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A Forgotten Promise: Part Two
If It Were Not So: A Forgotten Promise – Part Two
John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commandments.”
Photo Credit: Liz West
The second argument that people will site for not keeping the Sabbath is that keeping the Sabbath is legalistic and no one can “work their way to heaven” so it doesn’t really matter which day we go to church.
I agree that no can work their way to heaven. The only thing that makes us righteous before God is Jesus’ blood covering our sins. HE is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the only way.
Our belief in Him, our relationship with Him, is all that can ultimately save us from eternal death. However just because we are saved by grace does not give us license to break God’s holy law. One would never say it was okay to kill or steal or commit adultery, so why would anyone say it is okay to break God’s fourth commandment?
What did Jesus say? The Bible says:
“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15
“He who says, ‘I know him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
1 John 2:4
And that is not all the Bible says about commandment keeping. God never changes and so, He promises:
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding you own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.”
Isaiah 58:13,14
The third argument that people use when trying to justify not keeping the Sabbath is that Jesus’ death on the cross did away with the law. When Jesus died, he did do away with the ceremonial laws such as sacrificing an unblemished lamb. The reason these laws were done away with is because they each pointed to Jesus. Once Jesus had died for our sins we no longer needed to transfer our sins to a sacrificial lamb because our sins were now transferred to Christ Himself.
God’s holy law, the Ten Commandments, have always been and always will be. His holy law is eternal, never changing. The Bible tells us:
“Do not think that I came to destroy the law.”
Matthew 5:17
“It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17
“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin (break the law) because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:14, 15
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the law.” Romans 3:31
“For I am the LORD, I change not…” Malachi 3:6
Would God really change His mind about the Sabbath? Would He change His mind… and then forget to mention it in His Word?
As believers we have an even higher standard to meet. We, as Christ’s followers are to be the shining example in a world that is sinful. We have a great responsibility to uphold the law of God.
It’s like this: Let’s say you are driving along, over the speed limit, and a police officer pulls you over. You know you did wrong and you tell the officer you are sorry. He forgives you and rather than issue a ticket warns you not to speed again. Are you going to pull back out on the road and speed off? Or are you going to obey the speed limit? You are now under the officer’s grace, and you are thankful so you obey the law. The law is still there. You still have broken the law, but you were forgiven.
Christians have a double obligation to keep God’s law! We are to be an example of holy living to the rest of the world.
The fourth argument people use to say that we do not need to keep the fourth commandment is that as sinners it is impossible to keep God’s law so why try. This is a little ridiculous because if you asked someone if it was possible to not kill or not steal or not commit adultery they would say, “Yes!” You see, no one has a problem with the 1st commandment or the 10th commandment or any of the ones in between except the fourth.
No one is perfect. In fact everyone born since the time of Adam and Eve has been born a sinner. The book of Romans tells us that “all have fallen short.” So we all are in need of a Savior.
Since we are all sinners, does that mean we cannot keep the law or should not do our best to keep God’s law? As believers it seems to me that we should do everything we can to keep God’s law and when we fall short we should repent and do our best to do better in the future. The Bible says:
“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3
“I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Hebrews 8:10
“I can do all things through Christ.” Philippians 4:13
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God.” Revelation 14:12
What is so wonderful about having a relationship with Jesus is that it causes us to desire His will. We want to obey Him. Keeping God’s law to the best of our ability is something we do because of the awesome gift He gave to us. Jesus died a horrible death – for me! The least I can do is do what he asks of me as best as I can.
By keeping God’s law, we are showing the world our faith. By obeying God we are demonstrating our faith. The Bible tells us that:
“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” James 2:20- 24
I find the above passage amazing. As Christians we have an obligation to do more than simply believe there is a God or that Jesus died so that I might have eternal life. For even Satan knows what Jesus has done. Satan does not have the will to obey God’s law – that is why he fell in the first place.
“Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that a faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?”
James 2:19-20 (NLT)
Come back tomorrow for Part Three of A Forgotten Promise, part of the If It Were Not So… Series.
Hope in Christ: Part Two
If It Were Not So: Hope in Christ – Part Two
Psalm 62:5
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.”
Photo Credit: John Nyberg
This article is Continued from Hope in Christ: Part One and is part of the If It Were Not So… Series
Is it possible for one of God’s chosen to be deceived? Eve in her perfect form, not yet a sinful creature, a child of God was deceived!
Christians flippantly talk about “getting saved” or make statements such as, “He got saved last night.” I don’t deny the fact that a person can have a life changing moment and receive his eternal salvation. What I am talking about it those times when an alter call is made, a young person goes down the aisle and confesses Jesus as his Lord and Savior and then weeks from that night has shown no change in their behavior.
When we confess our sins before God and ask him to come into our lives there is work to be done! We cannot expect to receive the covering of Jesus blood if we do not bear fruit. The Bible says,
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:19-21
Salvation is given by grace to those who believe. There is nothing I or you can do save our selves. In fact, we could live as a monk alone in a monastery with no one to talk to and we would still be transgressors of God’s law in need of the blood of the Lamb.
So, where do works and good fruits come into play? Is it possible to lose your salvation? How do we know we are saved? Can we know we are saved?
These are very important questions to ask! We CAN know we are saved. The Bible says,
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:13
As with any heart issue – it is not what you do, but what is in your heart! God does know the difference, so we need not worry that He won’t make the right judgment.
When Jesus came, he lived a perfect life, free of sin. He set an example that we as His believers are to follow to the best of our ability. True repentance means that we are convicted of a sin and we ask forgiveness and seek out God’s will for our lives on a daily basis. It does not mean we will not make mistakes, however, it does mean we will grieve in our hearts at our own sin. We will understand that every time we sin, we are breaking God’s heart all over again. Jesus died for me! He DIED for me. He died that second death talked of in Revelation.
“The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:45,46
Matthew Henry says, concerning the death of Christ, “During the three hours which the darkness continued, Jesus was in agony, wrestling with the powers of darkness, and suffering his Father’s displeasure against the sin of man, for which he was now making his soul an offering. Never were there three such hours since the day God created man upon the earth, never such a dark and awful scene; it was the turning point of that great affair, man’s redemption and salvation.”
You see, Jesus did not just die. He felt God’s separation from Him. He felt that separation, that displeasure from God that all unbelievers will feel on the judgment day.
Jesus’ heart aches when we sin against Him. Obedience to Him is not a lot to ask! And ask He did. Jesus said,
“If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15
Jesus commands us to obedience. He asks that we follow Him – not just believe in Him. James 2 tells us:
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19,20
Not everyone who believes in Jesus will enter the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said,
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23
The verse above leads me to believe that there will be some who go to church every week who will not enter into the gates of Heaven because despite their professed faith, they simply never truly followed God.
The Bible says:
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1,2
We are told to present our lives as holy and acceptable to God. To be transformed! We are told to live in this world but not be a part of this world. Have you come to a place in your life where nothing matters more than what God thinks? If you love this world more than you love God, you are in trouble.
What can you say is different and holy in your life that an unbeliever cannot? Are you really different, or set apart from the world? Or are you living like the world, but simply going to church each week? You are to present your bodies as a living sacrifice!
Jesus is coming to take His people home very soon. Are you ready? If you knew that Jesus would return in 6 months would you change anything you do? Think about it.
Satan is waiting each day to trip you up. It is so important that you arm yourself with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Know what your Bible says! Commit it to your heart today.
“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:6
Do not forsake God’s Word because you are busy or you think it is boring or because you trust your pastor or other trusted adviser (including myself) to teach it to you. You need to read the Bible for yourself. Study it carefully. Don’t assume that what you think you know about the Bible is actually founded on Scripture. Know what you believe, but more importantly – why you believe it. Stand firm on God’s Word.
Remembering the Word
I found this question on our A Virtuous Woman Facebook Group page and wanted to share the question and some of the wonderful answers with you:
Hi Ladies!
Can I ask some of you.. I’m about to have some quiet time/word time with the Lord. but usually I don’t remember what i read later on in the day… when my husband asks me what did i read today i tell him something about Jesus doing this or something like that… any tips on to get real efficient word time? TY!
- Stephanie
- I’ve found that reading it together with my hubby, and having dialog in what’s being spoken to each of us as we’re reading, REALLY makes the Word come alive & leaves God’s handprint on my heart & in my mind!
- what translation are you reading? sometimes I will also check the amplified version, or some times the message ~ they are more “modern” language and often times makes it a bit more ‘relatable’
- Journal what you think God was saying to you.
- Dear Stephanie…Your hunger and discipline in reading His Word is SO refreshing! I find that reading a SHORT 2 or 3 verses, meditating upon them, asking the Holy Spirit what it is that you should receive from those few verses and then WRITING a HeartSong ( what it meant to you personally and how it will change you if needed) helps…gentle hugs and blessings this day
- I even take notes in church!!!! Love My notebook and HeartSongs!!!!
- The best way to understand the bible is to pray before you start reading it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you his wisdom, his knowledge and his understanding. Ask him to speak to you through whatever you are directing. Ask him to direct you to a scripture that will help you. Have a note book. Write notes. If you don’t understand sometime, ask the Holy Spirit for clarification. Don’t just read the bible but study the bible. Pray.
- I agree prayer along with reading helps me. Keeping it short also helped me in the beginning. Writing, taking notes, also if you have someone close to you also on this journey and you can pair up, even your husband. Pick two or three verses and then talk about them together ask one another what they got out of the verses, how it helped their focus, anything along those lines I believe will help. Please keep us informed let us know how you are doing.
If you haven’t joined our Facebook Group, be sure to do so!
Standing Firm
If It Were Not So: Introduction
2 Thessalonians 2:15
“With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on everything we taught you both in person and by letter.”
Photo Credit: Marcos Santos
As a child, I remember my parents taking me to church each week. I remember going to Sunday School with all the other boys and girls and learning about Jesus. I remember the first verse I hid in my heart.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
I also remember giving my heart to Jesus and the overwhelming joy I felt. I am thankful for those years as they laid down the foundation of faith that would bring me out of the darkest hours of my life when I once again committed my life to Christ after years of drifting away.
It would only be after my life fell apart that I would find a real truth in God’s Word and a desire to truly study the Scriptures in depth and begin to wholeheartedly apply His Words in my life.
I am so thankful for God’s everlasting grace and mercy which allowed me to return home to Him and live a life full of victory. It is with a hopeful heart that I write this. I hope that you will search out God in your daily study. I hope that you will seek the truth that is found only in the pages of the Bible. I hope that your heart and soul will be blessed by these words and that God’s promises will shine through.
Standing firm on Gods Word is not always easy – but it is always worth the cost.
If It Were Not So… is a Bible study which answers questions you may not have yet asked.
- Hope in Christ: Part One
- Hope in Christ: Part Two
- A Forgotten Promise: Part One
- A Forgotten Promise: Part Two
- A Forgotten Promise: Part Three
- A Forgotten Promise: Part Four
- A Forgotten Promise: Part Five
- A Forgotten Promise: Part Six
- Coming in the Clouds
- Deception from the Beginning
- When you know better… do better.
The Year of Revival and Reformation
This is the year. The year of Revival and Reformation.
In a day and age where anything goes, we need the Bible more than ever! In a time where post modernism says that there is no absolute truth, we need to find the truth in the Bible.
The cry of the Reformation was “Sola Scriptura.” Martin Luther began the protestant movement because he saw corruption in the church. He wanted the Bible to be held up as the only infallible source for Truth and Truth to be held up instead of Tradition. What has happened to our churches? Mainstream protestant churches today have forgotten their roots. Instead of proclaiming truth and being proud of their doctrines, churches today are seeking a more eucheminical atmosphere in their communities and around the world.
There is only one truth. God’s Truth. We don’t want to be like “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Eph. 4:14. As followers of Christ it is our duty is to “fear God, and keep his commandments.” Eccl. 12:13. And as followers of Christ it should be our desire to be his disciple. Luke 6:40 tells us that “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be [like] his master.” We are to be like Christ. Not sort of like Christ. Not a little like Christ or partly like Christ or like Christ when we are at church. We are to seek Him out, study Him, be like Him.
We need a radical change in our own hearts. We need a revival – a commitment to reading God’s Word, to developing our relationship with Christ, and a conversion of our spirits.
I am so excited to see people standing up for what they believe. As individuals we need to reject mediocrity when it comes to our faith. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it. We need to be Bereans and search the Scriptures for what is true. Amen?
You can read this continuing series here.
The Book of Revelation Study
- Revival, Reformation, and Revelation
- Symbols in the Book of Revelation
- Jesus in the Book of Revelation
- The Messiah Foretold
- War in Heaven
- The Father of Deception
- The Everlasting Gospel
- Jesus Our Savior
Are you committed to revival in your home this year?
A Year of Family Worship: Scripture Memory
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11
Family worship is a perfect time to work on Scripture Memory as a family. I remember the very first verse I ever committed to memory. It was Romans 6:23 and I was just 9 years old. It has stuck with me all these years. Teaching our children to commit God’s Word to their hearts is something powerful that will stay with them all the days of their lives.
Perhaps as a mom, you have never really committed very many Scripture verses to memory. That’s okay! It is never to late to start. When we have God’s Word hidden in our hearts, in a time of need we can pull up those words and they will comfort us and remind us of God’s faithfulness.
Here in America we are very blessed to have the right to worship God however and whenever we choose. We can purchase a Bible or even obtain one for free if we need. What would happen if there came a time when you could not access God’s Word? Would you remember what He said? Would your children?
As your read your Bible and come across verses that really speak to you, write them down in your family worship journal so that you can come back to them, one by one! Children are like sponges and they soak up God’s Word so much easier that we adults do! Use this precious time to instill the goodness of His Word in their hearts.
Here are some resources you may enjoy using:
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If you would like to take part in A Year of Family Worship, add your blog to the Mr. Linky below. If you don’t have a blog, you can add your comments in the comment section! You can read about A Year of Family Worship here. And you can see the 52 Weeks of Family Worship here.
Each Wednesday, we will add a new post for A Year of Family Worship and you can do the same. Share your goals, experiences, and ideas for family worship with the rest of us!
If you do not have a blog… you can either post your ideas here in the comments or even join our Proverbs 31 Sisters Network and get a free blog that way!
When you add your link below with the Mr.Linky… please add the link directly to your post on Family Worship – not to your main blog. This way, folks don’t have to go searching for the Family Worship post!
Twelve Extraordinary Women – Book Review
Twelve Extraordinary Women
How God Shaped Women of the BibleAnd What He Wants to Do with You
by John MacArthur
Published by Nelson Books
Written as a sequel to the best selling book “Twelve Ordinary Men”, John MacArthur’s character study formats deal with the lives of 12 principal women of Scripture.He states that it was a hard decision to decided which women to include in his character study, finally he chose what he feels are 12 women who are critical to the story of redemption.
As the journey begins into each of their lives, you’ll discover spiritual lessons that have been taken directly from the trials of Jesus followers and relatives.The lives of Eve, the mother of all, Sarah, Rahab, Ruth, Hannah, Mary, The Samaritan woman, Mary and Martha, Mary Magdalene and Lydia are revealed in brief character studies.From each one of these women lives we see the ordinary, common and in some cases low on the social scale lifestyles, yet each of them were made extraordinary by a life-changing encounter with God.These women are woman we can relate to as we see aspects of our own character in their personalities, short comings, struggles, failures and most of all their deep seated desire to be everything Christ wants them to be.
It will fill you with hope as you see these ordinary women transformed into the extraordinary, not because of any of their own natural qualities or traits, but because the one true God refined them like silver.As their lives unfolded between the pages in a way I’ve never imagined before, I discovered new and exciting aspects of myself in each person.It is the type of book that will draw you in and cause you to see your own personal traits that Christ wants to refine.These women stand as a reminder of both our faithfulness and our potential.
John MacArthur brings out the unique feature of the Bible in that it exalts women.It is his hope as you meet these women in Scripture and get to know them on a personal level, they will challenge, motivate you and encourage you with love for God in whom they trusted and served.
Review by Melissa Waters
