Did Paul Really Say “Any Day” Can Be the Sabbath? | Romans 14:5

Romans 14:5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

This is one of the most popular verses used by mainstream theology to ‘claim’ that the 4^th Commandment, “remember the Sabbath (7^th) day to keep it holy”, was abolished and no longer binding for God’s covenant people.

What doesn’t the text say?

The words “Sabbath”, “fourth commandment”, “Law”, “rest” or “worship” do not appear anywhere in this verse, nor chapter. Not only does the word ‘Sabbath‘ not appear in this chapter, but it also never appears in the entire letter to the Romans.

Paul didn’t write a ‘two sentence note‘ to those in Rome; he wrote ‘a very lengthy letter’. The original correspondence to Rome did not have verses or chapter breaks, it was a free-flowing letter.

Taken out of context, Psalm 14 can claim that “there is no God”.

Context, Context, Context.

“Sabbath–keeping” is not the topic of discussion in verse 5. The actual context of this verse and chapter is about “eating”. Period.

In the three verses before and the one directly after verse 5 the word “eat” is used 6 times in the ESV, and 10 times in the KJV, as well as the Greek. The true context of verse 5, as well as the rest of the chapter, is food and/or fasting; not Sabbath keeping.

To interpret verse 5 as “proof text(?)” that the “4^th Commandment” of God Almighty is abolished or no longer binding is ludicrous, not to mention heresy.

We have been lied to, whether on purpose or out of ignorance, it is still deception.

What does the text say?

In verses 2 and 3, Paul said not to despise or judge those who only want to eat vegetables nor the one who abstains. ~

Romans 14:2-3 ₂One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. ₃Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. (ESV)

Romans 14:2-3 ₂For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. ₃Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. (KJV)

Then in verses 5 and 6 he addressed the abstaining/fasting crowd that can’t agree on which particular days to abstain,  or ‘eateth not’. ~

Romans 14:5-6 ₅One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ₆The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. (ESV)

Romans 14:5-6 ₅One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. ₆He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. (KJV)

What doesn’t the text say?

It doesn’t say “pick whatever day you want for Sabbath keeping that feels good to you personally”. In fact, it does not say that anywhere in the entire Bible, much less here in Romans 14:5. Yet, this is what is taught by mainstream theology as a ‘fact‘.?.?.?

To claim that “verse 5 is about allowing the 7^th day Sabbath to be kept on any day of the week that feels right to you” is atrocious hermeneutics, and is pure eisegesis. To say, this verse somehow gives each believer the right to arbitrarily determine for themselves whether or not they want to keep the 4^th Commandment of God Almighty is heretical dogma. That would then allow every human to self-determine what sin is, tossing God Almighty aside for a god of their own making; ‘blasphemy’.

What does the text say?

Genesis 2:2-3 ₂By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. ₃Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Exodus 20:8-11 ₈“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  ₉Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ₁₀but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.  ₁₁For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 31:12,17 ₁₂And the LORD said to Moses, “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you… ₁₇It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

It does NOT say ‘until I send my Son‘, or ‘until Paul shows up‘.

It says “it’s a sign forever!”

Is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a liar when He says forever?

Is the Word of God in error?

Maybe God doesn’t know what the word ‘forever‘ means…

PLEASE click the following link and read the study, “The Sabbath: Forever Means Forever!“.

Is Israel grafted into the nations/gentiles? Or are the gentiles/nations grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel?

Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you (those among the gentiles/nations), although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree (Israel),

The Son of God Himself proclaims that the Sabbath remains, even into the Great Tribulation, which obviously has not happened yet ~

Matthew 24:20-21 ₂₀Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ₂₁For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

The post-Resurrection Christian Council decreed that those from among the nations/gentiles coming to faith must, at the beginning of their ‘walk’, obey four specific Mosaic Laws, and that they would hear the rest of ‘Moses’ preached every Sabbath. The Sabbath Day that Jesus, Peter, James, and Paul kept, was observed by the Church after the cross ~

What does the text say?

Acts 15:19-21 ₁₉Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, ₂₀but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. ₂₁For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he (Moses) is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

♦♦♦How in the world could the Christian Council expect new converts to hear “Moses” preached “EVERY Sabbath“, if ‘Moses‘ and the ‘Sabbath day‘ were both abolished???♦♦♦

Think logically, not emotionally.

One also cannot ignore the fact that the Holy Spirit of God had Luke call it, “the Sabbath” day nine times in the Book of Acts, which is documented evidence that it actually exists post-Resurrection.

Here is more Scriptural proof that the Sabbath is still observed at the end of days, which obviously haven’t happened yet ~

Isaiah 66:23 From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD.

During the Millennial Reign of Jesus, the Feast of Booths which has two High Sabbath days, will be mandatory for all nations. ~

Zechariah 14:16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.

His Word says they are His Sabbath’s and the 7^th day Sabbath was set apart/Holy by Him at creation.

Nowhere in the Old or “New” Covenant Scriptures will you ever find a verse that says do not observe the “4^th” Commandment and start observing Sunday instead; nowhere. The replacement of the 7^th day Sabbath for Sunday observance is a man-made doctrine, not God’s!

“Choose this day whom you will serve”; will it be God or man?

Contrary to what has been taught for centuries, and is still being preached by mainstream theology regarding this verse, Paul is not discussing the Sabbath Day nor is he personally voiding the 4^th Commandment in the Law of Moses; Please click this link and read ‘Examining the Scriptures‘ or watch it on this YouTube link. The topics of discourse in chapter 14 are food, and which days to eat or fast/eateth-not unto the Lord.

Context, Context, Context.

By using incorrect interpretive methods, and by taking Paul out of context in order to create ‘desired doctrine‘, some have created a god to fit their own personal religion. That is idolatry of horrendous magnitude.

Final Thought: “Sabbath… it is a sign forever“ | Exodus 31:17

• For further study of Paul’s teachings, as well as the original Greek, see the ‘Links’ at the top of this page or blog posts at the bottom. Be like the Bereans, and test Paul’s doctrines to the “Scriptures”; look up for yourself more than 60 of the “forever verses” listed directly below. Please ‘share’ this study. Thank you for your time!