The caller wanted to know why most Christians keep the 1st day of the week as the Sabbath rather than the 7th day, as called for in the Ten Commandment Law.
One of the TV panelists, a pastor, responded that we’re under grace now and not the Ten Commandment Law, which was only in force until the time of John the Baptist. As proof, he cited Luke 16: 16— “The law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John.”
The problem with that answer is that the verse doesn’t say the Ten Commandments have been abolished; nor for that matter the prophets or any other law.
It must not have been part of the pastor’s knowledge that oftentimes the Bible uses the phrase “the law and the prophets” to describe Moses writings, in addition to the writings of the other Old Testament prophets.
The scripture’s intended message becomes clear after taking a look at its parallel passage in Matthew 11: 13. The passage reads, ”For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”
Luke and Matthew are saying that the Old Testament prophets, including Moses, prophesied about Jesus’ first coming; and that the realization of those prophecies were fulfilled at the time of John the Baptist.
In fact, Christ, Himself, after John baptized Him, announced at the beginning of his public ministry, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” Mark 1: 15.
So, unfortunately, the caller – and probably the majority of all the other viewer/listeners—went away, misled.
The answer to the caller’s question concerning the Sabbath is one that includes many reasons. Take a quick look at one of my recent posts that lead to those reasons. Click here.