whole."

Jesus was once asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" (Matthew 22:36). His reply was,

(Matthew 22:37-39) "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself."

If no Gentile is expected to observe any part of the law, then as Gentiles, we do not have to love God or our neighbour. We can have other gods before God, make carved images, bow down to them, take the name of the Lord in vain, profane the Sabbath day, dishonor our father and mother, kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, and covet anything that belongs to others. I trust that the foolishness of such an idea is apparent.
The apostle Paul did refer to, "the law of the Jews" (Acts 25:8), but this doesn't mean that only the Jews should keep it, any more than only Moses should keep "the law of Moses" (Acts 28:23;  1 Corinthians 9:9), or that only God should keep "the law of God" (Romans 7:22; 8:7). Nowhere does the scripture ever refer to "the Sabbath of the Jews", or anything that could mean similar, but often God refers to it as, "the Sabbath of Yahweh", "the Sabbath of Yahweh your God", "my holy day", and "my Sabbaths" (See #6 refs.). Jesus didn't say that the Sabbath was made for the Jews, but "the Sabbath was made for man" (Mark 2:27). The Greek words translated "man" in this scripture is ὁ ἄνθρωπος (Gtr. ho anthropos). Look at some definitions of it:

(James Strong GREEK DICTIONARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT p26) "444. ἄνθρωπος (559x) anthropos ... man-faced i.e. a human being: man (552x), not tr (4x), misc. (3x).
Anthropos is used (1) generally of a human being, male or female, without reference to sex or nationality:"
(Joseph H. Thayer THAYER'S GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT p46) "444. ἄνθρωπος -ου, ὁ, [perh. fr. ἀνὴρ and ὢψ, i.e. man's face; ...] It is used 1. univ., with ref. to the genus or nature, without distinction of sex, a human being, whether male or female: Jn xvi 21. And in this sense a. with the article, generally, so as to include all human individuals: ..."

These definitions show that the scripture clearly indicates that the Sabbath was made for all mankind. Look at some examples of where Jesus used this word, with the definite article elsewhere.

(Matthew 5:18) "Let your light so shine before men, ..."
(Matthew 6:1) "Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them."
(Matthew 19:10) "If the case of the man is with his wife that it is not good to marry."
(Luke 4:4) "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

As you can see, "ho anthropos" is sometimes used of an individual, but mostly of mankind in General. Could any of these scriptures (or any of the many others) mean only Jews? If not, then it doesn't mean Jews in Mark 2:27 either. Jesus could have used the word for Jew if he had meant only Jews. When Israel left Egypt a mixed multitude also went with them (Exodus 12:38), and even under the Old Covenant these Gentiles had to keep the Sabbath day.

(Exodus 12:49) "One law shall be to him who is home-born, and to the foreigner who sojourns among you."
(Exodus 20:10) "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of Yahweh your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your foreigner who is within your gates."
(Exodus 23:12) "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your ass may rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the foreigner, may be refreshed."
(Leviticus 24:22) "You shall have one manner of law, as well as for the foreigner, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God."
(Deuteronomy 5:14) "but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: in it you shall not do any work, you ... nor your foreigner who is within your gates; ..."
(Isaiah 56:6-7) "Also the sons of the foreigner, who join themselves to Yahweh, to serve him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, every one who keeps the Sabbath from polluting it, and takes hold of my covenant;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my altar; for my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

The word foreigner in all these scriptures refer to someone who was not an Israelite.
Now the law applies (at least in a spiritual sense) to Gentiles as well as Jews, because "the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things," (Romans 15:27), and "the law is spiritual" (Romans 7:14). For those who still doubt it, here are seven other reasons why the Sabbath does not only refer to the Jews.

#4.021 All Christians Abide in the Same Vine

JOHN 15:1-8 (Jesus)
1 I am the true vine, and my Father the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done for you.
8 In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples.

Note: Jesus described himself as the "true vine" (John 15:1; 15:5), in which both Jews and Gentiles would have to abide in order to bear fruit (John 15:4). The vine is therefore Jewish, because Jesus was a Jew, and all the food for the branches passes through the vine. This means that both Jews and Gentiles should be eating the same spiritual food: the same word of God, the same commandments, the same teaching, and the same words of Jesus. This means that both Jews and Gentiles must feed on the words of Jesus, and he told us to keep the ten commandments.

(Matthew 5:19) "Whoever 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 whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 19:17) "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments."
(Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20) "You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother."

Those who do not obey Jesus, that is, who do not abide in the vine, will be cast forth and burned in the fire (John 15:6). Anyone who truly loves Jesus will do what he said.

(John 14:15) "If you love me, keep my commandments."
(John 14:21-24) "He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves me: ... If a man loves me, he will keep my words: ... He who does not love me does not keep my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

Jesus was only sent to Israel (Matthew 15:24), and he said, "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). However, his words were for everybody, and they will judge everybody on the last day (John 12:48). If the Jews therefore keep the Sabbath, what objections can Gentiles have against it. There are no commandments anywhere in the word of God for anybody to observe Sunday, and yet they seem quite happy to observe that.

#4.022 All Christians are Branches in the Same Olive Tree

ROMANS 11:16-25 (Paul)
16 For if the first-fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 And if some of the branches are broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and the fatness of the olive tree;
18 Do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, you do not bear the root, but the root you.
19 You will say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20 Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be high-minded, but fear:
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, take heed lest he also does not spare you.
22 See therefore the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness; if you continue in his goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off.
23 And they also, if they do not abide still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.

Note: Paul here is talking about Israel and the Gentiles (Romans 11:25). Christ is the olive tree, and the Jews are the natural branches, some of which were broken off through unbelief (Romans 11:20), showing that the olive tree is symbolically Jewish. When he talked about the Gentiles (v13), he likened them to branches which were, "cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree" (v24). Gentiles have to become partakers of the same "Jewish" root in order to survive, and the attachment to the olive tree is for both "natural" and "wild" branches is by faith (Romans 11:20). All the food for the branches passes through the same root, which means that both Jews and Gentiles should be eating the same spiritual food: the same word of God, the same commandments, the same teaching, the same words of Jesus (See #4.021 Note). How then can one be going to the synagogue to worship on the Sabbath day, and another going to church to worship on a Sunday? That is not the same teaching.

#4.023 Circumcision of the Heart Makes Gentiles Spiritual Jews

Greek - Romans 2:26-29 - English
ἐὰν οὖν ἡ ἀκροβυστία τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ νόμου φυλάσσῃ οὐχί ἡ ἀκροβυστία αὐτοῦ εἰς περιτομὴν λογισθήσεται 26 Therefore if the un-circumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his un-circumcision be counted for circumcision?
καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυστία τὸν νόμον τελοῦσα σὲ τὸν διὰ γράμματος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου 27 And shall not un-circumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision transgresses the law?
οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἰουδαῖος καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας ἐν πνεύματι οὐ γράμματι οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Greek Romans 9:4-8 - English
οἵτινές εἰσιν ἰσραηλῖται ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ αἱ διαθῆκαι καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι 4 Who are Israelites? To whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises?
ὧν οἱ πατέρες καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ἀμήν 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh did Christ come? - who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
οὐχ οἷον δὲ ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ ἰσραήλ οὗτοι ἰσραήλ 6 Not as though the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel:
οὐδ᾽ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα 7 Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children: but in Isaac shall your seed be called.
τουτέστιν οὐ τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκὸς ταῦτα τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας λογίζεται εἰς σπέρμα 8 That is, Those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Greek - Galatians 3:28-29 - English
οὐκ ἔνι ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ ἕλλην οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν χριστῷ ἰησοῦ 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς χριστοῦ ἄρα τοῦ ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ καὶ κατ᾽ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Note: Paul made it clear that a real spiritual Jew is anyone who is circumcised in the heart (Romans 2:28), whether they are Jews or Gentiles (Romans 2:26-27). They are those who "keep the righteousness of the law" (Romans 2:26), and "fulfill the law" (Romans 2:27; 8:4), which is done by love (Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:14). This includes all those who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Galatians 3:26-29), even "every one who sees the Son, and believes on him" (John 6:40). These scriptures therefore refute that there is any separate "Jewish church" or "Gentile church", one of which keeps the Sabbath day, while the other goes to church on Sunday.

#4.024 Not all Jews are Heirs

JOHN 8:33-44
33 They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how can you say, You shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Amen I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant does not abide in the house for ever: but the Son abides ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
37 I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said to him, Abraham is our father. Jesus says to them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God: Abraham did not do this.
41 You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to him, We are not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither did I come of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do you not understand my speech? - because you cannot hear my word.
44 You are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

ROMANS 9:6-8 (Paul)
6 Not as though the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel:
 7 Nor, because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children: but in Isaac shall your seed be called.
8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Note: The Jews claimed to be "Abraham's seed" (John 8:33), because they were perhaps hoping to inherit the promises which were made to Abraham and his seed.

(Galatians 3:16) "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to your seed, who is Christ."

The promises came down through Isaac and Jacob to Christ, so that those who believe in Jesus inherit the promises made to Abraham.

(Galatians 3:29) "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Just as then, the promises made to Abraham did not pass to all his physical children, but only came through Isaac, who was promised (Romans 9:7), so now all Jews do not inherit Abraham's promises; except through Christ, who was the promised seed. Gentiles who belong to Christ also inherit the promises through him (Galatians 3:29), by becoming spiritual Jews (See #4.023; #4.16 Note(2)). "There is neither Jew nor Greek ... you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28; See #4.025 below). Therefore, if our nationality has nothing to do with our salvation, or justification, why should it affect whether we keep the Sabbath day or not?

#4.025 Jews and Gentiles are All One in Jesus Christ

ROMANS 10:11-13 (Paul)
11 For the scripture says, Whoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call upon him.
13 For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

GALATIANS 3:28-29 (Paul)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

EPHESIANS 2:11-22 (Paul)
11 Therefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called un-circumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made with hands;
12 That at that time you 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 you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace;
16 That he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity by it.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows into a holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

COLOSSIANS 3:9-11 (Paul)
9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him.
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor un-circumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Note: No one need look any further than these scriptures to see that Jews and Gentiles are all part of one church.

(Romans 10:12) "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek."
(Galatians 3:28) "There is neither Jew nor Greek ... you are all one in Christ Jesus."
(Ephesians 2:16) "That he might reconcile both to God in one body."
(Ephesians 2:22) "In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit."
(Colossians 3:11) "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, ... but Christ is all, and in all."

All this proves that there is no separate Gentile church who can worship on Sunday (or any other day that they choose), while the Jewish Christians are expected to keep the Sabbath day.

#4.026 God made no separate covenant made with Gentiles

JEREMIAH 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Yahweh:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, says Yahweh, 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.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know Yahweh: for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

HEBREWS 8:6-9
6 But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he says, Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not regard them, says the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he says, A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and grows old is ready to vanish away.

Note: In the Old Testament, a mixed multitude came out of Egypt with the Israelites (Exodus 12:38; Numbers 11:4), and when God made the covenant with Israel, these "foreigners" had to keep the law the same as the Israelites (Exodus 12:19; 12:48-49; 20:10; Leviticus 16:29; 17:12; 18:26; etc.). In the New Testament God has made no separate covenant with the Gentiles, but only with "the house of Israel", and with "the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31:31; 31:33; Hebrews 8:8; 8:10). So how then do Gentiles become part of this new covenant?

(1) By being grafted into the Jewish olive tree (See #4.022).
(2) By being circumcised in the heart, and becoming spiritual Jews (See #4.023).
(3) By becoming children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26-29).
(4) By hearing God's words (Exodus 24:7-8; Isaiah 55:3), which is how we get faith (Romans 10:17).
(5) By having God's laws in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16).
(6) By speaking God's word (Isaiah 59:21; Malachi 2:5-6), which comes from our hearts (Matthew 12:34-35; 15:18-19).
(7) By knowing God (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:11), which means obeying his commandments (1 John 2:3-4).
(8) By crucifying our "old man" (Romans 6:7; Hebrews 9:16-17).
(9) By sacrifice (Psalm 50:5; 51:17).

Therefore, the spiritual fulfillment of the Sabbath commandment is an obligation on both physical Jews and Gentiles, who become partakers of the New Covenant by believing in Jesus. This requires that we set the Sabbath day apart for worship and fellowship with God, as he has commanded, and as Jesus confirmed.

#4.027 There are no Gentile Gates in the New Jerusalem

REVELATION 21:10-13 (John)
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like to a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

Note: Here again the question to Gentile Christians is obvious. If Gentiles do not become spiritual Jews, at which gate do they enter into the New Jerusalem? - because there are no gates for the Gentiles. There are three ways of looking at it.

(1) As the church is the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7), we would have to go in at the same gate as Jesus, which would be the one named Judah.

(2) As the church is also the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:24), again we would have to go in at the same gate as Jesus, which would be the one named Judah.

(3) Alternatively, as we are spiritual children of Jesus Christ, that is, Christ's (1 Corinthians 3:23; 15:23;  2 Corinthians 10:7; Galatians 3:29; 5:24), then in the same way, that would also entitle us to go in by the gate of Judah.

If we agree that Gentiles do become spiritual Jews, then they must spiritually fulfill the Sabbath commandment, which would include setting that day aside for worship, and fellowship with God.

#4.028 Who was the Law Made For?

1 TIMOTHY 1:10 (Paul)
9 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,
10 For fornicators, for those who defile themselves with mankind, for kidnapers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Note: We saw earlier that the Sabbath was not made for the Jews, but for man. Even so now we see that the law was not just made for the Jews, but for every kind of sinner. One purpose of the law was to expose the sin in the life of the individual.

(Romans 3:20) "for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
(Romans 7:7) "I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet."
(Romans 7:12-13) "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Was then that which is good made death to me? May it not be! But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful."
(1 John 3:4) "Whoever commits sin also transgresses the law; for sin is transgression of the law."
(Romans 4:15) "for where no law is, there is no transgression."

Having exposed the sin in the life of the individual, another purpose of the law was show him his inability to save himself.

(Romans 7:15-24) "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would do, that I do not do; but what I hate, that do I.
 16 If then I do that which I would not do, I consent to the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would do, I do not do: but the evil which I would not do, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not do, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

Once having shown a man his own inability to save himself, a further purpose of the law was to lead them to Christ.

(Romans 7:24-25) "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(Galatians 2:22-24) "But the scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up to the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

Looking at these three purposes of the law:

(1) To show man his sinfulness.
(2) To show man his own inability to save himself.
(3) To lead him to Jesus Christ.

Then all we need to ask concerning the Gentiles is, "Do these three things apply to Gentiles, or only Jews?" These are steps that a good evangelist might use to lead sinners to Jesus. The law is an evangelistic tool, as Paul said, "But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully" (1 Timothy 1:8). Therefore it is good to use the law to convert Gentiles to Christ.

(Psalm 19:7) "The law of the law is perfect, converting the soul."
(Romans 3:19) "Now we know that whatever things the law says, it says to those who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."

Dear reader, "all the world" includes Gentiles, and "all the world" is who the law is for, including the Sabbath day.

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