Keeping the Sabbath

Hebrews 4 - The True Sabbath Rest

"Now we who have believed enter that rest" (vs. 3).

The previous Sabbath Rests were typical of the rest that believers daily enjoy.

"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience." (9-11)

No one is obliged to keep the Sabbaths of the Mosaic law, or the rests and holy days of the Old Covenant.

"He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Colossians 2: 13-17 KJV)

No one is under obligation to God to keep the Old Covenant Sabbaths or seek to find rest in any earthly Canaan, but they all are obligated to enter into Christ, the antitypical rest. None are obligated to eat any certain food, but all are obligated to eat the body of Christ, and to drink his blood, which is to receive him by faith.

Every man is under obligation to "keep Sabbath" daily in his devotions and enjoyment of God. All men are not only obligated to love God supremely but to enjoy him, and to do so, in Christ, is to enter into his rest, which is to enter into communion and fellowship with him. It is that state of mind wherein Christ is enthroned.

A person who has entered into God's rest has "ceased from his own works as God did from his." The believer, having been eternally justified by his faith and union with Christ, ceases to strive for pardon and justification, and for birth and adoption into the family of God, for such is once for all given to them when they initially receive Christ.

So, it is not that men are under obligation to keep the Sabbath as did the Jews, be it Saturday or Sunday, but they are under obligation to keep Sabbath by vibrant daily religious devotions and enjoyment of God.