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Think About It: The Sabbath Is A Gift From Jesus!

08May

The Big Sur

The Sabbath Is A Symbol That We Have Ceased From Trying To Save Ourselves! Jesus Is Our Savior!!

Luke 2:10-11, Ezekiel 20:12,20;36:26-27, 1Thessalonians 5:23-24, 2Corinthians 3:18, Hebrews 3:12,19;4:1-4,10-12,15-16

The Sabbath is a true gift of God to humanity (Mark 2:27). It was the first complete day that Adam and Eve spent as children of God and their first day as a married couple (Gen. 2:1-3). On Sabbath we stop worrying about our daily struggles (Ex. 20:8-11). We do not just rest: any day of the week would do as a day of rest. The difference between this day and any other day is that the Sabbath offers a rest not for inactivity but rather to undertake different activities similar to the first Sabbath in Eden. Sabbath is the moment to catch our breath (Ex. 31:17) as we change activities.

Interestingly, Jesus criticizes the inactivity that the religious leaders of His time tried to impose on the Sabbath and affirmed: “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17). He, of course, refers to Sabbath work as being redemptive and not the type of daily labor we normally engage in during the week (Matt. 12:7). God’s idea of rest for us frees us from ourselves and our worries so that we can have time and space for different activities. According to Jesus, Sabbath is the ideal day for blessing others (verses 9-14). It’s a day of a change in activities centered on God meeting humanity – those He formed out of dust. It is a celebration of the relationship between God and humanity, the members of the family and our ties to all of creation. Sabbath is an echo back to Eden. Sabbath is God’s way of telling us that He wants to have an intimate relationship with us; that we are more important to Him than all the other things He made.

Sabbath is a necessity, not only an obligation. Just as we need air, light, water, and food in order to survive, we need the Sabbath to truly live. It is also a day of worship when we kneel before God and recognize that He is Lord. “It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps. 100:3). Sabbath puts us back in our proper place. In the six other days of the week there is time for personal goals. As we manage our time and activities, there is always the danger that we could begin to consider ourselves equal or even superior to God. We need the Sabbath for this weekly reminder that everything we do, can do, and even all our ability to plan comes from our Creator.

Sabbath is also a day of re-creation. When everything in life seems to be disintegrating, Sabbath calls us back to Eden. And once again the Lord turns and creates everything from nothing. Where we are weak, we can become strong. Chaos turns into order; fear becomes joy; uncertainty is replaced by certainty and trust; God’s justice puts injustice and oppression into their corner; guilt is transformed into pardon. This moment of redemption is reflected in Israel’s experience when God’s strong arm brought them out of Egypt (Deut. 5:12-15), and we recognize the Sabbath as our delight (Isa. 58:13). We not only receive the blessings of this special day, but every Sabbath we renew our covenant with Him and publicly confirm that we want to be God’s children.

Truly understanding the Sabbath changed my life many decades ago – and millions all around the world experience this delight every Sabbath. Can you imagine the incredible Sabbath celebrations in our new heavenly home – face to face with our Creator and Savior?

The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God’s kingdom. The Sabbath is God’s perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God’s creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke 4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze. 20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32, Mark 1:32)

Thanks Professor Raul Quiroga

The Basis Of The Gospel Is To Know That God Is Love!

22Apr

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The very foundation of Salvation is grounded in the realization that God’s unmerited love toward us is greater than any other power— including death. Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 3:14-21

The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. EGW COL 415

The Very Basis Of The Gospel Is To Know That God Is Love!

Knowing and Trusting In God’s Steadfast Love is the very basis of Salvation. “For God so loved”—that He Gave. John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 13:5

“This is life eternal that they might know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3). When we “know” God as Jesus revealed Him to be and trust Him, then we have confidence, faith, or trust in Jesus’ ability to “save” (salvage) us! Our assurance or confidence is in our Savior (just like the thief on the Cross) not in a legal payment.

The Power Of God’s Love! Rom 8:37-39

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:13-21, John 5:24

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son… John 3:16-17

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died. 2 Corinthians 5:14

When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. Psalm 94:18

But all of us who are Christians have no veils on our faces, but reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord. We are transfigured by the Spirit of the Lord in ever-increasing splendor into His own image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

God Loves You Just Like He Loves His Son Jesus!

The one thing above all others that Christ is desirous that we should know is that The Father has loved us even as He loved Him!

I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:23,26

But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.
Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake. Psa 31:14-16

Salvation Is Through The Faithfulness of Jesus and We believe it!!

10Mar

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Salvation Is Through The Faithfulness of Jesus and We believe it!!

Romans 3:21-26

Rom 3:21-26 Along with Eph 2:1-10, this passage is Paul’s most complete statement on the plan of Salvation. It contains the following elements:

Righteousness is “apart from the law” Rom. 3:21, meaning not earned by law keeping v. 20; Gal. 2:16.

Rather, it comes “through the faithfulness of the Messiah and we believe it!” 3:22, KJV; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8.

Since all have sinned Rom. 3:23, all deserve death 6:23; Gal. 3:10.

God does not give people the death they deserve (Psa 103:10-14), but what they do not deserve, the free gift of grace (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8), which they accept by faith Rom. 3:25; see also v. 22.

The gift is provided because of Christ’s death on the cross. His atoning sacrifice not only turned away the penalty of sin (“propitiation,” v. 25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10), but also provided for human “redemption” (a word signifying the purchase of a captive, Rom. 3:24; Mark 10:45; Eph. 1:7), “justification” (a word meaning “To Set Right”, Rom. 3:24; 4:6), “reconciliation” (a healing of relationships, 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:19), and cleansing from the pollution of sin Heb. 9:13–14, 22–23; 10:1–2.

Central to God’s saving work in Christ is His sacrificial “blood” Rom. 3:25. It is His shed blood that stands as the foundation for each of the metaphors of Salvation mentioned in point 5 above 3:25; 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:13–14. In other words, in His death Christ died the death that belongs to sinners that they might have life 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:10–13. On different aspects of the work of Christ, see note on Matt. 1:21.

Summary: God is faithful to His covenant even though we are not! The good news of the Gospel is that God will make us righteous (Faithful) apart from the deeds of the law if we simply trust Jesus with our lives!

The Great Exchange: My sin for His Righteousness!!! 2Cor 5:21

We are saved by the faithfulness of the Messiah and we believe it! Rom 1:17, Rom 3:3, Rom 3:21,22, Rom 3:26

02Mar

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The Gospel Message Saves You!

Think About It

Jesus revealed the mystery of the Gospel to Paul by the revelation of Christ “in him” Gal 1:15,16

Rom 1:16 The Gospel is the power of God unto Salvation. Salvation is ONLY by the power of God, and wherever the power of God is, there is Salvation!

1 Cor. 1:24 Jesus Christ is The Power of God!

1 Cor 1:17-18,21 But Christ’s Salvation comes through the cross; therefore the cross of Christ is the power of God

1 Cor. 1:23 So the preaching of Jesus and Him crucified is the preaching of the Gospel which is the power of God!

Rom 1:20 The power of God is the power that creates all things. Therefore the preaching of Christ and Him crucified, as the power of God, is the preaching of the creative power of God that He uses to save us

John 1:1-5,14, Col 1:16-17 This is true, because Christ is the creator of all things. In Him all things are held together!

Matt 1:23, 6:19, Eph 3:3-9, Col 1:24-29, Rom 8:9-11, Eph 4:30 The mystery of the Gospel is God manifest in human flesh. Christ on earth is “God with us.” So Jesus living “in us” is all the fullness of God “in us”! John 1:14, Eph 3:19, Col 1:19-23

2 Cor 5:17,Eph 2:10 And this means nothing less than the creative energy of God working in us through Jesus Christ, for our Salvation.

John 14:17,Rom 8:9-11, 2Cor 3:18 So the Gospel is Jesus in us and the proclamation of the Gospel is making known to others the awesome possibility of Jesus living in them! And Jesus “in us” is possible only through the Holy Spirit! Matt 24:14, Rev 14:6, Rev 18:1

Summary

The Gospel is the creative power of God living inside me by faith,transforming me into the very character or image of Jesus! This means that Jesus Christ literally lives inside me,through The Holy Spirit; giving me His Righteousness, which is God’s covenant faithfulness!! The proclamation of The Gospel is making known to others of the very same possibility of Christ living inside them,changing them to be just like Jesus,full of His Steadfast Love!!

Think About It: Why Was The Sign of Circumcision Given? What is the Point?

26Feb

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The possession of the Spirit shows that we have a right to the inheritance, because the Spirit brings righteousness, and the inheritance is one of righteousness. Righteousness, and that only, will dwell in the new earth. Rom 8:9-11,16-17, Eph 2:22, Rev 21:7, Rev 22:4,17

In harmony with the above text, we have also the following: “And ye are complete in Him (Christ), which is the head of all principality and power; in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” Col 2:10,11

Now the reason why this sign was given, which was only a sign, and which brought nothing to its possessor, and which was a false sign unless the righteousness of faith was in the heart, will be seen when we consider what had taken place after the covenant was made with Abraham. He had entered into an arrangement, the object of which was to work out the promise of the Lord. Abraham and Sarah believed that the promise was to be theirs, but they thought that they could work it out. But since the promise was of an inheritance of righteousness, the thought that they could work it out was in reality the very common idea that men can work out the righteousness of God.

So when God repeated the covenant, He gave to Abraham a sign, which should always be a reminder of his attempt to work out the promise of God, and his failure. It did not give him anything, but was on the contrary a reminder that he could do nothing of himself, and that everything was to be done in him, and for him by the Lord. The cutting off of a portion of flesh showed that the promise was not to be gained by the flesh, but by the Spirit. Ishmael was born after the flesh, but Isaac after the Spirit. Gal 4:21, Eph 2:11-13. Col 1:27.

The same purpose was also served by it for his descendants. It was to keep continually before them the mistake of their father Abraham, and to warn them against making the like error. It was to show them that “the flesh profited nothing.” John 6:6.3 In after times they perverted this sign, and assumed that the possession of it was an assurance of their righteousness, whether they kept the law or not. They trusted that it brought them righteousness, and make them the peculiar favorites of the Lord. But the Apostle Paul showed the truth in regard to the matter by saying. “We are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Phil. 3:3. The Jews came to look upon it as bringing to them everything, because they trusted in their own righteousness, whereas its only object was to teach them not to put confidence in themselves. Gal 3:14, 26-29. E.J. Waggoner

Think About it: Assurance of Salvation

23Feb

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We have the “assurance” of salvation when we “trust” Jesus with our life, that’s it. Psa 31:14-16. Once we trust Jesus, He, our great Heavenly Physician, will perfectly heal and restore us, thus our assurance is in Jesus, not in our future or ourselves. “This is life eternal that they might know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Psa 30:1-2, Isa 53:5, John 17:3

When we “know” God as Jesus revealed Him to be and trust Him, then we have confidence, faith, or trust in Jesus’ ability to “save” (salvage) us! Our assurance or confidence is in our Savior Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:11-13, Psa 86:5,11,13,15