Keeping the Sabbath Holy?
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. — Isaiah 56:2
God declared that all the works of the Hebrew’s hands were only evil before Him.
For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD. — Jeremiah 32:30
They kept their hands from polluting the Sabbath by refraining from doing “any” work on the Sabbath, keeping the Sabbath “holy.”
Jesus worked on the Sabbath. His works did not pollute the Sabbath or compromise the holiness of that day because His works were not evil, like the works of the Jews then and there. He elaborated on this theme by informing them that good works are lawful on the Sabbath, as contrasted to evil works which violated and polluted the holiness of the day.
But they, being evil by nature, rejected His declaration, looking solely to the letter of the law; the letter that Paul wrote, “kills” understanding only that the Sabbath commandment stated “no one” was to do “any” work whatsoever. They ‘conveniently’ overlooked how they themselves were doing some works on the Sabbath that were validated by the Sanhedrin such as turning one’s livestock out to pasture, and even rescuing an animal from a pit or ditch on the Sabbath so that the animal did not suffer needlessly. But, they saw healing a suffering person on the Sabbath in a different light… that a person could be allowed to suffer a few more hours before being miraculously healed…
Today’s ‘wanna-be’ Sabbath keepers insist what Jesus did on the Sabbath was not really “work” but was additional restrictions placed upon the Sabbath by the same Pharisees who relaxed the requirements of the Sabbath mentioned here, never explaining how you add further restrictions on the Sabbath law that already forbade “any” work at all.
The lesson of the Sabbath as drawn out by Jesus goes right over the collective heads of those He spoke to, and those who read about it today who believe they need to keep the Sabbath of the Old Testament dispensation.
It is only evil works that pollute and violate the holiness of the Sabbath; not good works which can only be performed by those who are no longer evil based on an evil heart; people in whom God has given the gift of the Holy Spirit, changing the nature of a person so that the are now a “new creature” (creation) in Christ, no longer subject to that law that dealt with those who had evil hearts of unbelief; the “deceptive and desperately wicked hearts” (Jeremiah 17:9). “Hearts of stone” (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26).
God does not condemn those He has given this new heart / Spirit. Their works are no longer evil; the product (produce) of an evil heart; good trees producing good works ONLY.
Evil people have that evil heart of unbelief; it is a heart, mind, and soul that cannot comprehend spiritual issues, and so, this whole concept is rejected out of hand; a hand that can only do evil.
God reveals Himself to those He chooses, so that it is all to His glory, and not to any evil man who would then conclude he glorifies himself through his own realization.
God must grant such people “repentance” even as He granted repentance unto the Gentiles (Acts 11:18).
Until then, people remain under condemnation; not due to the law, but due to having an evil heart of unbelief (John 16:7-9)
God judges according to the heart, and an evil heart remains condemned by God.
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It is important that you understand; Everything on this blog is based on the current understanding of each author. Never take anyone's word for it, always prove it for yourself, it is your responsibility. You cannot ride someone else's coattail into the Kingdom. ; )
Acts 17:11
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