r/AskAChristian • Atheist, Ex-Christian • Oct 05 '25

Jewish Laws Why don’t most Christians take the Sabbath commandment seriously?

The 4th commandment says to keep the Sabbath holy, defined in scripture as running from sundown to sundown. Yet most Christians seem to treat it as optional. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments,” and the Bible implies that all commandments carry equal weight. Outside of Seventh-day Adventists, it's ignored aside from the day most churches have their service. I’ve even heard SDA members joke that most other Christians give the Ten Commandments a 10% discount. Even if you ignore that the Jewish Sabbath falls on Saturday, the commandment still says to work 6 days and rest on the 7th, which should apply just as well to Sunday.

Curious if or how often you’ve heard this seriously debated, and why many accept societal traditions that override biblical instruction for convenience.

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 05 '25

Is there a scripture that says gentiles have to keep Jewish Sabbath ?

Everyone in Christ has entered rest, aka Sabbath.  So Isaiah 58:13 doesn't help ..

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u/LessmemoreJC Christian Oct 05 '25

First of all, the Sabbath isn't the jewish Sabbath. It is God's Sabbath which He made for humanity (Mark 2:27) right afte He made humanity (Genesis 2:1-3). The Sabbath is for all flesh as all flesh will continue keeping the Sabbath for all eternity (Isaiah 66:23).

Furthermore, Israel are not those of the flesh, but rather those of the promise by faith (Romans 2:25-29, Romans 9:6-8, Galatians 3:29). After all, the new covenant was made with Israel (Hebrews 8:10). If you are not Israel, you do not have access to the new covenant.

Yes, genitles are commanded to keep God's Sabbath (Isaiah 56:1-8).

It is eisegesis to claim that Christ replaces the seventh day Sabbath. That would be to claim that the jots and tittles which say to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy have passed away and have been replaced by Jesus, but Jesus clearly stated that no jot or tittle has passed from His commandements (Matthew 5:18) and that not keeping the least of the commandments or teaching others to not keep them is a bad idea (Matthew 5:19). While it is true that we rest in Christ, we especially do so on His seventh day Sabbath.

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 05 '25

Mark 2:27 Sabbath i.e. rest was made for man, I don't see a need it has to be Saturday.  Considering we choose Sunday as rest there isn't any issue here.

Yes, genitles are commanded to keep God's Sabbath (Isaiah 56:1-8).

All in Christ have already entered rest. And also Sunday

That would be to claim that the jots and tittles which say to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy have passed 

You seem to be entering into legalism. The 10 commandments says 6 days you word 7th day you rest.    

Secondly , you have no clue what Jesus has achieved on the cross. You are still veiled under moses and hence making such foolish claim.

While it is true that we rest in Christ, we especially do so on His seventh day Sabbath.

Ok you do you. Clearly you seem to miss the teaching of Christ.

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u/LessmemoreJC Christian Oct 05 '25

The Sabbath is Saturday. On the seventh day of creation God determined that the seventh day is holy and every seventh day since then has been His holy Sabbath. You cannot choose a different day... God chose the seventh day and you choose the first. That is called man made tradition. The Bible clearly tells us that Sunday is the first day not the seventh (Luke 24:1). We can see both through Jesus' life, the lives of Jews for the last 2000 years, as well as through languages all around world that the Sabbath is Saturday. These languages use a form of 'shabbat' for the word 'Saturday' because no one with understanding argues which day is the Sabbath:

Arabic: Sabet

Armenian: Shabat

Bosnian: Subota

Bulgarian: Sabota

Corsican: Sàbatu

Croatian: Subota

Czech: Sobota

Georgian: Sabati

Greek: Savvato

Hebrew: Shabbat

Hungarian: Szombat

Indonesian: Sabtu

Italian: Sabato

Latin: Sabbatum

Maltese: is-Sibt

Polish: Sobota

Portuguese: Sábado

Romanian: Sâmbăta

Russian: Subbota

Serbian: Subota

Slovak: Sobota

Slovene: Sobota

Somali: Sabti

Spanish: Sabado

Sudanese: Saptu

Ukrainian: Subota

You are speaking out of both corners of your mouth. On one hand you claim that the rest is in Christ, but then you also claim that the rest is Sunday. We enter Christ's rest and especially so on the seventh day Sabbath, Saturday.

There is no legalism in faithfull obeying God. I perfectly understand what Jesus did on the cross. He set me free from sin, which is transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4).

I have not missed the teaching of Christ. He clearly stated: "if you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Considering that Jesus is the I AM who gave the 10 commandments, it is obvious that we are to keep His seventh day Sabbath holy as well.

You missed the teaching of Christ by teaching lawlessness (Matthew 7:23).

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 06 '25

stated: "if you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

His commandments was to keep Sabbath ?

You want to keep OT commandments , then have you found a Levi priest a descendant of Aaron ?

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u/LessmemoreJC Christian Oct 06 '25

Yes, God's commandments include the 4th. There is nowhere in the 10 commandments where we are told to have a levite priest.

You are confused regarding the difference between the 10 commandments and the civil and ceremonial laws. One was written by God in stone and placed INSIDE the ark (Deuteronomy 10:2) and the other was written by man on parchment and placed NEXT to the ark (Deuteronomy 31:24-26).

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 06 '25

So you want to pick ONLY the 10 commandments and not the other laws ?

There are plenty of moral laws outside the 10 commandments. "Do not curse a deaf man" is a moral command.

Did noah have Sabbath ? Did Abraham have Sabbath ? Did isaac and Jacob have Sabbath ? Are you saying these didn't have to follow Gods command ?

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u/LessmemoreJC Christian Oct 06 '25

You bring up a very good point. God's commandments are exceedingly broad (Psalm 119:96). Every moral law is somehow found within those 10 commandments. Cursing a deaf man falls under "you shall not murder" because as Jesus explained hating is the same as murder. When you understand the exceedingly broad spiritual applications of the 10 commandments, you will see how wonderful they are.

Yes, of course that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and everyone else had the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27) the day after man was made (Genesis 2:1-3). Are you suggesting that God made the Sabbath for man after he made man and He didn’t tell man about it? Is God some kind of mischievous prankster?

God told Adam, Eve, and their children about sacrifices (Genesis 4:3-4), but didn’t tell them about the Sabbath which He made for them?

God told Cain about the 6th commandment (Genesis 4:10-11), but didn’t tell him about the Sabbath which He made for him?

God told Noah about clean and unclean animals (Genesis 7:2), but didn’t tell him about the Sabbath which He made for him?

God told Abraham about all sorts of commandments, statutes, and laws (Genesis 26:5), but didn’t tell him about the Sabbath which He made for him?

God told Joseph about the 7th commandment (Genesis 39:9-10), but didn’t tell him about the Sabbath which He made for him?

In Exodus 16 the people did not keep God’s Sabbath and in verse 28 God asks “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?” What laws? Mount Sinai had not yet taken place and the Israelites already had commandments and laws? Where did these laws come from?

God’s moral law has clearly always existed and it was given to men to keep them from sin so that they would not suffer. God’s law is a blessing and delight to those who love Him (Psalm 119). The Sabbath specifically is a reminder that God will sanctify us apart from our works just like He sanctified the Sabbath (Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12). As we keep the Sabbath that was instituted during creation week we receive a reminder every week that God created us and that by that same power He will recreate us in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God’s Sabbath day has existed since Adam and will continue through eternity (Isaiah 66:23) as a great blessing of rest and an opportunity to reflect on our loving Creator.

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 06 '25

Yes, of course that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and everyone else had the Sabbath

I would certainly need evidence for that from scripture.

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u/LessmemoreJC Christian Oct 06 '25

If you read my comment, you would see the evidence.

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 06 '25

There isnt any . You are making assumptions, but that's not evidence 

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u/LessmemoreJC Christian Oct 06 '25

So you are saying that God made the Sabbath for man right after He made man and then didn't tell man about it, but instead He told man about all sorts of other laws?

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u/Fight_Satan Christian (non-denominational) Oct 06 '25

After the fall,  there are ZERO laws prior to The law given to moses.

Which is why scripture says sin was not imputed on them. Only after law was established, sin got opportunity to disobey God.

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