A Particular Baptist Perspective on Reformed & Covenant Theology

I was blessed to be invited to preach at a conference because a gospel preacher had read my book. Here is the second of the three sermons I preached; this one based on the central idea within my book.

Bible: Philippians 1:12-14; Acts 15:13-17

How should people of the Book see the reformation and the covenants in Scripture? To see Christ more clearly!

You can listen to this message here.

Colossians 2:16 -23 Not Disqualified But Nourished

Colossians 2:16 -23 Not Disqualified But Nourished

Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his unspiritual mind. He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God.  If you died with the Messiah to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? All these ⌊regulations⌋ refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men. Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

Therefore - Paul is reaching back to what was previous in his letter. Why is he doing this? See what immediately follows this word: don’t let anyone judge you - then he lists several things we'll look at shortly. Don't let anyone falsely judge you, he means - on what, though? Think back on the essentials truths Paul had taught them: they have hope laid up in heaven, they share in the inheritance of light, they've been rescued from darkness and translated in His kingdom; they have redemption and forgiveness, reconciled to God. And that's just from chapter 1! The benefits we reviewed in chapter 2 are as plentiful.

This warning about not letting anyone judge them is the same warning Paul sounded in earlier - he teaches them the truth of their identity in Christ so no one would delude them with plausible arguments, so no one would captivate them with empty deceit according to human tradition or the spirit of the age.

The apostle is warning the saints to be on guard of anyone who tries to convince them they do not possess the fullness of Christ; that we do not have His great and precious promises that Paul has meticulously spelled out in these first 2 chapters of this letter. Having identified the categories of arguments that would be used to pull the saints aside from God’s gospel, Paul then spells out some of the details.

Don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food or drink. Paul expounds on this in Romans 14:1-4 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is able to make him stand. And again in 1 Corinthians 10:25-32 Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience? If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God.

All the dietary laws of the Mosaic community were established to mark out national Israel and keep her separate; they were brought into the church by some Christian Jews who used those laws as a wedge to coerce Gentile saints to follow them. These Jewish Christians took offense at the Gentiles’ nonchalant attitude toward “unclean” or “unholy” food. For some, food was a wedge that divided the people of God. Paul charged Gentiles not to use their liberty in this matter if it would cause a Jewish brother to stumble. But he was clear (1 Tim 4) that everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. So eat or don’t eat, according to your conscience. Do not abuse your position to provoke a brother or sister.

Who knew food could be such a big deal? Paul says in 1 Tim 4:1 & 2 that demanding abstinence from certain foods is demonic doctrine. How kind of our God that He addresses these issues in His Word! We would be foolish to neglect it.

But then Paul completes the thought – don’t let anyone judge you in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. This pattern of days refers to all the holy days of the Jews, moving from yearly festivals to monthly feasts to the weekly Sabbath, and comes from repeated descriptions of the Mosaic ritual, found in 1 Chronicles 23:30-31; 2 Chronicles 2:4, 8:12-13, 31:3; Nehemiah 10:33; Isaiah 1:13-14; Ezekiel 45:17; and Hosea 2:11.

This is another indication that the Mosaic code, of which the Decalogue is part, does not apply to Christians as a law, but as a type or shadow of the Christ to come. And this is Paul’s next statement – all these things just mentioned, food and religious days, are a shadow of what was to come. This is the same message we find in Hebrews 8, where we read that the Mosaic religion was a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. Unless one finds clear example or teaching in the Bible that brings anyone not part of national Israel's covenant people under the Jewish Sabbath law we are left with the clear teaching that there is no requirement.

Paul sums up this whole issue like this: One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living. But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God. (Romans 14:5-10) Those who wish to observe Jewish days should be free to do so but should not try to coerce other to join them. These things are shadows; the substance is Christ! It is our union with Him that makes us belong to one another; we should not exert energy on dividing over shadows.

In verse 18 we see one of the strongest indications that Colossi was influenced by an early form of Gnosticism. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind. Once again, Paul warns the saints to be on guard against false teaching - this time specifically visions (Charismatics of all stripes go on about visions, rather than study the revealed written Word), asceticism (a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals - as with papist monasteries), and angel worship (every recorded occasion of angel worship in Scripture is rebuffed by the angel OR encouraged by the fallen angels being worshiped). Each of these practices (among countless others) are opposed to holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. Let this sink in - seeking spiritual growth and fulfillment in anything other the person of Christ Jesus is contrary to, opposed to the spiritual growth and fulfillment that God intends for us. In opposition holding fast to the Head (Who is Christ), being nourished and knit together in intimate detail, with growth that comes to God - false teachers of all stripes would have us seek a pale imitation from any source other than Christ.

The answer to every temptation is found in Christ. In Him is every yes and amen, every promise fulfilled. Apart from Him, we have nothing.

But knowing how hard-headed we are, Paul repeats his argument - from a slightly different angle. He asks a question, prompting the reader to assess his standing. Colossians 2:20-22 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? The substance is the same - being united with Christ means we have no need of human precepts and teachings as regards our spiritual growth. He speaks of being alive to Christ and dead to the world, as far as its system of values. It is contrary to our identification in Christ to be concerned with spirits of the world and their dogma.

This phrase - do not handle, do not taste, do not touch - is written to be increasing in emphasis; handle not, taste not,  do not even touch. One commentary observes: Thus, in every case, the contact described exerts a modifying influence, and a more permanent contact or effect of contact is often implied than is expressed by touch. "The idea of a voluntary or conscious effort is often involved." We see this in a few other passages:

Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it...

Isaiah 52:11 Depart you, depart you, go you out from there, touch no unclean thing; go you out of the middle of her; be you clean...

2 Corinthians 6:17 Why come out from among them, and be you separate, said the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

1 Timothy 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats...

The exhortation in our passage is the apostle's third such, admonishing us to not allow food rules or cultural taboos to replace true spiritual wisdom. They may appear to be wise, helping one to be approved of men; but they are established on things that perish - which is why I see it relating to food - and human precepts and teachings. Which are the same things he warned us about in verse 8 of this chapter, regarding philosophy. All they can produce, Paul says, is the appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body. This is another escalating buildup of related terms. And Paul slams the door on these by saying such things are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

The bottom line from this passage is simple: No matter what seems like it may provide spiritual growth, nothing apart from true fellowship with Jesus, growing in grace and knowledge of Him, following His teaching and close fellowship with the saints can do that. This letter, and the entire Bible, is all about Jesus. He is enough.

The Christian's True Sabbath

Had the blessing of preaching at Gracepoint Baptist in Edmond this morning.

Preached on the Christian's True Sabbath - the Christ who promises true rest to all the Father has given Him.

Gracepoint is a wonderful fellowship where some of the saints make comments or ask questions during the sermon. I like this model!

Sermon is here: https://app.box.com/s/2s19yrmh8ldvfwhle0hzu9b3mu9nvvy3

The Christian's True Sabbath

Many people these days have a renewed interest in reformed theology and one thing that inevitably comes up is the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath that is found in those beloved confessions. What is the Christian Sabbath? This is a question that has consumed many men over the years. There are those who think one can only worship on Saturday (including 7th day Baptists) and others who claim the day was moved! Let's dig into this topic, with an eye towards the Scriptures rather than anyone's tradition.

It is clear from Scripture that God gave the weekly Sabbath to national Israel (Ex 16:23) as a sign of the covenant YHWH made with them (Ex 31:13 & 17); a covenant that was not made with the patriarchs (Deut 5:3) nor with the saints of the New Covenant (Jer 31:32). Yet there are many Christians who think the first day of the week is the "Christian Sabbath," having a direct connection with the Jewish Sabbath. Some of them are genuinely pious and try to observe the day as they are convicted. Others are aggressive towards those who do not agree with them on this topic. Many have never considered what the Bible says about the topic but are convinced their position is biblical. This is why it's important for the saints to consider what the Word of God says about the True Sabbath.

Within Baptist circles, there are many who hold to the 1689 LBC; which follows the Presbyterian thought and wording very closely on this topic. Hear what that confession says on this topic in chapter 22:

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.

The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe a holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations, but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy. (paragraphs 7 & 8)

There is no question that the Sabbath command given to Israel was to rest, from all work - but not all “works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employment and recreation.” The commandment only specifies rest from works. Exodus 34:21 makes this clear: even in plowing time and harvest, Israel was to rest from their work on the seventh day just as YHWH had rested from His work on the seventh day. No tending to animals, no working of fields, no work - period. This is a continuation of what He began teaching them in Exodus 16: God’s people are to work (itself a gift from God, mired in a creation cursed by Adam’s sin) yet see every good thing as provision from Him. On the seventh day, work for even the basics of life was prohibited to that His covenant community people would trust Him. The biblical Sabbath command says nothing about words and thoughts - it only commanded physical rest in the family dwelling.

We also do not find anywhere in Scripture is the teaching that there is a law of nature that binds all men in this perpetual sabbath command; nothing showing it was moved from the 7th day to the 1st day; nothing showing it continues to end of the age; and nothing showing it was called "the Lord's Day." Further, a detailed comparison of what the confessions describe as the "Christian Sabbath" with the biblical account of the Jewish Sabbath show virtually nothing in common. Rather than resting in your home, you are commanded to leave your home and gather with the saints while you neither work, speak, nor think about anything other than worship. Not only have they allegedly moved the day, they redefined it.

Biblical Sabbath	1689 “Christian Sabbath”
Every 7th day (Ex 16:27-30, Ex 20:8-11, 31:15, 35:2; Lev 23:3; Deut 5:14)	Para 7: Claims One day in Seven (Ex20:8). Changed from the last day of the week to the first day of the week (citing 1 Cor 16:1-2; Acts 20:7); claiming “Christian Sabbath” as the Biblical Sabbath was abolished (no Scripture citation).
Rest from all work (Ex 16:23, 25; 20:8-10; 35:2; Lev 23:3; Num 15:32; Deut 5:12-15; Jer 17:21)	Para 8: Rest from all works, words, and thoughts (Isaiah 58:13; Neh 13:15-22).
Remain in your dwelling (Ex 16:29; Lev 23:3)	Private and public worship are commanded (para 8; no Scripture citation)
It is a sign to the Israelite (Ex 31:13, 16, 17; Lev 24:8; 2 Chr 2:4; Neh 9:14; Ezek 20:12, 20)
Death penalty for violating it, even minor activities such as picking up sticks (Ex 31:14-15; Num 15:32-36)
No fires for cooking, Sabbath day meals were prepared the day before (Ex 35:3)
Ceremonial bread, made in accordance with a strict formula, was presented (Lev 24:8; 1 Chr 9:32)
Offerings – consisting of lambs, grain, and drink (Num 28:9, 10)
Soldiers/priests guard the temple (2 Kings 11:5-12; 2 Chr 23:4-8)
Gentiles not bound (Deut 5:15; Neh 10:31)	Para 7: Claims “law of nature … by Gods appointment” a “moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages” (no Scripture citation).
Prohibited from business (buying or selling) with Gentiles (Neh 10:31, 13:15-19)
Gentiles invited to join with God’s people and keep the Sabbath (Isaiah 56:1-7)
Israel to keep the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:13)
	Duties of necessity and mercy are permitted (para 8; Matt 12:1-13)
No bearing of burdens (Jer 17:21-27)

What we do see in Scripture is the Lord Jesus taking the Sabbath teaching from Exodus and Deuteronomy and applying to kingdom living in a different way. In His Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 6:19-34, as He describes a people who are heavenly-minded, avoiding covetousness, being solitary in their focus on being obedient to their God. He then says be not anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. If we consider His provision for Israel as they were led out of Egypt, the parallel is amazing. In their exodus from Egypt, YHWH had provided Israel manna and quail to eat (Exodus 16:13 & 14), water from a rock (Exodus 17:1-7), and clothes that did not wear out (Deuteronomy 8:4). God provided for His temporal people the necessary things of life in this temporal age. He continues to provide these things for His spiritual children, just as He will discipline us as He disciplined them. Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son (Deuteronomy 8:5 NASB). All that was done was to teach Israel to trust YHWH, to honor Him, to glorify His name amongst the pagan world. These are the continuing messages from our God, who causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28, NASB). This “good” that God orchestrates is for our spiritual good, which is eternal. He will provide what we need in this life, but He works all things together for our eternal good, adding all these things to us in His time.

This is the theme of the Jewish Sabbath: rest from temporal work, trusting God to provide. This is the spiritual application of the Jewish Sabbath: cease from your works of self-righteousness, trusting God to impute His to you and find your rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:9-10). God ceased from creation work when it was finished and He declared it very good. He has ceased from His work of re-creation and He declared “It is finished!” (John 19:30); and He bids us who are weary from labor and heavy laden find our rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30). His yoke is easy, contrasted with the heavy yoke of the Mosaic Covenant that no man can bear (Acts 15:1-11). Jesus is the true rest, the true Sabbath for the Christian; the Jewish Sabbath is pale, weak shadow. The confessional version of the "Christian Sabbath" is like claiming to admire the sun while fidgeting with a flashlight. We are to honor the Son, not the shadow.

The 1689 LBC cites a passage from Isaiah (chapter 58 verse 13) wherein Creator God holds up the weekly Sabbath as a touchstone of His relationship with Israel. Is this text rightly applied to the New Covenant church? In this passage, not for the first time, a prophet of God is rebuking His temporal people for failing to keep His covenant made with them. The religious people in Israel had turned their Sabbath into the day before the important things of life, as Amos recorded: Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?” (Amos 8:4-6). This is the same behavior found as the nation returned from exile and Nehemiah rebuked them for polluting the Sabbath by conducting business on that day of rest (Nehemiah 13:15-22). Might the proper application for the New Covenant people be to take care of those in need?

It is clear that Sabbath breaking by those in the Mosaic Covenant was a serious affront to God. But is Sabbath keeping required of those in the New Covenant as well? We don't find weekly Sabbath keeping recorded in the record of the early church in the Scriptures. No rebukes for failing to keep a day as when the ancient Jews were put to death for picking up firewood. Ancient witnesses give their perspective:

Justin Martyr [circa 100-165], in controversy with a Jew, says that ... Christianity requires not one particular Sabbath, but a perpetual Sabbath. He assigns as a reason for the selection of the first day for the purposes of Christian worship, because on that day ... Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his assembled disciples, but makes no mention of the fourth commandment. Moreover, all those righteous men already mentioned [after mentioning Adam. Abel, Enoch, Lot, Noah, Melchizedek, and Abraham], though they kept no Sabbaths, were pleasing to God; and after them Abraham with all his descendants until Moses. And you were commanded to keep Sabbaths, that you might retain the memorial of God. For His word makes this announcement, saying, "That you may know that I am God who redeemed you."

John Gill's commentary on Rev 1:10 - Barnabas [thought by many to be the companion of Paul the apostle] ... calls this day the eighth day, in distinction from the seventh-day sabbath of the Jews, and which he says is the beginning of another world; and therefore we keep the eighth day, adds he, joyfully, in which Jesus rose from the dead, and being manifested, ascended unto heaven.

This concept of the eighth day is something we who claim Christ should study and seek understanding. A friend of mine, Terrance O'Hare, has studied this at some depth. He observes, “From another angle, redemption is also the beginning. Hence, the redeemed are free on the eighth day, that is, the first day of the new week. The new week designates a new period of time, a better epoch, and a new generation. It is built upon that which preceded but brings us closer to that which is anticipated; it reaps the blessings earned or bestowed in previous days, and hopes for fulfillment of greater promises.” O’Hare goes on to demonstrate from Scripture how the number eight portrays hope and promise that comes only in the promised seed. “Based on the root word for fatness or abundance, the first mention of eight occurs in Genesis 5, of the number of years that Adam lived after his son Seth was born, years marked by the prodigious growth of his family... Noah in a sense was “translated” to the new world as a family of eight on the eighth day, signifying again the association of eight with the resurrection to immortality in a new day.” O’Hare bases this observation on the record in Genesis 7, wherein the animals were led into the ark by YHWH and seven days later the flood came. On that day, Noah and his family entered the ark, God shut them in, and the ark foreshadowed the rescue of sinners that the Lord Jesus brings (1 Pet 3:18-22). The first day of safety in the midst of the world-destroying flood, was the eighth day after the ark was opened as a refuge (Gen 8:11-12). David was the eighth son of Jesse (1 Samuel 17:12-14). “When David's eighth-position antitype arrives (Jesus Christ), said Isaiah, His kingship and kingdom will be unlike anything that preceded it (Isaiah 9:6-7).”

The eighth day signifies our redemption and the resurrection of our Savior. The seventh day is the Jewish Sabbath, which was a type of the rest promised in the Messiah. The eighth day is our rest, begun when we are raised up by the Spirit of God to new life in Christ (John 5:24) and will be consummated when He returns to take us home. We should agree with Trypho and others, joyfully keeping the eighth day by fellowshipping and worshiping our King with others He has called to Himself.

Paul was provoked on more than one occasion to speak about this issue, which boils down to law keeping as a means of grace. Galatians 4:8-11, 16 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?  You observe days and months and seasons and years!  I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. ... Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? Romans 14:1 & 5 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. Paul warned us not to waste time on foolish genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless (Tit 3:9). How seldom have I found those who hold to a confessional sabbath be willing to "be at peace" with those of us who do not. May it never be that we make their esteeming a day a "wedge issue!

As for the allegation that the day of the Sabbath was moved, Jonathan Edwards claims national Israel came out up out of the Red Sea on their Sabbath, and since Jesus' resurrection is compared to coming up out of deep waters (Psalms 69), this must mean He changed the Jewish Sabbath from the 7th to the 8th day. Ancient rabbinical "urban legends" claim this but the Bible does not connect His resurrection with the Sabbath, other than to say He came up out of the grave on the day after the Sabbath. Nothing to indicate the shadowy Sabbath was "put to death and resurrected" as part of the New Covenant.

The third claim made on this matter is that the new perpetual "Christian Sabbath" binds all men. Nowhere in the Scripture do we find anyone outside national Israel being told to keep the Jewish Sabbath or punished for not doing so. Nowhere do we find those in the New Covenant community told to keep the "Christian Sabbath" or disciplined for not doing so. Early Christians encouraged one another to gather together for worship and fellowship but not for what the 1689 describes as the "Christian Sabbath." The Lord's Supper, not a weekly Sabbath, is what He has given us as perpetual reminder of His faithfulness as the redeemer and His promise of His return. Is that not a far better things than a list of rules about a religious day?

Lastly, the Baptist confession says the "Christian Sabbath" is "the Lord's Day." This phrase occurs once in the Bible, as John is caught up in the spirit to receive a series of vision of the end of the age, when Christ returns in final victory to judge the nations, gather His saints, and make all things new. It is known as "the Day of the Lord." There is nothing in the context of Revelation 1 to lead one to conclude that John meant the 1st day of the week. While the apostolic church met on the 1st day of the week, they also taught Romans 14:5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. And Colossians 2:16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. Rather than condemn those who don't hold one day higher than another (which "the Lord's Day" as Sunday implies we should) Scripture reveals one may observe the day or not but we should not pass judgment on those who do not. Paul went on to explain, Colossians 2:17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. This is just as the elements of the Levitical religion were types and shadows of the heavenly realm (Hebrews 8). Since various passages refer to the end of the age as "the Day of the Lord" and that that end of the age activity is what John reported in 7 parallel accounts in his apocalypse, the only thing that makes sense to me is that this is what John meant by "the Lord's Day." I am aware of the long-standing tradition that asserts he meant Sunday, but I find nothing in the text to support that - only a phrase in the 1689 LBC and other such documents. While we have a healthy reason for gathering together on the 8th day, we should be careful not to impress others that one day is more important than others. This is one of those things we can differ on as long as don't make it a binding rule.

Each of these teachings in the Reformers' beloved confessions that we reviewed today have one effect: our attention is taken off the Redeemer and drawn to regulations according to human precepts and teachings. We are told in Scripture to fix our minds on the heavenly things (Col 3:2) where we are seated with Christ even now (Eph 2:6). The apostle further instructs us thusly:  Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. And we are not left to imagine how we are to live. Verse 9: What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

We keep our focus on Christ, from where our help comes. He is the author and the completer of our faith, our advocate before the judgment seat. He our refuge and strong tower of safety, our redeemer and friend. In Christ Jesus ALL the promises of God find their yes and amen. Why would we regress to cling towards the shadows once we've been delivered from the domain of darkness and translated into the kingdom of the beloved Son? (Col 13-14) Why would we worry about such things as "touch not, taste not, handle not" that accompany the regulations about Sabbath keeping which have no spiritual value (Col 2:20-23)?

Christ Jesus is our all-in-all. We have no hope of reconciliation with God apart from faith in Him. We find rest in Jesus - this was His promise to all who were weak and weary from their efforts of trying to gain God's favor. Our Sabbath keeps us! We are not legally hand-cuffed to a gilded first revision of the Jewish Sabbath given to national Israel. Let those who think the New Covenant is merely a part of the Old Covenant esteem a day if they like. Let us fix our eyes of faith on the One who doesn't command a rest that we cannot keep but provides the rest that our souls desperately need.

Christ Jesus came to save sinners. He doesn't not command us to rest in a day - He provides us rest in Himself.

Colossians 2:6 -15 Head over every ruler and authority

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude. Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. You were also circumcised in Him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of the Messiah. Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him.

The major theme coursing through this letter is the supremacy of Christ and His provision for His people. The opening phrase in this passage recognizes Christ as Lord. Contrary to the view of many professing Christians, no man makes Jesus Lord - He IS! When Paul was speaking to the talk show crowd of his day, he didn't tell them of an entity that wanted to be their Lord; he declared God as Lord. He told them, Acts 17:23-25 What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. The God Who is, does not depend on His creatures to bestow or admit that He is Lord, He is. This word, Lord, conveys the idea of supreme authority and power. And we who have believed on Christ Jesus have received Him, the Lord of heaven and earth.

As with so many epistles, we are told here to walk in Christ - that is to keep our mind fixed on His truths and live as people who have been changed, raised from spiritual death by the same power that raised Christ from the grave! We cannot walk in the Lord if we do not have fellowship with one another, as He has given us to each other to equip us for His service. This call to discipleship is contrasted with the siren call of the world to turn our backs on Him, to sit in judgement of Him. The serpent still beckons for us to put ourselves in charge; our flesh constantly desires to be in charge. In contrast to Col 2:4, where we were advised not to succumb to plausible arguments of men that might delude us, here we are told to be rooted, built up in Christ, and established in the faith. Paul knows these saints have been taught these things rightly; he started this letter thanking God for the progress they had been making as gospel warriors. Here's a critical truth for us: We may grow wise in many biblical doctrines and theological truths, we never outgrow our need of the gospel. If we learn all the systematic and biblical theology man has written but we forget Who bought us and how He did, we will tend to drift into trusting our human wisdom, so called. Rightly comprehending the grace that is ours in Christ Jesus will keep us humble and very grateful – abounding in thanksgiving. If we truly understand the saving grace that is ours, we will be abounding in thanks to God!

Verse 8 provides the same type of warning as we found in verse 4 - take measures so no one, not even your favorite preacher - can capture your mind. This is what Absalom did in 2 Sam 18 as her worked to draw the men of Israel away from David. Paul lays out three areas of humanistic thinking - philosophy, empty deceit in line with human tradition, and elemental or foundational elements or spirits of the world. Each of these represents humanistic ways of thinking that are contrasted with Christian thought, which is according to Christ. Paul sets the world's ways of thinking straight up against thinking as and according to the teachings of Christ Jesus. Paul wrote about elsewhere - 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. We cannot afford to conflate or confuse the natural wisdom each of us has with the wisdom of God which we access only by prayer and diligence.

Next in our text, a paragraph which one commentator (Brian Hedges) described in this colorful way: "This rich paragraph is “pressed down, shaken together, and running over” in spiritual wealth and insight. While the whole letter of Colossians radiates the sufficiency of Christ, the saving significance of his sufficiency nowhere burns brighter than here. Having exposed the hollow doctrine of the hucksters in verse 8, the apostle now reflects on the inexhaustible fullness of Christ in a cascading torrent of vivid images and motifs."

The fullness of deity dwells in the God-man. This phrase reveals of the dual nature of the Son of man - fully God and fully man. If He was not God, the fullness of deity could not be His; if He was not man (a tabernacle of flesh as Paul put it) that fullness of deity could not dwell in Him. As God dwelt with Israel in the tent of meeting, so Jesus as a man had Jesus as God dwelling within Him. While this flies in the face of what men call science, it is the truth of God that men fought to make clear early in the life of the post-apostolic church.

Verse 10 says we, the redeemed, have been - past tense - filled with Him. How is it that we filled with Christ? I submit that this refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that every saint enjoys from the moment he is regenerated. In the same way Jesus is God, He is present where His Spirit is; but it's not the same as Jesus in His glorified body is present in each of us - for the same reasons He is not in the crackers used by the cult of Rome. Paul wants to impress upon us this Jesus that He preaches to everyone. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the head over every ruler and authority. I think Paul heard about what we call the Great Commission, wherein the Lord Jesus said, Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  This means He is the ruler over us and even those who do not submit to Him. Many men tell others to "make Jesus Lord of your life," as if the creature has that kind of power! Jesus IS Lord, to the glory of God the Father! The ignorance or rebellion of creatures does not affect the identity of Christ any more than Israel's unbelief does not nullify God's faithfulness (Romans 3:3).

Verse 11 brings us to a point that contrasts the New Covenant with the Old by pointing out that true circumcision is a spiritual act of God applied only to the people who are true Israel. Fleshly circumcision or the lack thereof is meaningless (Gal 6:15 & 1 Cor 7:19). But paedobaptists must have fleshly circumcision be very meaningful in order to tie it to baptism, which they claim is the sign of the New Covenant. By contrasting fleshly circumcision with spiritual circumcision, Paul shows us that circumcision is the sign of each covenant: fleshly circumcision for the fleshly covenant that could never take away sins; spiritual circumcision for the spiritual covenant, wherein each and every member has been regenerated and raised up in Christ. Just the Sabbath is also called out as the sign of the Mosaic Covenant, so we see the Lord Jesus identify His blood, as portrayed in the Lord's Supper, as a sign of the New Covenant.

We also see in this verse the significance of spiritual circumcision - putting off the body of flesh. This shows that we who have been made alive in Christ have died to sin and the flesh. Fleshly circumcision removes a small part of flesh, leaving the person in tact; spiritual circumcision kills the flesh - setting us free from sin's mastery and freeing us to the mastery of grace in Christ.  It was His death on the cross, taking the punishment for our sins - that reconciled us to Himself, circumcising us without the use of human hands.

Paul goes on in verse 12 to teach us the role of water baptism - it is our way of identifying what has been accomplished. This verse also shows why "baptizing" unbelievers cannot be reconciled with Scripture - by water baptism we are buried with Him and raised with Him through faith in God and the work He has done - in Christ and us! Just as Christ was raised from the dead, so were we, when He circumcised our souls and coming up from the water displays the faith in Christ that is necessary for our new life. Unbelievers do not have such faith in Christ. This is why many people who practice what is called infant baptism have resorted to various schemes to deal with it. Historically, 8 variations have been claimed by these people:

1. Fides Aliena: The church supplies the faith necessary for infant baptism.

2. Fides Infusa: Baptism infuses faith into the infant.

3. Fides Infantium: An infants’ own faith is present in baptism.

4. Sacramental Symbolism: The legitimacy of infant baptism is independent of faith.

5. Pre-credobaptism: Baptism precedes faith in the infant, but does not guarantee it.

6. Presumptive Regeneration: The church assumes its baptized infants have faith until proven otherwise.

7. Baptismal Regeneration: Baptism imparts faith to all infants (including the non-elect).

8. Paedofaith: Infants have faith prior to their baptism.

God-parents were invented by the Roman Catholic Church as those who stand in faith for the baby during its "baptism" under the first scheme. Are any of these compatible with what Scripture teaches about water baptism? They all present schemes of men, trying to twist Scripture to support their beloved doctrine. The truth is far, far simpler: baptism represents the sacrifice made by Christ on our behalf; it has no merit, adds nothing to the grace given us which is what saves sinners. Everything and anything added to grace makes grace of no effect and betrays a lack of trust in God.

The last three verses in our passage describe our salvation - all of which is the work of Christ. Similar to Paul's description of natural man in Eph 2, he says here that we were dead in trespasses and our Gentile flesh. This shows us Paul is writing to non-Jews, those not circumcised in the flesh; yet dead in trespasses, being a law unto themselves. Christ made us alive with Himself - which relates back to water baptism as the symbol of that. This is the same message - being made alive in Christ, having been dead in trespasses - as we read in chapter 1 and verse 13: He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son.  Buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him.

His death for our sins made the way for our death to sin; His everlasting life after death made the way for our resurrection life which results in eternal life with Him.

But no only did Christ make us alive in Him and forgive us our sin, He erased the certificate of debt (reminds me of the OC certificate of divorce, which could mean certain poverty for the woman). This certificate carried obligations, which all law does - whether codified in the Mosaic Covenant or given to man directly. That which was working our condemnation was cancelled and nailed to His cross. Jesus made a public display of bearing the wrath due our sin in His body as He hung on the cross. He was not ashamed to suffer for us, not ashamed to call us brothers (Heb 2:11) – the question that ought to be always on our minds: Are we ashamed of Him? We cannot let ourselves off the hook by our good intentions; we must be honest and examine ourselves. Have you and I been faithful to herald the life-saving gospel to others?

The last verse reveals yet another glorious work completed by Christ on our behalf. For not only did Jesus forgive us, raise us up to new life, and reconcile us to the Father; He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly. How did He do this? We know the last enemy is death – the master sin brings death to all mortals for all have sinned. Satan and his minions know they are the rulers of death – they push out of their minds that Christ holds the keys of hell and death. When He arose, in a glorified body not stained by sin, hell was left waiting and death was overthrown. After Jesus rose from the dead, He "presented Himself alive" (Acts 1:3) to the women near the tomb (Matthew 28:9-10), to His disciples (Luke 24:36-43), and to more than 500 others (1 Corinthians 15:6) – a public display that none could dismiss. By this act, He disarmed Satan and his minions – hell and death have no power of Him or His people.  He triumphed over these last enemies by being glorified by the Father when He was taken up into glory – publicly. It was the final stamp on His redemptive work. As Paul would write (quoting Hosea), "“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law." (1 Cor 15:54-56).

This is victory we have in Christ - He has conquered sin and death, has promised us life eternal - death has no hold on us! By dying, in faith, in Christ we have this victory. As He was seen by many - making His victory public - so we are seen by many. Do they know we are His? Let us go outside the gate being thought fools because we believe the gospel of grace. To the glory of the Son and the Father - let His message be ours.