The Sabbath: Paul's True Position

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Did the Apostle Paul really teach that Christians should abandon the Sabbath? This controversial question has divided believers for centuries, but a deeper examination of Scripture reveals a surprising truth.

We dive into Paul's most misunderstood passages on this topic – Colossians 2, Galatians 4, and Romans 14 – uncovering what he was actually addressing. Rather than dismissing Sabbath observance, Paul was battling false teachers who were distorting God's commandments with burdensome human regulations and pagan influences.

The evidence is compelling. The absence of any major controversy about Paul abolishing the Sabbath speaks volumes – especially compared to the heated debates over circumcision recorded in Acts. Moreover, Paul himself continued observing the Sabbath throughout his ministry, making it unlikely he was teaching others to abandon it.

What emerges is a more nuanced understanding of Paul's message: he defended the true purpose of the Sabbath against legalistic perversions while affirming its continuing validity for believers. His concern wasn't whether to observe sacred days, but how they were observed – not under bondage to human traditions, but in the freedom and grace found in Christ.

This eye-opening exploration challenges popular misconceptions and invites believers to reconsider what we thought we knew about Paul's teachings on the Sabbath. Perhaps it's time to rediscover this divine gift – a time of rest, worship, and renewal in God's presence – as it was always intended to be.

Join us as we continue our series on God's commandments and their relevance for believers today, especially as we navigate these end times. Subscribe, share, and let's stand firm in biblical truth together!

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The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc.
Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes.
Music used with permission.

Thank You. I Love You!

SEE YA!

Rick

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The world is changing and time is running out.
This is Renewed Mindsets, wherewe confront biblical truth
head-on no sugarcoating, nocompromise.
We expose false doctrine,reveal fulfilled prophecy and
shine light on the demonicdeception of these last days,

(00:21):
but we also stand firm on thehope of Christ's return, the
call to holiness and the urgencyof true salvation.
It's time to renew your mind,for the time is now.
Let's go, boys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets.

(00:47):
I'm Rick and I'm so glad you'rehere.
Today is a continuation ofepisode number 74 about the
Sabbath, a part of it that hassparked a whole lot of debate
among believers.
What did Paul really say aboutthe Sabbath among believers?
What did Paul really say aboutthe Sabbath?

(01:08):
Now, for a lot of people,paul's writings on sacred days,
including the Sabbath, have beenmisunderstood, meaning that he
dismissed the practicealtogether.
But is that really the case, orwas Paul addressing something
much deeper, something that hadmore to do with false teachings
and legalistic distortions,rather than the Sabbath itself?

(01:29):
Well, today we'll break downPaul's own words in Colossians 2
, galatians 4, and Romans 14 touncover his true stance on the
Sabbath.
Was Paul opposed toSabbath-keeping or was he
defending it against perversionsthat crept into the early
church?

(01:49):
Well, let's find out.
So first let's start withColossians, chapter 2, 16
through 23.
It's a passage that's oftencited to argue that Paul
rejected the observance of theSabbath and other holy days.
However, if you look at itclosely, it reveals that Paul

(02:11):
wasn't condemning the Sabbathitself, but rather the way false
teachers were imposing strictregulations regarding its
observance.
Now, these teachers?
They likely influenced byasceticism and pagan beliefs.
They weren't simply advocatingfor Sabbath-keeping, they were

(02:31):
enforcing a rigid, superstitiousapproach to religious
observance, one that emphasizedexcessive fasting, self-denial
and submission to cosmic powersrather than true worship to God.
Paul warns the Colossians notto let anyone pass judgment on

(02:51):
them regarding food and drink orthe observance of sacred days,
but he isn't telling them toabandon these practices.
He's cautioning them againstallowing human regulations to
distort God's commandments.
The real issue at hand was notwhether to observe the Sabbath,

(03:13):
but how it was being observedunder the influence of false
teachers.
Paul makes it clear that theseregulations, such as do not
handle, do not taste, do nottouch, were human-imposed
restrictions that burdenbelievers unnecessarily.
He describes them as a mereshadow of the true faith and he

(03:36):
indicates that these distortionsof these traditions should not
be imposed as requirements forsalvation.
Another commonly misunderstoodpassage is Galatians 4.10, where
Paul warns against returning tothe days and months and seasons

(03:58):
and years.
Now some interpret this as acondemnation of the Sabbath and
other biblical festivals.
But a closer examinationreveals a different picture.
Now, in context, paul isrebuking the Galatians for
returning to their former paganpractices.

(04:18):
It involved the veneration ofastral deities and cosmic forces
.
Now, many ancient culturesbelieved that celestial bodies
controlled the destiny of humansand they observed special days
based on these superstitions.
Paul equates this return toobserving days based on fear and

(04:38):
superstition as a form ofenslavement to elemental spirits
.
So does Galatians 4.10 condemnthe Sabbath?
No, the issue Paul addresseshere is not biblical
Sabbath-keeping, but rather areturn to pagan customs.
Paul wasn't warning againstGod's appointed times, but

(05:02):
against legalistic andsuperstitious observances that
had nothing to do with biblicalfaith.
Now, romans 14 is anotherpassage that's frequently cited
to argue that Paul dismissed theimportance of the Sabbath.
In verse 5, paul says Oneperson esteems one day above

(05:25):
another, another esteems everyday alike.
Let each be fully convinced inhis own mind.
Now a lot of people take thisto mean that the Sabbath is
merely a matter of personalpreference.
But is that what Paul meant?
The context of Romans 14 isabout disputes over diet and

(05:46):
personal convictions,specifically regarding fasting.
The passage discusses those whoabstain from certain foods and
those who eat freely, theDidache, an early Christian
document.
It confirms that earlybelievers fasted on different
days, with some choosingWednesdays and Fridays, while

(06:07):
others followed differenttraditions.
Now, paul's point in Romans 14is that believers should not
judge one another over thosepersonal convictions.
He encourages them to act in away that honors God without
imposing their convictions onothers.
The issue at hand was not aboutthe weekly Sabbath, but about
fasting practices and otherpersonal preferences.

(06:29):
Now, along the lines of that,if the weak believers in Romans
14 were those who observed theSabbath, then Paul, who himself
observed the Sabbath and theJewish festivals, would have had
to consider himself weak.
However, in Romans 15.1, paulidentifies as one of the strong

(06:55):
further providing thatSabbath-keeping was not what he
was addressing in Romans 15.1,paul identifies as one of the
strong further providing thatSabbath keeping was not what he
was addressing in the passage.
Now let's get to some meat.
No-transcript.
Now, if Paul had been teachingthat the Sabbath was abolished
and that Christians shouldobserve Sunday instead, there
would have been a big,significant controversy, much

(07:18):
like the debates overcircumcision in Acts 21-21.
But the New Testament containsno such controversy.
In fact, nowhere does Paulargue for replacing the Sabbath
with Sunday.
The idea that Paul dismissed theSabbath and instituted Sunday
worship is simply not supportedby Scripture.

(07:38):
Instead, he was concerned withthe way false teachers had
twisted Sabbath observance intoa burdensome legalistic practice
that emphasized humanregulations rather than God's
intent.
Paul's concern was never withlegitimacy of the
Sabbath-keeping, but with thedistortion of it by false

(08:00):
teachers.
He never tells believers toabandon the Sabbath.
Instead, he warns them againstunnecessary regulations that
pervert its observance.
His message is clear Believersshould not pass judgment on one
another regarding thesepractices, nor should they

(08:20):
impose human-made restrictionsthat corrupt God's intent for
worship.
The absence of any directopposition to the Sabbath in
Paul's writing it suggests thathe respected the institution
rather than rejecting it.
Now, rather than condemningbiblical festivals, paul rejects

(08:40):
ascetic, legalisticinterpretations that undermine
the core principle ofjustification by faith in Christ
.
He emphasizes that ourrelationship with God is based
on faith and grace, not a rigidadherence to human traditions.
So what did Paul really sayabout the Sabbath?

(09:05):
He affirmed its validity whilewarning against its misuse.
He defended the freedom ofbelievers to observe it without
submitting to false teachingsand legalistic burdens.
As followers of Christ, weshould seek to understand God's
commandments in the light of Hisgrace, avoiding both extremes

(09:27):
of legalism and neglect.
The Sabbath is a gift.
It's a time of rest and worshipand renewal in God's presence.
Thank you for joining me intoday's episode of Renewed
Mindsets.
If you found this discussionhelpful, be sure to subscribe

(09:49):
and share it with others.
This discussion helpful.
Be sure to subscribe and shareit with others.
This is the first of a fewshows on the commandments.
We need to be observing all ofthem fully, to do as God said,
to be holy, as I am holy,especially in these end times.
Look for them in an upcomingepisode and, as always, let's
continue renewing our minds withthe truth of God's Word.

(10:14):
Are you ready to stand?
That's all for today, but I'llbe back with more unfiltered
biblical truth and undeniableprophecy.
The time to wake up is now.
If today's episode challengedyou, don't keep it to yourself.
Tell someone.
Please.
Text them a link.
Share the truth while there'sstill time.

(10:35):
Visit renewedmindsetscom tostay connected and to listen to
past episodes, and check out ourmerch at renewedmindsetsstore.
Jesus is coming soon.
Stay watchful, stay holy, stayrenewed Until next week.

(10:55):
I'm Rick, be an encourager, nota discourager.
I love you.
See ya.
The intro and outro music forthe Renewed Mindsets podcast is

(11:18):
Are you Ready?
By Floodgate From the album Areyou Ready?
Copyright 2002, offbeatMinistries Incorporated.
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes.
Music used with permission.