What is the Sabbath and should we keep it? Part III

In Part II of “What is the Sabbath and should we keep it?” I closed with:

Christ became a curse for us; cursed by God because He took on His body the sin of the world.  The ceremonial law ended upon the perfect obedience of Christ on the cross.  With the ceremonial law ended, what of the moral law of God?  Was the entire Law fulfilled, or just the ceremonial part?

In this entry we will discuss whether the moral law is still applicable today.  

When does God’s moral law first appear, or when is it first alluded to in scripture?  We know that the Law was codified by Moses in Exodus 20.  By codified I mean that the Law was actually written down into specific commands.  But is Exodus 20 the first account of the moral law being evident to mankind?  Let’s look at a famous account in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 4:3-10  3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,  4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,  5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.  6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?  7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”  8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.  9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”  10 And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 

Here we read the well known story of Cain and Abel.  Cain was jealous of his brother because Able presented a better sacrifice to God than he did.  The story records that Cain killed his brother out of jealousy.  But what is often missed in this narrative is that Cain knew that what he was doing was wrong.  Some may say that he knew it intuitively.  That would not be altogether inaccurate.  Cain knew it was wrong because God had made His moral law evident in Cain’s heart.  Notice what the LORD said to Cain:

The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.

The LORD reminded Cain that sin was “crouching at the door.”  The word picture here is off a lion, crouching, ready to kill and devour it’s prey.  Cain did not need to be told that murder was sin.  He knew it was sin.  All of us are born with an innate knowledge of God, and the ability to discern between good and evil.  Paul, in the book of Romans wrote:

Romans 1:19-20  19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 

Mankind did not need to wait until Exodus 20 to understand God’s moral law.  It was known all the way back in Genesis; since creation.  Look at a baby.  No one has to tell a baby how to misbehave.  It comes naturally to children.  A parent doesn’t need to say to his child, “This is wrong.  So don’t do it.”  The child instinctively knows how to disobey, without instruction.  Disobedience comes naturally because it is part of our nature when we are born.  The bible says:

Romans 3:10-11  10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;  11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

Romans 3:23   23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

Ephesians 2:1-2  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- 

Adam’s sin plunged the human race into perpetual disobedience.  We are sinners because we are born sinners, and we are sinners because we sin.  We’re guilty coming and going.  Whether the LORD codified the Ten Commandments or not, His moral law would still be in force.  Since the moral law of God basically is the difference between right and wrong, it is still with us today.  The ceremonial aspect of the Law has ceased; no more animal sacrifices or temple ceremonies, but the command to obey and do what is right continues on.  If that is true, that God’s moral law is still operational, and if the Sabbath (the Lord’s Day) is part of the ceremonial law, are we to keep the Sabbath day?  We’ll finally get to that question in our next chapter.

What is the Sabbath and should we keep it? Part II

The nation of Israel observed the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week.  The significance of this day was that it represented God’s rest from his creative work (Genesis 1:1 – 2:3).  God sanctified the seventh day (made it holy), and blessed it.  As we learned in Part I, Israel was commanded to observe the Sabbath, first in Exodus 16, and later in Exodus 20 at the giving of the Decalouge, the Ten Commandments.

The Sabbath is part of God’s moral law.  The Law of Moses (often called, simply, “The Law”) is divided into two categories: the moral law and the ceremonial law.  The moral law consists of vertical and horizontal commands, given by God, that are binding upon all people in all times.  Vertical commands are: “You shall have no other God’s before me” (Exodus 20:3), and “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).  These commands are directed at men and towards God.  Examples of horizontal commands  are: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:23), and “You shall not commit murder” (Exodus 20:13).  Horizontal commands are directed at men and towards men.  The ceremonial laws extend past the Ten Commandments.  The book of Leviticus provides specific laws on sacrifices and temple rituals.  Animal sacrifices were necessary under the Old Testament economy in order to satisfy God’s wrath on sin.  These sacrifices were never meant to permanently atone for sin.

Hebrews 10:1-4  For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.  2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sin?  3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin every year.  4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

It can be argued that the whole ceremonial law of God stood on the sacrifical system.  It was that sacrificial system that was fulfilled; or rather, made pefect, by Christ:

Hebrews 10:11-18  11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,  13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.  14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.  15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,  16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”  17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”  18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Jesus Christ fulfilled sins requirement for a sacrifice.  Because He was without sin, His sacrifice was a perfect sacrifice.  It satisfied God’s wrath and the Law’s requirement for retribution.  If the whole ceremonial law hinges on sacrifice, Christ’s perfect sacrifice fulfilled the requirement of the law.  Once fulfilled there is no longer any need for sacrifice.  Therefore, there is no more need for the ceremonial law.  It not only has been fulfilled, it is now forbidden for Christians to observe.  Nowhere is made more plain than in Paul’s letter to the Galatians:

Galatians 3:1-13  O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?  3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  4 Did you suffer so many things in vain- if indeed it was in vain?  5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith-  6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?  7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.  8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”  9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.  10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”  11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”  12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”  13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us- for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”-

Christ became a curse for us; cursed by God because He took on His body the sin of the world.  The ceremonial law ended upon the perfect obedience of Christ on the cross.  With the ceremonial law ended, what of the moral law of God?  Was the entire Law fulfilled, or just the ceremonial part? We’ll cover that in Part III.

From What Does Justification Free Us?

My apologies to the readers, and especially to Bill for waiting this long for the next post on justification. My last post dealt with where our sin problem leaves us. It leaves us with a two-fold problem. The first aspect of the problem is our guilt due to the law’s accusation. The second aspect is our sin nature, which is the fountain of all our actual sin. We could paraphrase as the hymn “Rock of Ages” does, by saying that we have sin’s guilt and sin’s power. We need something that will be of sin the double cure. That something is actually a Someone, Jesus Christ, in whom we have justification and sanctification, the former of which takes care of guilt and the latter of which takes care of sin’s power. It is of vital and central importance simultaneously to distinguish between justification and sanctification, and yet also to speak of them as inseparable.

If we were to smear the two together, we get legalism. It will mean that justification is delayed, and awaits our good works, for otherwise there is no forgiveness. This is the direction that the Roman Catholic Church took. People who confuse the two are those who are constantly telling us how good there are, and all the wonderful things they have done.

If, however, we separate justification and sanctification, then we will become antinomian. The word “antinomian” literally means “against law.” These people hate the law, and want nothing more to do with law. They are always saying things like “God is in the business of forgiving.” The hint is that therefore they can do whatever they want.

Therefore, we must walk the straight and narrow path between confusing justification and sanctification, on the one hand, and separating them, on the other hand. How does one do that? I believe that it is helpful to think of these two great benefits as being given at the same time, although distinctly, when we become united to Christ by faith. Of course, the nature of the two are different. Justification is a one-time act, while sanctification is a life-long process. But we are given the beginning of sanctification when we are united to Christ by faith, and we are given all of justification when we come to faith by God’s good gift.

Lane Keister

What is the Sabbath and should we keep it? Part I

Most Baptists consider themselves to be under grace, and not the Law.  They are not obligated to follow the Law of Moses, because it has been fulfilled in Christ.  There is some truth to this statement.  The ceremonial part of the Law has, indeed, been fulfilled in Christ.  The need for animal sacrifice and elaborate temple rituals have been made obsolete.  More than that, they are now considered pagan worship.  But there is another aspect of the Law that continues to this day – the moral law.  The moral law of God is found in the Decalogue; commonly referred to as the Ten Commandments.  Exodus 20 lists these commandments.

Exodus 20:1-17  And God spoke all these words, saying,  2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  3 “You shall have no other gods before me.  4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,  6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.  7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.  8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,  10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.  11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.  12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.  13 “You shall not murder.  14 “You shall not commit adultery.  15 “You shall not steal.  16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

The fourth commandment refers to the Sabbath.  The Sabbath was set apart as a day of rest that was to be treated as holy by the entire nation of Israel.  It was observed on Saturday, the seventh day of the week.  On the Sabbath, the people of Israel were not to work as they did the other six days of the week.  But, was the Sabbath first introduced in Exodus 20?  Was the nation of Israel the first intended audience for this commandment?  Consider this passage:

Genesis 2:1-3  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.  3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Genesis 2 completes the creation narrative, the biblical account of God creating the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1).  God chose six days in which to create, and in Genesis 2:2 we read that He rested on the seventh day.  This rest is not similar to our rest.  When we are tired we sleep.  Our mind and our body is disengaged from the world as our body recuperates.  God cannot rest in a similar fashion, for He keeps the universe, indeed all of creation, from oblivion by His powerful hand.  God’s rest was His ceasing from the work of creation.  His work of creation is a marvelous and holy thing.  He commanded the seventh day as holy, because on it He completed His creation.  The account of Genesis 2 takes place long before Moses was given the Ten Commandments by God; long before the Sabbath became part of the Mosaic Law.

There is another passage that deserves our attention.

Exodus 16:23-30  23 he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’”  24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.  25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field.  26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”  27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.  28 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?  29 See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.”  30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

The account of Exodus 16 also takes place before the LORD gave Moses the Ten Commandments.  The LORD gave Israel manna in the morning and quail in the evening.  It was an act of His grace.  They did not need to toil or work for it.  The manna was collected from the ground and quail just walked up in the camp.  On the seventh day, the LORD provided rest for Israel from all her labors.  The Sabbath was not mean to punish Israel, or do prevent them from enjoyment.  Instead it was a day for them to rest in the LORD.  They were to reflect upon the goodness of God, and rejoice in Him.  All of this was commanded before the Law was given in Exodus 20.  That is interesting to note because it will bear on our further study as to the disposition of the Sabbath after Christ’s death and resurrection.

Bill Brown

The Abbreviated Bible

At a recently completed men’s retreat a few men were kidding each other about only quoting their favorite books of the bible. I was accused of only quoting Romans and Ephesians. Another brother of only referencing Ezekiel 36. It was all in good fun, but it got me to think of how profound these comments really were.

Ezekiel 36 explains the miracle of regeneration by our sovereign God.

Ezekiel 36:25-27   25 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

God’s sovereignty is explained.

Ezekiel 36:22   22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went”

How often do these two subjects come up when discussing and studying scripture?  I dare say, often!

Romans and Ephesians is no different.  In Romans we learn about almost every great doctrine in the Word of God.

1. God’s wrath against sin (Romans 1)
2. The condemnation of the Law (Romans 2)
3. All have sinned (Romans 3)
4. Justification by faith alone (Romans 3-5)
5. The believer’s victory in Christ (Romans 8 )
6. Divine election (Romans 9)
7. The universal call of the gospel (Romans 10)

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.  Ephesians is similar.

1. Divine election (Ephesians 1)
2. Sovereignty of God (Ephesians 1)
3. The believer’s inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1)
4. Regeneration (Ephesians 2)
5. Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2)
6. Good works (Ephesians 2)
7. Sanctified living (Ephesians 4)

There is much more that I can list, but hopefully you see the treasure that dwells even in small portions of scripture.

We gladly proclaim the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).  Part of that counsel is to understand the totality of scripture.  Paul wrote:

2 Timothy 3:16-17  16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Don’t be in a hurry to skim through a passage.  Let it dwell in your richly (Colossians 3:16).  There is so much there.

Bill Brown

Manna and Grace

In Exodus 16 we read about God sending manna each morning (except on the sabbath) to feed Israel. We learn this about the manna:

“When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is bread which the LORD has given you to eat. This is what the LORD has commanded, ‘Gather of it every man as much as he should eat; you shall take an omer apiece according to the number of persons each of you has in his tent.” The sons of Israel did so, and some gathered much and some little. When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had little had no lack; every man gathered as he should eat. Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them.” Exodus 16:14-20

What an amazing picture of God’s grace. The manna was only good for the day. It spoiled if left overnight. God’s grace is sufficient for the moment. God takes care of our needs with grace that is right on time every time. God did not dump a months worth of manna on Israel, just like He doesn’t dump all the grace we need to live the Christian life at one time. But rest assured, God’s grace is inexhaustible and always available in our time of need.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Bill Brown

The Sinners Emancipation Proclamation

On January 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became law by executive order. It liberated slaves in certain southern states. After the war, the 13^th amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery in the United States of America. Approximately four million former slaves became legally free. No longer were they the property of another man. But how free were they?

The book of Exodus begins with the death of Joseph and the Egyptians forcing the children of Israel into slavery. A Lifetime turned into a generation, a generation into centuries, and still Israel was in bondage. Three hundred years later Exodus records the following words. “Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.” (Exodus 2:23-25) God appointed a deliverer who would lead the children of Israel out of bondage. This deliverer was Moses. The path to deliverance was not easy. Pharaoh resisted, even after numerous plagues. Finally, Pharaoh relented. He issued an Emancipation Proclamation that pre-dated President Lincoln’s by thousands of years. We read about in Exodus 12. “Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the LORD, as you have said. “Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.” (Exodus 12:30-32) So, the children of Israel were delivered from their bondage and had freedom. But how free were they? Let me rephrase the question. How free are you?

Romans 3:23 states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Everyone who is alive today is a sinner. We have violated God’s command of perfect obedience (1 Peter 1:16), and are therefore sinners. About sinners Paul writes, “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Romans 6:16) Ironic, isn’t it? We may be free in that we are not owned by another, but as sinners we are slaves. We actually serve another through our sin. Who does the sinner serve? “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:1-2) The sinners walked according to the course, not only of this world system, but of the one who dominates this world system – Satan. Satan is the “prince of the power of the air.” Free physically, but enslaved spiritually. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did not free the slaves from their spiritual bondage anymore than Pharaoh’s release free the children of Israel from their spiritual captivity. It is a sad thing indeed to be trapped in the prison of sin, “having no hope, and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)

Praise be to God, that He did not leave the sinner without a remedy for their spiritual bondage. The scripture says, “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17-18 ) What is “that form of teaching” that the author of Romans was referring to? “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (Romans 1:16-17) The gospel is the message of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, by faith alone. Once the sinner has been freed from the bondage of sin, he is transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light; from serving the “prince of the power of the air” to serving “the Prince of Peace.” Instead of a slavery that brings only death, the believer is bound to the One who gives eternal life. “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) Jesus Christ becomes the sinners Emancipation Proclamation.

A 12 year old on abortion

Adults have been debating the topic of abortion for nearly 40 years.  Even within Christ’s church there is vacillating on this barbaric practice.  Maybe it’s time to listen to a different voice.  Please take a moment to watch this video. It was made by a pre-teen young woman for her 7th grade class.

“Put the baby in the Beemer”

Voddie Bauchum shines the spot light on the dark side of success and prosperity.

Quick! What’s your end times view? Part IV

Futurism is a variant of Christian eschatology that today is found mostly in dispensational theology.  Futurism views most of the apocalyptic literature of Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, and the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24) as taking place in the future.

Futurism existed in the early Christian church as historic premillennialism.  This view did not believe in a rapture of the church, but it did believe in a literal one thousand year millennial reign of Christ, followed by a period of brief rebellion and then the eternal state.  Modern day futurism is found mostly in the dispensational camp.  Dispensationalism teaches that the church will be raptured prior to the anti-christ coming to power, and the ushering in of a literal seven year tribulation period.  At the end of the Tribulation the anti-christ will be vanquished and Christ will return to set up a one thousand year kingdom.  This kingdom, called the Millennium, will end with a rebellion against the rule of Christ.  The rebellion will be crushed and the Great White Throne judgment will take place.  Following this will be the eternal state.

Futurism is considered an orthodox view of eschatology.  Popular futurists throughout modern history are John Nelson Darby, C.I. Scofield, Lewis Sperry Chafer, John MacArthur and Charles Stanley.

Next: What’s the right view?