Christ-Our Sabbath Rest

​If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:  Isa 58:13

Among some circles of Christians there is a controversy about keeping the Sabbath, and many of them use the main verses of Old Testament scripture on the subject to make their point. But, they will intentionally omit those in the New Testament, that speak clearly that they are in error, if studied in context. This short teaching will be all I will go into, to speak about this, because for me, it settles the entire issue.

Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath today. The New Testament makes it clear that Christians are not under obligation to observe a Sabbath day (Col_2:16-17; Gal_4:9-11), Jesus fulfills the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and within us (Heb_4:9-11).

Christians aren't bound to observe days and months and seasons and years. The rest we enter into as Christians is something that is to be experienced every day, not just one day a week - it is the rest of knowing we don’t have to work to save ourselves, but that our salvation was accomplished in Jesus (Heb_4:9-10).

The Sabbath commanded here and observed by Israel was a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Col_2:16-17). We have a rest in Jesus that is ours to live in every day. Therefore, since the shadow of the Sabbath is fulfilled in Jesus, we are free to keep any day - or no day - as a Sabbath after the custom of ancient Israel. However, though we are free from the legal obligation of the Sabbath, we dare not ignore the importance of a day of rest - God has built us so that we need one.

We keep the Sabbath when we set aside every day to honor Him, and by not going our own way, and justifying ourselves.

In Col 2:16-22 Paul speaks of the freedom Jesus gives, of keeping the laws of sabbath days:
Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 
Col 2:17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 
Col 2:18  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 
Col 2:19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. 
Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 
Col 2:21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 
Col 2:22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

In Galatians Paul goes on to say of them:
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Again, in Romans Paul makes it clear; the freedoms we are to live in:
Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 
Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 

These verses make it clear we are to let no one judge us in food, drink, or regarding festivals new moons, or sabbaths, which, as Paul states are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is Christ.

When this subject comes up and you are challenged by those who still believe keeping the Old Testament Sabbath is binding today, take them to these scriptures, and simply stand your ground in the freedom Christ has given us. Apart from this, if they continue to want to make it a point of contention, we are told to not argue and debate on these things, just let it go, and refuse to argue.

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Sometimes it is impossible, sometimes people are out for a fight, but, we aren't to avenge ourselves. Speak what the Bible says about it, and then let people choose to receive or reject what the scriptures says. The day will come when God will avenge what needs to be avenged. We are to speak the truth in love, and patience as much as possible, and then leave people to make their own decisions.

We are living in a day when people have a very low tolerance level, if you won't agree with them, many times it can escalate into even physical violence. As Christians we are to overcome evil with good. If the disagreement can't be resolved by dialogue, leave them to themselves, and pray for them. Then leave them to God.

This sums up the matter on how to treat the adversaries we face in our lives. 

1Pe 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 
1Pe 3:10  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 
1Pe 3:11  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

May the God of peace-bring peace concerning this subject, to many.
Lorna Couillard

Ride Upon the High Places

Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of
​the LORD hath spoken it. Isa 58:14

Those who fly through the air in airships tell us that one of the first rules they learn is to turn their ship toward the wind, and fly against it. The wind lifts the ship up to higher heights. Where did they learn that? They learned it from the birds. If a bird is flying for pleasure, it goes with the wind. But if the bird meets danger, it turns right around and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher; and it flies away towards the very sun.
Sufferings are God’s winds, His contrary winds, sometimes His strong winds. They are God’s hurricanes, but, they take human life and lift it to higher levels and toward God’s heavens.
You have seen in the summer time a day when the atmosphere was so oppressive that you could hardly breathe? But a cloud appeared on the western horizon and that cloud grew larger and threw out rich blessing for the world. The storm rose, lightning flashed and thunder pealed. The storm covered the world, and the atmosphere was cleansed; new life was in the air, and the world was changed.
Human life is worked out according to exactly the same principle. When the storm breaks the atmosphere is changed, clarified, filled with new life; and a part of heaven is brought down to earth. -- Selected
Obstacles ought to set us singing. The wind finds voice, not when rushing across the open sea, but when hindered by the outstretched arms of the pine trees, or broken by the fine strings of an Aeolian harp. Then it has songs of power and beauty. Set your freed soul sweeping across the obstacles of life, through grim forests of pain, against even the tiny hindrances and frets that love uses, and it, too, will find its singing voice. (Streams in the Desert)

​"Be like a bird that, halting in its flight,
Rests on a bough too slight.
And feeling it give way beneath him sings,
Knowing he hath wings."