Promises and Secrets

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A website for those not afraid to examine their beliefs, compare them to the real world, and make sure they fit.



Nailed to the Cross?

VIEWPOINT



The ceremonial laws of Moses that specified various practices of sacrifice and cleansing were not nailed to the cross. These laws were written by a man, as dictated by God, and were proven to be inadequate for salvation because they had no power to forgive sins - but they did have power to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and establish good relationships between people. The Ten Commandments are still in effect - all of them. So what was nailed to the cross in Colossians 2:14?

FACT



The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God. Moses wrote down the Mosaic (ceremonial) law as dictated by God.


BLUE VIEWPOINT



If the Ten Commandments were nailed to the cross, is it now permissible to lie, steal, or murder?

Yeah, yeah, that is silly, of course. However, if we know that murder is wrong, and the knowledge of that is written in our hearts, does that mean that we can do it? The same argument applies to any of the other Commandments. So, why is the fourth Commandment different? Why is only that one singled out to be changed. Why not change them all to meet our needs? And what does the fact that they are all written in our hearts have to do with following them as God intended? If you don't have your own answer to these questions, you are practicing what you do because you were told to do so by someone else.

What's the difference?

I have another question, or related series of them. What is the difference between worshipping and resting on Sabbath as opposed to Sunday? What difference would it make to do what God wants? If the difference is negligible, why are people so emotional about the issue? How would that change anything in anyone's life? Oh, I forgot. Following the Sabbath would not allow Friday night "fun" after sundown and people couldn't work around the house on Saturday. Doing it God's way would get in the way. Boy, I hope the dissenters feel OK about that when judgement day comes and they find out that Jesus doesn't know them (Matthew 25:12
12"But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.' "

).

A good reason?

Ask any Sunday keeper why they worship on Sunday and they will give you the same answer - to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. If you first ask them if they keep the Ten Commandments, they will reply that they try their best to keep all of them, but that they were nailed to the cross and have no effect on us today. If that is so, is it OK for us to steal, lie, or murder? Then why should we pick only one to throw out? Why not the fifth or sixth. Why only the fourth?

Now, worshipping on Sunday is not a problem. We can worship on any day without contradicting God's law. However, if you do not observe the Sabbath day of rest, then you are breaking the fourth commandment. Most Sunday keepers go to church for an hour or three, then go out to a restaurant or coffee shop, or go home and mow the lawn and do all the other everyday events that people do on any other day. The trouble is, they did the same thing on the Sabbath - except the go-to-church part.

But, do you honor the day?

The truth is, they do not honor either day fully. Even if they do not do normal work on Sunday, that does not matter if they work on the Sabbath day. The commandment is not vague or easy to misunderstand. The wording is explicit. Yet few realize the physical value of observing the day as a whole from sundown Friday to sundown Sabbath. Once you let down your normal priorities and begin to allow the peace of rest and the quiet meditation that comes naturally, you begin to realize that God really knew what He was doing.

Of course, this odd timing for the Sabbath hours also interferes with their night life on Friday. That is one of the evenings for going out to dinner or partying and it seems to be more important to most than following the commandment of God. Sunday is convenient, as well. It leaves both weekend nights for fun and games.

If you got this far in the discussion, you might want to look at the paper under Sabbath Paper for a more detailed discussion with biblical references. But, let's address the question at the top of the page.

What was nailed to the cross?

A quick search of the list of versions for Colossians 2:14 revealed these 9 at the top of the list from BibleHub:

New International Version
having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

New Living Translation
He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

English Standard Version
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Berean Study Bible
having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!

Berean Literal Bible
having blotted out the handwriting in the decrees against us, which was adverse to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

New American Standard Bible
having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

New King James Version
having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

King James Bible
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

The debt we already owed

I only used the top 9 because they were the most recognized versions. Others were the Christian Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Good New Translation, and Holman Christian Standard Bible, but they all said the same - the debt was candelled, not the law. Notice any difference between what your pastor said last Sunday and what these verses say? You pastor says that the law was nailed to the cross, so it does not affect us Gentiles. But, these verses all say something else. The debt that we accrued because of the law was what was nailed to the cross - not the law. And, that debt was for the sins we had already committed up to the point where we accepted Christ that were forgiven if we repent for them and change our ways, not all debt for any future sins.

So, if it wasn't the law...

I have argued this for hours with pastors (Wesleyan and Baptist). Just how is it that these pastor did not and will not get this message? They must read the same Book that the rest of us do. Now, that does not end the discussion. Most pastors also say that now that you have been forgiven since you accepted His gift, you're home free. They say the law doesn't affect you because you have been forgiven for every sin you will ever commit. You're in! Made it! But, what if it wasn't the law?

Hold on there...

Well, that's according to them, but maybe not according to the Bible. Have you ever read 2 Peter 2:20-21
20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.

or Hebrews 10:26-27
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

? Maybe you should ask your pastor about it.

Most Christians today think that they are saved. Actually, the closest they have come to that is that "if they continue in Christ and stay in the will of the Father, they will be saved when Jesus returns (Hebrews 9:28
28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

). Those verses in the previous paragraph indicate that most are being led down the wrong path when they are told that they can't lose their salvation. Even Paul didn't think that he had made it yet (Phillippians 3:12
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

).

So, we still have to stay in the will of God, and press on in order to attain the goal.






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Sabbath Discussions::

Nailed to the Cross?
Which Day is the Sabbath?
Is Sabbath Keeping Necessary?
Early Christians and Sunday

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