Sabbath
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given it. “It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days,” He declared. By
sweeping away the senseless restrictions of the Jews, Christ honored
the Sabbath, while those who complained of Him were dishonoring
God’s holy day.
Those who hold that Christ abolished the law teach that He broke
the Sabbath and justified His disciples in doing the same. Thus they
are really taking the same ground as did the caviling Jews. In this
they contradict the testimony of Christ Himself, who declared, “I
have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”
John
15:10
. Neither the Saviour nor His followers broke the law of the
Sabbath. Christ was a living representative of the law. No violation
of its holy precepts was found in His life. Looking upon a nation of
witnesses who were seeking occasion to condemn Him, He could say
unchallenged, “Which of you convicteth Me of sin?”
John 8:46
, R. V.
The Saviour had not come to set aside what patriarchs and prophets
had spoken; for He Himself had spoken through these representative
men. All the truths of God’s word came from Him. But these priceless
gems had been placed in false settings. Their precious light had been
made to minister to error. God desired them to be removed from their
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settings of error and replaced in the framework of truth. This work
only a divine hand could accomplish. By its connection with error,
the truth had been serving the cause of the enemy of God and man.
Christ had come to place it where it would glorify God, and work the
salvation of humanity.
“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath,”
Jesus said. The institutions that God has established are for the ben-
efit of mankind. “All things are for your sakes.” “Whether Paul, or
Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present,
or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is
God’s.”
2 Corinthians 4:15
;
1 Corinthians 3:22, 23
. The law of Ten
Commandments, of which the Sabbath forms a part, God gave to His
people as a blessing. “The Lord commanded us,” said Moses, “to
do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always,
that He might preserve us alive.”
Deuteronomy 6:24
. And through
the psalmist the message was given to Israel, “Serve the Lord with
gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the
Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we
are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with