Which is the Sabbath?

The Second Great Commandment

The last six of the Ten Commandments instruct man on how to love his fellow man. "Honor your father and your mother...You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet..." (..."slickWindow('Exodus','20','12-17')" title="View scripture">Ex. 20:12-17).

Centuries later, Christ said that anyone who wants to enter eternal life must keep these same commandments: "You shall do no murder [Sixth Commandment], You shall not commit adultery [Seventh Command-ment], You shall not steal [Eighth Commandment], You shall not bear false witness [Ninth Commandment], Honor your father and your mother [Fifth Commandment]" (..."slickWindow('Matthew','19','18-19')" title="View scripture">Matt. 19:18-19). Christ summarized these as "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," the second greatest commandment (..."slickWindow('Matthew','22','39')" title="View scripture">Matt. 22:39).

Years after Christ's sacrifice (which most religious leaders claim does away with the law), Paul taught these same commandments to Gentile converts in Rome: "For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (..."slickWindow('Romans','13','9')" title="View scripture">Rom. 13:9).

In ..."slickWindow('Ephesians','6','2')" title="View scripture">Ephesians 6:2, Paul commanded Christians to obey the Fifth Commandment by honoring their parents. (..."slickWindow('Ephesians','6','2')" title="View scripture">Eph. 6:2). He commanded them to obey the Ninth Commandment: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor" (..."slickWindow('Ephesians','4','25')" title="View scripture">Eph. 4:25). He observed the Tenth Commandment, saying, "I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet" (..."slickWindow('Romans','7','7')" title="View scripture">Rom. 7:7).

The apostle James also warned about the dangers of breaking the Tenth Commandment: "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death" (..."slickWindow('James','1','14-15')" title="View scripture">Jms. 1:14-15).

He continued in chapter 4: "From where come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts" (..."slickWindow('James','4','1-3')" title="View scripture">vs. 1-3).

As you can see, all of the Ten Commandments were preached throughout the New Testament.

No wonder the apostle John wrote, "By this 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: and His commandments are not grievous" (..."slickWindow('1 John','5','2-3')" title="View scripture">I John 5:2-3).