You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July 2008.
The only book of the Bible that specifically pronounces a blessing for those who listen and take the words to heart, as well as pronouncing a curse upon those who add or take away from the words, is the book of Revelation. For many people it’s a difficult book understand, and for others, it’s difficult to keep from descending into various arguments over how to interpret it. And if that isn’t the biggest understatement of the year… but I digress. Regardless of the brouhaha, for anyone who, without adding or subtracting, simply listens to the words and takes them to heart, there is a blessing from God.
It begins with a statement of purpose: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place.” – Revelation 1:1, and immediately we know the book is at least speaking of future events for the people of John’s day. John wrote the book around AD 96 according to early church fathers, which means he was in the middle of a persecution against Christians, and it wasn’t the first one.
That’s a fairly significant point actually,especially when it comes to what time the book is pointing us toward, i.e… is it speaking mainly about past history, or the future? Read the rest of this entry »
This article by Christopher Hitchins made a good point in my opinion. The sort of point that makes you go, hmmmm…. and start researching. Of course, most people won’t actually look any closer, they’ll jump straight to the conclusion just like the article did. Let me warn you it’s not an argument for creation, but instead an argument that purports to conclusively prove evolution… in reverse. Thus proving the principle of evolution in the first place according to those who want to see that way.
What the article truly proves beyond a shadow of a doubt is the blindness of the writer. Read the rest of this entry »
-
“I am no preacher of the old legal Sabbath. I am a preacher of the gospel. The Sabbath of the Jew is to him a task; the Lord’s Day of the Christian, the first day of the week, is to him a joy, a day of rest, of peace, and of thanksgiving. And if you Christian men can earnestly drive away all distractions, so that you can really rest today, it will be good for your bodies, good for your souls, good mentally, good spiritually, good temporally, and good eternally.” -Charles Spurgeon
One of the curious things about the clamor that ensues when someone finds a picture of the Ten Commandments in a courtroom and immediately declares themselves offended and sues… is that Christians like me usually argue for displaying the Ten Commandments -but actually only observe Nine. We should start a petition asking for the Nine Commandments don’t you think? Sure murder is wrong, worshiping false gods is wrong, committing adultery is wrong, and taking the Lord’s name is wrong, but what about the Sabbath Day? How many of us keep it?
And even better point is that while arguing for the Ten Commandments, we should be quick to do so with humility as all of us have disobeyed them. But I digress…
How can we take the command against murder literally, even expand it to include hating someone in your heart, and not take the Sabbath literally? Acknowledging the fact that Christians are not under the Law of Moses according to the teaching of the New Testament is a good point, but we don’t mention that when it comes to taking the Lord’s name in vain, or any of the other commands for that matter. We apply nine commands literally and directly to our lives today, but not so much the one about keeping the Sabbath Day holy.
Interestingly, the New Testament at some point or another reiterates every commandment except for the Sabbath. Here are some quick facts about the Sabbath Day and the New Testament:
- -Nowhere in the New Testament are there any instructions to keep a Sabbath.
-The early church met in Acts 15 specifically to debate whether or not Gentiles (non-Jews) who were becoming Christians should be required to follow the Law of Moses. The Church decided not to require them to follow the Law, nor were any instructions given them to observe a Sabbath.
-We are told not to let anyone judge us regarding a Sabbath Day. (Colossians 2:16)
-Jesus said man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man. (Mark 2:27)
-If the apostles and the early church observed anything, it was the first day of the week. But no mention is made of them “resting” on that day. The apostles came together on the first day to break bread (Acts 20:7) and a “collection” was taken on the first day of the week. (I Corinthians 16:2). John mentioned being “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,” (Revelation 1) a reference to the vision God gave him.
-Romans 14:5-10 says one man esteems one day above another, and another man esteems every day alike. It says each should be convinced in his own mind. It does not take sides.
Obviously, if the Lord had wanted to give us instructions concerning the Sabbath Day, or if the Holy Spirit had wanted us to observe the Sabbath Day, He could have given clear and straightforward instructions to the church exactly as He had previously given clear and straightforward instructions to the Jews. However, He did not.
The question becomes… on what basis does God no longer require a Sabbath Day? Or does He? Read the rest of this entry »
