Many people have to endure challenges that not only stretch them to breaking point, but which also linger and haunt them day after day for much longer than they think they can endure.

Sickness, disability, financial hardship, abusive relationships, rejection, fear, guilt, shame, grief, addiction, imprisonment, failure, debt, inability, victimisation and many other ugly challenges are thrown at people at times, and at times unsuspecting ordinary men and women have to endure a seemingly endless and hopeless challenge.

So how do we keep going when we don’t think we can?  How are people to survive the un-survivable?

This is a look at some practical things people can do to endure the unendurable.

One Day at a Time

Jesus Christ gave a key to surviving difficult times when he instructed us to live one day at a time.  What He said was that each day has enough trouble of its own without us bringing our fears or worries about tomorrow into the issues of today.

“Take no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow will take thought for its own things. Each day has enough evil of its own.” Matthew 6:34 (Jesus Christ – Sermon on the Mount)

This ‘one day at a time’ key to surviving life’s challenges was put into song in the early 1970’s by Kris Kristofferson and Marijohn Wilkins.  Their song goes…
“One day at a time sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m askin’ of you
Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do”

Keeping Motivated

Not everyone is an optimist, but it is true that often when we face a new challenge we step up to it with a certain determination to see it through and a sense that if we face it with commitment we can even remedy a bad situation.  It may just be dogged determination, to not go under, or it may be a smug sense that we can handle anything, or some other source of motivation.  But which ever way we do it, there are challenges that stump us.

Our emotional tank can be drained to empty.  Our confidence can be completely wiped out by our inability to cope.  Our hope can be wrung out in the face of an endless challenge and the discouragement that comes from those around us.  Our expectation can shrivel as our best strategies prove no match for the ongoing burden.

In these situations, and there are many people who get to this stage in life, the daily challenge is to keep motivated and keep going.

Sacrificial Survival

The capacity of people to push through the ugliest challenges, day after day, despite relentless frustration, is proverbial.  Each year we celebrate the sacrificial love of mothers, who endure sleepless nights to care for sick children, or who are always there for their children, despite their own personal burdens.

Yet many others, men, women, youth and children alike, have risen to the calling to sacrifice for the good of others.  People endure an unhappy marriage for the sake of the children, or to uphold the inherent value of marriage.  People endure difficult working conditions because the bills have to be paid.  People give up all their personal hopes and dreams, spending all they have to care for a disabled family member.

This kind of sacrificial survival, sticking with the unbearable challenge because someone else needs them, is amazing and wonderful.  I commend and congratulate each of you reading this for doing what I have just described.

Just Keep Breathing

A friend of mine talks about just keeping on breathing.  He describes it as God pushing the air into his lungs and him forcing it out again in protest.

The Bible talks of those who wish it was night and then immediately wish it was morning, unable to bear either.  And most people in these kinds of challenges know what it is like to just go through the motions, as an automaton, rather than as a living soul imbibing life’s experiences.

Having a good auto-pilot, or having a bunch of must-do tasks to force you out of bed and back into action, can be the key to surviving those long dreaded months of endurance.

Alcoholics Anonymous teaches its members to just keep pushing through the next minute, and then the next one after that.  If you can get through 30 whole minutes that you never thought you could get through, then you can get through the next few minutes too.  And as you do, you keep on breathing, keep on going, keep on enduring, but also you keep on pushing through.

Birthing

Think of your incredible challenge as ‘birthing’ something.  You may not be guaranteed a breakthrough or a glorious result at the end, but you are still birthing something.  You are birthing godly character.

A week ago my wife and I caught up with an amazing woman who has a most difficult marriage.  What amazed us about this gal, when we met her two years ago, is the wonderfully positive attitude she has despite her husband being quite thoughtless at times, resulting in incredible hardship for her.

When we caught up this time I asked her, “Has anything changed?”  She replied with an enthusiastic “Yes”, and then went on to say, “I’m developing more godly character.”

Wow!  What a response.  Her challenging situation has not improved, but she has grown in the process.

So see yourself birthing greater character inside yourself.  Let that be a reward in itself.  Then whatever else happens is a bonus.

The Cycle

People who endure long-term challenges note that they progress through various phases, in a cycle.  At times they have bursts of energy and enthusiasm to press through, but then they have times of exhaustion and apathy because all their best efforts have yielded no result.  At other times they seem to be able to regroup and gain renewed and refined focus, before launching themselves afresh into the fray.

Don’t be afraid of the cycle.  If you push yourself when you are beyond exhaustion you may well burn yourself out.  If you try to act with wisdom, when you can hardly remember what day of the week it is, you will not be very effective at all.

Don’t get down on yourself when you find yourself bogged down and feeling defeated.  It’s part of the cycle.  Catch your breath, rethink what you are doing (see the pointers below for how to do this) and get back into action when you are ready and able to be effective.

Rest is OK

Jesus was under immense pressure for the three years of His public ministry.  He was opposed at every turn by the religious leaders.  The devil was against him.  His followers goofed frequently.  His message offended many who couldn’t handle it.

Every day Jesus confronted human weaknesses in people, including some who wanted Him to sort out their arguments, others who misunderstood His message, others who wanted self-promotion, and so on.

In the midst of all that, Jesus personally took time out.  And He told His disciples to take a break too.

“And he said to them, Come aside into a desert place, and rest for a while. For there were many coming and going and they didn’t have enough free time even to eat.” Mark 6:31

So don’t be afraid to take a rest.  Jesus thought it was a good idea.

Keep Doing Right

Many years ago someone came to me and gave me a Bible verse which they believed was God’s instruction to me.  I looked it up and wasn’t particularly impressed.  The verse spoke of not being weary in well doing because if I endured I would reap in the end.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we will reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9

When this was given to me, many years ago, I didn’t have any challenges that required anything like endurance and it was hard to imagine how I would ever need such an exhortation.  In my present season, as I patiently campaign against Fraud, Injustice, Treason and Enslavement issues, toward a new day when this evil is totally removed, I now have a daily application for this verse.

Take Stock

When you are under pressure it is very important to keep the right focus.  Take time to recapture and refine your focus.

Some important questions to ask yourself in the middle of a long endurance struggle include such things as what are you doing this for, and what is God doing in all of this.

Here is a list of questions to stop and think about, with the aim of helping you recapture, and even refine the key issues in your situation.

Who are you?
What did God create you for?
What is His purpose in the present situation?
Assuming He is on your side and you will win, then what is the right response and focus for you at this time?
What are your non-negotiable responsibilities, come what may?
What are the things God has told you to do, and are you fully engaged in doing them?
At this moment are you supposed to be fighting, resting, trusting, learning, recuperating, interceding, getting support from others, helping others, etc ?
What is the enemy doing to block God’s plan for you at this time and what can you do about it?

Resist the Devil

The Apostle James told the early Christians to resist the devil.  And the Apostle Paul advised us that our struggles are not with people (flesh and blood) but with spiritual powers, such as demons and the devil.

I have often found significant improvement in my various struggles when I called my heart and mind to get on with trusting God, or when I took a stand against the spiritual enemy to stop him weighing me down.

I have also found it valuable to stop and take stock of what I am supposed to be doing.

At other times I have only had enough energy to just get on with life’s essentials while leaving other things to work themselves out in due course.

Keep Going

If you are going through tough times at the moment, let me encourage you to keep going.  If nothing else, just keep breathing.  Keep doing the right thing.  God promises that you will reap if you don’t lose heart and give up.

And keep in mind that God is on your side and will sustain you as you call out to Him.  Tell the devil to get out of your life and your situation, so you can find God’s strength to keep going.

And don’t let yourself run ahead and bring tomorrow’s troubles into today.  Today has enough of its own.

Maybe you could start singing to yourself….
“One day at a time sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m askin’ of you
Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do”

God bless you in your ordeal.  We will win if we are on God’s side, because it’s His battle, and He always wins!

Clifford Wilson was well known and much loved internationally, having contributed widely in Christian apologetics, academia, psycholinguistics, archaeology, Christian broadcasting, publishing and public speaking.

At the same time Clifford was cherished as a father, grandfather and great-granddad, with the ability to engage in encouraging conversation with people of all ages and walks of life.
He was truly a remarkable man with tireless energy and unbounded vision.  He contributed above and beyond the call of duty, boldly stepping into issues where others shrank away.
And his many wonderful achievements would not have been possible without the capable and devoted support of his first wife, Avis, and his second wife, Barbara, who both preceded him in death.

Clifford’s achievements were listed at the Thanksgiving Service as:
*    Naval Seaman during World War II
*    Missionary to India (see comment added below with detail of his work there)
*    First Regional Director of Emmaus Bible College (see comment below for a review of the early history of Emmaus and Clifford’s involvement)
*    Hansard Reporter for the Fijian Government
*    Pastoral service in Australia and USA
*    Passionate supporter of Essendon Football Club (Aussie Rules Football)
*    Lecturer at Emmaus Bible College, Melbourne Bible Institute (MBI), New Zealand Bible School, Collumbia Bible College, Pacific College of Graduate Studies, Toorak Teachers College and Monash University (among others)
*    Named in America as an outstanding Educator of the Year
*    Academic degrees in History, Education, Theology, Divinity and Psycholinguistics  (B.A., M.A., B.D., M.R.Ed., Ph.D.)
*    Founder of the Word of Truth Ministries and Pacific Ministries
*    Radio Broadcaster in Australia, USA and internationally
*    Founding President of Pacific College of Graduate Studies and Pacific International University
*    Director of the Australian Institute of Archaeology
*    Author of approximately 100 books
*    Editor and Assistant Editor of New Life Christian Newspaper (Australia)
*    Husband to Avis for 54 years
*    Father to Bruce, Elaine, David and Lynnette and Father-in-law to Shirley, Alan, Debbie and Greg
*    Grandfather to Darren, Debbie, Phil, Michelle, Ray, Bruce, Benj, Dee Dee, Marney, Jabin, Ryan, Brianna and Geordie
*    Great grandfather to 23 children
*    Husband to Barbara for 12 years
*    Friend to ‘millions’

Dr Wilson, May 10 1923 – April 4 2012, was interred at a private burial on the morning of April 10, and a Thanksgiving Service followed at Canterbury Gardens Christian church that afternoon.

An article on the life of Barbara Wilson, who passed away in 2010, can be found at: http://chrisfieldblog.com/2010/06/03/barbara-wilson

Additional information about Clifford’s life can be found in the comments following this article.

Please believe in the Heavenly Save-ya
Please receive all the things that he gave ya
Coz real happy you will be, when you let him set you free
From the things you hide like the garbage inside
Which you carry from the start, as evil in your heart
Coz He came to set you free.

So at this time of tinsel and toys
We want you to remember the joys
That Jesus gives, to everyone that Lives
In this wonderful world God made.

Well it’s Christmas Time, so this little Rhyme
Will tell the tale of an itty bitty male
Born behind an Inn for a World of sin
So let the Story Being!

It all began Thousands of Years Ago
Just like the Bible Tells us so
When the world got distracted
And the mess was protracted
And nobody seemed to know.

All the people were so Proud
With opinions oh so loud
That they couldn’t hear the sound of the pain all around
Coz their eyes were covered with a shroud.

Well God above, Filled with holy love
Saw this mankind mess and decided to bless
All the people in need, like those filled with greed
So God’s holy plan was laid, coz the price had to be paid.

Now if you owed a Debt, or you stole or lost a bet
There’d be hell to pay, And they’d chase you all the way
Unless someone came along, who had never done wrong
And decided to be nice, and Pay off the Price.

That was God’s Deal, and the plan was real
But there was no one, ‘cept God’s only holy Son
Who could live without sin, with no garbage within
And could pay that ugly price, and not have to do it twice.

So God said, “Son, You are the One”
And I’m sending you to earth, to go through human birth
And grow up a holy man, who’ll fulfil my holy plan.
But I say with a sigh, In the end you’ll have to die.”

Jesus knew the Father’s love, coz he lived with Him above
And He knew he had to do, this plan and see it through
So he willingly said “Yes”, and so, you’ll never guess
He became a babe on earth, waiting for his birth.

Then on the perfect day, as his mother rode her way
To Bethlehem where they were gonna stay
It came the time for birth, so here upon the earth
The Son of God in a manger lay.

You see the inn was full and the best that they could pull
Was to shelter in the stable with the cows
So that’s where he was born, and on that very morn
He cradled in their trough for hours and hours.

And the Shepherds on a hill resting cold and still
Heard the sound of angel voices in the air
And they nearly died of fright to see such awesome sight
Which at any time has been so strange and rare.

The angel said, Don’t fear, but rather give a cheer
For I bring you news that’s wonderful and grand.
A saviour has been born, this very early morn
And he will bring God’s blessing to the land.

A babe is born today who has come to change the way
All the people live their lives and get set free
So go down into town and have a look around
A King is born and you’ll be first to see.”

What an awesome joy it was when they found the babe becoz,
It was just the way the angels said would be
So they bowed the knee and blessed the one who gives us rest
For the gift God gave to set the people free.

And that’s not all that came, for some men of pomp and fame
From a distant land came all the way to find
The baby born as King, who made the angels sing,
Who would heal the sick and give sight to the blind.

They brought their gifts and gold and to the king they told
How a star had led them from their distant land
And they came to find the child, tender still and mild
To bless him with the gifts they had in hand.

So that’s how God’s plan got started
And that’s how we got parted
From our sin and shame, coz when Jesus came
He paid the price for those things that aren’t nice
Which trapped us in pain, again and again
And forgave us so we can be Free.

I be-lieve in the Baby in the Manger
I be-lieve he was no Stranger
To the people who are bad and the things that make us sad
Coz He came to Set us FREE.

Please believe in the Heavenly Save-ya
Please receive all the things that he gave ya
Coz real happy you will be, when you let him set you free
From the things you hide like the garbage inside
Which you carry from the start, as evil in your heart
And He gives you His Joys, Which are better than the toys
Coz He came to set you free.

So at this time of tinsel and toys
We want you to remember the joys
That Jesus gives, to everyone that Lives
In this wonderful world God made.

It will take me years to teach you all I know, and you will learn by working alongside me, assisting me, observing what I do and listening to my instructions.

In time, you will have all the skills you need to build a fine house for the young bride of your choosing.  And, you will remodel and expand it over time, for your growing family.

With the skills I shall teach, you will be able to rebuild the whole thing if ever a disaster should destroy it or sweep it away.

Shoddy Building

You have seen the gaps in the walls and the leaks in the roof at Jake’s place.  You have seen the problems at the Garrard’s place.  Those families are cold in winter, wet in the rain, unhappy in the heat and uncomfortable most of the time.

When a house is built badly the whole family suffers.  The builder can take an easy day or get a quick fix to a problem, but the consequences will impact others and last for years to come.

I will teach you to build carefully and well.  It will take more time and it will be physically harder than a hasty job.  If you don’t do it right, you, your lovely bride and your children will live with the results of selfishness and laziness for many years to come.

I want your children to be proud of you and pleased with you.  I want them to honour you.  But first you must decide to honour them, even though you don’t know them yet, by making the right choices now.

Character

And son, the same is true of the invisible house you live in.  Every day you are building your character house.  If you build well your future will be blessed.  If you build a poor and shoddy structure, you will live with the consequences for the rest of your life.

Every day you face choices about obedience, diligence, truthfulness, repect, patience, self-sacrifice, and a host of other character issues.  When you choose wisely and stick with those choices over the weeks and years, you build a solid wall or a sturdy frame in your character house.

In years to come that sturdy character house will give you strength under trial, protection in hardship, honour from others, security for the future and peace in times of storm.

Tearing Down your House

Every time you choose to lie, be selfish, resent others, give in to anger or jealousy, speak sharply, react, steal, reject the truth, or any other thing that is against godly character, you tear timbers from your character house.

You will create gaping holes in the walls, leaks in the roof, uneven beams, teetering frame and other major problems in your house.

And, what is worse, you can never leave that house.  You take it with you wherever you go.  You take it into your future, into your marriage, into your family, into your career and into everything else you do.

You will suffer cold drafts of fear, the dampness of doubt, the aches of regret, the shame of your shoddy work and the pain of defeat.  You will feel the cramped limitations of your laziness and the smallness of the world you have built for yourself and your family.

Character Pain

You have seen how the Magrans argue, even in public.  You have seen how Rordan’s children run from his anger.  You have seen sadness in old Mrs Gray’s eyes.

People you know are trapped in painful houses they built for themselves.  They live with disappointment, limitation, agitation, loneliness, false accusations, loss of self control, foolishness, vain ideas, and so much more.

Each of them built those unhappy places for themselves.  They each now live with the hasty, selfish choices they made years ago.

Don’t be like them.

Choose Wisely

Anyone can shelter under a pile of sticks.  But no one wants to live there.  Gracious rooms filled with lovely things, are not found in a pile or rubble.  It takes time and effort to create such a home.

And while you build a family home with your hands, you build your character house with your heart.  You build it by choices.  They are often hard choices.  You build by each choice to do right and to silence the selfish, lustful and evil thoughts that lurk in your heart.

So choose wisely, my son.  Build well.  And let me guide your hands and your heart as we work together on the wonderful future God has for you.

Your Lost Freedoms

You were born with God-given freedoms and rights, known as inalienable rights because they cannot ever be separated from who and what you are.

Those rights and freedoms have been defined from ancient time and you find them in the Holy Bible, in ancient English common law, in the Imperial Acts of the monarchs of England, in the Coronation Oath of the British monarchs, in the Bill of Rights 1688 and in the Constitutions that establish nations.

Simply stated, in western democracies, the men and women of the society pool their personal sovereignty to form government for their society.  They are sovereign and their will is supreme over their own lives.

They elect “representatives” to stand in proxy for the sovereign men and women and to serve the will of those men and women.  That is why elected officials and those they appoint are known as “public servants”.  They are to serve the will of the public.

We are not slaves to the will of the Emperor, or the will of the government, or the will of anyone else.  We are the sovereigns and we participate in society by our individual choice to do so.  We are governed only so far as we agree to be governed, and we may withdraw our agreement at any time, because we are the sovereigns.  Any other model makes us SLAVES to the will of others who are denying us our God-given inalienable rights and freedoms.

You are either a sovereign or you are a slave.  You either have the right and power to live your life or you don’t.  If you don’t, then you are not free, but you are enslaved.

Moral Responsibility

Note, however, that our personal rights and freedoms do not extend to committing crimes.  We are each morally responsible before God, from whom we draw our rights and freedoms.

The simple summary of our moral responsibilities toward our fellow man is that we must not harm anyone or their property, and we must keep our word to them.  The Bible summarised our responsibility toward our fellow man as “Love your neighbour as yourself”, and Jesus Christ summarised it as “Do to others what you want them to do to you”.

We are not free to abuse, steal, lie, cheat, harm or otherwise impose upon others.

Mankind is responsible before God to hold each other accountable for crimes against person and property and for keeping our word.

Freedom Today

Our real standing is that we are each a personal sovereign whose will is meant to be represented in the social decision making process of government.  Governments are created by us and for us, so all expressions of the government, including all the various departments, officials, processes, etc, are there as our public servants.  Compare that with what takes place today.

A cold look at what happens today suggests that our elected representatives and the appointed officials do not see themselves as there to serve us at all.  Instead they serve corporate agendas, money making for the government or corporation, and other objectives which not only ignore our wishes but impose things on us against our will.  Even those who are diligent about their position and responsibilities end up only serving the tasks assigned them in their role, which tasks are essentially designed for the good of that corporation, not delivery of the underlying rights and freedoms of the sovereign people.

Even where the majority of the public clearly oppose certain decisions the politicians will pass something into law and force it on the people.  This is not ‘representative government’ or ‘democracy’.  It is enslavement.  You are made a slave every time your elected government or some government department or corporation takes action against the public will.

Are You a Slave or Are you Free?

In view of what I have just outlined, are you a slave or are you free?

Do your elected representatives ask you for your instructions and then do what you tell them?

Do the government departments and officials listen to your instructions or complaints and then serve you effectively?

Or does the government push its own agendas?

Do governments pass laws that the people object to and then force compliance from the general public?

Have your rights and freedoms expanded over the past decades or have they been eroded?

More Serious Questions

Since your true rights and freedoms have been defined for hundreds of years, we can measure whether you are a slave or free based on how today’s government and society measures up against the ancient benchmarks.

A well known ancient benchmark defining personal freedom is found in Magna Carta which was first prescribed in 1215 and then reiterated in 1297.

The first version of Magna Carta in 1215 included this promise: “To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.”  That Promise was repeated in Magna Carta 1297 as “We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.”

So the evidence of a free society is that every member of the society is guaranteed justice and their rights.  In fact the delivery of justice and their rights will never be denied and will not even be delayed.

Are justice and people’s rights speedily delivered to all in your society?

I set up the website http://Justice-and-Right.com to give focus to this most basic foundation of our rights and freedoms.  You will find various articles there discussing related matters.

Modern Government

In practice today’s western governments provide the impression of representing the democratic will of the people, but actually have their own agendas in mind.  Those governments have no regard for Magna Carta and the rights and freedoms of the people, except to keep up appearances and appease the people.

Western governments are increasingly intent on making their constituents slaves to debts incurred by those governments.  And it is likely that most governments are bound to serve masters apart from the people who elected them, such as international financiers and international power brokers.

The net result of this is that you are a slave.  You are being pushed around and expoited by the very government you might be proud of and have voted for.  That government and all the officials are far less interested in your will than their own.  They do not seek to ‘represent’ you, but to enslave you.

Sold Out

You have been progressively sold out by those who were entrusted with authority by you.  They can’t admit they have done this and they keep up appearances of all being in order as it has always been.

Your elected officials and those appointed to responsibility have sold you out for personal gain, or for ideological motivations, or because of secret agreements and bonds they are party to, or to feather their own nest in some way or similar reasons.

Just as spies are moved by various motivations to use their position against the country they live in, your leaders over past generations and today have progressively sold out your rights and freedoms for their own reasons.

However it happened, your sovereignty has been subverted, your freedoms removed, your rights destroyed and justice denied you and you have been made into a slave.

Try Bucking the System

If you still doubt that you are a slave then try bucking the system.  Just try calling your elected representatives to account, challenging some government rule that offends you and your rights, or calling for justice and your rights.

You will not get what you ask for.  Your sovereign will is ignored.  That is because your sovereignty has been subverted and sold out.  Your will is no longer represented by those you elect, but ignored and suberted by them.  They think this is the way it is supposed to be.

Ignoring the Slaves

Because you are a slave the social system of politicians, officials, courts and corporations will ignore you.  It will initially do so politely, so as not to arouse your suspicion about your enslavement, but you will get nowhere trying to have your voice heard.

If you press the point you will get various forms of polite obfuscation.  Rather than address your concerns as a sovereign man or woman calling your representatives or public servants to account, those in positions of authority will fob you off in various ways.

If you phone them you will get passed from person to person.  If you write, you might get a polite reply from an underling advising that the person or department you are calling into question is doing exactly what it is supposed to do according to such and such a law or Act of government.

If you press the point harder you will be ignored, or told you are a trouble maker, or given a fresh justification for the actions you object to from someone higher up the tree.

However they respond the net result is that you are left without the answer or outcome you sought according to your will.  Your WILL, the most significant element of your freedom, is ignored and trampled upon, albeit politely.  And that is because you are a slave.  Your slave masters don’t need to obey the will of a slave.

Doing My Job

One of the answers you will get when you challenge the system is a reply from someone saying in effect, “I am just doing my job”.  They will advise you that according to such and such a rule, or regulation, or the like, they are supposed to do what they are doing.

If you challenge them and point out that by them “doing their job” they are violating your rights, denying you justice, making you a slave, or the like, they will shrug their shoulders and try to get away from responsibility by saying, “I’m just doing my job”, “This is what I am supposed to do”, “I have a wife and kids to support, so don’t blame me if you don’t like it.  I’m just doing what I have to do.  You’d do the same in my place.”

Everyone Is Accountable

The stand that “it’s out of my control and I’m just doing my small part” quickly fails close scrutiny.

A man who drives the getaway car for a bank robbery, or who locks someone in a room so another person can attack them is an Accomplice.  They are fully accountable for their actions and responsible for their part in the abuse that takes place.  They are an undisputed party to the crime.

In the same way every official, in politics, courts, government departments, corporations, or the like who contributes to the abuse of your rights, justice and freedoms is an Accomplice.  They are an undisputed party to crimes against humanity and to your enslavement.

They are all fully accountable, even if a politician has promised them protection by passing laws to protect them.  Abuse is abuse, violence is violence and enslavement is enslavement, no matter what supposed laws are in place to protect those who commit the crimes.

What to Do

Do you know what to do about your enslavement?

If you don’t know what to do then you are in a pretty sorry situation.  You are a slave and you don’t know how to change it.  What hope is there for you and your children?

You will notice that the freedoms enjoyed just a few decades ago have been reduced since then.  Your freedoms are not being expanded, but eroded.  You are increasingly enslaved with each passing year.

So what will things be like in another fifty years?  What are you leaving for your children and grandchildren to live under?  What are you going to do to protect their freedoms and ensure they are not even more enslaved than you are?

Each of us must answer such questions for ourselves.  These are personal matters.  You may want to be a slave and want your descendents trapped in slavery.  You might have decided that this is the way it is meant to be.  It is not up to me to tell you how to live your life.  What you leave for your children is your business.

However, what I think is wise is that we stand up for what is ours and what belongs to our descendents.  I would like to see many of us effectively call to account those involved in injustice, treason and slavery.  I pray that at least some of you sense the same convictions.

John impacted the nation of Israel and far beyond.  Decades after John’s death Paul met a group of devout followers of God at Ephesus who had been baptised with “John’s baptism” of repentance.  At the same time an orator named Apollos travelled through many nations preaching John’s messages.

Both the Ephesian believers and Apollos had to be brought up to date with the revelation of Jesus Christ as the fulfilment of John’s preaching.  Yet for John’s message to have gone so far and wide we see that the impact of his preaching is quite impressive.

What John Preached

The Bible gives several insights into John’s preaching.  First mention is in Matthew’s history of the life of Christ.

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Matthew 3:1-3

Matthew tells us that John preached in the wilderness and the summary of his message is “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand”.  Matthew also tells us John came in fulfilment of a prophecy from Isaiah.

Matthew’s assertion that John fulfilled a prophecy from Isaiah is confirmed by Dr Luke, who did his own research into the life and Christ and recorded his findings in the gospel of Luke.  Luke discovered that John’s father saw an angel which foretold John’s birth and said John would fulfil the very same prophecy Matthew records, see Luke 1:13-17 and also Luke 3:2-6.

Dr Luke summarised John’s preaching as Matthew did, with a simple sentence, but adding detail Matthew did not mention.

“Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” Luke 3:2,3

Isaiah Summary

Six hundred years before John the Baptist the prophet Isaiah spoke about him and what he would say.  Matthew declares that John is the fulfilment of a prophecy by Isaiah found at Isaiah 40:3-8.

“The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley will be exalted, and every mountain and hill will be made low: and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What will I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withers, the flower fades: because the spirit of the LORD blows on it: surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God will stand for ever.” Isaiah 40:3-8

Isaiah gives a rich insight into John’s message, summarised by Matthew’s simple account.  We see that John was to preach in the wilderness, which Matthew recorded happening.  John would also “prepare the way of the Lord”, by getting the people ready to receive Christ, which the gospels record taking place.

The preparation for Christ was to involve making a straight path, lifting up the lowly, humbling the proud, removing the deviations and the bumps.  John’s simple and direct message levelled the field, directing all the people, great and small to take the same step of repentance.

All Flesh Is Grass

I love the prophetic account given by Isaiah about John the Baptist’s ministry.  The New Testament historians don’t give any insight into how this prophecy was fulfilled, so let me bring it to life for you as I see it.

“The voice of the Holy Spirit directing John said ‘Cry’! And John the Baptist said, ‘What will I cry?’ The Spirit told John to cry out ‘All flesh is grass and will wither, no matter how beautiful it looks, but God’s Word will never wither or fail.’”

At this point I see John standing in the wilderness, alone.  How many other people are going to be in the wilderness?  None.  Only lost shepherds and crazy people are hanging out in the wilderness, unless maybe someone is on their way to the Qumran community at the top end of the Dead Sea.

So John shouts at the top of his voice, into the barren hills, “All flesh is grass. Whatever you are doing it is a waste of time.  You need to be listening to God, because He is real and what He does lasts.”

John’s voice echoes across the scrubby landscape.  And off in the distance one or two lonely souls hear him preach and are immediately gripped by the Holy Spirit.  They are cut to the depths of their heart and hurry home to get their friends and family to come and hear this voice.

So powerful was the message, given in obedience to the Holy Spirit, that an audience quickly grows as people hungry for God are gripped by this simple, humbling message.

Malachi Prophecy

Isaiah was not the only one to prophesy about John the Baptist.  Four hundred years before John the prophet Malachi spoke of one coming in the spirit of Elijah to impact the hearts of the people.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, otherwise I will come and smite the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5,6

We know that John is connected to this prophecy because of the angel that spoke with John’s father.

“But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elisabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. ….. And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:13-17

You will note in that angelic message that John fulfilled the prophecy given by Malachi.

Putting it Together

Recognising that each description of John’s preaching and ministry is in itself a summary, but that each should be complimentary, we can now put them together to create a picture of John’s preaching.

John was a voice crying in the wilderness, so he did not start with a big city crowd.  He had to build an audience in a place where an audience was hard to come by.  And he did.

He did it by preaching what the Holy Spirit told him to preach.  The message humbled man, exposing man’s temporary and meaningless existence.  The message also exalted God, by showing that God’s Word endures and cannot be changed.

John’s message called for repentance by levelling all humanity before God, all with the same need to repent before God.  John introduced a new expression of humility, that of baptism by immersion to testify to a change of heart.

John’s message focused people on the Kingdom of God, which has two points of significance.  The presence of God challenges our sinfulness before Him, calling us to repent and seek forgiveness for our sins.  For those who have found that forgiveness, the presence of God promises God’s blessing and grace in their lives.

The depth of repentance called for by John prepared people to accept Christ.  It also changed their heart, not just to God, but toward those in authority and those they are responsible for.

Modern Day Equivalent

A modern day John the Baptist would still preach the same message.

“Repent before God, because God is at hand.  God will judge your sin and is also ready to bless your obedience.  Stop living for personal agendas and recognise the temporariness of your life.  God’s purposes are profoundly more wonderful than all those other things that consume you.  Turn around and start living for God, in the fear of God.”

A modern day John would not start out with a big audience, but with a Spirit anointed message.  He would speak with such destiny that the message would do the job.  He would not buy and audience or rely on marketing hype to get heard.

And a modern day John would expose in people’s hearts their pride, rebellion, selfishness and independence.  He would call them back to living the way God wants them to, rather than for their selfish, secular agendas.

John Baptist’s preaching moved a nation. His message was “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand”. Today that would be “Repent, for God is right here, so fear God and expect God’s blessings”.

Jesus Preached the Same Sermon

The significance of John’s sermon is endorsed by the fact that Jesus Christ took up that same message when He began to preach.

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

This is the message destined to prepare hearts for Christ.  This is the message that Jesus preached.  And this is the message that the early church preached as well.  Paul the Apostle reminded the church leaders in Ephesus about his preaching that had built that church years before.

Acts 20:21 “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Just as John called people to repent, so did Paul.  The Kingdom of God being at hand was the basis for repentance.  Because God is real and is present to deal with us, we must have repentance toward God, but we also have great reward in our faith in Jesus Christ.

As I summarised it above, the message is, “Repent, for God is right here, so fear God and expect God’s blessings”.

I was deceived into thinking that the content of the curriculum represented a significant body of information and that my superior mastery of that information put me ahead of others.

In the decades since, however, I remembered things mentioned to me by fellow students who were less academically adept.  They had ideas about things I had never heard of, and discounted because they were not in the textbooks.  Ideas about diet and health, for instance, were well understood by some of my friends.  I ignored their knowledge, because if such knowledge was truly important surely it would have been in the school curriculum.

Decades later, however, I came to appreciate the merit of things which my school friends clearly understood, but which I was ignorant of.

The Bible warns that knowledge puffs up, or makes us proud, 1Corinthians 8:1.  My academic abilities certainly fed my pride in those schooling years and I readily fell under the deception of knowledge.

The most informed of us still only knows a portion of what there is to know, 1Corinthians 13:9.  Knowledge itself is helpful, but not a measure of our true worth or superiority.

While I could master topics in the textbook, I was ignorant of many other, more important things.  My friends who could not keep pace with my academic capacities, yet held knowledge of greater value to their health, life and future than my textbook information proved to be.

Beware the deception of knowledge.

The idea of a preacher standing in an open field or marketplace, with thousands of people listening and being transformed by the message, as revival fire sweeps a nation, is not something we think of in today’s western church.

Of course we have preachers today. Christian TV channels are crammed with fancy speakers, each with their own style and emphasis. We also have some exemplary preachers in our modern world.

However, the value of a preacher is not so well recognised today as it was in previous generations. Yet I believe we are approaching a revival of Preaching and Preachers, because the day of Preachers has not passed.

The Place of Preaching

The New Testament church was built on preaching.  Jesus Christ commissioned His followers to preach.

“And he (Jesus) said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone.” Mark 16:15

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” 1Corinthians 1:17

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2Timothy 4:2

The Apostle Paul recognised that God has given a special place to preaching as a tool to bring transformation.

“God, in His wisdom, determined that people would not find or know God by pursuing human wisdom, but God would use the ‘foolishness of preaching’ to save those people who believe.”

1Corinthians 1:21 (paraphrased)

Proclaiming the Truth

Preaching does not need a crowd or a pulpit.  What we call witnessing is the same a preaching.  Telling the truth of the gospel to a person is preaching.  We see this where what was said privately to one person is still said to be “preached” to them.

When God gave promise to Abraham, privately, God was preaching to him.

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached the gospel to Abraham in time past, saying, In you all nations will be blessed.” Galatians 3:8

When Phillip the Evangelist had a private session with the Ethiopian eunuch he “preached” to him, even though we would call it explaining the gospel, or witnessing.

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” Acts 8:35

Every time you proclaim the truth, to thousands, or privately and quietly to one person, you are preaching. And preaching is what we are called to do.

The Power of Preaching

We see in the New Testament that by Christians simply going out and telling others about Christ multitudes of lives and even whole cultures were transformed.  The Apostle Paul, one of the most active preachers, was hated by the Jewish religious leaders because he turned so many to Christ.  Even those who made idols to a heathen goddess in Ephesus attacked Paul because he was destroying their business.

The simple process of talking to people, individually and in groups, about the gospel released tremendous transforming power, called “Salvation”.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (non-Jew).” Romans 1:16

Historic Role of Preaching

World history reveals that preaching is so significant that those who preach actually direct society.

The English king Charles 1 wrote about preaching back in 1646, recognising the influence held by the preachers from the pulpits.  He said, “people are governed by pulpits more than the sword in times of peace.”

For centuries English culture was shaped by the simple process of men standing up to preach the truth from God’s word.

A similar testimony comes from Herman Melville’s 1850 novel, Moby Dick, in chapter 8, titled The Pulpit.

“…the pulpit is ever this earth’s foremost part; all the rest comes in its rear; the pulpit leads the world. From thence it is the storm of God’s quick wrath is first descried, and the bow must bear the earliest brunt. From thence it is the God of breezes fair or foul is first invoked for favorable winds. Yes, the world’s a ship on its passage out, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow.”

Too Many Voices

The significant place of the pulpit, celebrated for centuries, has now declined.  This is due in large part to the abandonment of Christianity and the decline in church attendance, where most people get to hear preaching.

Another influence is the sheer abundance of voices clamouring for our attention.  The influence of the Christian pulpit has been replaced with other voices that are not sympathetic to Bible truth.

Secular education provides a pulpit for every teacher to preach the approved social values into the hearts and minds of their captive congregation.  The press and printed material also preach the populist message.  Radio and television, songs and movies all capture our attention and preach their preferred values into our culture.

Instead of Bible truth and the gospel bringing transforming power into society and steering us to godly living and the blessings of Almighty God, we are now turned every which way, and left to languish in our confusion and defeat, without godly direction and God’s power.

Popular media has become the pulpit of modern day culture.

Preachers as Kingdom Technology

We now need a fresh release of preachers into our culture.  This is the main technology used in history to expand God’s kingdom, and it is still the principal Kingdom technology today.

The New Testament church thrived where ever preaching took place.  When the Jerusalem church was persecuted and believers were dispersed to other cities and nations the church grew wonderfully.

As Paul and others took the gospel to places, the church grew in those new locations.  History reveals that the Ethiopian eunuch, taking back what he learned from Phillip, prompted the growth of the church there.  And people in southern India can trace their church connection back to the arrival of the disciple Thomas almost two millennia ago.

John Wycliffe, a professor at Oxford, was the first to translate the Bible into English, way back in 1380.  But what gave his translation and life greater impact were the many people who read his translation and preached from it across the English countryside.  These Lollards opened the word of God to their generation.

Almost four centuries after Wycliffe, John and Charles Wesley, also based at Oxford, instigated a preaching program which came to be known as Methodism.  The heart of this movement was the circuit riding preacher.  These men were expected to preach multiple times on a Sunday, walking or riding on horseback around their circuit.

The great Wesleyan revival started the 1700’s continued long past the deaths of these men of God, because of the preaching system (method) they created.  At its heart, apart from the message of personal encounter with God and the truth of God’s word, the Methodist revival was based on preaching.

Preaching Through Opposition

Preachers are not usually welcome in a society that needs God.  Paul was opposed across the many nations and cities to which he took the gospel.  Revivalists through history have been at times violently opposed by angry audiences.

While we expect Christian preachers to be opposed in heathen lands, note that John Wesley was driven from many places when he started preaching in Christian England.  His Methodist preachers had to face rocks, roof tiles and mud, among other abuses.

Today’s new generation of preachers will also face opposition and trials.  While many will gain prominence and have popular ministries, others will have to struggle through opposition.

Releasing Preachers

In every generation and in every culture there is always primary place for preachers, great and small.  Each nation and culture needs more preachers, from those who quietly inform their small circle of friends, to those who draw vast crowds in stadiums, halls and fields.

I have always delighted in the role of preacher, but am all the more convinced today than ever that God is seeking a new generation of labourers in the harvest field, who preach the good news of Jesus Christ into their culture, whether the hearers are resistant or not.

In the years that followed I heard various Christian claims about how the Church changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday and how relevant the Old Testament law was or wasn’t for us today.

Today I finally decided to put together an article exploring the Christian attitude to the Sabbath, particularly for those who are struggling with whether Christians should or should not keep a day each week as a holy day.

The most prevalent voice about Sabbath keeping today is that of the Seventh Day Adventist church, so this article is probably of greatest relevance to those who have been influenced by the Adventists. So I will start with a comment about who to listen to.

Who To Listen To

We are warned in several ways about who we listen to and the company we keep.

“He that walks with wise men will be wise: but a companion of fools will be destroyed.” Proverbs 13:20

“Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man you shall not go: Lest you learn his ways, and get a snare to your soul.” Proverbs 22:24,25

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1Corinthians 15:33

“My son, stop listening to instruction that causes you to err from the words of knowledge.” Proverbs 19:27

Adventists have a couple of specific topics which they sow into the hearts of their listeners. The topic of Sabbath keeping is a key issue for them and one which they regard as essential for correct worship.

If you have been reading Adventist material or listening to their messages you will already have imbibed something of their concern for this topic, as you are gradually led to hold their beliefs. That is the purpose of their speaking on the topic.

Please heed the caution to take note of who is speaking into your life. Are you being led to Biblical wisdom, or are you being led to a mindset or belief that the Adventists hold dear?

New Testament Sabbath Keeping

Now, take a look at the New Testament teaching about Sabbath keeping.

There is no direct New Testament instruction to keep the Sabbath day, either as a Saturday or Sunday.  Instead we find the opposite message conveyed.

Consider the Apostle Paul’s comments about keeping a particular day. I have condensed a passage from Romans 14:5-13.

“One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Romans 14:5

“He that regards the day, regards it to the Lord; and he that disregards the day, to the Lord he disregards it.” Romans 14:6

“For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself.” Romans 14:7

“For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Romans 14:8

“But why do you judge your brother? or why do you set at nought your brother? for we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Romans 14:10

“So then every one of us will give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12

“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Romans 14:13

No Special Day

Here is Paul, the architect of the New Testament church, and a man who was taken into heaven and shown things too wonderful to ever talk about and who wrote the most books in the New Testament, telling us that there is no Biblical imperative about keeping a particular day. Instead, the keeping of a special day or treating all days as equal is a matter of personal conscience, not Biblical mandate.

Despite the clear responsibility of Jews to keep the Sabbath, as we see in the insistence of the Pharisees that Christ not work on the Sabbath, this former Pharisee, Paul, speaks quite casually about whether one day or all days are to be honoured.

In Christian worship there is no special day, either as Saturday or Sunday, that must be given honour over any other day.  If you choose to esteem one day over another, that is a matter for your conscience.  If you choose to esteem all days alike, that too is a matter for your conscience.

And no Christian is to judge another about which day or days they hold in esteem.  Each of us must answer to Christ, and give an account of ourselves to Him.  Therefore “let us not judge one another any more”.

The Early Church Leaders

We also see the same message that Paul gives in Romans 14 affirmed by Peter, James and the other church leaders when they gave instruction to the Gentile believers about what was required of them.

The church leaders in Jerusalem were asked to clarify if Jewish laws applied to Gentile believers. The church leaders came out with the following conclusion, which they sent to the Gentiles.

“And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting to the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:” Acts 15:23

“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:” Acts 15:24

“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things;” Acts 15:28

“That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you will do well. Fare you well.” Acts 15:29

Here are the church leaders of the New Testament age holding the very first conference about what is doctrinally correct for believers. And they do not impose the Jewish Law, Sabbath Keeping, Circumcision, or any such thing. They focus on three elements of diet: food offered to idols; blood; and things strangled. And they focus on sexual purity. That’s it! No Sabbath Keeping!

Life in the Spirit

We learn from the Book of Hebrews that the Old Testament laws were a pattern and earthly replica of eternal things in the heavens.  Christ fulfilled the true meaning of the Old Testament pattern and laws. Spiritual realities now dominate our lives in the church age, not legalistic requirements of religious duty as were applied under Jewish law.

We find this truth explored in the following verses from Hebrews 9, which I will paraphrase.

“The first covenant had ordinances of divine service (the Jewish laws) and a man made sanctuary, with various pieces of furniture” Heb 9:1-5

“The priests served in the tabernacle but only the high priest could go into the holiest place, once a year, with blood of animals offered for himself and the people” Hebrews 9:6,7

“This Jewish legal process was the Holy Spirit’s way to show us that real access to the true holy place was not available under Jewish Law, which was a mere model of the real thing, with processes that could not fully deal with sin, but were in place until the time of reformation, the time when the true heavenly realities are revealed.” Hebrews 8-10

“But Christ is a high priest of the heavenly reality, the greater tabernacle in heaven, where he entered only once with his own blood into the true holy place where he obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:11,12

“If animal sacrifices purified the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, completely cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?” Hebrews 9:13,14

All those laws the Jews were slavishly bound to were a mere reflection of the true spiritual reality yet to be revealed, which is now fulfilled in Christ.  So we are free from those “dead works” which the Jews were religiously bound to, and now we serve God with a clean conscience and free from the old laws.

Romans 8

That same truth is also expressed by Paul in Romans 8, showing that to live in the Spirit is the reality of God’s plan, not the following of the law.  By entering into the spirit of what God has planned we become free from the practical demands of law.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

“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:” Romans 8:3

“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:4

Keeping Your Liberty

As these verses show, we enjoy a wonderful liberty and freedom through Christ. We are no longer bound by the laws that enslaved the Jewish people.

We now serve God out of a clear conscience and a heart of love toward Him. “We are not under law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

But in the early days of the New Testament church there were Christian teachers who insisted that the people come under the law. Some insisted on circumcision and others on the keeping of various laws.

Paul particularly challenged the church at Galatia that it had been seduced to come back under law. Note these various verses from Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

“I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel:” Galatians 1:6

“Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:7

“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage” Galatians 2:4

“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.” Galatians 2:16

“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.” Galatians 2:19

“O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” Galatians 3:1

“This only would I learn of you, Received you the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3:2

“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Galatians 3:3

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.” Galatians 3:10

“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

“And the law is not of faith: but, The man that does them shall live in them.” Galatians 3:12

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:” Galatians 3:13

“That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:14

Those verses say we are set free from all the demands of the law, to live by grace through Christ. Some people try to ensnare us to a gospel based on our works, such as keeping various laws, but we are to remain in the Spirit, relying only on Christ and living only for Him.

Christ our Sabbath Rest

I pointed out earlier that Hebrews 9 shows that the old testament pattern as a model of the real things in heaven. Hebrews 4 also speaks on that theme and shows that Christ is our true rest.

The Jews had a weekly day of rest, a Sabbath. But that did not give them true rest.

After instigating the seventh day, Sabbath, rest, God promised that another “rest” would be given to His people. This was to be the true rest.

Hebrews 4 refers to a promise of rest given in Psalm 95:7-11, saying basically that “There is a rest yet to come, and those who hardened their hearts missed out on it.”  That rest is entered into when we stop relying on our own actions and trust in Christ.

“There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest is he who has also ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” Hebrews 4:9,10

We cease from our own works by relying on the finished work of Christ, by faith. And so Christ becomes the fulfilment of the Sabbath Rest for us.

What God signified to us by instigating the Sabbath was not the true rest God has for us. That is why people who kept the Sabbath could miss out on God’s true rest. The Jews who refused to believe God would lead them to the Promised Land kept the Sabbath faithfully each week, yet they were denied God’s rest.

“Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” Psalm 95:11

So the true meaning of rest is not fulfilled by keeping a weekly Sabbath. It is not fulfilled by treating Sunday as the new Sabbath, as some Christians teach. The true rest is not about a day off, or a day of religious observance. It is about finding rest to our souls because we rely on Christ and the grace of God through Him, and so we abandon all thought that our own actions count for anything toward our salvation. That is the true REST God gives.

Protect Your Liberty

We are instructed by Paul to resist any who would steal our liberty in Christ from us.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

The Jewish laws, including Sabbath keeping, are a yoke of bondage. The Jews could not keep those laws and those laws did not bring them salvation. All the Jews who faithfully kept the Sabbath desperately needed to put their faith in Christ, just like all the Gentiles who did not keep the Sabbath. Sabbath keeping has no bearing on our salvation or our on-going Christian life. It is not the true REST which God has for us.

The Jewish laws like Sabbath keeping can now only rob us of our freedom to worship Christ and to celebrate the glory of grace that saves us.

Sabbath keeping entangles us in a yoke of bondage and destroys our liberty in Christ.

Putting it Together

The New Testament teaches about a Sabbath rest that has nothing to do with any particular day of the week. In fact, the New Testament shuns the idea of any particular day being exalted over another, except in the conscience of individual believers.

We are to rely on Christ for our full salvation and not to become entangled in the “yoke of bondage”.

We are also to avoid allowing people to bewitch us into moving away from our full trust and reliance on Christ.  We need to be aware that those who speak into our lives will lead us in their direction, for better or for worse.

The devotion of some Christians to a particular day shows that they have not understood and do not fully walk in the teaching of the New Testament church.  They have mixed old and new covenant ideas in a way that can only ensnare them and those who listen to them.

That does not make them sinners, but it does mean they have missed the true Sabbath rest, because they now rely on their own works, instead of totally relying on Christ.

Enjoy a Day of Rest

Now that the religious imperative for Sabbath keeping has been addressed, allow me to remind you that God has given you one day in the week for your refreshment.  While we are not forced to honour any particular day and we are to avoid religious regulation that ensnares us, we are also offered a wonderful gift from God, of a rest day each week.

Jesus taught that the day of rest was a gift to man.  Man was not made to worship the Sabbath.

“And he (Jesus) said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” Mark 2:27

Jesus did not rebuke his disciples for doing what was considered to be “work” on the Sabbath, allowing them to pluck grain and eat it as they walked along with Him (See Mark 2:23,24).

Note too that God created the day of rest back at creation.  God rested on the Seventh Day and blessed it (See Genesis 2:2,3).

Subsequent to creation the Jews were brought under a strict law regarding keeping the Sabbath, including the death penalty for those who worked on the Sabbath.  While Christians are not under the Jewish law and its legalistic constraints, we are still privileged to have a rest day blessed by God.

The Apostle Paul allows you to choose any day to esteem over others, or to esteem them all equally, as we saw in Romans 14.  So even God’s blessing on the Seventh Day does not bind us to it.  We have liberty in Christ.

Sabbath Keeping is a religious bondage. Enjoying a day of rest each week is God’s grace to us.

So, be led by the Spirit of God to enjoy what God has given you, free from religious constraints, legal bondage or man made religion.

The disillusioned are thought to be somewhat depressed, offended and unable to get motivated.
However, think about what being “disillusioned” really means.  It refers to having our “illusions” removed.
Do you want to live in a delusion?  Do you want silly and meaningless ideas to rule in your heart and mind in place of truth and reality?
Being “disillusioned” is the process of having your illusions exposed for what they are.  That is a positive experience, if only you will receive it as such.

Now you may be upset about being disillusioned because you don’t want to face reality.  That’s too bad.  Reality isn’t going to change to suit you.  While some realities are harsh, God is real and He is just as able to help you deal with the realities of life as He has always been.

It’s time to grow up and get real, about life and about your need to rely on God to get you through it.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself that you have been disillusioned.  Start living in the reality that you now perceive, without the fantasy notions that once kept you from dealing with the real world.  And start living with the help of the Living God who designed you to be His champion in the REAL world.

Hayden Gillie prompted this thought recently in a catch up chat after quite a few years. I liked his thought about the need to be dis-illusioned and that led me to pass this on to you.