I have had a talk with a friend, on the Sabbath question. He says that the law was given to the Jews, before there were ever any Gentiles, and that therefore Gentiles have nothing whatever to do with it. He refers to Paul's writings, where he says something to the effect that if a man's conscience tells him to keep a certain day, let him keep it, and if it tells him to keep another day, let him keep that. If you can enlighten me on this subject, I shall be very glad.
When and For Whom the Sabbath was Given
I think it will not be very difficult to help you, if you will take your Bible and notice when the Sabbath was given. The first chapter of Genesis contains the record of creation, closing with the account of the creation of man on the sixth day. "And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." (Genesis 1:31) "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." (Genesis 2:1-3)
You can see plainly that the Sabbath was given before there were either Jews or Gentiles; for there was only one man, Adam, the head of the whole human race. Inasmuch as the Sabbath was given to Adam and Eve, immediately after the close of creation, and before there were any descendants, it is very evident that: "The Sabbath was made for man," (Mark 2:27) as the Saviour tells us. Is a Jew a man? then the Sabbath was made for him. Is a Gentile a man? then the Sabbath was made for him also. Wherever man is found, wherever there is one who can claim that title, you may know that the Sabbath was made for him.
Jew and Gentile
Thus the whole question is answered, and we might stop; but a double answer may be useful. Your friend needs to know the difference between the terms "Jew" and "Gentile." The term "Gentile," in the Bible, means simply "nations," and is often used as synonymous with "heathen," inasmuch as all the nations of earth have turned away from God. There is but one Hebrew word where we have the three words, "Gentiles," "heathen," and "nations," in the Old Testament. One Hebrew word suffices, where we have the three; which shows that the three terms are really identical.
Now it must be evident that there were no Jews before there were any nations; and this is the same as to say that there were no Jews before there were Gentiles. As a matter of fact there were Gentiles hundreds of years before there was a Jew. The word "Jew" comes from Judah, one of the sons of Jacob, and he was not born till nearly six hundred years after the flood, or more than twenty-two hundred years after creation. There were many nations in the earth long before Judah was born.
The Jews themselves are but a branch from Gentile stock, even as all the people of the earth are descended from one common parent. The father of Abraham was a Gentile, a heathen, (Joshua 24:2) and Abraham, who believed in God, was called out from his kindred only in order that he might be freed from their contaminating influences, and that he might preach the Gospel to other heathen.
But the calling of Abraham from Mesopotamia to Canaan did not in the least affect his origin or his relationship. He was still the son of Terah, and remained the son of that Gentile to the end of his life, because he could never cease to be his father's son. The fact that Abraham's immediate descendants were born in Canaan did not make them any differently related to the Gentile inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and of the rest of the world, then if Abraham had always remained in his native country, and his children had been born there.
All Mankind are One Flesh
I have set forth the simple facts in order to enable you to see clearly that there is no essential difference in men, no matter at what time or in what part of the world they live, nor by what name they are called. There is but "one kind of flesh of man," (1 Corinthians 15:39) and, "God has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth." (Acts 17:26)
Consequently all mankind are brethren, and whatever applies to one applies equally to all. There is no requirement, no way of salvation, for one person or one family or one tribe or one nation or one race, that is not for all.
Christ the Brother of All Men
When Christ came into the world, He was "born of a woman, born under the law, That He might redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)
He was in all things made like those whom He came to redeem, whom He called His brethren, (Hebrews 2:11-17) and: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham; ... [and] by the grace of God tasted death for every man." (Hebrews 2:14-16,9) "He died for all." (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Do you not see the great truth that these few Scripture texts teach? Read them carefully, and think of them, as I summarize these statements.
The Nature of Abraham the Same as That of All Men
a) Christ died for all mankind--"for every man."
b) It was necessary that Christ should be of the same nature--the same flesh and blood--as those whom He died to redeem.
c) But He took on Him the nature of Abraham.
The conclusion, therefore, is obvious, that the nature of Abraham was precisely the same as that of all the rest of mankind, whom Christ came to redeem. "Salvation is of the Jews," (John 4:23) for Jesus was a Jew; but, thank God, it is not confined to the Jews.
The Law for All Mankind
Now think a little further. Christ came to redeem His brethren, and He was made like them in all things. But He was "born of a woman," (Galatians 4:4,RV) thus becoming "the Son of Man," (John 1:51, and many other places) "under the law," (Galatians 4:4,RV) in order that He might redeem them that were under the law. That is, those whom Christ came to redeem--everyone born of a woman--were under the law; and this, regardless of the meaning of the term "under the law," shows that the law had to do with all mankind,--that all stand in a definite relation to it.
One step further will show us exactly what the relation of all men is to the law, and that will show us Christ's relation to it, and the relation of the law and the Gospel. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15) "All have sinned," (Romans 3:23) therefore He came into the world to save all. The angel said to Joseph, "You shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
But, "sin is the transgression of the law," (1 John 3:4) and, "sin is not imputed when there is no law;" (Romans 5:13)--therefore all mankind--every man born of a woman-has had the law, and has transgressed it, and has thus become guilty, and under condemnation of death; and Christ came to save them all from the transgression of the law. In other words, Christ came in order "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." (Romans 8:4)
Someone will recall the statement that the Gentiles have not the law, and so will I, that I may point out that it was made for the purpose of emphasizing the fact that the Gentiles, no matter how benighted, do really know the law of God. The Apostle Paul is showing that all men, both Jews and Gentiles, will be judged by the law, and says: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." (Romans 2:14-15)
Salvation is Only for Those Under the Law
Whoever would evade his accountability to the law of God, must resign his claim to the salvation purchased by Christ's life and death and resurrection; because Christ died to save none but sinners-transgressors of the law. But none can evade this accountability, so everybody has a right to "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
There is but one way of life, and it is the same for both Jews and Gentiles. "The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ [is] unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace." (Romans 3:22-23)
There is one law for all, which all have transgressed, and so there is one Gospel for all,--one life of obedience to the law, which becomes the birthright of every man, who by receiving Christ becomes a son of God.
Carefulness Enjoined, Not Laxness
We may now devote a little attention to the expression of Paul's to which you refer, and it need not detain us long. It is in the 14th of Romans, where the apostle is exhorting to unity, and warning us against throwing a stumbling-block in anybody's way. I quote the Revised Version: "One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord, and he that eats, eats unto the Lord." (Romans 14:5-6)
From the reading of the chapter it is evident that, if the Sabbath comes into consideration at all in this chapter, which I shall not attempt to decide, the exhortation is to greater carefulness, instead of to laxness. The thought is, "Be careful lest by your indifference you cast a stumbling block in some weak brother's ways."
Nobody ever stumbles over a Christian's diligence in "walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless," (Luke 1:6) but many are made to fall over carelessness of professed Christians in matters which God enjoins. (See Romans 2:23-24)
Full Assurance But what about: "Let every man be fully assured in his own mind?" (Romans 14:5)
Does that mean that it is a matter of indifference? Not by any means, quite the contrary. One does not need to be "fully assured in his own mind" concerning a matter of unimportance. The Sabbath question is one, above all others, of which one must be fully assured; for the very essence of the Sabbath is "blessed assurance"--the "full assurance of faith." (Hebrews 10:22)
It means the ceasing from our own works, and the resting on the perfect, finished work of God. (Hebrews 4:10-11) "The seventh day is the Sabbath [the rest] of the Lord;" (Exodus 20:10) but to keep God's rest means more than simply to cease work one day in the week. What tongue can describe, what mind can formulate, the glorious rest of God? It is beyond expression, even as it passes all understanding. It is spiritual rest, for God is Spirit. It is rest from all sin, for: "there is no unrighteousness in Him." (Psalm 92:15)
It is rest from the weariness of physical toil, even while actively engaged in it; for: "The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not neither is weary, [And] He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary. ... But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall run, and not be weary;" (Isaiah 40:28-31) because they rest in the everlasting arms and on the everlasting word that created the heavens and the earth, and that always works.
On the seventh day God rested from all His work which He created and made, after having completed it on the sixth day, and seeing that everything was very good. The seventh day is therefore a memorial, a sign of the new creation. It is the revealer of the God who sanctifies. It is the assurance that God makes all things new, and the assurance that it gives us is the assurance of experience in our own bodies.
Oh, if everyone who names the name of Christ only knew this blessed assurance, this glorious rest, this unspeakable gift of God, the unsearchable riches of Christ, the fullness of the power of the Spirit over the flesh, the infinite possibilities that are open to the one who with well-instructed mind is wholly yielded to God's possession, we should never again hear any excuses, to evade serving Him, or any questions as to whether or not it is necessary to keep His Sabbath.--Present Truth, May 29, 1902.