"Is There A Set Day Of Worship?" Per Romans 14
All:
In a blog here on BPN, the question was raised, "Is there a Set Day of Worship", the "bishop" asking the question wanted to limit the texts used in this discussion to Romans 14. He also raised comments regarding dietary issues as well as the Sacred Names.
I have responded thusly, however he is moderating the comments on his blog and he has not yet approved my comments. I am therefore posting it here to you, feel free to make any comments or to join the discussion on his blog:
~~~~~~~
"Is there A Set Day For Worship"?
Bro Bishop:
I thought a few days about your proposal that we limit the discussion to your question, "Is there a set day for worship." to one chapter in the Bible, rather than to use all scriptures relevant to these subjects, and found this request inconsistent with internal and external principles of bible study.
Let me present to you the example of the noble Bereans of
Acts 17:10 & 11
And the brethren immediately sent away *Paul* and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and *searched the scriptures daily*, whether those things were so.
What is very interesting the Preachers in this scriptural reference are *Paul* and Silas.
Nowhere are we given any indication that Paul did not support what was already written in the scriptures,
the "Law and the Prophets."
Paul was the one who wrote the following profound message to Timmothy:'
2 Tim 3:16 states -
"*All scripture* is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
Never did Paul indicate that ONLY in HIS writings are we to learn or base our doctrine.
Paul's testimony from his own lips in
Acts 24:14
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, *beliving all things which are written in the law and in the prophets*:
From these texts we can understand that the Bereans, the Jews and the Romans could already find in the Old/First Testament Scriptures what Paul was teaching. (Remember the NT wasn't compiled until the 4th century.) Anytime the term "scriptures" are used in the NT, the reference is to the "Law, Prophets & Writings of the Old/First Testament."
In order to study the subject which you posed, "Is there a set day of worship" and to fully examine ALL the scriptures that pertain to this subject, we cannot limit this review to one or two of your "favorite" texts.
The following excerpt from a site on how to study the Bible, they discuss the spiritual hazard of "cherry picking" scriptures to develop one's doctrines, or to attempt to prove one's points. This author writes:
"Some come up with a doctrine pulling any verse and then making the claim it supports their position. What happens is interpretation with misapplication, and dislocation of Scripture. This is demonstrated when one begins showing a Scripture, and saying it means something else than what it clearly says. That is no interpretation at all. The Bible is to be presented as it is, to men as they are. Exegesis is an explanation or critical interpretation of a text. Eisegesis is the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it ones own ideas."
I waited to respond to your message, until I could find his item. I know preachers like to tell stories, to give illustrations to help make their points, therefore I present this to you all.
ELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MEN
Once upon a time, there lived six blind men in a village. One day the villagers told them, "Hey, there is an elephant in the village today."
They had no idea what an elephant is. They decided, "Even though we would not be able to see it, let us go and feel it anyway." All of them went where the elephant was. Everyone of them touched the elephant.
"Hey, the elephant is a pillar," said the first man who touched his leg.
"Oh, no! it is like a rope," said the second man who touched the tail.
"Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree," said the third man who touched the trunk of the elephant.
"It is like a big hand fan" said the fourth man who touched the ear of the elephant.
"It is like a huge wall," said the fifth man who touched the belly of the elephant.
"It is like a solid pipe," Said the sixth man who touched the tusk of the elephant.
They began to argue about the elephant and everyone of them insisted that he was right.
~~~~~~~~~~
The problem is with the blind men in this story, is that none of these men could see the full Elephant to get a complete picture of what it looked like. Each one was satisfied with the segment of the Elephant it could feel, but each man was unaware of how the elephant really looked in totality because they did not step back and get a full view of the animal.
Therefore pastor, I implore you if this is to be a scholarly discussion, worth taking your and my valuable time, not to be like one of the blind men in the story above. Don't limit your study to one extremely small segment of our authorized texts. Therefore we have to lay some ground rules, based on the admonitions given in the scripture, by God the Father, Jesus the son of God, by the Prophets, by the apostles, and according to good Biblical hermeneutics.
Peter even gave a warning regarding Paul's writings, (which you have chosen as superior to even Jesus's words and all other Bible references), that they were hard to be understood,
2Pet.3:15b - 16
.......even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
What Peter feared, has actually come to past throughout church history from that time through our day, that people refer to Paul's words, rather than to the words of Jesus Christ for their doctrine.
Unmistakably, Jesus taught that HE was the one on whose teachings we build our faith and practice, to BOTH hear and do what He commands. Little children sing about this simple truth in the song "The Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock",
Matt 7
[24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and *doeth* them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
[25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
[26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
The "Great Commission" contains Jesus's last words to us that is HIS commands that are to be taught throughout the world:'
Matt.28:20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I (Jesus) have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen
Finally, Paul states:
Acts.24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, *believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets*
The "law and the prophets" and Jesus and the disciples/Apostles' example give us our foundational teaching regarding God's Holy times, sanctified before sin entered the world. Why ignore Paul's admonition of where our doctrine is to originate?
In conclusion, from internal Biblical evidence, Paul apparently did not teach any different than what the was in the "law and the Prophets", he had no teachings different from Jesus's teaching and practice, he had no teachings different from what the Bereans could find in the Old/First Testament Scriptures. Paul's writings, as Peter wrote, have been misunderstood, which has caused many sharp doctrinal differences that we find prevalent between believers/churches today.
The Bible will interpret itself, if we allow it to, rather than to limit our study to texts we have "cherry picked" which seem to support our position.
Therefore if we have nothing to fear, we must let "all scriptures" help us decide if God has prescribed for us today, and in the future kingdom on earth, a "set day for worship".
Understanding that He did command Sabbath observance, one could ask a similar question, "When Did God decide to change the Holy Day, on which He set aside for our holy convocations, from Sabbath to Sunday?"
If so, where is the evidence that *HE* made the change? Where is the "thus sayeth the Lord/YHWH" on this issue?
In a blog here on BPN, the question was raised, "Is there a Set Day of Worship", the "bishop" asking the question wanted to limit the texts used in this discussion to Romans 14. He also raised comments regarding dietary issues as well as the Sacred Names.
I have responded thusly, however he is moderating the comments on his blog and he has not yet approved my comments. I am therefore posting it here to you, feel free to make any comments or to join the discussion on his blog:
~~~~~~~
"Is there A Set Day For Worship"?
Bro Bishop:
I thought a few days about your proposal that we limit the discussion to your question, "Is there a set day for worship." to one chapter in the Bible, rather than to use all scriptures relevant to these subjects, and found this request inconsistent with internal and external principles of bible study.
Let me present to you the example of the noble Bereans of
Acts 17:10 & 11
And the brethren immediately sent away *Paul* and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and *searched the scriptures daily*, whether those things were so.
What is very interesting the Preachers in this scriptural reference are *Paul* and Silas.
Nowhere are we given any indication that Paul did not support what was already written in the scriptures,
the "Law and the Prophets."
Paul was the one who wrote the following profound message to Timmothy:'
2 Tim 3:16 states -
"*All scripture* is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"
Never did Paul indicate that ONLY in HIS writings are we to learn or base our doctrine.
Paul's testimony from his own lips in
Acts 24:14
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, *beliving all things which are written in the law and in the prophets*:
From these texts we can understand that the Bereans, the Jews and the Romans could already find in the Old/First Testament Scriptures what Paul was teaching. (Remember the NT wasn't compiled until the 4th century.) Anytime the term "scriptures" are used in the NT, the reference is to the "Law, Prophets & Writings of the Old/First Testament."
In order to study the subject which you posed, "Is there a set day of worship" and to fully examine ALL the scriptures that pertain to this subject, we cannot limit this review to one or two of your "favorite" texts.
The following excerpt from a site on how to study the Bible, they discuss the spiritual hazard of "cherry picking" scriptures to develop one's doctrines, or to attempt to prove one's points. This author writes:
"Some come up with a doctrine pulling any verse and then making the claim it supports their position. What happens is interpretation with misapplication, and dislocation of Scripture. This is demonstrated when one begins showing a Scripture, and saying it means something else than what it clearly says. That is no interpretation at all. The Bible is to be presented as it is, to men as they are. Exegesis is an explanation or critical interpretation of a text. Eisegesis is the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it ones own ideas."
I waited to respond to your message, until I could find his item. I know preachers like to tell stories, to give illustrations to help make their points, therefore I present this to you all.
ELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MEN
Once upon a time, there lived six blind men in a village. One day the villagers told them, "Hey, there is an elephant in the village today."
They had no idea what an elephant is. They decided, "Even though we would not be able to see it, let us go and feel it anyway." All of them went where the elephant was. Everyone of them touched the elephant.
"Hey, the elephant is a pillar," said the first man who touched his leg.
"Oh, no! it is like a rope," said the second man who touched the tail.
"Oh, no! it is like a thick branch of a tree," said the third man who touched the trunk of the elephant.
"It is like a big hand fan" said the fourth man who touched the ear of the elephant.
"It is like a huge wall," said the fifth man who touched the belly of the elephant.
"It is like a solid pipe," Said the sixth man who touched the tusk of the elephant.
They began to argue about the elephant and everyone of them insisted that he was right.
~~~~~~~~~~
The problem is with the blind men in this story, is that none of these men could see the full Elephant to get a complete picture of what it looked like. Each one was satisfied with the segment of the Elephant it could feel, but each man was unaware of how the elephant really looked in totality because they did not step back and get a full view of the animal.
Therefore pastor, I implore you if this is to be a scholarly discussion, worth taking your and my valuable time, not to be like one of the blind men in the story above. Don't limit your study to one extremely small segment of our authorized texts. Therefore we have to lay some ground rules, based on the admonitions given in the scripture, by God the Father, Jesus the son of God, by the Prophets, by the apostles, and according to good Biblical hermeneutics.
Peter even gave a warning regarding Paul's writings, (which you have chosen as superior to even Jesus's words and all other Bible references), that they were hard to be understood,
2Pet.3:15b - 16
.......even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
[16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
What Peter feared, has actually come to past throughout church history from that time through our day, that people refer to Paul's words, rather than to the words of Jesus Christ for their doctrine.
Unmistakably, Jesus taught that HE was the one on whose teachings we build our faith and practice, to BOTH hear and do what He commands. Little children sing about this simple truth in the song "The Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock",
Matt 7
[24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and *doeth* them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
[25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
[26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
The "Great Commission" contains Jesus's last words to us that is HIS commands that are to be taught throughout the world:'
Matt.28:20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I (Jesus) have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen
Finally, Paul states:
Acts.24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, *believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets*
The "law and the prophets" and Jesus and the disciples/Apostles' example give us our foundational teaching regarding God's Holy times, sanctified before sin entered the world. Why ignore Paul's admonition of where our doctrine is to originate?
In conclusion, from internal Biblical evidence, Paul apparently did not teach any different than what the was in the "law and the Prophets", he had no teachings different from Jesus's teaching and practice, he had no teachings different from what the Bereans could find in the Old/First Testament Scriptures. Paul's writings, as Peter wrote, have been misunderstood, which has caused many sharp doctrinal differences that we find prevalent between believers/churches today.
The Bible will interpret itself, if we allow it to, rather than to limit our study to texts we have "cherry picked" which seem to support our position.
Therefore if we have nothing to fear, we must let "all scriptures" help us decide if God has prescribed for us today, and in the future kingdom on earth, a "set day for worship".
Understanding that He did command Sabbath observance, one could ask a similar question, "When Did God decide to change the Holy Day, on which He set aside for our holy convocations, from Sabbath to Sunday?"
If so, where is the evidence that *HE* made the change? Where is the "thus sayeth the Lord/YHWH" on this issue?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Daniel Baumet on
-
If you wer4e here right now I would so give you a great big hug!
-
© 2024 Created by Raliegh Jones Jr..
Powered by
