What are the benefits of the God's rest?

[DamianWarS]

Let's start with some ground rules

I'm not looking for a discussion on how to keep the 4th commandment or if we should or should not keep it. I've used the words "God's Rest" deliberately so as to remove a narrow focus on the 4th commandment and discuss Sabbath on a broader level from Genesis to Revelation.

This also isn't a trap and I'm not going to turn around and use your words against you to tell you how you should keep or not keep the 4th commandment or how X is no more or Y has replaced it. Please refrain from this back and forth arguments that we can see in every other thread here. This thread is not about debating the 4th commandment, keep your comments on this point. I won't even call you out, I'll just report those who do not comply.

Another note, I'm not questioning the "benefits of God" like I'm trying to say there is no benefit nor I am questing faith in some way like we should be seeking the benefits of God over God himself (so please don't accuse me of that). Rather I would like to have a meaningful discussion on the benefits of God's rest for those who enter that rest so that we may understand his rest better.

What is a benefit? One thing it's not is a feature. A feature is a selling point of the object, a benefit translates the feature into what it means for a specific personal reason or how it helps the person. For example, a feature of a screendoor might be to keep the bugs out, the benefit might be "so you don't get bitten by mosquitos". here the feature is a general function of the screendoor but it has no meaning as to how it impacts us personally. when we hear "so you don't get bitten by mosquitos" it's more meaningful and is focused on us, not the object. Another example is a feature of a car might be it gets really good gas mileage a really specific benefit might be "it puts an extra $100 in your pocket every month". Although the benefit is somewhat guessing it relates a very tangible and concrete benefit to a personal connection not a feature of a thing.

I'm looking for the same with God's rest. I would say a feature of God's rest is that it gives us rest and that this is not a benefit. just saying "it gives us rest" is like saying a juicer gives you juice but there's no meaning in that. It has no meaning as to how it impacts us personally. Why do we want this rest and what is it about this rest that helps us?

 

[Carl Emerson]

This is a good topic - I hope it stays on track.

In the same was as we were designed to sleep each night, we were designed to rest periodically.

Health will suffer if we fail to rest.

 

[The Narrow Way]

To me, a wonderful benefit is what I call the RESET. If we observe the Sabbath as God has commanded us to, I believe it's almost like hitting the RESET button on the computer....It starts the following week off with a much better start....you are physically rested, spiritually charged and morally encouraged.

And I have to say I appreciate what you said about not de-railing the topic.

 

[DamianWarS]

So this is the benefit?

Health will suffer if we fail to rest.

I would suggest to reverse this to a positive. Rather than say "health will suffer if we don't.." Perhaps a better focus is "health with flourish if we do...".

But I would say "health" is too abstract and this is still feature driven. We have to try and reduce it to a personal connection. Why do I need Heath? I already feel healthy, I already sleep? So what does this Sabbath rest give me that I don't already have?

Features are always easy to think of but it's more difficult to translate them to benefits. We could say this rest/sleep gives me health (this is a feature) so that I can [fill in the blank]. The last part is the benefit part. How does this translate to God's rest?

 

[DamianWarS]

To me, a wonderful benefit is what I call the RESET. If we observe the Sabbath as God has commanded us to, I believe it's almost like hitting the RESET button on the computer....It starts the following week off with a much better start....you are physically rested, spiritually charged and morally encouraged.

And I have to say I appreciate what you said about not de-railing the topic.

thanks for your reply, broadly I can agree but I would say this is still a feature, not a benefit. Try this exercise "the Sabbath rest lets us reset (a feature) so that I may..."

the problem with "reset" is it's too abstract (what does it really mean?) which then can make us question the need for God's rest to begin with (if it's about reseting) because we may get a sense of not feeling a need to reset or think we already have "reset" events in our lives that are enough. This makes God's rest feel obscure or redundant (which I know no one here is saying). Unless we can personally identify with the benefits of a "reset" by way of God's rest then the term is distant and it's just another word we call Sabbath.

btw, I hope there's no hard feelings regarding our previous conversation, sometimes I come across as too direct or too matter of fact (and the internet can project this even more) but I appreciate and value your reconciliation

 

[honey badger]

Let's start with some ground rules

I'm not looking for a discussion on how to keep the 4th commandment or if we should or should not keep it. I've used the words "God's Rest" deliberately so as to remove a narrow focus on the 4th commandment and discuss Sabbath on a broader level from Genesis to Revelation.

This also isn't a trap and I'm not going to turn around and use your words against you to tell you how you should keep or not keep the 4th commandment or how X is no more or Y has replaced it. Please refrain from this back and forth arguments that we can see in every other thread here. This thread is not about debating the 4th commandment, keep your comments on this point. I won't even call you out, I'll just report those who do not comply.

Another note, I'm not questioning the "benefits of God" like I'm trying to say there is no benefit nor I am questing faith in some way like we should be seeking the benefits of God over God himself (so please don't accuse me of that). Rather I would like to have a meaningful discussion on the benefits of God's rest for those who enter that rest so that we may understand his rest better.

What is a benefit? One thing it's not is a feature. A feature is a selling point of the object, a benefit translates the feature into what it means for a specific personal reason or how it helps the person. For example, a feature of a screendoor might be to keep the bugs out, the benefit might be "so you don't get bitten by mosquitos". here the feature is a general function of the screendoor but it has no meaning as to how it impacts us personally. when we hear "so you don't get bitten by mosquitos" it's more meaningful and is focused on us, not the object. Another example is a feature of a car might be it gets really good gas mileage a really specific benefit might be "it puts an extra $100 in your pocket every month". Although the benefit is somewhat guessing it relates a very tangible and concrete benefit to a personal connection not a feature of a thing.

I'm looking for the same with God's rest. I would say a feature of God's rest is that it gives us rest and that this is not a benefit. just saying "it gives us rest" is like saying a juicer gives you juice but there's no meaning in that. It has no meaning as to how it impacts us personally. Why do we want this rest and what is it about this rest that helps us?

an end to all strife in ones self ...

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Why do we want this rest and what is it about this rest that helps us?

It is not just about rest but time to refocus, let go of some distractions, remember why we are here, be with God and realize it.

 

[BobRyan]

Let's start with some ground rules

I'm not looking for a discussion on how to keep the 4th commandment or if we should or should not keep it.

I agree to both of those opening statements in the OP.

Sound rule #1 - sola scriptura testing of all doctrine and practice.
Sound rule #2 - pay attention to Bible details.
Sound rule #3 - the 4th commandment is one of God's Ten Commandments
Sound rule #4 - scripture says "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD" - Ex 20:10 and some may prefer to call it "God's Rest day" or whatever they wish - but the Bible has its own term for it. We can all read that.


Another note, I'm not questioning the "benefits of God" like I'm trying to say there is no benefit nor am I questing faith in some way like we should be seeking the benefits of God over God himself (so please don't accuse me of that). Rather I would like to have a meaningful discussion on the benefits of God's rest for those who enter that rest so that we may understand his rest better.

Since it is "God's Holy day" Es 58:13, it is the "Sabbath of the LORD" and not something man came up with - so we need to pay attention to what HE says about it in HIS word rather than what we might find "convenient" - if we truly want the benefit HE puts into it specifically for us.

So then for those willing to listen to HIS POV on the topic -- we find that
HE tells us something about how we can get that benefit in
Ex 20:8-11
Lev 23:3
Is 58:13

So then - the details.

In Ex 20:11 we see that its origin is Gen 2:1-3.
in Ex 20:8-10 we see that it is a day set apart for rest
in Lev 23:3 a day specifically for holy convocation
in Is 58:13 we see that secular activity deprives us of the intended benefit of rest.
In Ex 20:8 we see that we need to "keep it holy" if we want its benefit and to do that we must "BE holy" Lev 11:44 1Pet 1:16 - which means being a born again saved Christian with "Christ in you the hope of glory"

====================================

Having a firm understanding of the Sabbath means we have the benefit of --
1. Clarity on the Law of God - as a benefit for mankind
2. Clarity on the literal creation week - so no confusion from evolutionism
3. Clarity on the literal institution of marriage - so no marriage confusion
4. Clarity on God as the author of gender - and not lgbt preference or evolution
5. Clarity on God's loving nature in making a peaceful non-violent universe
6. Clarity on God's loving act of being a personal God - spending time with each person - having a high value on meeting for communion. etc.
7. Concern for servants, animals, others proving Sabbath rest benefit for others if they so choose to value it.

 

[DamianWarS]

I agree to both of those opening statements in the OP.

Sound rule #1 - sola scriptura testing of all doctrine and practice.
Sound rule #2 - pay attention to Bible details.
Sound rule #3 - the 4th commandment is one of God's Ten Commandments
Sound rule #4 - scripture says "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD" - Ex 20:10 and some may prefer to call it "God's Rest day" or whatever they wish - but the Bible has its own term for it. We can all read that.


Another note, I'm not questioning the "benefits of God" like I'm trying to say there is no benefit nor I am questing faith in some way like we should be seeking the benefits of God over God himself (so please don't accuse me of that). Rather I would like to have a meaningful discussion on the benefits of God's rest for those who enter that rest so that we may understand his rest better.

Since it is "God's Holy day" Es 58:13, it is the "Sabbath of the LORD" and not something man came up with we need to pay attention to what HE says about it in HIS word rather than what we might find "convenient" - if we truly want the benefit HE puts into it specifically for us.

So then for those willing to listen to HIS POV on the topic -- we find that
HE tells us something about how we can get that benefit in
Ex 20:8-11
Lev 23:3
Is 58:13

So then - the details.

In Ex 20:11 we see that its origin is Gen 2:1-3.
in Ex 20:8-10 we see that it is a day set apart for rest
in Lev 23:3 a day specifically for holy convocation
in Is 58:13 we see that secular activity deprives us of the intended benefit of rest.
In Ex 20:8 we see that we need to "keep it holy" if we want its benefit and to do that we must "BE holy" - which means being a born again saved Christian with "Christ in you the hope of glory"

Most of what you said has disregarded the requests of the OP. I'm not sure why this is the direction you've chosen but I'll ask you to respect the requests of the OP and try again. If you're unable to comply with this I'll ask that you discontinue written responses in this thread.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Let's start with some ground rules

I'm not looking for a discussion on how to keep the 4th commandment or if we should or should not keep it. I've used the words "God's Rest" deliberately so as to remove a narrow focus on the 4th commandment and discuss Sabbath on a broader level from Genesis to Revelation.

This also isn't a trap and I'm not going to turn around and use your words against you to tell you how you should keep or not keep the 4th commandment or how X is no more or Y has replaced it. Please refrain from this back and forth arguments that we can see in every other thread here. This thread is not about debating the 4th commandment, keep your comments on this point. I won't even call you out, I'll just report those who do not comply.

Another note, I'm not questioning the "benefits of God" like I'm trying to say there is no benefit nor I am questing faith in some way like we should be seeking the benefits of God over God himself (so please don't accuse me of that). Rather I would like to have a meaningful discussion on the benefits of God's rest for those who enter that rest so that we may understand his rest better.

What is a benefit? One thing it's not is a feature. A feature is a selling point of the object, a benefit translates the feature into what it means for a specific personal reason or how it helps the person. For example, a feature of a screendoor might be to keep the bugs out, the benefit might be "so you don't get bitten by mosquitos". here the feature is a general function of the screendoor but it has no meaning as to how it impacts us personally. when we hear "so you don't get bitten by mosquitos" it's more meaningful and is focused on us, not the object. Another example is a feature of a car might be it gets really good gas mileage a really specific benefit might be "it puts an extra $100 in your pocket every month". Although the benefit is somewhat guessing it relates a very tangible and concrete benefit to a personal connection not a feature of a thing.

I'm looking for the same with God's rest. I would say a feature of God's rest is that it gives us rest and that this is not a benefit. just saying "it gives us rest" is like saying a juicer gives you juice but there's no meaning in that. It has no meaning as to how it impacts us personally. Why do we want this rest and what is it about this rest that helps us?

It is the only form of help ( benefit ) provided through Jesus Christ of Nazareth for sin and its consequence of the second death. Blessings
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

 

[trophy33]

If we keep the Sabbath' rest as we are commanded to, i.e. by entering the kingdom of God through faith in Christ and by being released from the Mosaic law, then the benefits are quite obvious:
a) salvation
b) peace
c) joy
d) freedom
e) and many others.

 

[DamianWarS]

If we keep the Sabbath' rest as we are commanded to, i.e. by entering the kingdom of God through faith in Christ and by being released from the Mosaic law, then the benefits are quite obvious:
a) salvation
b) peace
c) joy
d) freedom
e) and many others.

Please don't get into the how, just the benefit.

 

[trophy33]

Please don't get into the how, just the benefit.

That would not make any sense, because people would be mistaken that the benefit of salvation, peace or joy is given by keeping weekly sabbath.

 

[DamianWarS]

That would not make any sense, because people would be mistaken that the benefit of salvation, peace or joy is given by keeping weekly sabbath.

Let's think a little more highly of each other if the benefit of the Sabbath/God's rest is salvation I don't think anyone is thinking you mean keeping a day of the week. (but perhaps I jump to the abstract too quickly)

 

[DamianWarS]

It is the only form of help ( benefit ) provided through Jesus Christ of Nazareth for sin and its consequence of the second death. Blessings
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

are you saying the benefit of God's rest is salvation?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

are you saying the benefit of God's rest is salvation?

Exactly.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Are we concluding entering God's rest is a condition for salvation?

Do we reprint all our tracts?

 

[DamianWarS]

Are we concluding entering God's rest is a condition for salvation?

Do we reprint all our tracts?

If salvation is a product of God's rest and salvation is only through Christ then those two must be reconciled. But that discussion is perhaps for another thread.

 

[DamianWarS]

an end to all strife in ones self ...

strife of what? what is the internal struggle that the sabbath rest frees us from?

 

[honey badger]

strife of what? what is the internal struggle that the sabbath rest frees us from?

an eating of a tree bearing two fruits ....