I believe we are in agreement - I also cannot defend
Scripturally a change of the day to Sunday - however I
also agree that the 7th day are placing a little "too"
much on preserving Saturday - to a point of losing
perspective on what the Sabbath is:
Mark 2:27 And he said unto them,
The Sabbath was made for man,
and not man for the Sabbath:
When Christ lived the people of Israel had made the Sabbath
into a burden rather than a privilege.
Today Christians despoil God's law as a grievous burden
That is so wrong I can not believe it -
for many there is no Sabbath at all.
Every Commandment of God can be seen as a privilege
if the Holy Spirit is truly within you - it is carnally minded
men who see the law as something that must be destroyed
and ignored as an impossible burden to carry.
We are not saved by our personal obedience to law
but without law - none shall be saved - the lawless as damned.
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord:
Holiness is humble compliance to God and His will revealed in the Word.
God's word is Law - simplified version :-)
Let me expound briefly on how a man can see the law as privilege:
Thou shalt not kill = a right to life
Thou shalt not steal = a right to private ownership
Thou shalt not give false witness = a right to a good reputation
You get the idea.
The Sabbath is a right to be employed without being a slave.
It is also the right to worship God.
The SABBATH LAW was renewed when Moses led the people out
from the captivity of Pharaoh that would not let the
"PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP"
Deuteronomy 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in
the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee
out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm:
therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.
The Sabbath law is a statute against ungodly slavery forever.
It preserves the right to a day off from work and to remind
men that employees are not without rights before God to both
have a life apart from working and the right to be with God
at least once a week for their entire life - it is the
right to Worship freely and a powerful witness that God is
in our land.
Ex 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying,
Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between
me and you throughout your generations;
that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
While this last verse may have been more directed at the ceremonial
Sabbaths rather than the moral perpetual weekly I think it
applies that we remember God's forgiveness EVERYTIME we
even come close to boasting about obeying God's laws.
The keeping of the 10 commandments especially the Sabbath is
to acknowledge that it is God who is "sanctifying" us.
We of ourselves find nothing but sin working within us in
our flesh - it is His spirit alone that causes us to obey
albeit imperfectly at all times.
Keeping the Sabbath outwardly is easy - simply refrain from
pursuing financial gain or menial tasks such as mowing lawns
as well as avoiding restaurants or services that cause other to labour.
However keeping our minds fixed upon things of God and refraining
from focusing on work mentally I find impossible.
Casual conversation wherein someone asks what you
"do for a living" can become excessive to the point of
breaking the Sabbath in conversation and fixation upon career.
I find it difficult to lay aside thinking about business
but keeping the Sabbath has been a real anchor for my soul.
To study God's word at least once a week when otherwise I would
have passed on being caught up in the affairs of this life.
I think we agree more than you may think - but I do keep the
Sabbath on Sunday for pragmatic reasons only.
I leave you with this:
Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh
not his saints; they are preserved for ever:
but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous (meek - BV) shall inherit the land,
and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom,
and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The LAW of his God is in his heart;
none of his steps shall slide.
A Christian without law is no Christian at all.
Brian |
