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Is it important to keep the Sabbath?

Gary K

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I don't need to read it to know what it says.

So you're one of the the people who say I will give God as little as I can? I figure I owe Him a lot. I owe Him all I have and all I am as He gave everything He had to give, His life.
 
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Reasonably Sane

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I don't need to read it to know what it says.

So you're one of the the people who say I will give God as little as I can? I figure I owe Him a lot. I owe Him all I have and all I am as He gave everything He had to give, His life.
No. I'm one of the people that sez my salvation is not based on "how much I give". We were created as his imager on this particular planet. We are his caretakers of this world. And there are two aspects of that job that Jesus made very clear to us:
Jesus replied: “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28)

I do my best to follow both, knowing that he's not going to fire me if I'm not his star employee. It doesn't mean I don't try to be, but it sure takes the pressure off.

I see Christians as a kid that is the son of a very rich man who tells his son to clean up his room. Now, I know my father's personality and he has said clearly that he will not write me out of the will if I don't clean up my room. That doesn't mean I don't need to clean up my room, though. What it does mean is that he loves me and he's not going to disown me if I don't clean up my room. It means I have free will and a choice. And I choose to clean up my room. But if I should ever NOT clean up my room, I'll suffer consequences, but as a teaching opportunity to learn to be better.

The other kid whos father is also rich is told to clean up his room. And his father, Allah, WILL write him out of the will if he doesn't do it. My father is a bit more forgiving. But still, as stated in Romans 6, it doesn't give me carte blanch to ignore His will. And my actions don't show those of a loving obedient child if I choose not to clean up my room.

I could go on, but I think you get my drift. When it comes to the commandments of God, we Christians are, IMO, given permission to be "spirit of the law" people rather than "letter of the law" people. And this matters since many of those laws are less than reliably translated and/or transliterated in our modern bibles. i.e. I don't see the bible as "the" word of God. Rather, I believe it contains the word of God. And in the Spirit of 2 Timothy 3-16,17, I'll take the LXX over the limited scope of books contained in our modern English Bibles.

And we all literally owe him our life since he created it. But it's better to use it to His benefit rather than become "so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good." That's why I'm not a monk living in the mountains somewhere. That's not what he created us for. IMO, of course.
 
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Gary K

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So, in your analogy the rich dad would never get angry with his kid if he never cleaned his room. He just refused every time he was asked.
 
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Reasonably Sane

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So, in your analogy the rich dad would never get angry with his kid if he never cleaned his room. He just refused every time he was asked.
To simplify it, yes, sort of. That is, that kid's disobedience would lead to a "hell on earth" life in this reality and in the afterlife he'd be the guy mentioned in 1 Cor 3:15.

Honestly, I'm so thankful that Jesus does not put a limit on God's forgiveness. What a great Dad!
 
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Gary K

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So you believe works are what people do to be saved?
 
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Reasonably Sane

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So you believe works are what people do to be saved?
I thought I was communicating exactly the opposite. That is certainly what I meant by quoting 1 cor 3. The whole point is that he is still saved, in spite of his works or lack thereof. However, works seem to determine your reward beyond simple eternal life. I suppose in "eternity" some will have nicer* houses than others.

*I'm simply pointing out that I see "eternal life" as the universal gift of God to the believer, but it goes beyond that, otherwise it would not say what it does in 1 Cor 3.

I find it necessary more than I should, I think to have to say "that's not what I said". I already know I'm a pretty good communicator in forums (I've been doing it since 1997 and have gotten a lot of feedback in that area), but sometimes I find myself discussing topics with people who either really don't want to hear the points I'm making or don't actually read much of my posts. I admit that I can often get long winded, but sometimes a reading of my full post will actually answer the question the person is asking me.
 
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Gary K

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You have quoted the text a couple times that says their works shall be burned up. As I don't believe the same way you do how can you expect me to understand what you mean?

To me you are saying people are saved by their works.

I'll tell you how I read the text. The works we do are for others. God uses us to help spread the Gospel and thus if we build that foundation upon flammable material, error, our works will be burnt up as we have not taught people the truth and people live out their beliefs. That is how we suffer loss, but we still have the opportunity to be saved if we repent and change our minds.

The devil has been deceiving people since he sinned in heaven. What cost him? His beliefs that he could defeat God. He has been living out that belief ever since.
 
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Reasonably Sane

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I'm saying that they are saved by belief, but their rewards will be determined by their works. i.e. you make it on the ark by believing. But if you never did your chores on the boat you might find that you live in a mud hut after the "flood" while thee guy that did his chores lives in a nice place and drives a Cadillac.

Obviously that's just an analogy, but I think you get my drift.
 
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Reasonably Sane

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The devil has been deceiving people since he sinned in heaven. What cost him? His beliefs that he could defeat God. He has been living out that belief ever since.
I think "The Devil" is usually referring to an elohim's particular job description rather than a particular person in the elohim.

Note: I noticed spell check really wants me to capitalize elohim. Capitalizing that word is like capitalizing "fish" or "mamal", or even "human". Elohim is merely the name of the inhabitants of the unseen realm. God is The Elohim. The head guy. The rest of them bear the name as a mere description. And "devil/satan" is like "angel". It's a job description, like "janitor". It's why we see the phrase "get behind me satan" directed at Peter. Jesus was calling him what the word means in English: "adversary".

And for some reason unknown by me, God actually created adversaries.
 
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Gary K

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There are scriptures that directly refute once saved always saved.

2Peter 2: 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Hebrews 6: 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
 
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Presbyterian Continuist

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We keep the Sabbath by having Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith. He has become our Sabbath, whom we worship in Spirit and in truth, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
 
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Gary K

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We keep the Sabbath by having Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith. He has become our Sabbath, whom we worship in Spirit and in truth, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Scripture please.
 
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Gary K

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I see nothing in Hebrews 4 that says Jesus is our rest.

Hebrews 4: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
 
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Leaf473

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I see nothing in Hebrews 4 that says Jesus is our rest.

Hebrews 4: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Hi Gary, just checking... are you thinking of that as Jesus of Nazareth or the "Jesus" who led the Israelites into Canaan?

 
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Leaf473

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They are one and the same person.
Are you saying that these two passages refer to the same person?


 
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Gary K

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Huh? What are you talking about? Hebrews 4 doesn't mention Joshua.
 
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If you wish to hold to the Old Testament Jewish Sabbath, instead of looking to Jesus as your Sabbath rest, that is your choice. My Sabbath (Jesus) dwells in my heart through faith and that is good enough for me.
 
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Gary K

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If you wish to hold to the Old Testament Jewish Sabbath, instead of looking to Jesus as your Sabbath rest, that is your choice. My Sabbath (Jesus) dwells in my heart through faith and that is good enough for me.
So it doesn't bother you in the least that you hold a non-Biblical belief?
 
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