I’m not sure how those examples relate to legalism. But it is certainly true that you cannot mix legally derived compulsion and being led by the Holy Spirit. Also, the currently active testament should frame our understanding of what was true and what is true. God does not change, but the way He deals with man does. Understanding this will give us light for the way forward.
For example, the 4th commandment reads “Honor your father and your mother”. Now, as this was written to the Jews who had already transgressed God’s direction (“The law was added because of transgressions”) it was intended to be understood by a carnal and disobedient people with self-serving interest. Although this particular law, and many others, served to establish order in the aggregate, it was ultimately given to reveal the nature of God.
To the carnally-minded, their “mothers and fathers” were two particular people from whom their flesh derived, mom and dad. That’s the understanding according to the manner in which God dealt with His people. But what does the NEW way show us? What does the NEW TESTAMENT tell us about our mother and father?
First, that God is our father. He is the one from whom our very being comes. For the majority of the Jews, in their minds, their ancestry went as far back as Abraham only. So when Jesus said, “Call no man on earth your father” He was revealing the fullness of God’s understanding of the word “father” (in that context) and putting an end to the notion that the people ultimately derived their being from a man. God gives life and meaning to man before they are even born. So, for God’s people, God is our father.
And what about “mother”? Well, same deal: who or what is revealed to be, according to the revealed higher standard of the New Testament, “the mother of us all”? The “Jerusalem that is Above” is our mother, or at least the mother of God’s children. This understanding would require a lengthy teaching so I’ll just leave it at that.
So, let’s consider the Sabbath. The carnal and unbelieving (which means “disobedient”) were only required to take 1 day out of 7 as rest under the old way God dealt with man. This was the standard to which God held the people. But what about now? Well, now that we know we are God’s children, and that the children of God are to “only do what we see our Father doing” (as THE SON showed us) we must examine the posture of our Father as He is currently. When we do that we see that He has been at rest since the end of the 6th day. So we must enter into that Sabbath with Him.
Now, this is not about napping, or lounging, or vacationing. No, that’s silly. And it’s not about not doing work. Jesus healed on the Sabbath, so we should know that a child of God, who does what his Father shows him, may be very active even at rest. The Sabbath mindset is this: I will rest from my own work and will only do what I see my Father doing. We give up the pride of life that rules carnal men. The pride of life is self-seeking, self-serving, self-protecting, and ultimately serves only the man. This is “our own work” from which we rest.
When we operate from a position of Sabbath rest there is no chance that work fails and no chance that the outcome is dependent upon our strength. And what understanding is gained by this? that we are of God and have been from the beginning. That we are earthen vessels that carry the grace of the Almighty and that we will never fail when we walk in the things He’s prepared for us to do from the beginning of time.
Sabbath rest, therefore, is not a day of rest. It is a way of life in Christ.
With love,
Aaron56
For example, the 4th commandment reads “Honor your father and your mother”. Now, as this was written to the Jews who had already transgressed God’s direction (“The law was added because of transgressions”) it was intended to be understood by a carnal and disobedient people with self-serving interest. Although this particular law, and many others, served to establish order in the aggregate, it was ultimately given to reveal the nature of God.
To the carnally-minded, their “mothers and fathers” were two particular people from whom their flesh derived, mom and dad. That’s the understanding according to the manner in which God dealt with His people. But what does the NEW way show us? What does the NEW TESTAMENT tell us about our mother and father?
First, that God is our father. He is the one from whom our very being comes. For the majority of the Jews, in their minds, their ancestry went as far back as Abraham only. So when Jesus said, “Call no man on earth your father” He was revealing the fullness of God’s understanding of the word “father” (in that context) and putting an end to the notion that the people ultimately derived their being from a man. God gives life and meaning to man before they are even born. So, for God’s people, God is our father.
And what about “mother”? Well, same deal: who or what is revealed to be, according to the revealed higher standard of the New Testament, “the mother of us all”? The “Jerusalem that is Above” is our mother, or at least the mother of God’s children. This understanding would require a lengthy teaching so I’ll just leave it at that.
So, let’s consider the Sabbath. The carnal and unbelieving (which means “disobedient”) were only required to take 1 day out of 7 as rest under the old way God dealt with man. This was the standard to which God held the people. But what about now? Well, now that we know we are God’s children, and that the children of God are to “only do what we see our Father doing” (as THE SON showed us) we must examine the posture of our Father as He is currently. When we do that we see that He has been at rest since the end of the 6th day. So we must enter into that Sabbath with Him.
Now, this is not about napping, or lounging, or vacationing. No, that’s silly. And it’s not about not doing work. Jesus healed on the Sabbath, so we should know that a child of God, who does what his Father shows him, may be very active even at rest. The Sabbath mindset is this: I will rest from my own work and will only do what I see my Father doing. We give up the pride of life that rules carnal men. The pride of life is self-seeking, self-serving, self-protecting, and ultimately serves only the man. This is “our own work” from which we rest.
When we operate from a position of Sabbath rest there is no chance that work fails and no chance that the outcome is dependent upon our strength. And what understanding is gained by this? that we are of God and have been from the beginning. That we are earthen vessels that carry the grace of the Almighty and that we will never fail when we walk in the things He’s prepared for us to do from the beginning of time.
Sabbath rest, therefore, is not a day of rest. It is a way of life in Christ.
With love,
Aaron56
