LTCi teaching notes

1. The Sabbath
and the Lord’s
Day
Chafer chapter 41
Monday 12 September 2011

2. A. The sabbath in the OT
From creation God chose to set
apart (sanctify) one seventh of all
time - a seventh day as a day of
rest, or seventh year as rest for
the land - Ex 23:10-11,
Lev25:2-7. The year of jubilee
was held in the 50th year - 7x7.
Chafer says this is prophetic of
the kingdom age - which is the
7th, and last, age or dispensation.
In this age it is the first day of the
week which is to be celebrated in
new creation order.
Monday 12 September 2011

3. Sabbath means cessation, or perfect
rest, from activity. Due to current
confusion Chafer says this needs
clarification in this age.
God rested after 6 days of creation -
but there is no record of this being
commanded for man until after the
Exodus. In Job there is no record of
sabbath - the beginning of sabbath is
with Moses and the giving of the law -
Ex 16:29, Neh 9:14, Ex 20:12
Monday 12 September 2011

4. Prior to the imposition of the first
sabbath - Ex 16:1-35 - Israel took a
long journey, from Elim to the
wilderness of Sin, on what would have
been the sabbath - at this time they
spoke against the Lord and he
provided food from heaven for them -
the point Chafer wants to make is that
this was a sabbath day but was not
observed as one.
From Moses to Christ the sabbath was
in the law and was enforced - Ex
20:10-11 - it was not imposed on
Gentiles but was a sign for Israel and
the Lord - Ex 32:12-17
Monday 12 September 2011

5. Failure of Israel to observe the
sabbath was emphasized in its
judgment.
Hosea prophesied that as part of
the judgment on Israel sabbaths
would stop - Hos 2:11 - Chafer
states this is yet to be fulfilled.
Christ observed the sabbath -
and said it was given for the
benefit of man, not man for the
sabbath - Mk 2:27 - the fact that
Christ observed and followed the
sabbath does not mean that
Christians living in another age
under grace should feel
compelled to follow suit.
Monday 12 September 2011

6. B. The sabbath in the
present church age
After Christ’s resurrection there is
no record of a believer observing
the sabbath - the Jews probably did
but Chafer notes this is not
recorded. No command to observe
it is made - and no correction for
not observing it is ever mentioned
in a list of sins.
Gal 4:9-10 - Heb 4:1-13 - Col
2:16-17 - Rom 14:5 - there is no
“Christian Sabbath” - instead the
Lord’s Day replaces it with far
greater glory, blessing and privileges
Monday 12 September 2011

7. B. The sabbath in the
present church age
After Christ’s resurrection there is
9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be
no record of a believer observing
known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak
the sabbath - the Jews probably did
and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose
but Chafer notes this is not
slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and
recorded. No command to observe
months and seasons and years!
it is made - and no correction for
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of
not observing it is ever mentioned
food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or
in a list of sins.
a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but
Gal 4:9-10 - Heb 4:1-13 - Col
the substance belongs to Christ.
2:16-17 - Rom 14:5 - there is no
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while
“Christian Sabbath” - instead the
another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully
Lord’s Day replaces it with far
convinced in his own mind.
greater glory, blessing and privileges
Monday 12 September 2011

8. C. The sabbath in the coming age
The Lord’s Day relates only to
the church - prophetically the
Sabbath will be reinstated
immediately when the church is
completed and called out from
the world.
Sabbath will be observed in the
tribulation - Matt 24:20
Sabbath is a vital feature of the
coming kingdom age - Isa
66:23, Ezek 46:1
Monday 12 September 2011

9. D. The resurrection of christ
and the first day of the week
From the resurrection the
church has celebrated the
first day of the week - seen
not only in the NT but in
early church fathers and
church history. Chafer states
those not understanding the
new creation order are the
ones who want sabbath
observance - and their
reasoning combines
unscriptural doctrines.
Monday 12 September 2011

10. D. The resurrection of christ
and the first day of the week
From the resurrection the
“The believer is appointed of
church has celebrated the
God day of thethe first- day of
first to observe week seen
the week under aNT but in
not only in the new
relationship offathers and
early church grace, confusion
church history. day is states
arises when thatChafer given
those not understanding the
the character of and governed
new creation order are the
by Sabbath day laws. Such
ones whoignore the NT
teachings want sabbath
observance - and their
doctrine of the new creation”
reasoning combines
Chafer
unscriptural doctrines.
Monday 12 September 2011

11. E. The new creation
In this present age God is
calling out the church - Acts
15:13-18 - a heavenly
people who will be glorified
and perfected, Eph 5:25-27
- individually they are part of
great undertakings and
transformation by God.
The body is related to Christ
- 1 Cor 12:12 - and so is the
invdividual 1 Cor 6:17,
Rom 6:5, 1 Cor 12:13
Monday 12 September 2011

12. The individual believer...
- is cleansed, forgiven and justified
- has the indwelling HSp, and is a
legal heir of God (co-heir of Christ)
- we have been made the
righteousness of God, 2 Cr 5:21,
Eph 1:6, a member of Christ’s body,
and a partaker of the new creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new
creation has come: The old [position not
experience] has gone, the new is here! And
all these[positional things] are of God
Chafer’s wording in [ ]
1Pet 2:9 - chosen generation -
heaven born in the power of God
Monday 12 September 2011

13. Christ, the last Adam, is now, by the
Spirit, forming a new race which takes
on his eternal life and perfection.
1 Cor 15:45 - So it is written: “The first
man Adam became a living being”; the last
Adam, a life-giving spirit.
Being in Christ we are raised, Rom
6:4, Col 2:12-13 - but we have not yet
received our glorious resurrection body,
Phil 3:20-21 - but we will be made like
him 1 Jn 3:2 - Dear friends, now we are
children of God, and what we will be has not
yet been made known. But we know that when
Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is.
Monday 12 September 2011

14. The new creation began with the
resurrection of Christ - and is a born
again heavenly company who are in
Christ. This is often contrasted with
the old creation from which we have
been saved and delivered
The sabbath was instituted to
celebrate the old creation - Ex
20:10-11, 31:12-17 - the Lord’s
Day celebrates the new creation.
The Sabbath was limited to the
people of Israel, the earthly people
of God - the Lord’s Day is limited to
the church as the heavenly people of
God
Monday 12 September 2011

15. F. The Lord’s day
Chafer states there are many reasons
for observing the Lord’s Day - the first
day of the week.
1. A new day is prophesied and
appointed under grace
Ps 118:22-24, Acts 4:10-11 - Christ
in his crucifixion was the rejected stone
and in his resurrection became the
cornerstone - this is divinely appointed
as a day of rejoicing and gladness -
hence in Matt 28:9 “Greetings”
Chafer states means “O joy” - and
being the day that the Lord had made
is now called the Lord’s Day
Monday 12 September 2011

16. 2. Observance of the first day is
indicated by these events:
A. On that day Christ rose from the
dead
B. On that day he first met his new
disciples in new fellowship - Jn 20:19
C. On that day he gave them new
instructions - Lk 24:13-45
D. On that day he ascended into heaven
as the firstfruits - Lev 23:10-12, Jn
20:17, 1 Cor 15:20, 23
E. On that day he breathed on them -
Jn 20:22
F. On that day the Spirit descended
from heaven - Acts 2:1-4
Monday 12 September 2011

17. G. On that day the apostle
Paul preached in Troas -
Acts 20:6-7
H...the believers came
together to break bread -
Acts 20:6-7
I...On the first day of every
week, each one of you should set
aside a sum of money in
keeping with your income 1
Cor 16:2
J...Christ appeared to John
on Patmos - Rev 1:10
Monday 12 September 2011

18. G. On that day the apostle
Paul preached in Troas -
Acts 20:6-7
H...the believers came
together to break bread -
Acts 20:6-7
I...On the first day of every
week, each one of you should set
aside a sum of money in
keeping with your income 1
Cor 16:2
J...Christ appeared to John
on Patmos - Rev 1:10
Monday 12 September 2011

19. 3. The eight day was the day of
circumcision
Circumcision = separation from the flesh and the
old order by the death of christ Col 2:11
The 8th day being the fist day after a completed
week is symbolic of a new beginning
Monday 12 September 2011

20. 4. The new day is of grace
A week of toil was followed by a day
of rest by the law - under grace a day
of worship is appointed at the start of
the week, a believer then lives and
serves for the rest of the week
A day of rest is for those related to god
by works - a day of ceaseless worship
belongs to those related to God by the
finished work of Christ.
7th day was of unyielding law - 1st
day of liberty in grace
7th day hoping for acceptance - 1st
day assured of acceptance by God
Monday 12 September 2011

21. 5. The new day has been blessed
by God
Spirit filled devout believers have, in
this age, always kept the Lord’s Day -
if they had been guilty of Sabbath
breaking surely they would have been
convicted?
6. The new day is committed
only to the individual believer
Not to the unsaved - there is no
acceptance for unsaved before God
through practicing it (though socially
and physically it might be good for
them) - it is not committed to the
church as a whole only the believer
Monday 12 September 2011

22. 7. No command is given to keep
the Lord’s Day
It is all of grace and no way of
observing it is prescribed. Therefore
it is a not a duty but from the heart.
We stand before God as adult sons
with god asking us to do things
willingly - Rom 12:1-2, Eph 4:1-3.
“There is little question to how a well
instructed, Spirit filled believer will be
occupied on the day celebrating the Lord’s
resurrection and the new creation. If the
person is not yielded to God no unwilling
observance will correct his carnal heart nor
will God be pleased with it”
Monday 12 September 2011

23. 8. The manner of
observance of the Lord’s
Day will be extended to all
days
Christ was devoted to his Father
equally on all days - we might
have more time on the Lord’s
Day but the worship, joy and
service should be the same on
every day Rom 14:5
Monday 12 September 2011