Is the Sabbath a 'test of loyalty'?

reddogs · Mar 13, 2008

Will the Sabbath be what sets Gods people apart in the end?

The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God. {GC 605.2}

EGW · Mar 13, 2008

mva1985 · Mar 13, 2008

reddogs said:
Will the Sabbath be what sets Gods people apart in the end?

The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God. {GC 605.2}

Like she says when the final test of faith comes it will be the line of distinction.

juneil · Mar 13, 2008

EGW said:
Every word of God is a "test."
Just ask:
Adam & Eve. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%203:13-14;&version=31;
Anyone who died in the Flood. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 6:11-13;&version=31;
Sodom & Gomorrha. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 19;&version=31;
A man gathering sticks. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers 15:32-35;&version=50;
Achan. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=6&chapter=7&version=9
Uzzah. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 Samuel 6:6-7;&version=50;
Saul, Samuel, Agag. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=9&chapter=15&version=50
Ananias & Sapphira. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 5:1-11;&version=50;

Good links bro.

Yup!!! its a TEST OF LOYALTY.

MidnightCry · Mar 13, 2008

Yes, it is a test of loyalty. And will be more so as time goes on.

It already is a dividing issue -- just look at the division on this forum alone.

It already causes division in families, at the workplace, among denominations, socially, etc. It will only get worse.

I am so glad we have Jesus as our example, all we have to do is follow Him and we will never go wrong.

EGW · Mar 13, 2008

juneil said:
Good links bro.

Yup!!! its a TEST OF LOYALTY.

Thanks, but I don't think it was worth the time it took to do that!

OntheDL · Mar 13, 2008

Ezekiel 20
12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
...
20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.

Sounds like a test of loyalty to me.

happywiththelord · Mar 13, 2008

I sure say it is!

honorthesabbath · Mar 14, 2008

As we read thru God's word, we see that in different times and in sundry places, God has chosen to test His people on different points of the 10c. Just as EGW's post illustrates.

And I truly believe that the Sabbath commandment is now and will continue to to be God's last day test of loyalty.

Case in point. I had a client and his wife coming to me for treatments. They had been coming to my office for quite some time and we had become friends of a sort. Well, during this time our church was sponsoring a Prophecy Seminar and I had some posters hanging up to advertise it.

About this time they both were becoming interested in end time issues, they are baptists. So they decided to come to our seminar. Each night they were so excited about what they were hearing and were convinced that what they were hearing was point on.

Until it came to the Sabbath topic! Because the man was a top executive at WalMart and his job was setting up accounts in China, he traveled there every week, his main travel day was Sabbath. His wife told me that they had been discussing if they were 'ready' to observed the Sabbath as it should be. Both claimed to love the Lord above everything. Except apparently when it came to possibly loosing his upper 6 figure salary to observe the Sabbath.

This woman actually told me that no way would they sacrifice all those years he worked his way up to a top spot at WalMart and now were enjoying that BIG income, for the Sabbath. Their excuse was, God doesn't care what day we worship him on.

So for these ppl, the Sabbath WAS a test of loyalty to God. They chose money and position over love and obedience.

Because of this, they both stopped coming to my office. But their daughter still came and about a year after this happened, she told me that both of her parents were getting sick. Her mother had developed breast cancer and blood pressure problems and a few other issues and her Dad has some kind of serious digestive issues.

Now I'm not saying that this was directly caused by them rejecting the Sabbath. But it does seem strange that both were doing so well when they were implementing the health principles and then all of a sudden they aren't. It's just something to thing about.

OntheDL · Mar 14, 2008

The sabbath has always been a test of faith.

Adam and Eve were made the last after everything had already been created. So they didn't witness the creation. For them to believe God's claim to be the creator, it was a test of faith.

honorthesabbath · Mar 14, 2008

Good point DL--even Pharoah was confronted with the Sabbath and wound up the loser!

Lebesgue · Mar 14, 2008

And I don't know, I'm just going to trust G-d on this one... I will continue to keep Shabbat because it IS one of the commandments whether it is the final test or something else is.

TrustAndObey · Mar 15, 2008

OntheDL said:
The sabbath has always been a test of faith.

Adam and Eve were made the last after everything had already been created. So they didn't witness the creation. For them to believe God's claim to be the creator, it was a test of faith.

Wow. I hadn't really thought about that before, but you're absolutely right. They had to have faith in the creation just like the rest of us.

ChrisCarol · Mar 15, 2008

This is the work of God that you believe on His Son.

Let God speak from His Word.

John6

28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Christ we do all adore Thee.http://www.mennolink.org/books/search.cgi?bk.sog.01.txt&track=16

juneil · Mar 16, 2008

EGW said:
Thanks, but I don't think it was worth the time it took to do that!

hahahaha . . . I just open one link then got off i was late for someting that time.

fated · Mar 16, 2008

Which obligations need to be followed to properly observe the Sabbath?

thecountrydoc · Mar 17, 2008

Hi fated,

Before I answer your question;

Which obligations need to be followed to properly observe the Sabbath?

Let me ask you to be so kind as to tell me exactly what your definition of "obligations" is.

Respectfully, your brother in Christ,
Doc

thecountrydoc · Mar 17, 2008

Hi Lainie,

Adam and Eve also had to have faith that God would indeed keep His word and offer them salvation. The taking of that first sheeps life for their clothing must have been devestating. The explination for why it was needed, and the fact that they would need to continue to take life themselves for sacrafices, must have been a very humbling experience for them.

They, just like Jesus, had no advantage over anyone today. They, just like us, had to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Your brother in Christ,
Doc

fated · Mar 17, 2008

thecountrydoc said:
Hi fated,

Before I answer your question;Let me ask you to be so kind as to tell me exactly what your definition of "obligations" is.

Respectfully, your brother in Christ,
Doc

Obligations fall within reasonability. There are a large number of laws regarding the observance of the Sabbath contained in the Bible. Ideally, we should all be able to observe all of these laws on the Sabbath, but, it seems it is generally "unreasonable" to expect them ALL to be followed, especially for those who are unable to devote so much time to holiness, and legitimately, for those for which such a level of holiness would only work for self-edification, and thus be contrary to work on behalf of building up the community.

In short, how does one determine which Sabbath laws are required for community edification without forcing non-justified community sacrifice for the sake of hypocritical pharisaic style self-edification?

TrustAndObey · Mar 17, 2008

fated said:
Obligations fall within reasonability. There are a large number of laws regarding the observance of the Sabbath contained in the Bible. Ideally, we should all be able to observe all of these laws on the Sabbath, but, it seems it is generally "unreasonable" to expect them ALL to be followed, especially for those who are unable to devote so much time to holiness, and legitimately, for those for which such a level of holiness would only work for self-edification, and thus be contrary to work on behalf of building up the community.

In short, how does one determine which Sabbath laws are required for community edification without forcing non-justified community sacrifice for the sake of hypocritical pharisaic style self-edification?

fated, most of the laws you read about in regards to sabbath observances are related to the sabbaths that weren't the seventh day Sabbath of the Lord.

There were Sabbaths mentioned in the Bible that weren't related to the commandment at all.

God asks us for one day to devote to Him, not ourselves. Well, I really shouldn't say "asks", He commanded it.

Jesus said it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath when the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the law. That could certainly cover a lot of things, but in that particular case He was referring to healing a man. The Pharisees considered that "work" even though obviously He wasn't getting paid to heal and He wasn't doing carpentry.

Jesus also made it clear that there would be emergencies that would come up (ox in the ditch) and we would need to tend to those.

Maybe you could post the laws you feel refer to the seventh day Sabbath in the commandment and we could go over them?

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