Thursday, September 21, 2006

The Sabbath Breaker part 3

First of all I would like to make it VERY clear that I wasn't mad at or arguing with anyone and I'm not sure why people got that impression. I was posting the comments because I think this is a very important topic. I'm very interested in it and I wanted to show all of the different opinions. Anyone who knows me should know well enough than to think that I would get mad over doctrinal/theological differences of opinion. If I had an issue with something then I would not post it :)
I hope we can all examine this and go to the Word and before the Lord with our concerns.

Laura has left a new comment on your post "The Sabbath Breaker prt. 2":
"I think it's important not to take too lightly any of the 10 commandments...I think that there's a good reason that they were written in stone.Certainly Jesus didn't intend for us to become legalistic and put the law above practicalities, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sake of the Sabbath. I don't think that anyone would argue against doctors or police officers working on the Sabbath.However, I think as Christians, we can often become swayed by society and change our interpretation of the bible because of it. When I was a kid...before all you young whippersnappers were born hahaha...When the stores started to open on Sundays, there was an outcry from all of the Christians in Terrace. Now, you can find half the church buying their groceries on a Sunday. So, what happened? Had people been starving because they were unable to get groceries on Sunday? Was this a necessary change?I completely agree with John 13:34 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you', but I feel that by supporting things like shopping or going to a restaurant on the Sabbath that I'm not showing love to those who are required to work rather than being able to spend time with their families. If I'm running around and cleaning my house on that day, I'm depriving my husband and children of my companionship. Although I constantly fall short of the letter of the law, I can't ignore the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:19 "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven..." A slight change in society can affect Christians so quickly too. If Christians have honoured the Sabbath from the time of Christ until a mere 30 years ago, I don't think I'd want to make the change too lightly or to teach my children to either. I'm glad that you brought it up, it's a good subject to think about.

Ruth said...
Titus 3:4-"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us,not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless!!"

1 comment:

Ruth said...

Okay, i totally didn't mean to assume that you were upset,or arguing and I'm sorry if thats what it sounded like. But I believe that when people see this blog or any other blog they need to see Jesus first & foremost

Galatians 2 says, "Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
And Colossians 2 says, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ...When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross...
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ...
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."

The issue isn't if we keep the sabbath or not, because we are not justified by the keeping of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. If we live in a way that puts the written code before Christ than we are saying that the price He paid was for nothing, because than we are saved by works!

But at the end of it all, in spite of very personal convictions, we don't live in unity with one another, then we are a foul smell to the world. I include myself in this. It is so easy to get consumed with something that we are convicted about, but what God cares about is that we love one another. When people look at us, what do they see? Do they see love one for another? Or do they see arguing & strife over things that are individual conviction.
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."