What about the Sabbath commandment?…Doesn’t it call allegiance to worshipping the CREATOR?
When we read the Commentary from the Perfect Writer, Jesus the Son of God, of the Commandments which He set forth in stone, we are startled by this one great truth: Jesus ELEVATED ALL the commandments from physical actions to HEART ACTIONS of the SPIRIT!
Examples: Jesus’ explanation/commentary of the Commandments
- Murder: Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
- Adultery. Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus came to die to pay the required sin debt of death to redeem fallen humanity, those who would believe, trust and follow Jesus, back into eternal fellowship with God the Father,
Jesus, also, came to declare God and to show to all people this vitally important truth: The Spirit is eternal, the Flesh is temporal. What is done in the heart is much more important than what is physically done in outward observances. This truth is exactly what the Pharisees had totally lost as they built a false religion based upon external legal rules to follow. The Pharisees built this false system THINKING that they were worshiping and pleasing God.
Jesus vehemently declared the tragic error of the Pharisees and made very clear the horrible consequences of external, religious worship. The sad truth: Most people believe we are a Body with some type of Spirit. This is why the fallen mind gives primary effort in life in the attempt to protect and pamper the body.
Jesus taught the opposite is true: Man is, in fact, an Eternal Spirit with a Body. The body will return to dust. It is the Spirit which is eternal. One must spend their energy and life focus FIRST on the Spirit and constantly battle the Body to keep it in its proper place of honoring God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Matthew 6:31-34 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles [non-Jews] seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
How does this answer today’s question?
We take Jesus’ at His words and now understand that the Law was a “schoolmaster” pointing us to Christ and His Spirit. Now we ask ourselves: Why did He set the Sabbath Law?
- In God’s perfect love for His creation, He wanted the very best for them. God created man instilling in man an emotional, spirit need to WORSHIP God [first above all else] and a desire for REST. Acceptable worship of Holy God and, thus, receiving sweet supernatural rest were both lost through Adam +Eve’s sin.
- After sinning, Adam + Eve immediately went and created a “works-based religious system of worship” as they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, so ALL of their descendants will attempt to make up their own rules for worship and “human interaction”.
- Mankind will DESTROY himself through their lust for possessions [acquisitions / covetousness]. Men + women, also, need to regularly REST. We best do this by RESTING in God. Thus, one day of the week, man was commanded to REST and WORSHIP HOLY GOD as a reminder of the ONE who is their Provider and Sustainer.
Jesus took the above truth and ELEVATED it to the SPIRITUAL foundation under the Law.
- Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Jesus becomes our place of REST every waking moment, regardless of our physical work.
This truth is very simply explained by the Holy Spirit through Paul:
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Eating / drinking [the most common of all human activities] should be as HOLY to a worshipper of Jesus as is kneeling in the closet to pray or going to a common gathering of worshipping believers of Jesus in a building.
We had the great privilege of raising our children with the following core explanation of Worship on the Sabbath: Make every day a Sabbath day of worshipping God and resting in Him. We are called to make EVERY PLACE a Place of Worship and EVERY ACTIVITY a Holy Activity!
How so?
We have the very Spirit of Christ within us and He makes it possible. The ONE who wrote the Law came to fulfill it perfectly. This Jesus did in the Flesh while AT THE SAME TIME giving us power, by sending His Spirit to indwell us, to fulfill the Law In the SPIRIT!
Just as Jesus is PERFECTLY at REST as God, so He gives us the power to understand and elevate all physical acts into eternal God-pleasing worship.
We REST in a measure on earth and are promised perfect rest in heaven when Jesus takes us to the Father’s Home. We will have new perfect bodies and will NEVER again need rest for we will never grow tired or weary. Also, it will be a perfect Sabbath Worship for we will glorify God forever and ever.
Important: If anyone disagrees with us, we are not in the LEAST bit argumentative over this line of reasoning / understanding. If someone has a dissenting opinion, the primary rule for all of us is this: NEVER violate your conscience! Read the Scriptures. Check with the Holy Spirit. Proceed as your conscience leads and protect your peace. Be fully persuaded in everything you do until the Holy Spirit sees fit to move you into a different position or path.
All our love to All, In Christ –
Jon + Philis + Friends @ WasItForMe.com
