It is my goal to stay with the Word of God and help it make sense to you. And it's my purpose for you to make sense out of your life, to understand that God does love and care about you, and to know that He has an answer to life's questions.

HUMAN CONCOCTIONS AND HEAVENLY TRUTHS

There is a clear pattern in the Bible for Sabbath-keeping spanning from creation to eternity. My son, Jeremy, wonders, "Why don't grandpa and grandma keep the Sabbath?"

Not liking arguments, and knowing that Jeremy will repeat to the grandparents anything that is spoken, I pray for wisdom. But, the answer comes to Jeremy. He says, "They have not yet come to that part of the Book!"

Part of last day events, the seventh-day Sabbath clears the confusion about (1) the law that is nailed to the cross, and (2) the place of grace in keeping the law.

The law that you are not "under" would be the one that Paul describes as being nailed to the cross.

". . . having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Colossians 2:14 NKJV

An ordinance is a law: a city ordinance to not park your car on the street at night after nine-o-clock means that you would be ticketed by the police for parking there at ten-o-clock.

". . . having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances. . . " Ephesians 2:15 NKJV

Christian brothers and sisters, believing that ALL law is nailed to the cross, have a predicament deciphering part of the new testament.

"`If you love Me, keep my commandments.'" John 14:15 NKJV

You don't want to be called a "liar."

"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 NKJV

So, brothers and sisters, somewhere there have to be more commandments!

Let the Bible do the speaking.

One law, written by God, is placed in the ark of the covenant.

"`At that time the LORD said to me, "Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood. And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark."'

"`So I made an ark of acacia wood, hewed two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand. And He wrote on the tablets according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the LORD had spoken to you in the mountain from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. Then I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, just as the LORD commanded me.'" Deuteronomy 10:1-5 NKJV

Another law, handwritten by Moses, is carried outside that ark.

"So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying: `Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you;. . .'" Deuteronomy 31:24-26 NKJV

Which law is nailed to the cross? The moral law? Or the Mosaic law?

". . . having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. . . So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." Colossians 2:14,16-17 NKJV

The seven feast sabbaths in the Bible are rotated festivals like our Christmas holiday while the seventh-day Sabbath is always on the same week day. The festival sabbaths point ahead to the cross and the seventh-day Sabbath points back to creation. The Ten Commandments, not mentioning food, drink, festivals, new moons, or feast sabbaths, are not what is nailed to the cross.

The Mosaic law points to the offering of the Lamb of God--Christ at Calvary. The handwritten law nailed to the cross by the death of Christ is the law of feasts and sacrifices pointing to His death--the true Lamb of God.

Not breaking the city parking ordinance by parking on the street at night after nine-o-clock, you are not ticketed by the police. You are not under arrest or under the penalty of the law. When you keep God's law, you are not under its penalty. Instead, the law is established.

"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." Romans 3:31 NKJV

The law, no longer written on stone tablets, is written on your heart when you accept Christ.

"`This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD; I will but My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.'" Hebrews 10:16 NKJV

Because you are born again into a spiritual person, you want to keep a spiritual law.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." Romans 8:5-7 NKJV

In school, nine out of ten correct answers is a good grade--90% or A-. But, in God's system--pass/fail--if you offend in one point of the law, you offend in all.

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10 NKJV

God will help you have 100%--A+! When you are under grace, you no longer want to sin but want to keep the law.

"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Romans 6:14 NKJV

Not under the penalty of the law, you establish God's law in your heart by grace so that you do not want to sin. So, a law is nailed to the cross--but not the Ten Commandments.

The law is a friend, not an enemy, because it helps us know what pleases Jesus.

"`If you love Me, keep my commandments.'" John 14:15 NKJV

In the Bible, people together on the first day does not evidence worship on Sunday. The Bible defines the terms: the first day, breaking bread, preaching till midnight, and laying by in store.

"But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

"Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, 'Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.' Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed." Acts 20:6-11 NKJV

The first day. All agree that the resurrection day--the first day--is Sunday. But, it is peculiar that there is confusion about when the seventh day comes. You can count the days on your calendar to find when it occurs.

Breaking bread. After the resurrection, the disciples daily break bread. Christians now use the term to refer to a Sunday-morning communion service. Eating meals together does not reflect a special Sunday service in the Bible.

"So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart." Acts 2:46 NKJV

Preaching 'til midnight. In Bible days, time is counted by the sun; a day is from sundown to sundown. Jesus, dying at the equivalent of three-o-clock, is buried hastily because the Sabbath is approaching-- sundown Friday. The Sabbath lasts until the sun sets and the first day begins--sundown Saturday. The Sabbath, a full twenty-four hours, is not kept by spending just a few hours in church.

In our day, time is enumerated in hours from midnight to midnight. A Sunday sermon is usually over by twelve-o-clock; Paul finishes at twelve, too, but the wrong twelve for a morning sermon. Paul meets after the Sabbath on Saturday evening (the first day) and speaks till midnight.

Lay by in store. Not wanting to be detained on the trip to Jerusalem, Paul advises church members to begin each week by getting ready a collection of gifts for the needy brethren.

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me." 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 NKJV

Five more Biblical "first day" texts mention the resurrection and one more, a "first day" meeting. The disciples, together for fear of being crucified, hide from the Jews. After His resurrection, Jesus meets with the men once on the first day and then eight days after that meeting--Monday, a day no more sacred than Sunday. Should the churches follow through and meet also on Mondays?

"Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, `Peace be with you.'"

" And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, `Peace to you!'" John 20:19 and 26 NKJV

In the Bible, the earth's first two boys, Cain and Abel, remember God. In talking and believing, the boys are alike. But in their worship, they differ--Abel obeys and Cain disobeys. They bring God offerings: Abel brings a lamb depicting the Lamb of God on Calvary and Cain brings the fruit that he grew himself. God endeavors to show that sin will overwhelm Cain if he continues to do things in his own way. But, Cain sets his course to be lost. He represents those who worship God according to their own plan.

Jeremy, my son, is to clean the birdbath one morning. But, I am not happy. He cleans the garage and his room, but not the ONE thing that I ask him to clean. Likewise, Jesus is not happy when you keep nine of the commands but not the Sabbath. The ONE thing He asks you to do is keep all His commandments.

"`If you love Me, keep my commandments.'" John 14:15 NKJV

Jeremy's grandparents come to the part of the Book about the Sabbath. Brothers and sisters, how is it with you? Have you come to that part of the Book? Please check in the space below:

Because I love Jesus, I want to keep His commandments_____;

Because I love Jesus, I desire more Bible studies_____.

"Father in Heaven, Please take all our hearts and write Your laws there tonight. In Jesus' name, Amen."