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As to the observance of "days", the Apostle has expressed himself with no uncertain
sound in Gal. 4: 10, 11 and in Col. 2: 16, but in Rom. 14:, to quote Farrar again,
Paul is seen as:
"Broad yet sympathetic, inflexible in conviction yet considerate towards prejudice."
In this connection the following from the writings of Dean Alford is interesting,
particularly in view of the fact that as Dean of Canterbury, he would naturally be obliged
to uphold the observance of Sunday as "the Lord's Day".
"One man (the weak) esteems (selects for honour) one day above another. Another
man (the strong) esteems every day.
Let each be fully satisfied in his own mind. It is an interesting question, what
indication is here found of the observance or non-observance of a day of obligation in the
Apostolic times. The Apostle decides nothing, leaving every man's mind to guide him on
the point.
The obvious inference from this strain of arguing is that he knew no such obligation,
but believed that all times and days to be, to the Christian strong in faith ALIKE."
Truth out of balance becomes error. We have been called into liberty, we are to stand
fast in that liberty, we are to be "stedfast", "unmoveable", yielding in subjection "no, not
for an hour" and yet to have consideration for the weak, the bigoted, the ritualist, the
rutualist, to be ready to limit our freedom and yield many of our "rights" for the greater
claim of the law of Christ, and the law of love, which "stoops to conquer". It is easy for
many natures to be rigidly stedfast and yet bitter. It is easy for others to be so yielding as
to be too sweet. Grace alone can give us the happy blend.
"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
No.3.
Bondage and Liberty in the O.T.
pp. 161 - 164
There are more ways than one adopted by the writers of the Scriptures to enforce the
truth of the doctrines of the faith, and we have reviewed some of the key texts on the
subject of Christian liberty in the Gospels and Epistles of the N.T. There is however a
rich supply of teaching in the types and shadows of the Law and Prophets, and to a
selection of these we now draw the reader's attention. Egypt is called "The house of
bondage" ten times in the O.T., eight of these references are found in Exodus and
Deuteronomy. Joshua refers to Egypt once under this head and Judges once. It is evident
therefore that Israel's sojourn in Egypt and their deliverance by the Lord at the Passover
must be given a place in any study of liberty in the Scriptures. A reference to Egypt as a
symbol of bondage, is incorporated in the Ten Commandments, for the first
commandment of the ten reads,
"I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage" (Exod. 20: 2).