Is Christ our rest?

[RickH]

I am coming across many Christians who know Sunday is not the Sabbath yet they come up and say "my rest is in Christ" or "Christ is our rest" in order to justify not keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath. How would you answer such a statement. Here is part of what I was told:

".....yes i do accept the gift of sabbath (or rest)...but in a NT way...my rest is in Christ....since He is Lord of the sabbath and His Spirit dwells in me, my rest is in Him not some special day...

the OT folks did not have this available to them therefore there rest was on the seventh day...likewise the people Jesus spoke to in the Gospels did not have this available to them either...so they also kept the sabbath (day)...as did Jesus (kind of)...

Jesus fulfilled EVERY requirement of the law, and since His Spirit is in all believers, He has fulfilled EVERY requirement of the law for US....even the Sabbath (rest)...HE is our rest...

if you want to keep some special day then go for it.....i'm just explaining why i don't keep any special days...Christ has kept them for me......"

[Richard Myers]

Seems that a good study with them on conversion and the "fruits of the Spirit" might be in order. Most believe that Jesus kept the law for them so they are not condemned when they break the law. Such a deception!  "Jesus fulfilled EVERY requirement of the law, and since His Spirit is in all believers, He has fulfilled EVERY requirement of the law for US....even the Sabbath (rest)..."

[RickH]

Well the worst part is I hear some brethren in church say, 'my Sabbath is with Christ' and then go on to Friday night football games or other such diversions..

[Donna C]

Hey there,

Maybe just ask them why they believe that, and ask them to show you in scripture. It'll probably be Hebrews 4, then be prepared with a deeper understanding of that scripture than they are gleaning. Then go from there with why it is you do keep it. If you ask how they apply the 10 COmmandments to their lives, it will give you a good indication of where to start. If they believe the 10 Commandments apply to us NT Christians, then you can skip over geting to that point. It might also be a good idea to ask that person if they were to discover that the Sabbath was binding as it is written in the decalogue, if they would make the change and keep it. It could show you whether or not they are even open to following the truth or not.

I am currently attending a Christian home group with Sunday keepers, I just started. Something in me thought it would be a good idea. And lo and behold, they are doing a study on the 10 Commandments. I came in on Thou shall not murder. I have this week, then the following one will be on the Sabbath command. Should be an interesting discussion. I'll be in the same boat as you.

I think the key thing to remember is that God loves everyone, and would have everyone keeping the commandments. It's very easy to get frustrated and take an adversarial attitude, or to get exhasperated (if you are anything like me) - there's just so much in the Holy Scriptures to get to regarding the Sabbath, and it can be overwhelming to have so much information and help to give someone in one sitting. I'm trying to keep it in my heart that if it comes to me to shed some light on the Sabbath, then I need to love the people I'm talking to, and respect that they are being called just the same as me. Give it according to the Spirit so thay can hear it according to the Spirit. If I'm debating rather than showing, I'm giving it according to the flesh, and they will most likely hear according to the flesh - not good.

And trust the Holy Spirit to bring up the knowledge we already have, in the way and order that will be best for the people we're addressing. Flying by the seat of the pants!

I don't know how useful it would be to just throw out some scripture that contradicts the way they have interpreted the Sabbath and the NT. They have a Bible and they probably already read it. They are probably equipped with their responses and a tit for tat, might just be a dead end. Don't know though. There are whole books written  on this topic. Maybe presenting this person with a good book. I guess it depends upon the person.

I actually had this conversation regarding the Sabbath with two Sunday keeping pastors. They are educated in scripture, though lacking in knowledge, and they are rock solid in their defense of their views and decisions. People who rely on their own understandings and the traditions of men at the expense of following the commandments of God might be shutting out the Holy Spirit and be unaware. The best solution I can think of is to honor what they think they're doing, which would be loving God, and pray, and just know your stuff so the Holy Spirit can use the knowledge you've been given, to help someone else.

? Did that help at all?

Donna

[Donna C]

Oh, I forgot to add, most people who give the reasoning you described are defensive (anyway, this is what I've found in my limited sample). At work I need to be up to date on nonviolent crisis intervention, and one of the things I've learned that I apply everywhere in my life, it that defense is protective - of course - but when someone is defensive they are not being rational. It is very hard to talk rationally and logicly to someone who is defensive. The key thing is to first of all, try to disarm the person with calmness and all that jazz. In a situation where someone is defensive with their beliefs, they need help to feel safe, maybe not in the same way as someone escalating to physical violence, but the principle is the same. And how do we all feel safe? When we are respected for who we are, listened to, and honored. That can start trust, and then someone will be more open to listening. When dealing with mental defenses, it's still a life and death threat to be pushed beyond our boundaries. So, points of commonality, reassurance of positives, like acknowledging and honoring the persons walk with God, and the fact that they do love, or are trying to love, God.

Honoring the Sabbath for a Sunday keeper is going against the grain of their wordly support system. It's a big deal. It's quite a courageous thing to make the change. In my life, it  set me apart from EVERYONE in my life, and in a mild way, I experienced some persecution. It can be really scary, so our job is not just to shed light on the Sabbath, but also to edify the church, which is to build up and strengthen those called to the same calling as us.

Doesn't seem like a small task, does it? It's an important one though.

 

[Donna C]

And none of it is done without the power of the Spirit (if all goes well  ). Amen? Amen.

[Richard Myers]

Donna, you have presented some very good principles. You are so right when you talk about not debating. We do not want to debate, we want to share with those who want to hear. Many are called, but few are chosen. We are not called to debate in an effort to convert those who do not wish to be converted. As you say, it is by the Spirit that the heart will be won.

If we look at the life of Christ, if we study it, we shall see how He went about sharing truth. First, He lived it which meant that He loved all He came in contact with. This does not mean that He never argued. He did often. He did not seek to argue, but was placed in positions where He defended His Father's truth. When we follow His path, and seek to understand how He labored, we find that He spent more time healing than preaching. Why?

He understood what you are getting at in your posts. The heart is not won by debate. Often it hardens the heart. He looked for ways to plow hard hearts. Before the seed is sown, the ground must be worked. We remember the parable of the sower who sowed seed on different kinds of soil. Some produced a rich harvest, some of the seed failed to produce any crop. The ground represented the heart, the seed, the Word of God. First the ground must be made ready so that when the seed is planted it can flourish. So, Jesus went about doing good. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He did not see much fruit from His labors before the cross, but His disciples harvested where Jesus had plowed the ground. The harvest was plenty and thousands were converted in a day.

We too, will meet with similar success when we follow the Master's plan. The Holy Spirit will hear our prayers and go before us, with us, and water the seed when we are long gone!    The Holy Spirit continues to lead you, dear sister. You are getting to the root of the subject matter!

[Richard Myers]

Another thought regarding your Bible study. Jesus is indeed our rest. The Sabbath was given that we might rest in Him. Instead of hitting the subject of the Sabbath head on, try coming at it from an altogether different approach. I have found that is very effective in planting seed since most have never had the Sabbath presented in such a manner.

Go to when the Sabbath was first made a rest day before sin. Explain why it was given and then let all draw their own conclusion if it will still be a blessing. It is very disarming. I refuse to get drawn into a debate, but try and continue to focus on the gospel truth that surrounds the Sabbath before sin. If it was needed then, how much more now.