Judge Not

Romans 14:4-7 Who are thou that judge another man’s servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord; and he that regards not the day, to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself. 

‘One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike.’ No particular sabbath is commanded in the New Testament The Law of Moses has been abolished, including the Jewish sabbath. Reasons that the fourth commandment was left out: Neither God nor Christ made it a part of the new covenant. If they had it would be somewhere in the New Testament as the other nine are. Of all the words of Jesus on earth only four references are made of the sabbath (Matt. 12:8; 24:20; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 6:5). He merely taught that it was lawful to do good on this day and that no day is lord of man. He did not once command any particular observance of any definite day. The old Jews sabbath was part of the contract between God and Israel and a token and sign of that covenant (Ex. 20:8-11; 31:13-18; Ezek. 20:12-20). The contract was not made with men before Moses (Deut. 5:2-3), or with Gentiles and the body of Christ (2:14; Deut. 4:7-10). The sabbath was not for them. The fourth commandment was the only one of the ten that was a ceremonial, not a moral law. Its sole purpose was to commemorate the deliverance from Egyptian bondage when Israel had no rest (Deut. 5:15). It was only a type of future and eternal rest (Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 4:1-11; 10:1). It was natural for it to be left out of the new contract when the reality of rest came of which it was a shadow (Matt. 11:28-29; Col. 2:14-17). The physical and spiritual benefits of a rest day can be realized on any other day as well as on Saturday. The fourth commandment was the only one that could degenerate into a mere form without affecting the morals of men. All others concern moral obligations of men. It is the only one of the ten that could be done away with and still leave a moral law for men God foretold and promised He would do away with the old Jewish sabbath (Hos. 2:11; Isa. 1:10-15). The prophets predicted that God would abolish the old and make a new covenant (Isa. 42:6; 49:8; 59:21; Jer. 31:13-40; 32:37-44; Ezek. 36:24-38). That is referred to in the New Testament is clear in Romans 11:25-29; Hebrews 8:8-12; 10:16-18; Matthew 26:28. In no passage is it stated that men should keep the Jewish sabbath to commemorate the old creation rest. It was to commemorate deliverance from Egypt (Deut. 5:15). This was what they were to “remember” (Ex. 20:8). It is the only commandment that could be and has been broken without breaking a moral law. Israel marched on that day (Num. 33:3; Lev. 23:5-11; Jos. 6:12-16); set up the tabernacle (Ex. 40:1, 40:17 with Lev. 23:5-11); searched Canaan (Num. 13:25); and made war (1Kin. 20:29; 2Kin. 3:9; Jos. 6:12-16). David and others broke it and were blameless (Matt. 12:2-5). The New Testament permits Christians to keep any day as the sabbath, it being one of the doubtful things not covered by commandment in the new covenant (14:1-13; Gal. 4:9-11; Col. 2:14-17). The day early Christians observed – not by commandment but by choice – was the first day, Sunday (John 20:1, 19; 1Cor. 16:2).