Awkward #5 Sabbath

When I first became a Christian I went to a Pentecostal church who were confused about the place of the Law in the New Covenant.  Like most Gentile gatherings they thought Jesus had made a covenant with the Gentiles and somehow this meant that some of the 613 Laws were transferred.  I was told I could not buy things on the Sabbath as this would be sinful on the day no-one was to work.  It always confused me how the Pastor worked on Sundays then had a day off in the week!  Anyway....

Gentiles are grafted into the covenant God made with Israel.  Israel rejected it in the fact that they rejected Messiah.  Israel will be brought back into right standing with God during the Tribulation period but meanwhile what do we do with the Sabbath day of rest? Ignoring for a moment that the Law was for God's chosen people, descendants of Abraham alone.  Ignore also that when the Apostles wrote to the Gentile church at Antioch they had no instructions about Sabbath (Acts 15).    We must try to isolate what Sabbath is for believers today.

When we look at Hebrews Chapters 3 and 4 the author is explaining exactly how Sabbath looks today. Remember that Hebrews is what it says it is... a book written to believing Jews.  We are told that God had set apart a day of rest after the finished model of Creation.  This was Saturday.  The author also tells us that the entry to the Promised Land was a rest after the people of God had fled egypt and eventually found their own nation.  The writer shows us that in the same way we can find rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross.  We can enter into a rest of Jesus having each and every aspect of Salvation under control.  Basically it is a completely done deal and nothing of our own contribution can assist or help any part of it.  We can enter a rest of walking in this truth.  That means ending all striving and works of the flesh.  And this Sabbath rest for God's people is...

TODAY!

This ceasing from all works of the flesh in complete and total trust in the Lord's Saving work is each and every day!  It is offered to those who walk with the Lord but as we are observing in the church the opposite is occurring.  The example given of those who 'will never enter my rest' are those who walked in unbelief in the desert and a generation were left to wander and die.   If we are in a place where for any reason we rely on the works of the flesh we are in unbelief.  This lack of complete reliance on the Lord means by definition that you cannot enter this rest intended for God's people... the grafted in Gentiles.

A technical point
So what has happened to Sabbath?  It's the intended rest given to God's people who have faith in Christ and turn from their own works.  At this point we have to differentiate what 'works' mean.   Theres works of the flesh which are acts of faithlessness and works Jesus can do through you.  In James 'faith without works is dead' is not your own efforts, projects, missions and ministries. It is how the Lord can work through a person and produce works.  There are several Christian groups claiming we should practice aspects of the Law.  This is deception.  Show them Galatians and Colossians Chapter 2.

Enjoy your freedom... rest in the completed work of Christ.

Gary Ward