Sabbath Law and Rest

[gkroo]

To answer the question of what fault was found in the first two covenants was the way of Cain.

Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

 

[gkroo]

To answer the question of what fault was found in the first two covenants was the way of Cain.

Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.



What is the 'way of Cain?' Murder.

Gen_4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Exo 2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Exo 2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.


The fault found with Noah was a different type of fault. The fault found with Noah was he cursed a son and killed a third of mankind.

Gen 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
Gen 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
Gen 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.
Gen 9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

 

[gkroo]

The third of mankind is from Revelation 9:18.

Rev_9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

 

[sparkman]

At some level I agree with you and thanks for your comments. I don't need to let false teachings dominate my life, but it is still worth warning others of the fallacies in their theology so that their modern day followers don't convince more individuals into such doctrinal error. However I do allow them to occupy too much mental real estate sometimes.

I still maintain that the teachings of Herbert Armstrong were blasphemous, false and maybe even damning per Galatians 1:6-7.

Sparkman, it is true that we should keep our minds and hearts on all things beautiful. Were I to begin to share the bad experience I have had with denominations, I am afraid it would be so long and tedious it would chase everyone out of the forum.

Of course there are false teachers, teachings, and maybe even entire assemblies, but to dwell on this is satisfying the goals of the enemy in keeping you from the important job of planting good seed for others to nurture and develop in their walks in Jesus Christ.

It is a waste of time to continually point to whom you believe to be doing Satan's work, and it will ruin your walk in Jesus Christ, it will pick away at your own love and faith.

If you are content with your faith, and you know things, lessons, worthy of sharing and nurturing others, stop whipping that dead horse and get on the live one and ride. Jesus is our Salvation, and His gospel is always worthy of sharing and repeating.

I will not annoy you with any more home spun religious advice. I pray you are able to, as old and new has said, leave what is past behind and look to the job to be done now in Jesus Christ. God bless you always.

 

[just-me]

There is a division in the Christian community regarding what is required and what is desired by God for man's earthly rest.

1. Some say that God clearly requires a Friday sunset - Saturday sunset Sabbath.
2. Others say that God desires this Saturday Sabbath for us and blesses that specific day.
3. Others say that God desires a weekly day of rest, and blesses those who rest one day per week.
4. Others say that we are to ignore the idea entirely.

Which views are appropriate, and which views oppose Scripture?

A person will never get a handle on the truth of the Sabbath if they continue to calculate it by the Georgian calendar. Go to the OT to find the truth. One will never find it in religious traditions these days.

 

[JaumeJ]

Now that you have informed us all, perhaps it will be easy now to wait for the subject to arise in place of allowing it to occupy that mental real estate as you say. You will be just fine in Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.

At some level I agree with you and thanks for your comments. I don't need to let false teachings dominate my life, but it is still worth warning others of the fallacies in their theology so that their modern day followers don't convince more individuals into such doctrinal error. However I do allow them to occupy too much mental real estate sometimes.

I still maintain that the teachings of Herbert Armstrong were blasphemous, false and maybe even damning per Galatians 1:6-7.

 

[just-me]

What's wrong with this thread? The last post I have seen for days is #466 being a week old, but it has been posted on after that and is still on the first page as having posts just hours old before mine.

 

[posthuman]

What's wrong with this thread? The last post I have seen for days is #466 being a week old, but it has been posted on after that and is still on the first page as having posts just hours old before mine.

maybe it got bumped because someone voted in the poll?

i'm not sure how that works. but i see the last post previous to yours 1 week old too.

 

[prove-all]

What was the fault of the first two covenants, the first by Moses and the second by Noah? See, God made three covenants with man, not just two. The third is the Christ Covenant. What is that?

.

first God does nothing faulty.

the covenent

15And I will remember my covenant,
which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh;
and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

this is still in effect, this covent is still active, is not faulty.

second covenant

Heb_8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second.

if you did a study , you will find the fault was in the people,
the fault was not Gods covent, how can God ever be at fault.

and there was more covenents in the bible then just three.

 

[just-me]

first God does nothing faulty.

the covenent

15And I will remember my covenant,
which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh;
and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

this is still in effect, this covent is still active, is not faulty.

second covenant

Heb_8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second.

if you did a study , you will find the fault was in the people,

the fault was not Gods covent, how can God ever be at fault.

and there was more covenents in the bible then just three.

The old container is warn out, but the ingredients are still good.
And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. Leviticus 26:10

 

[gkroo]

The old container is warn out, but the ingredients are still good.
And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. Leviticus 26:10

Luk 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

 

[gotime]

Redtent, tell me. Come on, be honest with the board and tell us the truth: Why are you so enamoured with the law? Why do you so vehemently reject the new testament, and thus, Christ, when scripture is plain?
Galatians 5:
You do understand that being under bondage is slavery?
Bondage: 1397 NT - Greek.... slavery (ceremonially or figuratively):--bondage.

Be careful, the new Testament is a testimony to the accuracy and fulfillment of the promises in the old. not a replacement.

The New Testament teachings are from the Old and thus the Disciples and Jesus could back up their words with "it is written".

So if you can't show from the old testament what you clam the new Testament says than you have simply misunderstood the new.

 

[gotime]

I have heard a few people use Hebrews 4 against the Sabbath. I find that interesting because it is saying the exact opposite. The problem is this, People are reading Hebrews 4 out of context. First it carries on from chapter 3. Second the Author is basing His points on the Old Testament teachings and yet no one actually goes and has a look at the stories and passages that are being used in Hebrews 4.

Every time I hear someone talk about Hebrews 4 never, I mean never have I seen them actually address the scriptures being referenced by the author. And that my friends is how you get private interpretations.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

I have heard a few people use Hebrews 4 against the Sabbath. I find that interesting because it is saying the exact opposite. The problem is this, People are reading Hebrews 4 out of context. First it carries on from chapter 3. Second the Author is basing His points on the Old Testament teachings and yet no one actually goes and has a look at the stories and passages that are being used in Hebrews 4.

Every time I hear someone talk about Hebrews 4 never, I mean never have I seen them actually address the scriptures being referenced by the author. And that my friends is how you get private interpretations.

The weekly sabbath is not even mentioned in Hebrews 4. Hebrews 3 is about faith, so that context undermines the idea that chapter 4 is about keeping of the law.

Point out which verses others don't address, and I will address them. In the meantime:

Hebrews 4:9 says:

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Hebrews 4:9 (KJV)

Consequently a sabbath rest remains for the people of God. Hebrews 4:9 (LEB)​

A literal translation of this verse says:

Consequently, a keeping of a sabbath is left to GOD's people. Hebrews 4:9​

The Greek word translated rest and sabbath rest above is σαββατισμός (sabbatismos, G4520), which is a noun meaning a keeping of a sabbath. It can refer to a kept weekly sabbath (Exodus 20:8), a kept 7-year land sabbath (Leviticus 25:2), or a kept festival (appointed time) sabbath (Leviticus 25:32). Scriptural context determines the type of sabbath.

It is an unusual word that is used only one time in the NT (Hebrews 4:9), not at all in the Greek Septuagint (LXX), and very rarely in other ancient writings. The verb form of this word is σαββατίζω (sabbatizo), which means to keep a sabbath. It is not used in the New Testament, but is used in the LXX to refer to keeping all three types of sabbaths listed above (weekly, 7-year land, appointed time).

The context of chapters 3 and 4 in Hebrews is not a weekly sabbath, nor a 7-year land sabbath, but the sabbath rest of the land promised to Israel, which many under Moses were not able to enter into because of unbelief. In fact, the weekly sabbath is not even mentioned in Hebrews 4.

The most interesting usage of σαββατίζω (sabbatizo, to keep a sabbath) in the LXX is in Leviticus 23:32 where Israel is commanded yearly to keep the sabbath of the day of atonement. This appointed time was a sabbath of sabbaths (essentially a most holy sabbath), and was the holiest day of the year in which Israel's sins were removed for a year. The appointed time of Tabernacles began on the 15th day of the month, 5 days after the day of atonement, and was a time set apart for Israel to rest from their yearly labors. The first day of this festival was a sabbath, and the day following this festival was a sabbath; so it was bracketed by special sabbaths that were distinct from any weekly sabbaths that occurred during that time.

Genesis 8:4 states that Noah’s ark rested on the 17th day of the 7th month. This day falls within the 7-day festival of Tabernacles, which is the 7th festival (or appointed time) of YHWH. The number 7 always signifies rest from labor.

Additionally, the children of Israel were originally supposed to enter into rest in the promised land during the time of first ripe grapes. That harvest occurs in the fall of the year, as do the appointed times of the day of atonement and Tabernacles.

And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan ... Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. Numbers 13:17-20​

In other words, GOD's original plan for their entering into rest corresponded with these appointed times in the fall.

However, they did not enter in under Moses because of unbelief, and subsequently wandered in the desert for 40 years. Afterwards they entered the promised land under Joshua just before Passover in the first month of the year. But they did not enter into the true rest that GOD has planned for his people from the foundation of the world, as indicated in Hebrews 4:8:

For if Joshua had caused them to rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things. Hebrews 4:8​

This change of entering the promised land (which symbolizes rest) from the appointed times in the 7th month to the appointed time of Passover in the first month signifies GOD's postponement of his people's true rest until Christ, our Passover, could accomplish and establish the more excellent way that would allow GOD's people to forever enter into their final rest in the (as of yet) unfulfilled appointed times of YHWH.

So, IMO, the future fulfillments of these appointed times (what he calls another day) are what the writer of Hebrews is referring to in Hebrew 4:8-9. The example of disobedient Israelites not entering into rest in the promised land through unbelief warns us to always strive through faith to enter into Christ's rest, that culminates in the keeping of the sabbath of the fulfilled day of atonement and subsequent festival of Tabernacles, when those who do believe fully enter into GOD's promised eternal rest.

So let us strive daily to enter into this keeping of a sabbath that is left for GOD's people when Christ returns to give them rest.

Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29​

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Sabbath keepers claim that the following verse in Hebrews 4 pertains to the weekly sabbath.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” Hebrews 4:4​

But that's not what the Greek actually says. The word day is not in the Greek text; it simply says seventh.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh in this way... Hebrews 4:4​

And then two examples are used to illustrate what the seventh means. Neither of the two mention the weekly sabbath.

... God rested on the seventh day [of creation] from all his works, Hebrews 4:4

and in this again, ‘They will never enter into my rest [of the promised land].’ Hebrews 4:5​

So the seventh refers to rest. Since GOD is perfect, when he creates something he doesn't have to go back and redo things like we do. It is complete, and he rests from his labor. His rest glorifies his perfection.

Furthermore, the weekly sabbath had nothing to do with the seventh day of creation. The weekly sabbath was implemented as a sign to the Israelites under the old covenant that GOD was the one who was sanctifying them (making them holy).

Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Exodus 31:13​

Under the new covenant, the holy spirit is the sign that GOD is the one sanctifying us.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30​

We grieve the holy spirit when we disbelieve that Christ's work is perfect and complete, requiring nothing else but our abidance in it. It is finished. So let rest in what GOD has done for us remembering that it is he who is sanctifying us, and cease from being pulled aside by voices that claim we must do something else besides faith and love to please him.

 

[prove-all]

entering rest

Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering
into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

-how did they came short?

Heb 4:2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us,
even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them,
because it was not united by (faith) with them that heard.

-they did not have faith.

Heb 4:3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest;even as
he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise,
And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

-notice entering into that rest is connected with the seventh day.

Heb 4:5 and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto,
and they to whom the good tidings were before preached
failed to enter in because of disobedience,

-God said they will not enter His rest, but they failed because of disobedience.
the 7th day Sabbath command.

Heb 4:7 he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David
so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before),
To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.

-David said "today" long after Joshua took them into the promised land
so thus proving that there is a rest still to be entered.

Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest,
that no man fall after the same example of disobedience.

-A rest remains, but notice the issue is do not disobey.

Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle
which is called the Holy of holies;
Heb 9:4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about
with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded,
and the tables of the covenant;

-the pot of manna was put in the most Holy

Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee
these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know
what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not.
Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna,
which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man
doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live.

God tested them for 40 years to humble them to see what was in their hearts.
that they should live by every word (10 commandments spoken by Gods own mouth)
not by bread alone.

-what did the bread teach?

Exo 16:4 Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you;
and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them,
whether they will walk in my law, or not.
Exo 16:5 And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which
they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.

-and how long did God prove them with the manna?

Exo 16:32 And Moses said, This is the thing which Jehovah hath commanded, Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread wherewith I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
Exo 16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omerful of manna therein, and lay it up before Jehovah, to be kept throughout your generations.
Exo 16:34 As Jehovah commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
Exo 16:35 And the children of Israel did eat the manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat the manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

-40 years. this is the issue being spoken of in Hebrews:

Heb 3:16 For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they
that came out of Egypt by Moses?
Heb 3:17 And with whom was he displeased forty years?
was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest,
but to them that were disobedient?
Heb 3:19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:4-10 "For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise,
And God did rest the seventh day from all his works [Gen. 2:2-3].
And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth
that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in
because of unbelief [sound familiar?]: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David,
To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
There remaineth therefore a rest [see below] to the people of God. For he that is entered
into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."

rest (G4520) sabbatismos
1. a keeping sabbath
2. the blessed rest from toils and troubles looked for in the age to come by the true worshippers of God and true Christians
from a derivative of G4521

(G4521) sabbaton
1. the seventh day of each week which was a sacred festival on which the Israelites were required to abstain from all work
1a. the institution of the sabbath, the law for keeping holy every seventh day of the week
1b. a single sabbath, sabbath day
2. seven days, a week
of Hebrew origin H7676

(H7676) shabba^th
1. Sabbath
1a. sabbath
1b. day of atonement
1c. sabbath year
1d. week
1e. produce (in sabbath year)
intensive from H7673

(7673) sha^bath
1. to cease, desist, rest
1a. (Qal)
1a-1. to cease
1a-2. to rest, desist (from labour)
1b. (Niphal) to cease
1c. (Hiphil)
1c-1. to cause to cease, put an end to
1c-2. to exterminate, destroy
1c-3. to cause to desist from
1c-4. to remove
1c-5. to cause to fail
2. (Qal) to keep or observe the sabbath
a primitive root


Genesis 2:2-3 "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made;
and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God
blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from
all his work which God created and made."

The LORD created the seventh day (Sabbath), blessed and sanctified it
"because that in it he had rested from all his work".

-once God has blessed something, can it be undone?

Numbers 23:19-20 "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man,
that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall
he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless:
and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it."

Here Balaam tells Balak that the LORD gave him a commandment to bless Israel.
He told Balak that what the LORD has blessed, he cannot reverse it.
Do we think we can reverse the blessing the LORD has placed on something?

1 Chronicles 17:26-27 "And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness
unto thy servant: Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may
be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever."

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Thank you for posting that. Now people can compare between your post and mine to see how sabbath keepers misrepresent what scripture actually says.

 

[FreeNChrist]

Well I'm enjoying my sabbath rest "today".

The Jews who wandered in the desert for forty years did not enter in due to their unbelief. Just across the river Jordan was a land flowing with milk and honey that God had given to them, but they refused to believe God. Instead they wandered in the desert for an entire generation.

It is a picture of those who miss out on all God has already given us in Jesus, because they will not believe, and instead cling to a shadow of the reality found only in Christ Jesus. Not some promise for the future, but our present reality, if only we believe. In Christ we have been given everything.

The rest we enter into, as Christians, is Jesus Christ Himself, HE is our promised land, our true and eternal sabbath rest.

 

[prove-all]

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God …. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we [in this life] suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us …” (Romans 8:14-18).

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God; for the creation [all the suns, planets, stars, moons]
was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who
subjected it in hope;because the creation itself will be set free from its
bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation [stars, suns and moons now in decay and futility]
has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation but we ourselves
[we Spirit-begotten humans], who have the first fruits of the Spirit [the “firstfruits”]
groan inwardly as we wait for the [birth] as sons”.

At His return to Earth in power and glory
those who have been converted and received God’s Holy Spirit
shall be born into the God Family by a resurrection.


Then the entire universe will be put into subjection under them!
Why should the whole universe—the creation—be waiting with eager longing
for the actual birth and appearing of all these sons of God,
to be born into the Family of God?

“Because the creation itself [the universe not now capable of
sustaining life] will be set free from its bondage to decay
and obtain the glorious liberty

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens;
God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it,
he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited:
I am the Lord; and there is none else.”

God says that the universe—not just the Earth—was designed to be inhabited.
It wasn’t created in vain, to be simply an ornament. It was created for a purpose.


-God promised us a future rest, the time is the thousand year rein.
the devil will be lockedup, unable to decieve,

a mystery at-one-ment with God at last,
the whole creation will have rest, not just us humans

Isaiah 14
3And it shall come to pass in [the day that the Lord shall give thee rest] from thy sorrow,
and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,



7The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

 

[Grandpa]

Hebrews 4:6-11
[SUP]6 [/SUP]Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
[SUP]7 [/SUP]Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
[SUP]8 [/SUP]For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Galatians 3:10-12

[SUP]10 [/SUP]For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

[SUP]11 [/SUP]But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

[SUP]12 [/SUP]And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Matthew 11:28-30

[SUP]28 [/SUP]Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[SUP]29 [/SUP]Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

[SUP]30 [/SUP]For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Galatians 3:23-26

[SUP]23 [/SUP]But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
[SUP]24 [/SUP]Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[SUP]26 [/SUP]For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.


Its all right there. Very simple and easy to understand. You could explain it to a child. We are all under the law before we come to Christ. We are all subject to the curse of our own understanding and our own work and failings.

But when we come to Christ we come to Faith. We find a new way to walk and to live. No longer according to a dead way subject to the curse. A new and blessed way of Eternal Life. Faith in Christ and His Work and All He has done to Save Us.

How can you turn Rest In Christ into observing and obeying the law? Galatians 3 tells you what you are subject to if you look to the law for your understanding and walk. Galatians 3 also tells you that you are no longer subject to the law when you come to Christ.

So what are you going to rely on? Your understanding of what the law says? You're going to pick and choose by your own understanding what is pleasing to God written in the Old Testament?

Or are you going to rely fully on Christ?

Did your work at and understanding of the Law cause any Joy or Peace in your life? It didn't for me.

Coming to Christ and receiving Rest is the direct cause of Immense Peace and Joy and Love in my life. All the burden of trying to be Perfect as God is Perfect was removed. Now I understand that my own perfection is the Lords Job. It is His Work that perfects me. My work at perfection is silliness because I don't have complete understanding of what Perfection is. I know a little. Enough to know that the Lord Jesus Christ is my only Hope.