http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/blog.php Christian Protestant Reformed en Sat, 19 May 2012 10:45:07 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/blog.php http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?260-The-Law-is-just-too-dang-hard! Fri, 11 May 2012 18:09:18 GMT I hear that often, people say that the law of YHWH was too... I hear that often, people say that the law of YHWH was too hard to keep, so He did away with. They continue along the lines that we are in the New Testament now, and there is no reason to keep something that was just too dang hard too keep. In fact, they say, no one was ever saved by the law.

And you know what? They are partially right. No one was ever saved by the law, that was never the purpose of law. Salvation was for the Messiah to accomplish, not the law. But we're stuck with a contradiction from those who claim that the law was too hard to do. We are stuck with what YHWH said:

For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. (Deuteronomy 30:11, ASV)

He said that it wasn't too hard for His people, nor is it far off. Who should we then believe? YHWH or others who contradict Him?

I’ll propose that those who claim that the law was done away with because it was too hard, are doing three things. 1) they are contradicting YHWH, who said it wasn’t. 2) they are basing their theology and beliefs on an untruth, a lie if you will. 3) are misunderstanding the purpose of the law and it’s function in the believers life and walk with YHWH.

And furthermore, thinking about this, we have the Fourth Commandment in the midst of their argument.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11, ASV)

This is the easiest Commandment of them all, keeping one day a week special for YHWH’s purpose. Most of these folks go to church, and won’t think for a moment not to go on Sunday. And they keep that day for family time and living quietly in their homes. So tell me, what is so hard about keeping one day a week holy for the purpose of YHWH? What’s so hard about that? Yet it is the very day that most people will argue the hardest against. Sabbath is done away with in their view, because it was just to dang hard!!! Really!!!

I think it’s time to reboot and restart the software, if we are contradicting YHWH we are not right headed. At least it seems that way when my software is running. ]]> Tallen http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?260-The-Law-is-just-too-dang-hard! http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?259-Where-does-the-time-go! Tue, 08 May 2012 16:43:50 GMT It seems that there is not enough time to get done what I... It seems that there is not enough time to get done what I want to get done. Time slips away, and with the kids, bible study, and reading that I want to get done, lately there just isn't enough time. :topsy_turvy: ]]> Tallen http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?259-Where-does-the-time-go! http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?258-The-Sabbath Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:58:48 GMT Since I decided a while ago to keep the Sabbath, not a... Since I decided a while ago to keep the Sabbath, not a Sabbath, several interesting things have happened to me. For one thing, I don't think most Christians have a concept of what Sabbath is about. So most of the response has been, "I am under grace, not law." This is the response of those that don't want to keep any kind of Sabbath.

There are some who do keep a Sabbath, and this is mostly from the Reformed crowd who try and keep a Sunday Sabbath. Although this group of folks argue that a seventh day Sabbath is replaced by a Sunday Sabbath. These folks are most tolerant of my decision, and often are an encouragement to me, as they do understand the scriptural idea of resting one day out of seven.

To be completely honest, I never was concerned with Sabbath until a couple of years ago, as I saw Sunday as "church day" and the time to fellowship with others first and in an effort to worship God second. I reasoned that I was trying to worship God every day, so Sunday was a time to gather for fellowship with like minded believers. Although there was an effort to worship on Sunday, I had often said that it was a time to get "fed" spiritual food and to strengthen the believer.

I do find it interesting that those who argue that grace gives them freedom from the Sabbath, or that the Sunday is the Sabbath, rest their arguments for their practice on Church tradition on extra-biblical reasoning. And to further confuse us, the grace alone crowd actually believe that the law is a means to cause a person to sin. How many times have I heard someone say something along the lines of, "the law is to teach us what sin is. But once we are in Christ, we are no longer under the law. If you return to the law you are accursed and sin terribly." That seems double minded, at least, and totally illogical at most. What it comes down to, is that YHWH told people to sin if they follow His teachings. So instead of following His teachings, people are free from them and shouldn't worry about such things for they are free to do what they themselves determine, as long as it is covered by their ideal of love and grace. I don't think that is misrepresenting anyone in the least bit who claims grace as freedom.

In my opinion, grace isn't freedom from the law, but instead a strengthening influence to be obedient to YHWH accompanied by forgiveness of those who repent of their sin. Sin is transgression of the law.

There remaineth therefore a rest (Sabbath keeping, a celebration of Sabbath) to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9, KJV)

The Apostle here argues that there remains a Sabbath keeping for the Israel of YHWH, the true believers in Messiah. This is not a future Sabbath, where all believers will finally rest from their current labors in their resurrected bodies, but a current Sabbath. There remains a Sabbath rest for the Israelites, the assembly of YHWH, those who are now in the Messiah.

Consider:

There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9, ERV)

Hence there is, left over, a Sabbath–keeping, for the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9, EBR)

Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9, NET)

Therefore a celebration of a sabbath remains to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9, SLT)

Also consider these words of the Apostle to the Colossians:

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17, KJV)

On the one hand it is argued that there remains a Sabbath keeping for YHWH's people, and on the other it is argued that Sabbath days are a shadow of things to come.

I would contend that those who keep the Sabbath are celebrating several things, among which are the work of Messiah who has delivered His people from their sin. And also, they are celebrating the future of Messiah's work, which is a continuous rest from sin and it's consequences. We will no longer labor to be obedient, but this will be our nature as we were intended to be before the fall of man. Yahshua has entered a sabbatical rest from His effort to atone for the sin of His people, His blood was shed once for all. Then He entered into the heavenly sanctuary, where He sits with the Father who has rested from His creative work. Israel, the people of YHWH, the called out assembly of believers, will eventually enter into that rest as well. Until then, there remains a Sabbath celebration for us.

Also, consider the words of Yahshua when He said:

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:18-19, KJV)

He is teaching about the Commandments of YHWH, Yahshua tells us that this law would stand until heaven and earth pass. That is yet future to us. He then starts to teach about the Ten Commandments. In particular, He immediately mentions the 5th Commandment about murder, and the 6th Commandment about adultery. He also goes on and teaches us about theft, lying and lust, the 7th, 8th, and 9th Commandment. Then He follows that with the practical application of this morality taught to us in the Ten Commandments. If Messiah's words mean anything, and we can believe Him when He said He wasn't abolishing the Commandments of YHWH, we can then assure ourselves that the 4th Commandment is still as effective now as it was when He spoke and kept the Sabbath.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11, KJV)

I believe that we, the Israel of YHWH, should be keeping what He has taught us. There remains today a Sabbath celebration for His people. It hasn't been abolish, but remains to teach us of our moral obligations to our God and of future events that we will experience as His people. Sabbath is a blessing, not a curse. Sabbath is YHWH's pleasure for His people, and He is not asking us anything that we are not able to perform.

I am looking forward to the Sabbath. ]]> Tallen http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?258-The-Sabbath http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?257-That-dizzy-feeling-that-American-s-have-been-getting Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:39:48 GMT ...is because we are rapidly moving in a circle as we swirl... ...is because we are rapidly moving in a circle as we swirl around the toilet hole. Soon we'll be heading down the drain if we don't turn this thing around. If we don't, the good thing will be that we won't be dizzy any more. The bad thing is we'll be heading down a dark drain pipe to where all the crap is.

Not looking forward to swimming in crap full time. :worked_till_5am: ]]> Tallen http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?257-That-dizzy-feeling-that-American-s-have-been-getting http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?256-Post-Passover-Thoughts Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:10:03 GMT I was going to post the Passover Presentation, which started... I was going to post the Passover Presentation, which started with the blowing of a Shofar and culminated in communion, but there is some graphics in it that are copyrighted. When we get those out of it I will post it on LAD.

As far as the Passover assembly, it was great. The Presentation took about 45 minutes altogether and there was plenty of scripture and points to reflect upon. The focus is our Messiah's shed blood and the deliverance of His people from their bondage. There is an eschatology to this idea as well, which I think we all are looking forward to. It was also a good time to bring my entire family, wife, kids and gradkids together to worship and reflect upon our commitment to YHWH and the covenant we have with Him. Truly a blessing. I am looking foward to further refinement of the Presentation and working to an even more biblical time of worship next year.

There was something for everyone, and David my 7 year old, told me yesterday how he liked Passover. :tears_of_joy: ]]> Tallen http://www.light-after-darkness.org/forums/entry.php?256-Post-Passover-Thoughts