| Author | Message | ||
| Honestwitness Registered user Username: Honestwitness Post Number: 55 Registered: 7-2005  |
When was the death penalty for breaking the Sabbath abolished? When was the last execution performed? Is there anything in history that documents this? After the death penalty was abolished, what form of punishment replaced it? Who was authorized to administer the new penalty? Who was authorized to judge someone guilty of breaking the Sabbath and therefore being deserving of the new form of punishment? If the Sabbath law is still binding today, where can I find specifics on how to correctly keep this law? If my specific instructions are found in the Bible, I can only find them in the Old Testament, which says the penalty for breaking the Sabbath is the death penalty. But that obviously won't work, because no one executes people for Sabbath-breaking any more. If my specific instructions are to be found written in my heart, as the New Testament would suggest, then what is to be my punishment for breaking the Sabbath, who is authorized to pass the judgement that I'm guilty and who is to administer the punishment? How easy it would be to soothe my gnawing need for parameters and boundaries by going to an extra-Biblical source of instruction, like an "inspired prophet." How tempting it is to offer suggestions and instructions to others, when they think aloud in a Bible study class, wondering how they should order their lives in relation to God's Old Testament law. How tempting it is to offer God a substitute for the blood of Christ, when I stand before Him supremely vulnerable, with nothing to commend myself to Him but His own work on my behalf. I must have something! Please, there must be something *I* can do! How sweet the words seem to my shattered spirit, "God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as in injunction from Jehovah to them." E. G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 296. Oh, what a relief! Finally, something I can sink my teeth into! I'll get busy right away and make a list of all the Sabbath restrictions, so I can measure my performance. Let's see...no swimming in the pool...but it's all right to dangle my feet in the water, while sitting on the edge of the pool... There...now I feel better...because I'm back in control of my eternal destiny. | ||
| Javagirl Registered user Username: Javagirl Post Number: 191 Registered: 6-2005 |
Preach Preach Preach. Amen and Amen. BTW....been there, done that. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.  Lori | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3635 Registered: 12-2003  |
Honestwitness, what a great post. You have truly captured the internal angst so many of us experienced! Colleen | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1462 Registered: 3-2005 |
Honestwitness, That is a great post. In Numbers 15:32-36 is the account of the poor guy who was picking up sticks on the Sabbath to build a fire. He was caught, and then detained until it was determined by God that this was a capital offense, and he was stoned to death by the people. This seems so radical. But, in the Old Covenant the Sabbath was the most important law to keep, because of what it typified. It was a type of the New Covenant Sabbath rest we have in Christ. The old Sabbath typified Salvation by grace alone thru faith alone in Christ alone, and also typified our sanctification and seal of that New Covenant in the person of the Holy Spirit. So the fact that the man was stoned to death for breaking the Sabbath shows how seriously god takes the teaching that Salvation is strictly by grace alone. When we come along and try "to pick up the sticks", and add works of any kind to this salvation is very serious in God's sight. John 1:13 says that even the human will is not involved in this process, but we are born of God. For Luther, this was the heart of the Reformation--salvation by grace thru faith and not co-mingling our own works or effort. Stan | ||
| Cathy2 Registered user Username: Cathy2 Post Number: 97 Registered: 2-2006 |
~You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace~ Galatians 5:4 (NASB) | ||
| Violet Registered user Username: Violet Post Number: 354 Registered: 2-2001 |
That is exactly what I have felt on so many occations. It was OK to use the turnpike pass but not to drop the change in the basket. | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 642 Registered: 4-2000  |
Honestwitness, Your post is outstanding. I downloaded it and even sent the link to my Sunday School teacher. Dennis Fischer |
