Refuting Sunday-Keeping VII

This is going to be a long series, because we’re going to cover an awful lot concerning it, because Sunday-keeping is so deeply imbedded in what is called Christian thought today. As a matter of fact, anyone who keeps the Sabbath is looked upon as a cult or is looked upon as having deficient or weak faith. even the Jews view it in such a way that Christians who keep the Sabbath are actually an oxymoron. In other words, the Jews claim it for themselves alone. And yet we’ve seen in the series on the Holy Sabbath that we’ve done, and if you don’t have that series, be sure and write for it, that God created the Sabbath. Christ said it was created for mankind. It is not the prerogative of the Jews to say it’s exclusively theirs. And they are saying that they are God’s, when God has said that He gave it for all of mankind.

What we’re going to see in all of this, and what we’ll learn as we go along is this: When men get into religion and leave the way of God, and leave the Scriptures, or take the Scriptures and use them improperly, then they are setting themselves in the seat of God, and they are taking prerogatives to them which only God has. So therefore, they’re coming right back to the same original sin as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden that they are deciding what is right, they are deciding what is wrong, they are judging God. We’re going to see today that the true colors of Protestantism comes out; the true colors of their hatred toward God’s laws comes out; their true twisting of the Scriptures really comes out. And we’ll take it step-by-step as we go through, because this is very important for you to understand and follow through and realize exactly what is being done.

So, again I’ll begin reading from page 25 of this book, Sunday Facts and Sabbath Fiction by Dr. Russell K. Tardo. What we are going to see that this man is what you would call someone who believes in lawlessness. We’ll define lawlessness a little clearer, so we understand it. Now if you don’t have the audio series that we did on The Mystery of Lawlessness, write for it. And if you do not have the other series that we’ve done, which goes through the book of Galatians on circumcision wars, be sure and write for that.

Sunday Facts and Sabbath Fiction by Dr. Russell K. Tardo, pg 25:

4.   Jesus cancelled the Sabbath.

A lot of people believe it. As a matter of fact, in the book, Early Christianity and Hellenistic Judaism_{[transcriber’s correction],} many of the Jews took the same thought of God cancelling the Sabbath as these men have done when they look at John 5.

The words used in John 5:18 to describe exactly what Jesus did, are extremely significant.

First of all you have to understand what He did do and what He did not do.

And therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to slay Him because He had done these things on the Sabbath day, but Jesus answered them, ‘My Father works hitherto and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because not only had He broken the Sabbath, but He said also that God was His Father, making Him equal with God.’ Now the phrase, ‘not only had He broken the Sabbath...

This is the phrase that they are looking at:

...the expression, He, Jesus, had broken the Sabbath, actually declares that Jesus had done nothing less than to cancel the Sabbath commandment.

I want you to think about that. ‘To cancel the Sabbath commandment.’ In other words, He abolished the Sabbath. That’s what they are saying. Now let’s go along, and we’ll read this through and then we will go back and we will examine these statements again, and we will look at the Scriptures properly and we will understand exactly what Jesus did. You just can’t take that one verse out of the middle of the context of the whole chapter and not understand what was going on.

Numerous Greek scholars have stated this to be true. For instance, M. R. Vincent translates: ‘have broken’ literally ‘was loosing’ in the imperfect tense...

That’s correct. Comes from the verb ‘luo’ in the Greek, which means to loose.

...not ‘broke the Sabbath’ in any particular case.

Now that is not necessarily a correct statement, because it would be proper to say that Jesus broke the Sabbath in relationship to the ‘code’ of Jewish laws which we have already previously covered. In other words, if there was anything broken indeed, it was that Jesus transgressed the traditions of the elders, because the traditions of elders are Judaism, and the laws that the Jews have made, which are not binding upon anyone who believes in the Bible.

...but was annulling the law and the duty of Sabbath observance.

Now that’s quite a statement. That is really profound. You need to understand that.

This is exactly what John meant. The word translated ‘was loosing’ has profound legal significance—meaning and context—dealing with laws and judicial decisions. It is the same word Jesus used in Matt. 16:19, ‘Whatsoever you loose on the earth, shall have been loosed in heaven.’ This is used to show legal divorce in the New Testament Church.

Now what we’re going to understand is: You take bit, you take a piece, and you put them together, but you’re not rightly putting together, you’re not rightly dividing the Word of God. Because a ‘loosed’ marriage is based upon law that the marriage was violated and Jesus said, ‘Saving for the cause of fornication,’ and Paul was inspired to write, ‘If the non-believer leaves, then the believer is not bound.’ Only those two cases. So it used in the sense of loosing when there is transgression, not abrogating in the sense that you’re doing away with the marriage law, nor are you doing away with the two exceptions that Jesus gave for loosing a marriage.

Then he quotes the verse:

‘Are you loose from a wife? (1-Cor. 7:27)

and the full verse reads: “Have you been  bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife.” Again, once sentence out of a whole chapter twists and turns the meaning of the Scriptures.

Then he quotes:

2-Peter 3:11-12: “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved.”

And the verb there comes from the base root verb of ‘luo.’

It was even translated to destroy the Son of God was manifest that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Now destroy in the sense of annulling, so that when it’s all annulled, they will be as if they never have been.

And Vincent said it meant in the Greek, ‘to annul laws, and duty of Sabbath observance.

But notice who he’s quoting that says that. He’s quoting Vincent. He’s not quoting the Scripture, because we’re going to see some Scriptures which completely refute this.

Noted Greek authority, V. E. Vine, translates it ‘to loosen,’ especially by way of deliverance...

And all of these things you’re going to see to loosen them from sin, be delivered from sin.

...sometimes has the meaning of breaking or destructively of breaking commandments, not only infringing them, but loosing the force of them rendering them not binding.

Now that can be a true statement when applied to the laws of men. But God is not going to throw away His commandments. His Word stands true and sure forever.

Now next Bullinger defines it: to loose, loosen, unbind, unfasten. Arndt and Gingrich translate it loose, untie, set free, release, to set free from bondage, to break up, destroy, bring to an end, abolish, do away with. Of commandments, laws, statements it means to repeal, annul, abolish, abolish the Sabbath.

Now what they’re all doing in here is reading in what they want.

Thus we see that John 5:18, Jesus is accused not merely of breaking the Sabbath, but of doing away with it entirely. While it’s possible to cite many such scholarly renditions, it would only be redundant. The point is clearly made. Jesus annulled, abolished, and did away with the Sabbath forever. It is no longer binding on any New Testament believer. In fact, the whole of the Law of Moses has been rendered inoperative. The New Testament is clear for all the rabbis to hear, the whole of the Law of Moses has been rendered operative by the death of the Lord Jesus. The law in its entirely no longer has any immediate or forensic authority or jurisdiction over anyone and this is evidenced in three ways.

We will go into those three ways a little later. Let’s stop right here, and let’s begin with some very basic Scriptures. Let’s go to Psalm 111 first. Now you need to understand something very important and always remember it. The One Who was the Lord God of the Old Testament was the One Who divested Himself of His divinity and became the Lord Jesus Christ. So anything that it talks about here concerning God’s laws, concerning God’s commandments, are binding not only Old Testament and New Testament.

Psalm 111:7: “The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever; they are done in truth and uprightness” (vs 7-8). Now let’s compare this statement. The Bible says that all His commandments are sure, they stand fast forever and ever, they are done in truth and uprightness compared to this. Here’s what Tardo wrote:

Jesus annulled, abolished, did away with the Sabbath forever.

Now who’s telling a lie, the man or God? We know the Scriptures tell us that it’s impossible for God to lie, so this man who wrote this book is a liar. Now he may be lying in ignorance or in blind deception, but nevertheless he’s still lying.

Verse 9: “He sent redemption unto His people; He has commanded His covenant forever; Holy and awesome [reverend] is His name.... [That’s why no man who professes to be a minister of any kind should take the name reverend or the title father, nor should he be called master; or in the case of the eastern oriental religion, gurus, because that means master. Christ has forbidden all of that! Only God’s name is sanctified. Only God’s name is Holy!] ...The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever” (vs 9-10).

God says His commandments are going to endure forever. A man who hates the Sabbath says, ‘It’s been done away.’ Now let’s find out the truth concerning what Jesus said. Let’s go to Matthew 5, we need to have this in our minds when we come to John 5, so we understand exactly what it’s saying.

Now let’s come to Matthew 5:17. Either this is true and Christ spoke the truth—and He is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’ understand that, (John 14:6)—or this is a lie. And if this is a lie, then the Scriptures cannot be true and whatever you believe then is in vain, because you believe a lie.

Matthew 5:17, Jesus said: “‘Do not think... [Which means, don’t even let it enter into your mind. Don’t even let this thought proceed in your head, let alone write and print it as he has here.] ...Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law... [‘luo’ Oh, he wouldn’t quote that there with ‘destroy,’ would he? No! Then he would lose his case. So selective picking and choosing of Scriptures so you can tippy-toe your way through the false Protestant doctrine and Catholic doctrine shows the lying errors of their ways.] ...Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.’”

And fulfill does not mean to destroy. Fulfill does not mean to do away. Fulfill means, in the sense of Jesus and the Prophets, everything concerning His first coming was fulfilled, but that didn’t do away with it. That now becomes evidence and proof of His coming, the reason why He came. The fact that God’s Word is true and the fact that these things were prophesied shows the veracity and truth and inspiration of the Word of God, which you can depend upon it. And the very things back there in the book of Moses, which prophesied about Jesus Christ, have been fulfilled. But was that Scripture done away? Absolutely not! No way!

Let’s go back to Deuteronomy 18. This is really something. We are dealing with lawlessness of the highest and most clever degree that men have come up with to keep their own carnal ways and to keep Sunday. They won’t repent from it. And I tell you what, it’s about time some of these Protestant ministers start repenting of their lies and their cheating and using God’s Word in the way that they do to say things and represent to God, represent to people things that God has never done. It says there in the book of Isaiah that ‘you made Me to serve with your sins,’ said God. And that’s exactly what they’re doing.

Now notice Deuteronomy 18:15: “The LORD your God will raise up unto you a Prophet... [If you want a sermon explaining all about that, you write in for That Prophet, and it will go through the whole thing in great detail showing that Christ was that Prophet and He fulfilled it. But these Scriptures are still living proof. Once it’s fulfilled does not mean it’s done away. It now becomes evidence of the truth and power of God. It now becomes evidence that the prophecies of God being fulfilled, spoken thousands of years before, shows the power of the living God to carry His word through all generations.] ...from the midst of you, of your brethren, One like me. To Him you shall hearken…. [That means you shall listen to Him. And if you don’t listen to Him, you’re in trouble.] …According to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, so that I do not die.’” (vs 15-16).

And that’s exactly what carnal nature is. They cannot stand to hear the Word of God. They cannot stand to have the commandments of God. So the children of Israel said, ‘Oh, Moses, you go speak with God and we will hear you.’ But the fact is, even though God spoke to Moses first, did not change the reality that what was spoken was the Word of God, as we saw last time concerning the Law of Moses.

“And the LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well what they have spoken’” (v 17). That’s why Christ came. And He really said this, what He’s doing with this: ‘Since you won’t listen to Me in My glorified form, I’m going to come to you in the flesh, since you want to hear someone who’s flesh and blood,’ and that’s exactly what Jesus did. He gave up all His glory and divinity as God, and came to this earth as a human being, born of the virgin Mary, had flesh and blood just like we have.

Now notice, because that is a fact, what God is going to hold responsible, v 18: “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, One like you, and will put My words in His mouth. And He shall speak to them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass, whatever man will not hearken to My words which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him” (vs 18-19). So you’re under that judgment.

• Will you hear the words of Christ?
• Will you hear the inspiration of the New Testament?
• Will you listen to Heb. 4:9 which says, ‘Therefore, there remains Sabbath-keeping for the people of God,’ meaning Jews and Gentiles?

A direct command for keeping the Sabbath. That’s under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit from Jesus Christ to the Apostle Paul. Will you hear those words? If you won’t hear those words, God is going to require it of you. He is going to judge you. Every time you justify yourself and say, ‘Well, God knows my heart,’ He does!

• Is your heart repentant?
• Are you obedient?

OR

• Are you carnal and making excuses?

‘Well, I’m so good, God knows my heart, so if I keep Sunday that’s just fine with God.’ No, it’s not!

Russell Tardo ought to read this, v 20 “But the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in My name which I have not commanded him to speak... [And all the commands are right here in the Bible.] (Notice what’s going to happen): ...or who shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.” Why? Because what he’s doing is sin and ‘the wages of sin is death.’

Now, let’s come back here to Matthew 5. These are the words of Christ. We just read it. God is going to hold you responsible. God is going to hold every human being on earth responsible, especially if you have received the Word of God in your house. Now if you have the Bible in your house, but you haven’t read it, that’s not God’s fault. How ever you got it there, God made sure you had it. So it’s about time as some have said, ‘You better pick it up and blow the dust off so that you can understand the Word of God.’

Now back here Matthew 5:17: “Do not think... [Don’t even let it enter into your mind.] ...that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until the heaven and the earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the Law until everything has been fulfilled” (vs 17-18). Now what are jots and tittles? Jots and tittles are part of the Hebrew alphabet. What does this tell us? This tells us very clearly it’s referring to the Old Testament.

So there can be no blanket abrogation of those laws by a decree of man. Now notice what Jesus said, ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away,’ but heaven and earth has not passed away. We’re still on the earth and the heaven is still above us; and yea, Christ is returning from the heavens. He’s going to bring the power and glory of God and the Kingdom of God and they are going to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days all the way through the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. You need to understand that.

We are dealing with profound and deep issues. We are dealing with the Truth of God versus the lies of men and Satan the devil. We are dealing with the purity of the Gospel of Christ vs the corruption of it by those who are Gnostics and bringing in their own ideas and own false interpretations.

Verse 19: “Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments...” Where? What commandment, where? Jot and tittle in the Old Testament. What do you consider the least commandment? Apparently Russell Tardo considers the Sabbath one of the least commandments—doesn’t he? You think about that! Now before you say in your mind, ‘Boy, he’s sure going after them.’ Listen, if you think what I’m saying is tough, do you want to go before Christ and explain it to Him? Now you better listen to the words of the Bible. You better listen to the Scriptures, because that’s going to judge you, not any man. Protestant doctrine is not going to judge you, Catholic doctrine is not going to judge you, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu doctrine is not going to judge you. The laws and commandments of God and Christ are going to judge you. Jesus said all judgment was given to Him. Here’s part of the judgment.

“...whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven... [Which means that you won’t even exist, because no sinner is going to enter into the Kingdom of God. All sinners are going to be cast in the Lake of Fire, which is the second death.] ...but whoever shall practice and teach them, this one shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven…. [Now then, let’s understand what would be necessary to have in the New Testament, if there were a change in the Sabbath from Sabbath to Sunday. Let’s understand what it would take.] …For I say to you, unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees...” (vs 19-20). Theirs was all letter of the law with Judaism, which made void the laws and commandments of God. So your righteousness has to be based upon

• the Scriptures of God
• the Word of God
• with the Spirit of God

and that’s how it will exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

“...there is no way that you shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven….[You want eternal life? You’re not going to get it your way. You’re only going to get it God’s way and it has to come through Christ.] …You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, ‘You shall not commit murder; but whoever commits murder shall be subject to judgment.’ But I say to you, everyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be subject to judgment. Now you have heard it said, “Whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be subject to the judgment of the council.” But I say to you, whoever shall say, “You fool, “ shall be subject to the fire of Gehenna’” (vs 20-22). Those are pretty strong words—aren’t they? So if you believe in the sweet, little Lord Jesus who has long hair you’ve got the wrong Jesus. You don’t understand that Bible at all. And if you want to understand it, you better get your nose into it and read it and understand it.

Let’s come over here to v 27: “You have heard that it was said to those in ancient times, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you, everyone who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (vs 27-28).

Notice, here’s what Tardo writes:

In fact the whole Law of Moses has been rendered inoperative.

• Where do you find ‘You shall not commit adultery’?
• Where do you find ‘You shall not kill’?
• Where do you find ‘You shall not steal’?
• Are those not the laws of God,
• Are those not the Ten Commandments?

No question about it.

So if the Sabbath had been changed from the seventh day to the first day, you would have to have a clear defined statement by Jesus Christ, which you cannot find. But you would have to find it in the New Testament first person by Jesus Christ, because He is the One Who gave the Sabbath commandment, yea, He’s the One Who created the Sabbath. That statement would have to read, ‘You’ve heard it said in old time, you shall remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy, but I say unto you, you shall remember the first day of the week to keep it Holy.’ No such command exists in the Bible anywhere! Not in the New Testament, you can search in vain. You will never find it.

Now what men did later in twisting and turning the Word of God so they can justify Sunday-keeping, now that’s another whole story. We’ll get to that as we come in this series. Now let’s understand what’s happening here. Let’s come back to James, the fourth chapter _[corrected], and let’s realize what’s occurring, one of the greatest sins that’s occurring with this kind of thinking and this kind of judgment concerning God’s law.

James 4:12: “But here is only one Lawgiver...” No man, no church, no council, regardless of how religious they may be, how high their office in the world may be accepted, can change the laws of God.

Let’s just prove a point. James 2:10: “For if anyone keeps the whole law, but sins in one aspect, he becomes guilty of all…. [You think about that! The reason the Sabbath isn’t mentioned here is because he wrote this to Sabbath-keeping people. There was not the Sunday controversy at the time that James wrote.] (So notice, he focuses in on these commandments): …For He Who said, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘You shall not commit murder.… [So this ties exactly in with what we covered in Matt. 5 with what Jesus said—right?] ...Now if you do not commit adultery, but you commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law” (vs 10-11).

Now let’s come back and see the greatest transgression of the law, James 4:11: “Brethren, do not talk against one another.... [That doesn’t mean that we don’t point out wrong in doctrine, or evil in doctrine.] ...The one who talks against a brother... [And, of course, a brother is one who has been baptized and is in the Church with you.] ...one who talks against a brother, and judges his brother, is speaking against the law... [That’s exactly what is happening with these statements. Is this not speaking evil of the law? No question about it!] ...But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law; rather, you are a judge. But there is only one Lawgiver...” (vs 11-12).

Since there is one Lawgiver, who are you judging? You’re judging God! And if you say, ‘Well, that Sabbath commandment was just for the Jews. We Gentiles don’t have to keep it today.’ And yet we saw last time how that the Gentiles were in the synagogues keeping the Sabbath—didn’t we? Yes! You judge the law, you judge God. When you say God did not mean this, you are judging God. Did God ever speak a lie? Did God ever do anything in vain? Did He? No! But this man [Tardo] thinks so and this is his Sunday-keeping philosophy where he makes God the villain, where he makes the law evil. He’s judging the law and he’s certainly not a doer of it and he’s judging God because he’s accusing Christ of abolishing the Sabbath, when Christ said in His own words that He ‘did not come to abolish or destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill.’

And concerning His personal life on earth in the flesh, everything was fulfilled. But that didn’t fulfill the entirety of the Scriptures, because there is the whole prophecy of the Church. There’s the whole New Testament Church. There are all the prophecies concerning His second coming. None of those have been fulfilled in the sense as it was with His first coming. Those are all yet to be fulfilled. But God’s Word is living and true and will carry its weight. It’s going to go the way the way God has said.

Now let’s understand something concerning lawlessness. We have covered this before, but I want to cover it again and I want to make sure that we fully grasp what is being said, and what is being done, and how Christ looks at it. Let’s come back here to Matt, 7. It seems as though lately, because there’s so much going around—in the way of false doctrine, in the way of teaching contrary to the commandments of God—yet all done in the name of God. This is important to understand and grasp.

Matthew 7:13: “Enter in through the narrow gate... [That means it’s difficult.] ...for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction... [And what is the ultimate destruction? The Lake of Fire, that’s the ultimate destruction.] ...and many [the majority.] are those who enter through it.”

Do you think that all of these churches with all of their billions of members, counting the Catholics and orthodox and Protestant, that they are on the straight and the narrow? No, they’re on the broad way and it’s going to get even more broad. And they are going to accept all kinds of things in the name of ecumenism, which are nothing but pagan, heathen lies. They will be responsible for taking Christ in the image of other people, and pulling Him down to being a ‘good man.’ Christ was the very God in the flesh, the Son of God the Father! Not an ordinary man, not just a prophet,

• a Savior
• a King
• a Redeemer

That’s why he gives these warnings, because people go out, men go out and they want to set up their religion and they want to be Holy and they want to be sanctimonious. They want to have people and they want to have power and they want to have money and numbers and buildings and land and control. That’s all of this world, that’s not of God. That’s the broad way.

Now notice: “For narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it…. [Have you found it? Are you looking for it? It’s here in the Bible, but you’ve got to rightly divide the Word of God. You’ve got to believe it, and you’ve got to follow it. No question about it!] …But beware of false prophets... [You want an interesting study, get out your concordance and look up false prophets. How many times Jesus said, ‘Beware of false prophets. Let no man deceive you. Let no one steal your crown.’] ...beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing...” (vs 14-15).

• they try and appear Christian
• they name themselves Christian
• they call themselves Christians

—but Christian means follower of Christ. Are they following Christ? No, they’re following their way. They’re following their own ideas. They are making their own traditions. They are using their own interpretations and they are believing satanic lies and have no Truth in them.

(go to the next track)

He says: “But beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, for within they are ravening wolves....” (v 15). And this is what is produced by ravening wolves:

• they hate the law of God
• they despise it
• they won’t obey it

—and yet they claim the name of Jesus Christ. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t live in a state of sin and be accepted as righteous. An impossibility!

“You shall know them by their fruits. They do not gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles, do they? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a corrupt tree produces evil fruit…. [This is evil fruit, no question about it.] …Every tree that is not producing good fruit is cut down and is cast into the fire. Therefore, you shall assuredly know them by their fruits…. [Now then Jesus made it clear. Now He’s talking about the false prophets. Let’s see how He describes them. This is very profound to grasp.] …Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven... [We just read back here in Matt. 5 how you’re going to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, by doing and practicing the commandments of God.] ...but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven’” (vs 16-21).

• What is the will of the Father?
• Is it the will of the Father to do away with His laws and commandments?
• Did He not create them?
• Did He not create the Sabbath?

Yes, He did He created it for a special time

• so we can fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ on the Sabbath day
• a day wherein we don’t work
• a day in where we study the Word of God
• a day wherein we assemble together as brethren
• we come together and let the Spirit of God bring us
  • His love
  • His Truth
  • His understanding right from the Word of God.

So if you’re not doing the will of God, you’re not going to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven—which, by the way. is coming to the earth when Christ returns.

“...but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven.... [The Greek for ‘doing’ there is ‘poieo,’ in the present tense, meaning the one who is doing or practicing the will of My Father Who is in heaven.] ...Many will say to Me in that day... [What day is that? That’s the judgment day we read of back there in Deut. 18.] ...Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name?….’” (vs 21-22). Now this means bringing forth prophecies, but also it means speaking in Your name. Are not these men using these things, using the name of Christ?

“‘And did we not cast out demons through Your name?... [or devils] ...And did we not perform many works of power through Your name?’…. [Now notice Jesus’ answer]: …And then I will confess to them, “I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work [practice] lawlessness” (vs 22-23). Now it says here (KJV) ‘you who work iniquity,’ The Greek word there is ‘anomia,’ which means lawlessness. Now the meaning of lawlessness is this: You reject the laws of God, and you embrace your own laws instead. That in 2-Thess. 2 is called the ‘mystery of lawlessness,’ which religiously is going to encompass all the religions of this world before Jesus Christ returns. And it is a mystery because it looks so good and retains some of the laws of God.

Is it the will of God that you practice part of the laws? part of the commandments? OR Is it the will of God that you practice all of His laws and all of His commandments? If you don’t think it’s His will that you do all, then you better read James 2 again. If you don’t believe that we should do all, then what you are doing, you say that God did it in vain. Now where are they going? They’re going to the Lake of Fire. “Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness” (v 23).

Now let’s come back here to the Epistle of 1-John, and let’s see something very profound, very important, a very basic Scripture. Then we will come to understand even more concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning the things of justification. We’re going to go through all of it, so you need to stick around, because this is going to be a long series. We’re going to cover a lot of things. But we’re going to do it step-by-step, going through the Word of God, explaining it, understanding it, believing, realizing what God has said what we need to do.

1-John 3:4 is a very basic Scripture, which you need to memorize. And always understand this: “Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness.” This is New Testament doctrine—isn’t it? John wrote it, didn’t he? Yes, he did! In the Greek it reads, ‘for sin is lawlessness,’ or ‘anomia.’ You reject the laws and commandments of God.

1-John 2:3—let’s read something very important here: “And by this standard we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments.” Now don’t let anyone trick you into saying, ‘Well, these are just the commandments of Jesus.’ Did Jesus ever change the Sabbath command to Sunday? No! Did any of the commands of Jesus Christ conflict with any of the commands that we could say came from God the Father? No! Jesus came to do the will of the Father! So if you know Christ, you keep His commandments.

“The one who says, ‘I know Him’ and does not keep His commandments... [And this is ‘poieo’ again, is not practicing His commandments.] ...is a liar, and the Truth is not in him” (v 4). Now what does that make Russell Tardo? John said he’s a liar. Very clear!

Now let’s come back over here to 1-John 3 and let’s understand this very clearly. We’re dealing with some profound things here. 1-John 3:5: “And you know that He [Christ] appeared in order that He might take away our sins... [What is sin? Transgression of the law! What did Jesus tell the man in John 5? ‘Go and sin no more!’ Now we’ll see that in just a bit.] ...and in Him is no sin.”

Now then, let’s understand something profound here. Since in Christ is no sin, He did not transgress the law. Therefore, if He had abolished the Sabbath as claimed by this man and other men, He would have sinned grossly, and He could not be our Savior. Now that’s how important that what we’re talking about really is. Now we’ll see it a little of that in just a minute here.

“Everyone who dwells in Him does not practice sin... [That means, does not practice sin, because what we’re talking about is practicing sin or practicing righteousness.] ...anyone who practices sin has not seen Him, nor has known Him” (v 6). So there were those men going around at that time and saying, ‘I’ve seen the Lord, I was one of the four thousand. I was one of the five thousand. I heard Him speak.’ And yet he’s practicing sin.

One thing we need to understand, there were a lot of Jewish Gnostic sects which believed in sun-worship and Sunday-keeping. They were coming around saying to the brethren who were keeping the laws and commandments of God, ‘You don’t have to keep them. You don’t have to keep the Sabbath. You don’t have to do any of those things.’ So here he’s fighting that right here by saying:

“...anyone who practices sin... [That is living in sin. If you’re breaking the Sabbath and living in adultery, or if you’re stealing, or if you’re lying, or if you have idols, or you bow down to them or you have other gods, you are living in sin.] ...has not seen Him, nor has known Him. Little children, do not allow anyone to deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil... [What is sin? ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ Who was the first lawless one? Satan the devil! If you are against the laws and commandments of God, you are on the devil’s side. It says so right here. You are a child of the devil] ...because the devil has been sinning from the beginning…. [Do you grasp that? If you are breaking the Sabbath and if you are keeping Sunday, you have two sins to your credit already that you are living in. You can use the name of Jesus Christ ten million times over ten million times, and you’re still living in sin. You need to understand that.] …For this purpose the Son of God appeared that He might destroy [annul] the works of the devil” (vs 6-8).

Now let’s understand something concerning sin. Let’s understand something concerning law. Let’s come to the book of Romans 2:11: “Because there is no respect of persons with God... [Do you understand that? That means no man is above the laws and commandments of God. God is not going to let one live in sin and condemn another who lives in sin. God is not going to let some keep Sunday, and let some keep Sabbath, and let some keep Friday, or any other day of the week that He has not commanded. ‘God is no respecter of persons.’] ...For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law... [And that means without the knowledge of the laws of God. They’re still going to die, because they are living in sin. ‘The wages of sin is death.’] ...and as many as have sinned within the law... [That is knowing the laws of God.] ...shall be judged by the law…. [And ‘sin is the transgression of the law.’ Sin is lawlessness and the law will judge you.] …(Because the hearers of the law are not just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified).” (vs 11-13). Why don’t the Protestant ministers read that? Because it wipes away their whole case of cheap grace and lawlessness. That’s why they don’t read it. They don’t dare read it and yet they claim that the Apostle Paul has given them liberty to do these things. Those are satanic lies.

Now, let’s come down here to v 25, going to talk about the Jews and the Gentiles. Let’s understand something concerning New Testament doctrine and law. Verse 25: “For on the one hand, circumcision profits if you are observing the law... [See, because ‘God is no respecter of persons.’ So if the Jews have all their laws of Judaism, which cancel the laws of God, they are breakers of the law.] ...on the other hand, if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcised is keeping the requirements of the law... [That is in spirit and in truth.] ...shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?” (vs 25-26).

You write for the sermon series, The Circumcision Wars. Because we have a greater circumcision today and that is the circumcision of the heart and the mind through the baptism of Christ. “And shall not the uncircumcised, who by nature is fulfilling the law judge you, who, with the letter and circumcision, are a transgressor the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is external in the flesh; rather, he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men from God” (vs 27-29).

Let’s understand something very profound concerning sin. Let’s look at some of these things, and we’ll talk a little bit about grace. Come here to Romans 4:15. I don’t know if you’ve ever gone to any Protestant revivals; the minister gets up there and says, ‘Oh, open your heart and give your heart to the Lord and He’ll forgive your sins. The wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life.’ Then turn right around and say that God has done away with the law. Well, they’re stuck with a profound problem and here it is.

Romans 4:15 _{[transcriber’s correction]}: “For the law works out wrath... [That is if you transgress it.] ...because where no law is, there is no transgression.” Do you understand that? If truly the laws of God were done away as claimed here, where he says in fact, the whole of the Law of Moses has been rendered inoperative, there would be no sin, because there would be no law; there would be no commandments. God could not hold you accountable for sin. But there is law and there is sin, and the law stands as Christ said, ‘As long as the heaven and earth are here.’

Let’s read some pretty profound things here. Romans 3:9: “What then? Are we... [That is those Jews who first had Christ preached to them as Paul says.] ...of ourselves better?.... [that is the Gentiles] ...Not at all! For we have already charged both Jews and Gentiles—ALL—with being under sin.... [All! The laws and commandments of God are going to judge all, because all have sinned.]

Verse 23: ...For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Now we’ll talk about justification a little later when we get to it. But I want to cover this thing concerning law.

Verse 31: “Are we then, abolishing law through faith? MAY IT NEVER BE! Rather, we are establishing law.” How do you establish the law? Because with faith and belief and baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit, and entering into the New Covenant, there is a different way that the law is. It’s not written on the tablets of stone, but in your heart.

Let’s go to Hebrews 10. Here’s how law is established by giving you the desire to do it, by when you hear the laws and commandments of God you say, ‘Oh, Lord, help me to do them’—rather than—‘Well, why did God give that law? Why, that takes away all my fun. I can’t go lusting and whoring around, and gambling and drinking and carousing and swearing and cursing, and stealing and robbing and murdering and committing idolatry, and having other religions.’ No, there’s repentance. Where there’s repentance and where there is baptism, receiving of the Holy Spirit of God, then you enter into the covenant.

Hebrews 10:16: “‘This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days,’ says the Lord: ‘I will give My laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds; and their sins and lawlessness... [sins and iniquities, which are transgressions of the law. These are sins and lawlessness.] ...I will not remember ever again”’” (vs 16-17). That’s how law is established.

• you believe God
• you believe what He says
• you believe Christ

Let’s look at it again here, Romans 6:1, and we’ll see what I just said is born out right here. “What then shall we say?.... [Concerning the grace of God that He will forgive your sins, concerning the grace of God that He would call you and open your mind and grant you the Holy Spirit and grant you repentance.] ...What then shall we say? Shall we continue sin, so that grace may abound? MAY IT NEVER BE!.... [And the Greek means don’t ever let this thought come into your mind.] ...We who died to sin, how shall we live any longer therein?.... [‘Sin is the transgression of the law’—correct? You died to lawbreaking. When you are baptized, you die to lawbreaking that you may live to law-keeping in Christ, in the Spirit, in Truth.] ...Or are you ignorant that we, as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death?” (vs 1-3).

Now you need to write for the sermon, The True Meaning of Baptism. It is a profound thing. It is not just a simple little dunking or sprinkling. You enter into a death covenant with God. That’s why these things are so profound. You need that sermon, The True Meaning of Baptism.

“Therefore, we were buried with Him through the baptism into the death; so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, in the same way, we also should walk in newness of life” (v 4). And newness of life is the way,

• walking in the Spirit
• walking in the Truth
• keeping the commandments of God
• walking in the light of Christ

Now notice here’s a promise: “For if we have been conjoined together in the likeness of His death, so also shall we be in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old was co-crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be destroyed... [And what they want to do here, the Protestant doctrine is, that they want to destroy the body of Truth and the commandments of God. Not sin, they want to live in sin and perpetuate sin. You need to think on that.] ...so that we might no longer be enslaved to sin… [Now let’s translate that into very clear terminology: That henceforth we should not serve lawbreaking. Do you grasp that?] …Because the one who has died to sin has been justified from sin” (vs 5-7). You are not freed from the law. You are freed or justified from sin. There is a vast difference.

Let’s look at the whole thing here, John 5:1: “After these things there was a Feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And there is in Jerusalem at the sheep gate a pool, called Bethesda in Hebrew, which has five porches. And in these porches were lying a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame and withered. They were waiting for the stirring of the water. For from time to time, an angel descended into the pool and agitated the water; and the first one to enter after the agitation of the water was made well from whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had been suffering with an infirmity for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him lying there, and, knowing that he had been there a long time, said to him, ‘Do you desire to be made whole?’ And the infirm man answered Him, ‘Sir, I do not have anyone to put me in the pool after the water has been agitated. But while I am going, another one steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Arise, take up your bedroll and walk’” (vs 1-8).

Now what kind of bed was it that he had? Just a little roll out, what we might call a sleeping bag, probably not weighing any more than five, maybe ten pounds at the most. But the Jews had a law that if you lifted anything greater than the size of an olive, you were carrying a burden on the Sabbath. We will see that that is the law which Jesus loosed, not the Sabbath law.

Verse 9: “And immediately the man was made whole; and he took up his bedroll and walked. Now that day was a Sabbath. For this reason, the Jews said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath Day. It is not lawful for you to take up your bedroll’” (vs 9-10). By whose law? Can you find it in the Old Testament? ‘Thou shalt not on the Sabbath day carry your bedroll?’ Find it if you can, it isn’t there. Therefore, since it’s not a law, it is lawful for him to carry it and Jesus would never command anyone to sin—would He? If He did, Christ then would be the minister of sin—wouldn’t He? Yes! And if He’s the minister of sin, then He’s not a Savior. But who is the minister of sin? Those who do away with the commandments of God, teach lies, those who misinterpret what was going on.

And I’ll tell you right here once again, if you are not familiar with the book, Code of Jewish Law, which we covered in Refuting Sunday-Keeping #5, then you don’t have a clue as to what Judaism is. What you might do if you are a Protestant and you go to church on Sunday, you might go to your Protestant minister and ask him, ‘Have you ever heard of the book, Code of Jewish Law? Do you know what it is? Do you know of the thousands of laws that are in there?’ That, my friend, is Judaism. Commandment-keeping is not Judaism. These Jews were preaching Judaism. That’s why they hated Jesus, because they would lose power. Not only did they lose power, they lost their nation, they lost their city, they lost their temple, and were scattered into the four winds of the world, scattered across the face of the earth for a hissing, a curse, because they rejected Jesus Christ. Now that is not anti-Semitic; that is a fact of history. Now the Jews will say, ‘That’s anti-Semitism.’ No, it’s not. It’s a fact of history. That’s what it is.

“He answered them, ‘The one Who made me whole said to me, “Take up your bedroll and walk.”’.... [Again, would Jesus command someone to sin? No! Would He command someone to break the Sabbath? No!] ...Then they asked him, ‘Who is the one Who said to you, “Take up your bedroll and walk”?’ But the man who had been healed did not know Who it was, for Jesus had moved away, and a crowd was in the place. After these things, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘Behold, you have been made whole. Sin no more... [What is sin? ‘Sin is the transgression of the law.’ Sin is lawlessness! Why was he sick? Because he was living in a state of sin!] (Jesus said): …Sin no more, so that something worse does not happen to you’” (vs 11-14). In other words, sin is still binding. If you sin, what’s going to happen to you is going to be worse than your first estate.

 “The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him whole. And for this cause, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him... [Now this is the verse that they took right out of the middle of the context there, not even explaining what was going on.] ...because He had done these things on a Sabbath” (vs 15-16). Didn’t Jesus say, ‘Is it not lawful to do good on the Sabbath Day’? Didn’t He say in another place, ‘Don’t you even take your animals out and water them on the Sabbath day’? And in that case where there was a man whose arm was all withered, He said, ‘Should not this man be healed on the Sabbath Day’? And all the people rejoiced and the Pharisees and scribes were hateful and angry. That same hatred and bitterness is in Judaism to this day.

“But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I work’” (v 17).

• What kind of work was being done on the Sabbath?
• Was Jesus laboring?
• Was He fishing?
• Where was He? He was at the temple.
• What was He doing? He was teaching!
• What kind of work is that? That’s a spiritual work!

‘And My Father works.’ The Father does spiritual work on the Sabbath to build the character that Christ can be created in you, that you are His workmanship. That’s what He’s doing. There is the work of healing. There is the work of releasing from sin. That’s what the Sabbath is all about. Not about whether you carry a burden bigger than an olive.

“So then, on account of this saying, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, not only because He had loosed the Sabbath...” (v 18). ‘broken’ (KJV) is an unfortunate translation. He didn’t annul it, He didn’t destroy it, He didn’t abrogate it, because He said, ‘Think not that I’ve come to destroy the law.’ And Jesus did not contradict Himself, because if He contradicted Himself then He would have lied. And if He would have lied, then He cannot be our Savior, because He would have sinned. Do you understand that? So therefore He loosed the Sabbath from this commandment of Judaism about not carrying a burden on the Sabbath. All he was doing was carrying his bedroll, no more than a sleeping bag. ‘Not only had He broken the Sabbath,’ He didn’t break the Sabbath, He loosed the Sabbath.

“...but also because He had called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God” (v 18). That’s why it’s important when you’re studying the Bible. You read not just a single verse, you read the verses before and the verses after. You take it in context. You have to ask:

• What does it say?
• What does it not say?
• Who is it said to?
• Who said it?

Get all the other Scriptures concerning it, put it together properly. So Jesus said right here, ‘Go sin no more. Take up your bedroll and walk.’ That didn’t break the Sabbath. That loosed the Sabbath from that stringent law which men connived to put on it, so they could have their religion.

Verse 19: “Therefore, Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, to Son has no power to do anything of Himself, but only what He sees the Father do.... [Clear indication right there, absolute proof not an indication, but proof that Jesus did not abrogate the Sabbath, because the Father would not abrogate the Sabbath, because it was the will of the Father that the Sabbath commandment be given.] ...has no power to do anything of Himself... [So Christ could not unilaterally do it.] ...but only what He sees the Father do. For whatever He does, these things the Son also does in the same manner.’”

Come down here to v 30: “‘I have no power to do anything of Myself...’” So in telling the man here to take up his bedroll and walk that was the will of God the Father in heaven above. Did it break the Sabbath? No! Did it abrogate the Sabbath? No! Did it make all the laws of Moses inoperative? I speak as if I’m insane! No, it did not! Let me read this again from Sunday Facts & Sabbath Fiction:

Thus we see that in John 5:18, Jesus is accused not merely of breaking the Sabbath, but of doing away with it.

Nonsense! If He would have done away with it, do you think that the Jews would have been after Him even more? Do you not think that they would have come on Him right then and killed Him? And had He done it, God would have allowed them to, because ‘the wages of sin is death.’ And Jesus would have to have died for that sin of abrogating the Sabbath.

Verse 30: “I have no power to do anything of Myself; but as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father, Who sent Me.” Profound! You need to understand—the will of God is to keep the Sabbath. That’s why it’s Holy, because God puts His presence in it. God does not put His presence in Sunday, a day that man has declared, a day in which man has judged God, the Lawgiver, and said, ‘God, Your law is not worthy of me. Your law has been abrogated by Christ.’ That is a lie!

Verse 36: “But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works that the Father gave Me to complete, the very works that I am doing, themselves bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me…. [And God is not lawless. The Father is not lawless, He would not abrogate those.] …And the Father Himself, Who sent Me, has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice nor seen His form at any time. And you do not have His Word dwelling in you... [So they didn’t have the Word of God in them. All they had were their own laws. They had Judaism, they didn’t have the Scriptures of God.] ...you do not have His Word dwelling in you, for you do not believe Him Whom He has sent. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think that you have eternal life; and they are the ones that testify of Me.... [We read that in Deut. 18.] ...But you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I have known you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves” (vs 37-42).

Now then let’s go to 1-John 5. If they do not have the love of God in them, what does John say about that? I know we’ve covered this before, but sometimes it’s good to come back and look at it again from a different perspective after we’ve covered other things. 1-John 5:2: “By this standard we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments... [Again, the Greek there is ‘poieo,’ practice His commandments.] ...and His commandments are not burdensome” (vs 2-3). That means burdensome. And every Protestant minister needs to repent of proclaiming that the Sabbath is a burden. They need to repent of the fact, and every Sunday-keeper needs to repent of the fact, that they don’t know anything about Judaism, nor what Judaism did to the law of God, nor understand that that was the fight and the battle going on there, not whether the laws of God were abrogated or not. That’s nonsense!

Because if they say it’s abrogated, then you have to prove that the heaven and earth does not exist, that it has passed away. And it hasn’t passed away. This is the love of God, and those Pharisees did not have the love of God. They buried the commandments of God and His Truth under thousands and thousands and thousands of man-made laws and traditions to where they couldn’t even have the common sense of being joyful that a man was healed of a 38-year-old infirmity. Amazing!

“…This is the love of God: that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.”

Scriptures from The Holy Bible In Its Original Order by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

1. Psalm 111:7-10
2. Matthew 5:17
3. Deuteronomy 18:15-20
4. Matthew 5:17-22, 27-28
5. James 4:12
6. James 2:10-11
7. James 4:11-12
8. Matthew 7:13-23
9. 1-John 3:4
10. 1-John 2:3-4
11. 1-John 3:5-8
12. Romans 2:11-13, 25-29
13. Romans 4:15
14. Romans 3:9, 23, 31
15. Hebrews 10:16-17
16. Romans 6:1-7
17. John 5:1-19, 30, 36-42
18. 1-John 5:2-3

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• John 5
• John 14:6
• Hebrews 4:9
• 2-Thessalonians 2

Also referenced:

Sermons:

• That Prophet
• The True Meaning of Baptism
• Refuting Sunday-Keeping V

Sermon Series:

• Holy Sabbath
• Mystery of Lawlessness
• Galatians
• Circumcision Wars

Books:

• Sunday Facts & Sabbath Fiction by Dr. Russell K. Tardo
• Early Christianity and Hellenistic Judaism by Peder Borgen
• Code of Jewish Law by Solomon Ganzfried & Hyman Goldin