Justification by grace through faith
Many claim that there is special blessing for keeping the Sabbath based on Isa 56:2. "Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil." But what is the truth about this? Are we supposed to keep the Sabbath and the Laws? This can be confusing for some, especially those who have come in contact with the Messianic-Jews, who advocate for the observation of the Law/Sabbaths as well as return to the 'roots'!
Let me start with a story from my childhood. When I started to read the Bible as a kid, one thing that struck me is that there was so many promises and blessing for the children of Abraham. I wished so much to be the child of Abraham. And I asked my grandma, who was my caretaker, if we're the children of Abraham. The disappointing answer was, it was not so and not possible as only Jews will be such a people. But I carried this desire in me for a while, until Jesus revealed the truth to me.
The fact that, we're warned not to be deceived, God Shows No Partiality! (Rom 2:11) God has already blessed us with every blessing in Jesus Christ, we just need to receive them! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). If someone think 'God give an extra blessing to the gentile that observes the Sabbath', it is just fallacy and wishful thinking.
The interpretation that there is blessing for the ones who keep Sabbath is based on taking verses from Isaiah 56 out of context! This is talking about salvation to the gentiles, if we read from verse 1 → 56:1 Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. 2"Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil." 3Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, "The LORD has utterly separated me from His people"; Nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree." 4For thus says the LORD: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. (Isa 56:1,3)
What is this talking about ?
When the children of Israel left Egypt, there were also non-Israelites who joined them in their journey to Canaan (Exo 12:38). And the children of Israel was supposed to treat them equally.
And what is the observation that is talking about? → Justice & righteousness!
To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. (Pro 21:3)
Mich 6:6-8 → 6With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? 7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (Mich 6:6-8)
To take part in Jewish Sabbaths/feasts one need to be circumcised. But, what does God mean by circumcision of heart in OT?
Deu 30:4-6 4"If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5"Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6"And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
Jer 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings."
True fasting required by Lord:
Isa 58:6 – 9 6"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, Here I am.'
Problem with the Jewish traditions:
2 Cor 3:13-16 13unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
22Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. (Rom 11:22-23) But to understand this, if we continue to read further, we see:
31even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. (Rom 11:31-32)
Rom 2:25-29 25For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Jews like everyone else a rebellious nation, maybe more rebellious, since the Law has been given to them and there is nothing good in them!
BTW, celebration of Jewish feasts and Sabaths involves 'sacrifices'! Since the sacrifice of Jesus was ENOUGH, it is just foolishness for us to perform it, but rather remember the Original and not the shadow! The only sacrifice we're asked to do: to offer the sacrifices of praise!
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. (Col 2:16-17)
'Grace came' → talking about Jesus!
For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
There is only "One" way to Follow after Righteousness! By Faith or Complete Trust in Jesus Christ's Performance on the Cross, The Promised Seed of Righteousness!!
This is very clear in Romans 9:
30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; 31but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." (Rom 9:30-33)
Now think about the following: Why is He the author & finisher of our faith ?
Rom 4:1-5 1What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
More over talking about the Law that was given in the book of Hebrews,
1For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
9then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. (Heb 10:1, 9)
Law can only make us aware that we're not capable of keeping it (Rom 3:19-24). And the warning for us is this :
29Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (Heb 10:29)
This clearly warns us what happens if we leave grace and go after 'our-performance-based-system'!
Further in Heb 10:35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. Is talking about faith again. We need to hold on to faith
Heb 11:6,1-2 6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
Meditation:
- When we pray and don't get, we try to 'earn' it. Am I trying to 'earn' something form the Lord?
- What can I do to get answer from the Lord about the unanswered item?
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