The Ten Commandments deserve recognition. God wants us to heed His words and take them seriously since they reveal who He is, but publicly posting the commandments will not save us any more than the commandments in the gold box saved the Israelite’s from the Philistines
During the time of Jesus, the Sabbath commandment had been multiplied into hundreds of subcategories. It had become mechanical, with the Sabbath focused on rules and regulations rather than on fellowship and communion with God.
Preachers preach the message that we must return to God because we have forsaken His law. Somehow, we have forgotten that many have been let down by religious people and groups, feeling left out, shunned, and excluded. Some have been pushed out by the coldness of religious people, and the light of people’s faith has grown cold and dim.
To follow the ethics of Jesus is to live in the spirit of mercy and compassion with a view toward God’s future benevolent kingdom, when God’s ideal will be achieved on the earth.
Imagine God loving you today, just you and the Lord touching souls, and become convinced that there is nothing that can separate you from His wonderful love.
More than physical rest, the Sabbath is a different rhythm, a relational rest, a theological rest.
God’s need reflects His heart’s desire that we actively participate in His compassion and love.
Instead of clinging to old modes of self-improvement, which so often end in failure and broken promises, I am seeking the new wine Jesus offers.
Theological InTents 