Question: "Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?"

In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul instructs, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.”
Romans 14:5 states, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

These Scriptures imply that, for the N.T. Christian, Sabbath-keeping is a matter of spiritual freedom. Sabbath-keeping is an issue on which God’s Word commands us not to judge each other. Sabbath-keeping is a matter about which each Christian needs to be fully convinced in his/her own mind about if, why and how they will observe it.

I keep a Sabbath Day reserved (Monday) for my family as a life principle. It is an act of obedience to God for my own good and the good of those I love. On that day we unplug from phones, computers, and anything else that might lure us into work. We rest.

We do not feel the "law requirement" as much as we feel the "love requirement". We hear the voice of a loving Father saying, "Get your proper rest my child". Once again, we see this is a loving command and it positions us to be more loving by being refreshed and revived one day each week. Tired, worn-out, cranky people find it difficult to love God or their neighbor.

Sabbath thoughts

Have not blogged in a week...As I get back to my studies in the 10 commandments I turn to the 4th command:

Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

It takes maturity to apply this command to our lives and benefit from it. My son throws a fit when I say it is time to rest. He NEVER wants to rest. He gets tired alright, but that is when he fights harder. He gets cranky. He gets upset. He should gladly just "give in" because rest is the only thing that will right the ship but no-he cannot-he will not give in. Finally, I make him lay down and he drops off into his much needed time of recovery.

Rest. Do you do it? Do you fight it? Or do you just press on like so many cranky, fussy Americans chasing productivity and seeking to get ahead.

God says that He made this day called Sabbath for you. It is your day to rest. Do you have a day that you totally stop? Unplug? Enjoy God? Enjoy family? Friends? If you don't take your weekly break you are disobeying God. He gives us this day for our own good. Maybe we should take another look at it and trust God to bless us as we obey. Recovery. Renewal. Recreation. God's Idea!

Top 10 reasons for keeping the 10 commandments

1. Because God wrote them.
These were not opinions of Moses, these commandments were written on stone tablets by the very finger of God.

2. Because the God who wrote them, has proven his love for us.
God had just proven his existence and his love for the people of Israel by bringing them out of the Land of Egypt. God has proven his love for you at the Cross of Calvery. There is our freedom and hope.

3. Because we do not want to live our lives in bondage.
If we fail to observe God’s commandments, sin will once again enslave us all.

4. Because we need the blessings of God upon our lives.
God said that he would "shew mercy" to all of those who love him and keep his commandments. If our prayer is, "God bless America," we need to heed his commandments.

5. Because there is wisdom and righteousness in all that God has asked us to do.
Many people who want to reject the ten commandments as to be outdated, have never even read them. The heart of God is expressed in the ten commandments. The commandments are reasonable and right!

6. Because God only wants what is best for us.
God had our interest in mind. Each commandment was given to bring betterment to mankind.

7. Because we are to love our children.
It is our children who were bear the reproach of our sin unto the "third and forth generation." Violating the commandments of God is the most unloving thing that we can do to our children, grand children, and great grand children.

8. Because holiness is happiness.
The God who created us, created us to live holy lives. Holiness is happiness.

9. Because it is the one thing that I can do to show the Lord that I love him.
We have a God who can be "pleased." Here are ten things that we can do that will "please" our creator God. The verse says, "If you love me, keep my commandments."

10. Because God will judge us if we do not keep his commandments.
Even if the Supreme Court decides to remove the commandments of God, the God of the ten commandments has said, "I will not hold them guiltless" on the day of judgment. The Books are going ot be opened, anc the ten commandments will be there. God will has not, and will not remove his "ten commandments" from his court room!

Conclusion: Jesus observed and kept every jot and tittle of the law. He is my righteousness. I am not saved by keeping the ten commandments. I am saved by grace. Jesus Christ is my Savior. But the Christ who saved me by his grace, saved me for the purpose of allowing his righteousness to reign in my heart. His ten commandments are forever etched on the walls of my heart!

Obey before the pain

Today I spent time contemplating Psalm 119. David wrote this Psalm later in life after he felt the pain and destruction of his disobedience to commandments #6 (kill), #7 (Adultery). He turned his heart to fully obey the Lord's commandments. It is striking just how focused and clear he became on the issue of obedience-it was his whole-hearted desire to follow God's law. He viewed as a means of protection, fulfillment and joy. It was not a heavy wieght around his neck holding him down. Instead obeying God's command was a way to lift his spirit and lighten his burdens.

Unfortunately, it was not until he felt to acute pain of his disobedience that he had his moment of clarity. I want to obey before the pain. How about you?

Do you really love me?

Once a woman went to her husband and said, “Honey, do you love me”? He said, “Of course I do.” She walked away with the same lack of assurance as she came. Why do you think she asked?

Probably because the love was only verbalized not actualized.

If I ask you, “Do you love God?” What will you say? If you are like me you will say, “of course I do”. Let’s examine what the Bible says about true love for God:

We show our love for Jesus and God by obedience.

If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15)

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. (John 14:21)

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)

Love or non-love for Jesus is reflected in our obedience to Jesus' teachings.

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23, 24)

Love for God is reflected by our actions, not our words or emotions (which both can be a lie). Our actions do not lie. When we obey, we say, “I love You” according to God. Also when we obey, God reveals more of Himself to us. He “comes to us” and “makes His home with us”. What a priveledge for the one who obeys. What an honor to know and be close to God!

Some might say what does that mean-to be close to God? I know what that has meant for me but I cannot know what that means for you. Obey Him and find out for yourself.

God is slow

When I was a little boy I was one of the fastest kids in my school. I loved racing other kids on the playground. Often, I could outrun them. When we try to "outrun" from God it is comforting to know that he is slow. Jonah discovered the God was slow.

Ex 34:6
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

Nu 14:18
18 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.

Ne 9:17
17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,

Ps 86:15
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Ps 103:8
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Ps 145:8
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

Joel 2:13
13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Jnh 4:2
2 He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

Na 1:3
3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

When I try to run from obedience to God, He will always catch me but thankfully he is slow to be angry with me. I love You Father!

First Time Obedience?

The other day I went to pick up my little boy from preschool and I asked his teacher how he was doing. She said, “Sam needs to work on first time obedience”. I told her that we would help him in that area immediately. As I drove away from the school firmly telling Sam about the error of his ways a gentle nudge came my way. “You need to work on your first time obedience too Chris”.

“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:” Jonah 3:1 (NIV)

How many times does it take for you to obey God’s voice? Are you a first timer? 2nd? 3rd? 4th? 5th?

I am fascinated by God’s parenting approach. I can get pretty hot after asking my son several times to respond and does not. But isn’t it interesting that when God comes to Jonah a second time He does not remind him of his previous failure, He make no mention of being rescued from death, nor does He make sure Jonah remembers his vow. In fact, there is no hint of anything but grace as God reinstates Jonah to his mission. He does not even warn him of the consequences if he tries to run again. It would be a gross understatement to say that God is patient and gracious.

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; Psalms 103:8-13 (NIV)

Does this make me more passionate about God or less? Does seeing God like this inspire reverence and loving obedience? OR do I despise the riches of His goodness?

4 Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin? 5 But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, 6 will judge all people according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:4-11 (NLT)


I am thankful that God does not always spank when I don’t obey the first time. I need grace not to take Him for granted. Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments”. May we love Him with our obedience. May we have grace to even obey the first time!