Agape and the Sabbath

[JoeMo]

Hi Robert,

I basically agree with the things you say here. I will try to answer your questions on my previous post.

1. "What does resting have to do with it?"

Without posting dozens of proof texts, I think the "resting" has a couple of aspects. First,it says God rested from His works ..." For me, this means I don't do the things I do in my job or daily chores. It's not a "legal" thing as much as it is a "relationship" thing with both God and family. I don't go to work, I don't pay bills, I don't watch alot of TV, I don't run errands. I do go to church. I do take my family out to dinner, so my wife can rest from cooking and cleaning. We may drive up into the mountains, go to a museum, maybe even a ball game, because it is a family thing we couldn't do during the week. We may even take a nap!We "rest" in the sense that we recharge our batteries and relationships. Secondly, the "rest" is a prophecy. Since we are saved by God's grace, we can "rest" from our striving to keep the law. We can "rest" from the struggle to survive. We can dream about the "rest" we will have when Christ returns - a rest from temptation and strife.

2. You talk about being perfect as God is perfect. The Greek work used for perfect means whole and complete, not without fault or blemish. Can any of us on this side of the Kingdom ever hope to be as faultless and without blemish as God? Realistically, I don't think so. We are to be as whole and complete in our human realm as God is in the spiritual realm. "First in the blade, then in the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." In other words, following the light we have as we grow in Christ.

I agree completely with you that doing things out of love is doing them for others' benefit, not for your own. Philippians 2: 3-4 tells us to " Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others".

Blessings to you, Robert,

JoeMo

[Gibs]

Sabbath keeping, true Sabbath keeping will only result by love to our God. Just as only those who love God above all else truly keep His law of love.

When we have that depth of love Sabbath keeping and of the law likewise is a pleasure and welcomed. It is a pleasure to rest with and in Him and the day is welcomed and we are blessed. Same of the law, it has then become our pleasure to please the one who is our topmost love.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Robert]

Sabbath keeping, true Sabbath keeping will only result by love to our God.

Very generic. Details, Gibs, details. What does resting have to do with the Sabbath? Why rest? What does it symbolize?