Skip to main content

Rest from Works

When I was in school I was told that if I worked hard and gave the right answers than I would get good grades and then people would pat me on the head and tell that me that I was bright. Okay nobody ever said that last part would come true. I guess that's just what I hoped would come true.

Regardless each one of us believes that if we do something we should get something whether it's prestige, payment, power or all of the above. An there is truth and justice to this way of thinking. It's the way we're wired.

The problem is however that we don't want to be paid for all the things we do, just some of them and this type of thinking is illogical. It's like telling your boss that you only want to be paid for half of the report you wrote on changing conditions in the marketplace. It's like telling the contractor that you only want to be paid for half of the dry wall that you put up. Sure your employers want to do it, but if there fair people they'll know that it's just not right.

And yet when it comes to sin we don't want to be paid for all of the sin we've piled up in our little corner of the universe. We just want to be compensated for the smiles we've sprung on people from time to time.

The reality is of course that we cannot choose what we receive payment for because we're not the ones paying. The sign on our door simply reads "I just work here." God as the great employer renders what is just.

Fortunately God knew that He could pay someone else for our pile of sin so that we didn't have to be weighed down by our misdeeds. That is why He invites us to join Him on a day off for the "workers" called sabbath. It's a day of rest from our labors. This is a very special day off of work. This day commemorates the day the great employer paid for all the time we've spent misusing company resources. It's a good day indeed.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Who is Melchizedek?

Melchizedek is a mysterious figure in the Bible. He appears abruptly with great importance and yet his identity seems unclear. Let's see what we can discover. In Hebrews 7:1-3 it says: 1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,  2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,”  3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. Hebrews 7:1-3 With this text in mind let’s look at some of the characteristics of Melchizedek. 1. He was the King of Salem. Salem means peace. He was the King of Peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6. It says: For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And H...

Not “If" But “When”

Today I would like to look at an interesting study on Deuteronomy 4:29. Let’s begin with the text which reads: But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29 NKJV There is an “If” in this passage that gives me pause. It seems to imply that the search for God is primarily initiated by our own desires. However I believe there is more to this thought from Moses. I am greatly indebted to the following YouTube Channel  watch  for the initial direction of this blog. Please check out the channel’s video for an in depth study of the passage.  Now returning to our study it is important to note that while the “If” is present in Deuteronomy 4:29 it is not in the parallel passage of Jeremiah 29:13 which says: 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV Both contexts are the same. Both are talking about what would happen to the Is...

The Truth for This Time

Today I would like to talk to you about a topic that should be familiar to Seventh-day Adventists: the third angel’s message. Many of you know the importance of this message and so you may wonder why I would want to bring this topic before you again. Well notice what Ellen White has to say about the Third Angel’s Message. She says: The third angel’s message is the great sanctifying as well as the testing truth. 25 LtMs, Ms 60, 1911, par. 1. And in another place: When the third angel’s message shall go forth with a loud voice [and] the whole earth shall be lightened with His glory, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon His people. 14LtMs, Lt 96a, 1899, par7. And finally she says: The third angel's message is the gospel message for these last days, and in no case is it to be overshadowed by other interests and made to appear an unessential consideration. Testimonies, Volume 6, 241. Clearly the third angel’s message is incredibly important to God’s people at this time. As a result of thi...