Sabbath

Sabbath

All things have a purpose. The purpose of the Sabbath is clearly indicated in Isaiah 58:13. They were not to carry on their own business, not go their own ways, not do their own works, and not speak their own words.

In this way they were given a reminder every seventh day that they were not called to do their own will but God’s will, that they should not seek their own but delight greatly in keeping the ordinances of God.

However, this law concerning the Sabbath could not lead anyone or anything to perfection any more than the other laws. The law was weak through the flesh. Rom. 8:3. It was a weight and a burden. By it they were reminded of how they were called to live, besides being reminded that they could not do God’s will from the heart on their own. But the law was of no help to them.

Its specific intent was to be a tutor to Christ, and it was valid until Christ’s work was finished. Then it was replaced by a better covenant through which we draw near to God (Heb. 7:19) and through which everything will be restored. Heb. 9:10. Through this better covenant we also receive grace and strength to overcome and put to death our self-will so that we can deny ourselves—our own will and our own works—throughout all the seven days of the week and all the three hundred and sixty-five days of the year!!! Thus Paul’s word about esteeming every day alike is being fulfilled. Rom. 14:5. Some people have faith to eat all things, but those who are weak eat only vegetables. Some people esteem one day above another—as if sin were in food and drink and in the one day more than in another. They do not know that nothing is unclean of itself; it is only unclean to him who considers it to be unclean. Rom. 14:14.

If someone because of a weak conscience—out of weakness—wants to esteem one day above another and desires to keep the old legal precepts about not eating pork, he is free to do that. But if he, his weakness notwithstanding, wants to keep these old ordinances but also judges and even condemns those who consider all days alike (and who eat pork), then he has gone completely astray; he has gone way beyond his measure and has almost turned everything upside down!!!

If the strong judged the weak, there would at least be some sense to that, but now it is the weak who judge (and condemn) the stronger ones, which is absurd! That those who are free judge those who are bound makes some sense, but now it is those who are bound who want to exalt themselves over those who have partaken of the true liberty that is in Christ, even of divine nature. That is presumptuous!!!

Such people also act in direct opposition to Colossians 2:16-17: “Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.” What do we want with the shadow since Christ has come with the entire fullness of the Godhead a long time ago!!!???

Likewise you will oppose the Holy Spirit’s and the apostles’ conclusion as mentioned in Acts, Chapter 15. And according to Galatians 4:10 and 11 you will receive the not so flattering commendation that it appears as if all God’s work with you is in vain if your understanding of salvation is no better than that. It truly shows a boundless lack of a sense for God’s kingdom.

The time of restoration came through Jesus Christ. Now we have grace and power to live always in a manner of which the Sabbath was a reminder every seventh day. Heb. 10:3. With that, the need for a Sabbath has fallen away and the Sabbath, which was a shadow of the perfect help from God, has been replaced by something better by which we are molded and enabled to do God’s will and work always and completely—from the heart. Heb. 7:18; 9:10; 10:1. God be praised!!!

However, it is unfortunately true that many people live in the spirit of the old covenant despite the fact that they live in the dispensation of the new covenant. In spite of all God’s powerful grace, they still live for themselves, do their own works, carry on their own business, and engage in idle talk. As far as that goes, they might as well keep the Sabbath and also have a ban against eating meat and a ban on earning a lot of money!!!

As many as partake of the mind of Christ and His nature—who partake of a divine life through the obedience of faith—enjoy an inner Sabbath, a perfect rest in God in the midst of their earthly work. Heb. 4:3, 10.

The Sabbath was to remind them of this rest in God. It was this rest (of which the Sabbath was only a reminder) with which Jesus Christ came and into which He is willing to lead us even today.

When we, according to God’s will and His Spirit and His mind (for the sake of righteousness and not because of love of money or anxiety) sole a pair of boots on a Saturday, we keep the Sabbath in the deepest and truest and most real sense of the word. The Sabbath rest increases with every nail that we use. On the other hand, for every pair of boots that we sole on a Monday, possessed by a desire to earn as much as possible, we break the Sabbath. We commit a transgression; we sin with every nail that we hit in that way.

I can say that I keep the Sabbath with a good conscience and to God’s glory seven times as long and seven times as well, as far as the usual understanding of what it means to keep the Sabbath goes.

God be praised because He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and everything that is good and perfect in and by Him!