Purpose of the sabbath

[HARK!]

Are we under the law?

UNDER THE LAW!

 

[Cribstyl]

Brother, that is because the Holy Spirit grows you slowly to obey the law as James allowed the Holy Spirit to grow "Gentiles who are turning to God" slowly as they listen to the law of Moses each Sabbath.

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:19-21 NIV)​

Your comments in pink above are shamelessly false. Peter's judgment is based on these facts below.

Act 15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
Act 15:6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

Act 15:7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

The gospel is the message causing the Gentiles to turn to God, not the law. So Jorge you have no shame in manipulating the scriptures with your added commentary.

Are you ready in your growth with the Holy Spirit to accept God's call to keep the Sabbath in Hebrews 4, so that no one will "perish" by following Israel's example of disobedience? The key to unlocking the message of Hebrews 4 is to separate what it says about each “rest” in comparison. The "rest" that God did not allow them to enter is a saving relationship with God through faith that obeys. This "rest" is compared to the weekly "rest" on Sabbath. Since many biblical characters have saved “rest” before the time of David and after the time of Joshua, the “rest” that was not present in Israel is the "rest" of God’s Sabbath. The comparison tells us that God wants us to keep His weekly Sabbath "rest". It tells us that Israel has not obeyed God's true Sabbath "rest" even until the time of David. This means that Judaism has a Sabbath tradition that is not God's true weekly Sabbath "rest". We can show God that we have a faith that obeys by finding God's true biblical Sabbath "rest".

God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works," just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:7-11 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

LOL, You appear to as pushing the law down our throats.

 

[Cribstyl]

UNDER THE LAW!

....?????

 

[Bob S]

EPh 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.

Thus no one is under the laws of the Sinai covenant. Every soul that ever lived since Calvary has been under the laws of the New Covenant, the covenant of love. Jn 15:10-14

 

[guevaraj]

LOL, You appear to be as a Pharisee, by pushing the law down our throats.

Brother, I did not write Hebrews 4! God wrote Hebrews 4 through Paul, your favorite author. I just unlocked Hebrews 4 for you. There is no escape from the written word of God in Hebrews 4 through Paul.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

 

[HARK!]

....?????

UNDER THE LAW! (clicky)

 

[BobRyan]

UNDER THE LAW! (clicky)

thanks for the link... can't click "reply" there and get the post quoted - so here is a second-best option.

UNDER THE LAW!

"Under the law"

Paul is the only one in the Bible who uses this phrase.

It's found 11 times in his writings.

Romans 3:19
(CLV) Ro 3:19
Now we are aware that, whatever the law is saying, it is speaking to those under the law, that every mouth may be barred, and the entire world may become subject to the just verdict of God,

Let's look at this very carefully. The law speaks to those under the law.

The law speaks so that every mouth in the entire world may become subject to YHWH's judgement.

As all are subject to YHWH's verdict; it appears that we have two groups here. One group is already subject to YHWH's judgement. The other would not be subject to YHWH's judgement in absence of his Torah.

The preceding verse serves to further define the behavior of those who are under the law:

(CLV) Ro 3:18
There is not fear of God in front of their eyes.

Why would we fear our loving Abba?

(CLV) Ex 20:20
Then Moses said to the people: Do not fear, for in order to probe you the One, Elohim has come, and in order that the fear of Him should come over your faces, that you may not sin.

What is sin?

(CLV) 1Jn 3:4
Everyone who is doing sin is doing lawlessness also, and sin is lawlessness.

==================================================
(CLV) Ro 6:14
For Sin shall not be lording it over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.

Which law?

Paul mentions at least 8 of them in this letter:

The Law of Faith (Ch 3)
A Different Law (Ch 7)
The Law of My Mind (Ch 7)
The Law of Sin (Sin's Law) (Ch 7)
God's Law (Ch 7)
The Spirit's Law of Life (Ch 8)
The Law of Sin and Death (Ch 8)
The Law of Righteousness (Ch 9)

I suppose that if sin is lording over you; then you are under The Law of Sin.

(CLV) Ro 6:15
What then? Should we be sinning, seeing that we are not under law, but under grace? May it not be coming to that!

Paul is telling us in no uncertain terms that we may not sin.

What is sin?

(CLV) 1Jn 3:4
Everyone who is doing sin is doing lawlessness also, and sin is lawlessness.

(CLV) Ro 7:7
What, then, shall we declare? That the law is sin? May it not be coming to that! But sin I knew not except through law. For besides, I had not been aware of coveting except the law said, "You shall not be coveting."

Surely The Law of Sin doesn't prohibit coveting.

 

[Bob S]

Brother, I did not write Hebrews 4! God wrote Hebrews 4 through Paul, your favorite author. I just unlocked Hebrews 4 for you. There is no escape from the written word of God in Hebrews 4 through Paul.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

I would like to put this Heb 4 thing to REST. The 4th chapter of Hebrews is not telling us to keep the Sabbath. It was telling Jews that they had not entered God's Rest. God's Rest could not have been keeping the 7th day Sabbath, why, because the Jews were already doing that. They had been observing Sabbath since before Sinai. Yet verse 5 tells us they had never entered God's Rest. They rested every seven days as instructed yet they never entered God's Rest. So, we can rule out your reasoning that chapter 4 is referring to observing the 7th day. The chapter is not about keeping Sabbath Jorge, so please stop using it to try to prove it is telling us we have to observe it.

 

[Bob S]

Would have been a double post.

 

[Danthemailman]

I would like to put this Heb 4 thing to REST. The 4th chapter of Hebrews is not telling us to keep the Sabbath. It was telling Jews that they had not entered God's Rest. God's Rest could not have been keeping the 7th day Sabbath, why, because the Jews were already doing that. They had been observing Sabbath since before Sinai. Yet verse 5 tells us they had never entered God's Rest. They rested every seven days as instructed yet they never entered God's Rest. So, we can rule out your reasoning that chapter 4 is referring to observing the 7th day. The chapter is not about keeping Sabbath Jorge, so please stop using it to try to prove it is telling us we have to observe it.

Amen! The Sabbath "sabbatismos" (used nowhere else in the Bible) rest in Hebrews 4 is in regards to our perpetual rest that is to be enjoyed uninterruptedly by believers in their fellowship with the Father and the Son, in CONTRAST to the weekly Sabbath day under the Law.

 

[Cribstyl]

Brother, I did not write Hebrews 4! God wrote Hebrews 4 through Paul, your favorite author. I just unlocked Hebrews 4 for you. There is no escape from the written word of God in Hebrews 4 through Paul.

First of all Jorge, your comments on Act 15 above is what I'm trying to address with you.

What was the reason for the Jerusalem council Jorge?
Act 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise [fn]them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.
Act 15:6¶And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Was it the law of Moses or the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Gentiles was there to hear?

Was the conclusion of the matter to teach them the law of Moses?

Waiting on your response.​

 

[guevaraj]

I would like to put this Heb 4 thing to REST. The 4th chapter of Hebrews is not telling us to keep the Sabbath. It was telling Jews that they had not entered God's Rest.

Brother, I agree they weren't keeping God’s “rest”, but what “rest” were they not keeping? The passage may speak of two possible “rest”s listed below: One of these they had and not the other!

1. God's saving “rest”

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)​

1. God's Sabbath “rest”

Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’ ” (Exodus 16:21-23 NIV)​

God's Rest could not have been keeping the 7th day Sabbath, why, because the Jews were already doing that. They had been observing Sabbath since before Sinai. Yet verse 5 tells us they had never entered God's Rest. They rested every seven days as instructed yet they never entered God's Rest. So, we can rule out your reasoning that chapter 4 is referring to observing the 7th day.

Scholars have questioned your assumption that Israel kept God’s "rest" day! That's the issue in the following scholarly paper that lists evidence from both sides: “https://www.andrews.edu/library/car/cardigital/Periodicals/AUSS/2008/2008-2/2008-2-03.pdf”. The "rest" they did not have cannot be saving "rest" because many prophets found in the Bible had a saving "rest" during the time when it says Israel did not have God's "rest" day! The only conclusion is that it refers to the true weekly Sabbath "rest" of God, as the scholars have argued in the paper already mentioned.

The chapter is not about keeping Sabbath Jorge, so please stop using it to try to prove it is telling us we have to observe it.

Amen! The Sabbath "sabbatismos" (used nowhere else in the Bible) rest in Hebrews 4 is in regards to our perpetual rest that is to be enjoyed uninterruptedly by believers in their fellowship with the Father and the Son, in CONTRAST to the weekly Sabbath day under the Law.

Brothers, the "rest" that we must keep is one that Israel did not have when they could have. They, like us, had a saving "rest": the Bible is full of prophets who had a saving “rest” during the time mentioned. When God says that there remains a Sabbath "rest" for the people of God that Israel could have kept, but did not, God cannot be talking about not having a saving “rest” because many biblical prophets did. God must be talking about the true "rest" of God’s Sabbath, which is the issue in the scholarly paper above.

God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works," just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:7-11 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

 

[guevaraj]

First of all Jorge, your comments on Act 15 above is what I'm trying to address with you. What was the reason for the Jerusalem council Jorge?

Brother, the issue was whether they would allow the Holy Spirit to grow "Gentiles who are turning to God" slowly as they listen to the law every Sabbath or if they pressure them to immediately obey the law to make them citizens of Israel faster.

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ... Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household (Ephesians 2:12,13,19 NIV)​

Was it the law of Moses or the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Gentiles was there to hear?

James assumed there was no need to push their growth when they are exposed to the law every Sabbath and would benefit from it over time.

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:19-21 NIV)​

Was the conclusion of the matter to teach them the law of Moses?

James felt that they should not pressure their growth, since the "Gentiles who are turning to God" hear the law every Sabbath. A recent example of how the Holy Spirit slowly makes us grow is found in Hebrews 4. No one has understood it until now! Now, exposed is everyone to more evidence from Hebrews 4 to know that God wants us to keep the Sabbath. What will you do with this test to obey the Sabbath "rest" as Jesus' return draws near?

God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works," just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:7-11 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

 

[Cribstyl]

Brother, the issue was whether they would allow the Holy Spirit to grow "Gentiles who are turning to God" slowly as they listen to the law every Sabbath or if they pressure them to immediately obey the law to make them citizens of Israel faster.

remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ... Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household (Ephesians 2:12,13,19 NIV)
​

Act 15 says the issues the Apostle considered was whether the Gentiles should do as the Pharisees suggested.
Act 15:5

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6 ¶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
​

James assumed there was no need to push their growth when they are exposed to the law every Sabbath and would benefit from it over time.

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:19-21 NIV)​

James felt that they should not pressure their growth, since the "Gentiles who are turning to God" hear the law every Sabbath. A recent example of how the Holy Spirit slowly makes us grow is found in Hebrews 4. No one has understood it until now! Now, exposed is everyone to more evidence from Hebrews 4 to know that God wants us to keep the Sabbath. What will you do with this test to obey the Sabbath "rest" as Jesus' return draws near?

God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works," just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:7-11 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

All I can say is wow because what James 'felt' or 'assumed' is not written anywhere.
Jorge, why are your comments contradicting the truth?
Here's what James said about the issues.
Act 15:24

Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

So it should be clear to all that it's the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves, not the law. The law is of Moses and the Gospel is of Jesus Christ.
The law is not of faith.
Just like the Pharisees, some people here have to remain silent or intentionally confuse the gospel with the law.

 

[Cribstyl]

whoops

 

[guevaraj]

So it should be clear to all that it's the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves, not the law.

Brother, why does the Gospel of Jesus save you, to do what? Jesus died so we can do the good things He planned for us "long ago", before sin entered the human family.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)​

The purpose of creating us anew is given in the previous verse: so that we can do the good things He planned for us "long ago". Long ago, God planned for us the seventh day of creation, before sin entered the human family, to remember His "holy" day. We will remember "the Lord's day" in gratitude for His salvation as the early church in Jerusalem did, before the bishops of Rome legislated the invented human tradition of Sunday to replace God's Sabbath that protestants adapted.

“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 66:22-23 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

 

[Bob S]

Jorge, Is Isiah really writing about our home in Heaven? If you would read another account of the new earth, he writes about in Is 65. Could it be that Isaiah is referring to something else and you use of the verse about Sabbath in the place we are going is not true or never really mentioned by God??????

New Heavens and a New Earth
17 “See, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind. (Yet in Is 66:24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”) I don't know about you, but I certainly don't believe Isaiah is writing about the place prepared for us. Read on and it seems he contradicted himself. His account in Is 66 seems to tell us we will be reminded every week we live.

18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.

20 “Never again will there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not live out his years;
the one who dies at a hundred
will be thought a mere child;
the one who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.
21 They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them,
or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,
so will be the days of my people;
my chosen ones will long enjoy
the work of their hands.
23 They will not labor in vain,
nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,
they and their descendants with them.
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
and dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.

 

[Cribstyl]

Brother, I did not write Hebrews 4! God wrote Hebrews 4 through Paul, your favorite author. I just unlocked Hebrews 4 for you. There is no escape from the written word of God in Hebrews 4 through Paul.

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 NIV)​

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge

True. you didn't write it but you're not interpreting it correctly. I cant tell if you're doing that on purpose or not.
Let's take a look Jorge.
The blue letters are the biblical truth we cant reject.
The black letters are my ignorant comments which are disputable. Feel free to discuss, but stay in context with the lesson being taught...please, thx.


Heb 4:1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.
(Fact to consider Jorge is this; God is inviting us into His rest from Gen 2: 1-3 and this is actually our Heavenly invitation.)

Heb 4:2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
( The good news preached to us, includes the wisdom that the curtain was rent when Jesus died on the cross. So access into the Holy of Holies is now possible to those who accepts the blood of Jesus to cover their sins. The Jews at the time of Jesus who rejected The Savior, could not get in because of unbelief. They will be judged by the law.)
Heb 4:3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
(Believers in the Gospel can enter where God's rested from creation. When God was angry with The Children of Israel He swore that they would never get into His rest (Ps 95)
Heb 4:4For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”
(Heb 4 makes it clear that where God's rested on the 7th day in Gen 2:2 is what is being talked about.)

Heb 4:5And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
(Psa 95:11) Ps 95 say that it was after the 40yrs in the wilderness, as the time when God swore they would not enter His rest.)

Heb 4:6Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,
( The doors to God's rest in heaven is open for those who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those to whom it was first preached rejected the Gospel cannot enter because the don't believe.)

Heb 4:7God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
(So a long to after Moses era, God said to the Children of Israel in David's era "Today if you soften your hearts I'll let you into my rest. Ps 95)

Heb 4:8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
(When Joshua had taken over from Moses he led them into the promised land so they could keep Sabbaths in their lands but God's true rest is not that day.)

Heb 4:9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;
(so the invitation of God's rest is open for His people.)

Heb 4:10for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,
( Fact is you have to end your work on earth as God did to Get into heaven. It's heavenly rest. That's why Adam resting with God is a scam story)
)
Heb 4:11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
(See you in heaven)

 

[Bob S]

In Heb 4 the writer couldn't have been writing about the weekly sabbath because the readers (Jews) were already observing the weekly sabbath.

 

[guevaraj]

True. you didn't write it but you're not interpreting it correctly. I cant tell if you're doing that on purpose or not. Let's take a look Jorge. The blue letters are the biblical truth we cant reject. The black letters are my ignorant comments which are disputable. Feel free to discuss, but stay in context with the lesson being taught...please, thx.

Brother, let's take a closer look! My detailed comments will only get better with more time.

1. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. No person has entered God's Sabbath "rest", even up to the time that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews. "Every effort to enter that rest" mentioned later is still future to correct the Sabbath tradition of Judaism. Paul did not understand what He was writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
   
   
2. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. This is what God is looking for to save us, that we "share the faith of those who obeyed". Although Israel had the written account of the creation week that we have, they did not "share the faith of those who obeyed", like the faith of Abraham, to learn from the manna teaching God's Sabbath.
   
   
3. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. We who have believed enter that unrealized "rest" and must put forth "every effort to enter that rest". The oath affected the generations until David! God did not help them correct their tradition to enter His Sabbath “rest”. God’s oath shows that He is still against those who do not "share the faith of those who obeyed".
   
   
4. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” The only rest God enters into is the rest He made holy every Sabbath. As we enter the Sabbath “rest” with God, reminded He is that He must complete the work of saving us on the basis that we "share the faith of those who obey". If we make it difficult for Him to save us, He does not want the reminder to finish our personal salvation by entering His Sabbath “rest”.
   
   
5. And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” To not enter God's "rest" means you do not have His Sabbath "rest" because if you did have His Sabbath "rest" He could not stop you from entering His "rest".
   
   
6. Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, The reason God doesn't want us to go into His weekly Sabbath “rest” is because we don't "share the faith of those who obeyed".
   
   
7. God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” The oath affected the generations up to David and continues to affect us who do not "share the faith of those who obeyed". God does not want those who make it difficult for Him to save us to have His Sabbath “rest” reminding Him that He complete what He began in us.
   
   
8. For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. God tells us plainly that He is speaking of another "day" of "rest". Entering the promised land did not change God’s oath, because it lasted until David's generation.
   
   
9. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; What remains for God's people is the "rest" of the corrected Sabbath that God did not help Israel correct with an oath because they did not "share the faith of those who obeyed".
   
   
10. for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. The only "rest" we know that God enters into is the Sabbath "rest". The Sabbath “rest” is a reminder of salvation and if you make it difficult for Him to save you because you do not "share the faith of those who obeyed", He does not want the reminder of Him needing to complete the work of your salvation each Sabbath “rest”.
    
    
11. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. We need to "make every effort to enter that rest” that corrects the human tradition of Judaism to find the true "rest" of God’s Sabbath.
    
    
12. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Done is the effort to correct the Sabbath by studying the word of God.
    
    
13. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. The truth of the Sabbath was foretold by God from the beginning and the reason we do not have the truth about the Sabbath is because we do not "share the faith of those who obeyed". This “rest” spoken of in the passage, the Israelites could have entered into had they “shared the faith of those who obeyed”.

United in our hope for the soon return of Jesus, Jorge