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The Law Of Moses Vs The Law Of The Spirit; still stuck on the sabbath....
Topic Started: Oct 26 2006, 12:42 PM (693 Views)
Skydreamer
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Hello brothers and sisters,

If you’ve read my testimony you know that my background is in the SDA church. I’m presently reading through a second time Mike’s article “The Law of Moses vs. the Law of the Spirit”. You can imagine the things I am trying to unlearn.

My closest friend who grew up in the SDA church but has come to see universal reconciliation but holds fast to the Sabbath teaching and the ten commandments. She often expresses sincere concern and urges me to be careful and examine carefully where this “teaching” is leading. To her it is very simple to understand and she sees that there is a spiritual application but also believes it is dangerous to let go of the practical physical application. I really respect and love her and know she speaks from the heart.

And so the struggle in me continues on this aspect and I still have some nagging questions.

I am trying to understand why God seemingly made such a distinction in the Old Testament between the Ten Commandments and the other laws. What is the spiritual significance of this difference?

For example, God wrote the Ten Commandments with his own "finger" on tables of stone (Ex 31:18, Ex 32:16) while the other laws were written down by Moses in a book (Ex 24:4, Deut 31:9, Deut 31:24).

Moses put the Ten Commandments "inside" the ark (Deut 10:5) while the other laws were put "in or by the side" of the ark as a "witness against thee" (Deut 31:26).

Does anyone have any insight on this and the spiritual significance of "the ark of the covenant" in general? (or can point me to where Mike discusses this?) I don't know why but I can't get this out of my head.



Another text that has troubled me is:
Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
Matthew 24:20 ESV

This is the one my friend says proves to her that Jesus expected his followers to be observing and keeping the Sabbath in the future. I heard Mike speak on this in the “How are we to understand Matthew 24” where he says:

“Now what does the winter mean in scripture? What happens in the winter? Nothing. No growth in the winter. Actually things are going backwards it seems like. It seems like everything is dying in the winter. Pray that that’s not you. And “neither on the Sabbath Day” Now what happened on the Sabbath Day? Nothing. Nobody did anything. Christ says “I work, my Father works and I work.” And he says “you need to be laboring to enter into that rest, entering into Me” because Christ is our Sabbath. But if we do nothing and we take this physically and that’s what Christ is using here as a type to tell us that we need to be doing. That’s what’s being said. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. His words are spiritual. The one thing that Christ did do while he was in the flesh to bring people to see that he was bringing a reformed doctrine, that he was the reformation, we’re told in the book of Hebrews, you know, that the Law of Moses was to continue until the times of reformation. Until that time. Not forever. Christ reformed. You’ve heard it said of old, and he quoted Moses, quoted the Law, but I say onto you. I’ve got a new law here. And this new cloth does not agree with the old cloth. It just tears things open and the rent becomes worse. The wine bottles are broken and the wine is wasted. But if you put old wine in old wine bottles and new wine in new wine bottles they are both preserved. The Law brings you to Christ. The churches of Babylon bring you to Christ. Then you come out and go beyond that. You get in to the new wine skins and the new wine and both are preserved.”

So I feel like I understand but I really don’t because I still keep thinking about the past historical “physical” application. Does this passage not also pertain to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD? So if he is also talking about this, and he knows they will have to escape, why does he say they should pray that they will not have to do it on the Sabbath unless he expects that they will still be observing it? Did he throw that in there just to confuse a poor soul like me? (just kidding)

Then we have the text in Isaiah:
"For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the LORD.
Isaiah 66:22-23 ESV

This seems to be saying that in the new heavens and the new earth (millennium??) people will be worshiping every Sabbath.

So through all the understanding that I think I have gained on the Law, these verses about the Sabbath still create confusion in me. Thank you for your help as I fumble my way through this!
:(
Grace and Peace, Diana
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ertsky
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Hi Skydreamer

some thoughts

Quote:
 
I am trying to understand why God seemingly made such a distinction in the Old Testament between the Ten Commandments and the other laws. What is the spiritual significance of this difference?


lets go to the Word (where else could we go for the words of age abiding life?)

Jam 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

1Ti 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

as you meditate on these and many other scriptures, asking the Lord to open their meaning to you, soon Lord willing revelation will be headed your way!

i would offer this advice

put everything that leads you to think about an outward physical act away from your mind and listen intently for something God is doing in you through the spirit of His Son.

any thought that leads you to think about what you can do for him put it away, and every thought that leads you to trust in Christ Jesus for everything, follow that thought a little longer.

think about how He can make the inside clean then when you look at the outside you will find the outside is already clean. (once He has cleaned the inside first)

pretty soon Lord willing you'll be out of the woods.

my experience was definitely that until i gave up and let Him begin to clean the inside the outside was just a disaster!

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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Skydreamer
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Thank you ertsky for your reply! You are right, I will need to wait on Jesus to give me clarity on this subject. Often I think I'm close to letting go but admittedly I'm still clinging. I watched twice Mike's Video called "Both are Preserved" which was really helpful.

I loved what you said here:

Quote:
 
any thought that leads you to think about what you can do for him put it away, and every thought that leads you to trust in Christ Jesus for everything, follow that thought a little longer.


I'm working on it!

Now here's what else I realized as I was studying this out:

I know the law was added 430 years after Abraham (Gal 3:17). But in Exodus 16 the Israelites were observing the Sabbath before the 10 commandments were even given at Mt. Sinai. So the people knew about the Sabbath and this is why it seems God told them to "remember" it in the fourth commandment. This only adds to my perplexity but as I said, I am in no great hurry to have it all figured out!

Onwards and upwards!
Grace and Peace, Diana
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ertsky
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two things

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

and a third

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift

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ertsky
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Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

all these verse to me relate directly to the sabbath day issue (and more)

but always remember regarding the outward observances (anything you can do) they are of no value whatsoever!

and regarding the new creation (Him in you) He does and makes all things well!

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

yes if you want joy in the Lord then forsake outward observances

Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Col 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

consider

Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

He takes away the old covenant, first adam (outward sabbath) that He may establish the new covenant last adam, Christ is all (inward sabbath, Christ is our cessation from self effort)

may the Lord grant both of us understanding in all things in His perfect will and time.

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Skydreamer
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Thank you ertsky! Everything you are posting is really helping. It's really wierd how in rereading scripture over and over it finally starts to sink in. I wake up to some of these things replayng in my mind. Praise God!

I thank you for being His instrument and taking the time to thoughtfully reply and gather together key scriptures for me. Thanks to God for urging me to join this forum.

May God bless you, Diana
Grace and Peace, Diana
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