❤Ring of Fire Ministries Broadcast Transcript ~
The Lord of the Sabbath
November 2021
Good Morning and God Bless You All Today – thank you for joining for this ROF Ministries broadcast… Lord have mercy I am not even quite sure what I am getting myself into today, but no matter what with Jesus we are learning to walk on top of all Spiritual waters. We are getting ready to step into the viper’s pit today – you all with me? You’ll understand that pun a lot more a little later… I either must be a little cra cra or too out of this World to care much about this World anymore or maybe a combination of both! So for today I am gonna blame Redmarble – so if anyone gets super sensitive or offended or angry… I’ll give you their number – jk… lol
Redmarble – this one is dedicated to you. So here we go… We are gonna dive right into these icy waters today and talk about the Sabbath… Amazing how one small word can stir up so much contention and strife, laced with the opinions and doctrines of humans. Rest assured I checked all my opinions at the door, so we will adhere only to what is written in the Word, especially focusing on my most favorite person who ever walked the Earth – Jesus. This is an age old controversy no doubt – an ancient generational war which increased greatly when Jesus showed up to rattle the cages of the religious, when the Pharisees and Scribes lost their grip on souls when freedom arrived to set hearts free. Jesus did not discount the Law, but He offered what it could not – deliverance and salvation. Jesus spoke of a better way, free of works and full of surrender. With Jesus being the only way to the Father, He shook up their means of attaining righteousness through a circumcised and cleansed heart. It is the flesh nature to desire rules to obey to earn one’s way to Heaven by works, which impairs walking by the Spirit where faithful intimacy is cultivated. When the hearts change rules are no longer necessary because our desires change and then just like Jesus we fulfill what is written by the Law and more, not out of demand but in freedom of choice.
For example… Think about when you were 16, most of us likely had a curfew – a rule to be home at a specific time, but as we age and mature, learning the consequences to our actions – our desires change. At 50 we no longer need a curfew law, because our desires of the heart has changed – we are most likely at home by midnight, not by rule, but by it serving no purpose to do that which we did at 16 which could get us into trouble. The same is true for those who are Jesus’s followers… We don’t need a law to direct how we follow Him, because He is the fixation of our hearts so our new nature in being a new creature in Christ would not break the law anyway. If we still require rules, we haven’t laid our life down for His sake yet.
I sought the Lord a long time on how to initiate today’s study… I knew it would stir up a hornet’s nest and I also understand this topic has fumed anger since the beginning of time practically – both of which I care not to do. I refuse to debate Scripture at anytime and causing strife is something I will walk a mile to avoid. When I even sense someone is offensively angry and on the warpath – I turn around so I don’t drown in whatever is sucking them down so it is quite against my nature to even dare to bring this up. First of all let’s get something straight – I know nothing and anything I do know that is correct, comes not from me but one source of truth, the Word. We are to look to Jesus for all truth, for life and for the way to go… We need His example for getting out of messes, dealing with difficult people, walking in freedom by the spirit and basically how to maneuver living in this sin soaked World and not be tainted by it or influenced to look back and long for how we wished things would go. Today… let’s talk about Jesus being the Lord of the Sabbath – the better way to walk in freedom.
Jesus was continually facing attacks from the most holy keepers of all the laws and the Sabbath. Here is a just one example of a conversation He had in Mathew 22 –
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang (snag people up/ensnares them from walking in freedom) all the law and the prophets.
Jesus also called them cunning, being evil, the offspring of satan and a generation of vipers telling them since they laid their lives down for the sake of the law, it is by the law they shall be judged and we all know if you keep them all and break one, there is no escape… His irritation showed the most when dealing with this sort of people who hold to the traditions of men and being religiously blind did not see Him when He was standing right before Him. The same is true today – many in the Jewish sect do not believe Jesus as Lord and Savior, but rather as a Prophet, in which even that is purposed by His design and likely not any of you all.
So do we need to keep the Sabbath Day like the Jewish people? Simple answer – No, unless you desire to be accounted as one of those who say they are Jews but lie. Can I please just gather the little children around me today and share, like Jesus would? I already know by the Bible’s examples how much offense this will cause with those who are convinced they have wisdom most don’t regarding what the question is before us. Today, I am speaking to little children of God – just want to make sure we are all on the same page on this, keeping offense to a minimum. So all are welcome, but if this is a hot topic button for you – then what I am sharing today, likely is not something you want to entertain. Okay… let’s do this, I am simply one little child speaking to a few others on this one. When it comes to Jewish ways and such I confess I am not skilled, knowledgeable or spent hours upon end in great study…. When I study it is Jesus, not Jewish traditions to follow – to learn everything I possibly can about His ways, example, love and compassion. It is not enough for me to know what He did, I am starving to know why He did it… What moved Him by compassion every single time to save the lost… did you know He sought to save the lost constantly, even before the cross and after?… amazing. Again, I do not look to Jewish guidance for example, but to Jesus alone as a little child, He is my example and yours.
By observation like a child… One thing I have noticed is how those who promote the “Sabbath” are very cranky and easily offended in general – not all, but most – this is because it is a generational stronghold. Just an observation I have throughout years of being in the fray of ministry… They are also very picky over names and such – like if you do not use these religious names to call upon Jesus He will not or cannot hear you and they seem to run in packs and will gang up on you like a mob if do not fit into their elite and elevated ways of religious operation – you see, there is no freedom in rules. Honestly, years ago for about three weeks I entertained some of this haughty wisdom and due to much forcing on their parts, I retreated, knowing it was not for me at all, but I love these who practice such convictions very much and out of caution refuse to engage or entangle with them ever because they can be very unmerciful. Jesus called them a “den of vipers…” Before I didn’t know why, now I do… their words sting a lot. I still don’t know where to start… lol… so let’s start there when we get into the Word and get the yucky stuff out of the way because I am most excited talking about JESUS WHO IS THE LORD OF THE SABBATH 24-7 – yayyyyyy and to abide in Him is such freedom and contentment and wonder and awe and a restful gift we can maintain the rest of all our moments here on Earth.
So Redmarble asked… Do I need to keep the Sabbath on Saturday and even Michelle stated she was so very torn up inside because she quit her job just to recognize the Sabbath, bless her little heart. Then a whirlwind started in chat and me being one who can’t seem to keep her mouth shut said… We can study the Sabbath… So here we are, lets learn together because I realized just how lacking I am in this Sabbath debate and I have many questions too and all our answers are found in the Bible, thankfully.
Do we need to keep the Sabbath Holy? Of course, Jesus is the Sabbath and He is Holy – but a day? To pick out just one day to be Holy, seems a little off to me, but then they bring up work and I am like, okay… listening… then I get so confused as to how these works are so opinionated I cannot even keep them straight – like don’t go to a job, but you can work at home and clean everything but isn’t that work and then its okay to clean utensils but not do laundry – then some say setting aside a time to be present with Jesus, but what about the other 6 days – what if I need Him them, but that is okay too I am told and then the whole name thing is so complex and I cannot begin to explain the intricacies of the heart which cries out to the Lord and it is almost a guarantee some of us do not know the correct name to use to approach the Lord Jesus and it is at this point… my eyes glaze over only to decide… if He is this hard to obey, observe, find, reach and attain… that coupled with my unworthiness and uncleanliness, laced with my carnal mind and fleshly desires – any hope for me personally to be saved is out the window and its simply just too much for this blonde brain to process and then it dawned on me – as confounded as I am by their rules, they are by my freedom to worship Jesus when He says come as you are.
I know now why… Jesus ate with the sinners and publicans and I also know why these law keepers got so furious… We simply cannot conform to anyone but Jesus – it is like we fit perfectly by melting into His mold and no matter how hard we try to mold and fit into or conform to others, it just will not work out right. Anyway, what I am finding out as of late – is that Jesus is much less difficult to please than humans – He looks at the intention of the heart when measuring our efforts, realizing some of us may fall greatly short of the mark but are truly just giving it all we got and doing the very best we can. I just love Jesus so very much – don’t you?
The Law in of itself propagates judging and elevating of oneself unless Jesus is fulfilling it within us. If we can be ensnared into boasting on anything but Him, even the keeping of the law or Sabbath… We are quickly headed for a stumble. All this judging one another over these Jewish traditions is not at all what Jesus intended with fulfilling the Sabbath and remember when He returns He alone will teach all Holy Days and ways that were in His perfect design and man has altered. In Mathew 15 we see it was common for Jesus to be asked this same question, that being – “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?…” speaking of eating unclean things and without proper and fit Jewish handwashing. But this is one of the reasons I love Jesus’s ways so much – He didn’t answer but rather asked them a question – which was, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” Isn’t Jesus terrific?? He told them they honor God with their mouths but their hearts were far from Him, saying it is in vain they worship Him because they teach the doctrines and commandments of men. They were greatly offended and He called them the blind leading the blind in which both fall into a ditch. And His main point here was that no keeping of laws or Sabbath or anything man devised to do would keep them Holy and pure, because it is only with a changed heart we cannot be defiled. Anytime we place anything as a work to do, as a stepping stone to Salvation and the Kingdom of our Father above Jesus… we remain unknowingly blind and naked, without the washing and cleansing blood of Jesus – in truth, we cannot begin to keep ourselves clean no matter how hard we try or what rules we follow – our very thoughts condemn us Jesus said.
Okay… Where were we? Brood of vipers… right, let’s go there for a moment and then finish up with Colossians 2 and the Sabbath… First off, don’t forget when we study the Word it is a tool of measurement like a mirror we use to gauge where we are and do a heart check for the sake of wisdom and repentance, which is just what we are going to do today – thankfully the Lord is ridding us from all serpent tendencies – Amen? And the last thing we desire is to be counted in with those in a brood such as this. Its all about the fruit, what we are inside in the heart bears manifested fruit in our words and our actions outwardly. Which also explains why we are to partake of and eat of Jesus, the Bread of life so His ways are manifested as fruit in our lives. We all carry characteristics of the master who rules over us in our lives and I don’t want to hang on this topic for too long, but it is very important we truly understand why vipers do what they do and say what they say… it is because of who they are subservient too, usually self righteousness… When we do not surrender fully to Jesus, the viper in us will surely come out one way or another no matter how hard we try to hide it and yet, if we convince ourselves that holy work is enough to keep it covered, then we will go down that path of rules, law, regulations and such… by cleaning the outside of the cup alone appearing holy as hypocrites with a heart as cold as ice. Anything which elevates ego within us, especially using holy things is just that… the spirit of a Pharisee. If you get any sort of satisfaction of feeling better than or above others in proclaiming you keep the Sabbath – or dress down to promote your humility – that’s religious pride. I see it all the time – people will say “I keep the Sabbath… with a laundry list of why…” and it makes them feel good about themselves, it is like they elevate themselves by putting them in some rare category above those who don’t… Jesus didn’t teach us to do this, did He? He sanctifies His own, works based sanctification is not equaled to salvation. His servants are under the lowest of the low… and if they did keep the Sabbath, they would hide it – not use it as a tool to lift themselves up. Another one we see a lot today are people bragging they don’t watch tv, just after binging on poisonous mixture of youtube videos all day long – they do this in sight of holy people since tv is out of the religious acceptable norm and yet so called holy men and women approve of youtube, if it is for the purpose of the Lord they justify a lot by calling themselves watchmen on the wall… sigh… you all can see through this facade right? If anyone feels a sort of accomplishment and bragging rights because they don’t have cable tv and yet watch youtube day and night, you might want to rethink just what master you are truly serving – last I checked it all came from the same source of airwaves and we know just who is the prince and power of the air don’t we? My point is…. None of us are greater than another, no matter how hard we try and boast on ourselves, in truth we aren’t that great to be boasted about.
Oh boy… how’s your flesh feeling at the moment? Mine is uncomfortable… I cannot tell you how thankful I will be to finally be rid completely of all these tempting thoughts of fleshly ways.
Matthew 12:34 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good?”
Jesus then asks the Pharisees, “How can you, being evil, speak what is good?” In the same way that a bad tree will produce bad fruit, those who are evil can only speak that which is evil. Denouncing the Spirit of God (cf. 12:22-32) as the Pharisees had done was the natural language of the wicked, for the evil heart can only produce evil. Of course all humans are evil at their core, for Paul wrote, “…both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one’ …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:9-10, 12, 23). Paul told the Ephesians, and every believer in Christ, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins… But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:1-5)—for it is by grace that a person is saved! Thus, prior to salvation, the spiritually dead person resembles a dead tree with no fruit and a viper with poison under his tongue. But upon receiving Christ, he is a new creation, a new tree with good fruit!
Jesus was not ever trying to be mean – He was actually trying to reveal to the religious in His day and open their spiritual eyes that now there is an easier way through Him by which one is cleansed of all impurities, made whole by surrendering yourself to Him and abiding in His ways – we no longer have to strive to attain that which is secured by abiding in Him and Him in us. Reserving a specific day to act Holy or surrender or worship or spend time with the Lord is silly when we are to be Holy, surrendered in worship abiding and spending time with Him at all times. And again… If keeping the Sabbath Day Holy sets you apart with bragging rights – don’t do it.
Observing the Sabbath day is only able to accomplish complementing our daily walk with Jesus and never should be something we lord over others or brag about and especially using it as a qualifier to determine just who is and is not Holy. If I were to observe the Sabbath, I would not tell a soul – in order to not become a stumbling block to others… meaning they feel less than because they do not or because of me are prompted to do so as well but not of the heart. I used to try my best to pick a day to just devote to the Lord and me in study, quiet and prayer – but now, I have to seize those moments when they present themselves. I don’t feel any condemnation that it is not a particular day, but grateful those times are allotted whenever they present themselves. Soooo… if there is any obligation present and you are not meeting that set day and condemnation or guilt comes – it likely is not of the Lord. Read John 15-17 about abiding and resting in Jesus continually in Him to alleviate that heavy burden.
I would be remiss if I didn’t say something else… His Name is JESUS, just as it is written and I am not sure where all this confusion began to set in – but we sure know who the author of confusion is, don’t we?
Mathew 1:21 says – And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
It is the same word in all translations I could find. Remember… I am speaking to the children of the Lord right now… if you have other beliefs, okay – but to the children with ears to hear and a heart to receive… Jesus is His Name and there is no other name by which people are saved, again just as it is written – again I am only repeating that which is already written. The Word is so simple a child can understand – I am simple like a child, I do not have a ton of wisdom and I am not smart like man would consider wise or anything like that… in keeping with the simplicity found in Jesus. I know it seems silly to even mention this to those who don’t know there is an area of contention which surrounds the Name of Jesus that argue over genealogies… but sadly there is. Jesus’s name represents to the heart and life of one Who dwells within it – as in by identity of placement just who he is, rather than an appointed name being used. Our hearts often cry out to Him in ways words cannot udder and yet the Word tells us He hears us. To preemptively state that unless you use His Name by the standards of the religious He will not acknowledge you is ridiculous and a red flag that whoever is promoting such a thing has not fully awakened to salvation and freedom which comes in being born again as a new creature in Christ. Again – Jesus is called… by who He is to you personally of the heart – He is called like spoken of in Isaiah 9 – For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
And so much more… because He is wonderful, a counselor to us to comfort, lead and guide, He is our mighty God over all that which is not good must subject unto, He is everlasting and reigns with peace over and through us and that is just barely given mention to edify His Name. So, will you be in trouble or not be heard if you do not use a professional, correct, religious name? Heaven’s no, He heard us before we ever knew to call Him Lord and He quickly answered us with an embrace and yes. A pure heart which calls out to Him is good enough, no matter what name you use, He will answer.
Okay – so we have the Old Covenant (Old Testament Law to abide by and give guidance, which was very purposeful) before Jesus’s death and resurrection and then it is within the New Covenant that greater things we are able to do by actually having the abiding of Jesus within us and us within Him, being one through the Holy Spirit that does what the Law could not accomplish – giving us power through a surrendered self-life to go and sin no more, via a heart change – a desire change and a softening in order we repent when we do sin and yet no longer purposely sin since Jesus is our heart’s desire. So its this and its so much more and I am struggling to give fleshly words to that which only the Spirit can conceive.
New creatures in Christ cancels out the requirements of the Sabbath because Jesus is Lord now – the requirements are canceled not the Sabbath itself, we are grafted into Him as the branch within His Body – the Body of Christ, where there is neither Jew or Gentile. Was it purposeful for a season? Absolutely… Is it purposed now? Not if you are a new creature in Christ under the New Covenant, having returned to our first love, spending only one day in fixation on Him would never be enough.
Colossians 2:
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
Go figure… it was Laodicea having issues with the religious mandates considering the are called the lukewarm church.
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
The debate is pretty much null and void once we are established and abiding in Jesus – who keeps us from being beguiled with enticing words spoken by men.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Spoil you… interesting choice of words isn’t it? It means to be taken captive as a slave and seduced away from the truth to go with the ways of another instead of following in the ways of Jesus. In this case it is specifically speaking of vain deceit (foolish philosophy found in traditions of men found in the orders of this world)
9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Basically outside of surrender our lives and heart to Jesus as Lord and Savior nothing we can do or not do will make us holy.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
When we let no one judge us – it means here, influence us, rule over us, have authority to tell us what to do or not to do… whether that is in what we eat, drink, holy days we observe or even what??? The Sabbath days…
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
This just means before they were used as a shadow within the Old Covenant to announce the coming of Jesus unto the whole world.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Jesus is the head of this spiritual Body of Christ – which He alone forms with His own hands and perfect will
20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Like I said our old man nature is dead and we are reborn as a new creature in Christ Jesus – changed inwardly and released from performing acts and deeds to appear holy outwardly. Outward holiness satisfies the flesh, inward holiness satisfies the Father. Being fearful of what you touch, taste and handle will not prevent one from perishing – while slaying all fleshly desires by not honoring them is how we are lead continually by abiding in Jesus.
So during my study, I researched to see why so many were saying to one another they too must observe the Sabbath… I wanted to understand why this was so important to them mainly and their reasoning behind this recent push in the last few years. One thing I did learn is it links together the Jewish people, the Catholics and the Lutherans – interesting, right? Years ago they came to an agreement on this one by following the Law put in place in the OT – oh and btw, just in case some of you are not aware – Saturday evening prior to sundown is the Mass preferred by most Catholics – and it was not until this century it was expanded to Sunday too, so yes – mass is always offered on Saturday early evenings. But aside from all that, everything I found was basically stemming from the Old Testament. Its no secret I am sort of a church rebel… one who used to rebel against the Lord and conform to traditions but now conform to Jesus and rebel against formalized churches. To me… observing the Sabbath, just like Jesus did sort of goes without saying, let alone demand, right? I mean if we are abiding within Him and He us and He fulfilled the Law by His nature, being one with Him – shouldn’t we just naturally, supernaturally be doing the same? When it comes to our walk with Jesus, we are all in, right? And when our hearts are changed under the New Covenant, we are to be Holy as He is Holy – not on a particular mandated day, but every single day. There is freedom to worship Jesus in spirit and truth – so if He is leading you to set apart a particular day to commune with Him then do it – not out of obligation of rules deemed necessary by a council of people or to lord over another – but to foster intimacy and growth and practice obedience – which serves as a beautiful offering up to the Lord on high. But if someone is telling you to do so other than the Lord… the whole premise is off and it becomes a manmade holy day of obligation.
To me the Sabbath is very similar to Lent… people give up things as a sacrifice during lent to prove their dedication to Jesus. He told us obedience is better than sacrifice. In the same way many give up their Saturdays for Him and do not walk in obedience to Him at any other time. Both are a very nice gesture. However, neither will save you or give you placement into Heaven. Something I do like about both of these sacrifices is the fact they keep one very mindful of the Lord in ways they otherwise would not, but Jesus told us to die daily – not on a particular day.
In truth, I myself cannot answer Redmarble’s question except for my own personal journey and the Lord has never led me to pick just one day in observance to rest in Him. But that is not to say He hasn’t led others and who am I to interfere in the authoring and finishing of anyone. But for the sake of salvation must one observe the Sabbath or be counted out among the Kingdom? Absolutely not. And if I can give any advice whatsoever… Seek ye the Kingdom of God continually –day and night with your eyes fixated on Jesus constantly. Let Him be your guide, your hope, the love of your life, the occupier of your mind and the wholeness of your soul – He alone is the love of your life, doing what no legislative love or command or doctrine can do… ushering us into the Kingdom eternally as His Bride and Him our Bridegroom as we fall more and more in love with Him every single day.
So should we keep the Sabbath? I sure would love too – but can I always – no because often that is when the sick, the lame, the troubled of heart need me the most and we are to go wherever and whenever He sends us to those in need. But if He has laid it upon you to keep it Holy, then by all means enjoy this time of rest particularly in Him. And if you cannot decide what to do, ask Him to show you in His word the way in which He requires you to go, He often will lead a new believer to learn obedience and sacrifice through Saturday sabbath. If you can’t seem to keep yourself out of strip clubs and bars on Saturday nights, then quite possibly He is using the Sabbath day to release you from a sin only to draw close to Him on a day you otherwise wouldn’t. If you have been a diligent Sabbath observer and are looking to deepen your relationship with Jesus, if led you might want to consider broadening your horizons a bit and ask for ways to serve with Him by reaching those in need on the Sabbath day. Have you noticed He will never let us rest in one place too long so we don’t get overly comfortable in our own ways? He is stretching us continually and that is called… spiritual growth and maturity.
So what’s the point? Love… pure love is always the point because Jesus is love. And if we don’t realize His purpose in all He did for use to save us being motivated by love alone… We are totally going to miss the whole thing altogether.
John 5:38-40 says
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
Notice it says SEARCH the Scriptures – they think having religious knowledge and wisdom is being holy.
Mark 3:1-7 says
And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,
It truly is a slippery slope to be lifted up in holiness by good works, law or Sabbath keeping so much so that Jesus may actually depart from your life or that we get so comfortable in what we are doing in holiness we miss the whole point of Jesus. If we overly focus on what makes us holy, we can easily delay the process of getting to know Him, Who makes us holy. Of course, holiness matters – but to search out all the ways of holy things without a true heart change will cause us to miss the most Holy of all, our Lord and Savior.
So the question is not so much – Do we keep the Sabbath holy, but rather – Why are we keeping the Sabbath holy? If we say yes, I keep the Sabbath holy – this might be a good time to really ask yourself why, do I intimately know the Lord of the Sabbath and does He know me? Because if we start pitting holiness against love we have the most dangerous chance of missing Him and what follows is Him saying to us… depart from Me I knew never you… and being marked as a keeper of the law over being marked as a child of God.
Galatians 5 says –
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Why we do what we do is where bondage resides – have you ever wondered about the women??? Just sayin…
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
People often reason away their hateful actions by being justified by what they say and do for the sake of religious means forgetting to be graceful… lack of love
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Religious pride – contaminates your whole body and soul
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Freedom in Jesus – but not to sin or desires of the flesh
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Treat others the way you would want to be treated – if you wouldn’t like something said or done to you – don’t do it to others
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
We just cannot walk in the Spirit of the Lord and still do everything we want to do – it is what it is.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Next he compares what it is to be under the law verses walking by the Spirit, comparing how the law cannot cleanse you from lusts of the flesh – but is something we are measured by…
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Again… it is all about cleansing and purifying – something the law falls greatly short of.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
And I suppose if we wanted to use an example here for our study – if keeping the Sabbath produces vain glory within you to the point you provoke others so much they envy you it would be better to not observe the Sabbath day, but seek to know intimately Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.
So do we keep the Sabbath? Well – Honestly, I cannot answer that question for you – but Jesus can. Walk free from the demands of the law which keeps you in bondage. If you keep the Sabbath, do so at the direction of the Lord alone – not by popular demand, to set yourself apart as more holy and definitely not to gain the admiration of men. If you know Jesus and He directs you to keep the Sabbath then keep it… but remember – keeping the Sabbath holy does not assist you in being holy – the more intimate you know Jesus, He becomes the Lord of the Sabbath in your life, not just one day, but every day, which in truth is the only way to maintain a pure and holy lifestyle – its through Him we can do all things. Amen?
💕love in Jesus ~ Angela
beautiful study angela