Sabbath controversy

 

Sabbath controversy

 

Mark 2:23-28『And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said to him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.』

Many people think of Sabbath as just resting. In Genesis 1:1, 『In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.』, before God created the heavens and the earth, the kingdom of God is rest itself. The Bible (Book of Revelation) says that in the end times, “those who enter the new heaven and new earth will enter into rest.” God himself is the rest, and Jesus Christ is the rest. When it comes to rest, which is commonly spoken of, if you think of it as ‘resting,’ then the day will come when you have to work again, but when you enter rest in the kingdom of God, it is not a concept of working and resting.

Before the creation of heaven and earth, it was rest, but with the creation of heaven and earth, the rest was broken. And after completing the creation of heaven and earth, God took his hands off this earth and rested. In Genesis 2:1-3, the words, “God blessed the seventh day and rested,” are the same as the kingdom of God, that is, the rest under which God rules. “The rest spoken of in the creation of heaven and earth” means the pause that ends the work of creation in this world. When God says, “He blessed the seventh day,” it does not mean that God blessed the world, but that He blessed that day. That day is a day in the time and space of the material world. God's blessing on that day in the material world does not mean material blessings, but the blessings of God's kingdom. In other words, there is a promise that God will give us eternal rest on the day this world ends.

Believers should look into how the Bible explains rest. In Hebrews 4:8-10, “For if Jesus had given them rest, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day.” There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.』

If Joshua gave rest to Israel, it was the land of Canaan. The land of Canaan is a model symbolizing the kingdom of God. That means it is not true rest. Therefore, it means that there remains a time of rest for God’s people. True rest is entering into Jesus Christ, because God is the true rest. If a person who has been born again is connected to the Trinity God in Christ, he or she has entered into rest.

In Ephesians 2:6, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Those who are in Jesus Christ have their old self (physical body) die with Jesus Christ and new self (spiritual body). The body is raised to new life with Jesus Christ.

That new person will be seated in heaven with Christ. Likewise, in Colossians 3:3, it says, “For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Dead people are old people. And it says, “The life of a new person is hidden in God.” Hebrews 4:10 says, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Those whose old self dies with Jesus Christ and who are born into new life with Jesus Christ have already entered into rest.

Jesus was born into this world as required by the law, and died as required by the law. And although He was resurrected, He cannot come again to save humanity as required by the law. So, those who believe in Jesus believe that they all died with Jesus and are resurrected as required by the law. Those who still think and act according to the law are admitting to themselves that they have not died under the law with Jesus. Apostle Paul said, “To be baptized is to be buried on the cross with Jesus Christ and to receive new life through resurrection.” Those who believe in Jesus believe in death in union with Jesus Christ. When he died, he died within the law.

Jesus is not under the law but in the kingdom of God. Those who are united with Jesus are not under the law but are at rest in the kingdom of God. That is why the saints are said to be those who have been redeemed from the law. Those who cannot be redeemed from the law are still those who look to rest. All those who are in the law are sinful. Since leaving God is a sin, they are all people who have left God. They left God in order to become like God through their own efforts. Likewise, those who claim to fulfill the law with their own strength are under the law. Those who are under the law are those who cannot enter rest.