Man-made Laws versus God-made Laws

I found an interesting story in I Kings 12:26-33.  Jeroboam had been made king over all Israel, even though Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and was the true heir to David's throne.

King Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam.  In verse 28, King Jeroboam had two golden calves made.  Here we read that King Jeroboam told the people WHAT to worship. In verse 29 it says, "Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan."  This verse says that Jeroboam told the people WHERE they were to worship.  What I want to share with you today, though, is in verses 32 and 33 where King Jeroboam tells the people WHEN to worship.

Not only did Jeroboam dictate to the people WHAT they were to worship, and WHERE they were to worship, but he also dictated WHEN they were to worship!  This was really fascinating to me.  In verse 32 it says, "Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah..."  Verse 33 says, "So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart."

The feast that Jeroboam was trying to copy was the Feast of Tabernacles, mentioned in Leviticus 23:34.  The problem, though, is that God's Feast was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th month - not the 15th day of the 8th month!!  For some reason this made me think of the many ministers today that tell their congregations that the 7th-day Sabbath is now on the 1st day of the week! They are "devising in their own hearts" (like Jeroboam above) the day and time of our worship of God. Not only that, I also know of some who tell their people that "it doesn't really matter what day of the week you worship the Lord on - just so you worship Him!"  Wow!  Nowhere in the Bible are we told that it is ok "to do what is right in our own eyes"!  (Judges 21:25)

I'm beginning to realize just how much Satan hates the number 7!!  Many have said that the number 7 is God's holy number.  If that's the case, then it doesn't surprise me that Satan has connived to move God's Sabbath Day to the first day of the week instead of the 7th day.  The same seems true for the above passage when King Jeroboam moved the 7th month Feast of Tabernacles to the 8th month!

There's a saying that goes like this:

"God's Word says it - I believe it - That settles it!"

Is this true for you or are you "devising in your own heart - doing what seems right in your own eyes?"  As I've written in earlier blogs, when God's kingdom is set up here on earth - there will not be two worship days.  One will be done away with, and I'm very sure it won't be God's 7th day Sabbath!

The Sabbath Day - A Gift from God

It's interesting how many Christians believe that the Sabbath Day was only given at Mt. Sinai, and only to the Israelites.  Most are familiar with Genesis 2:2, 3 that says "On the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."  However, this was BEFORE Mt. Sinai, BEFORE Moses, and BEFORE there were "Israelites". 

Do you realize that when God created the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday), Adam and Eve were there with Him!  (If you remember, they were created on the 6th day of creation.) This 4th commandment of God was given to ALL mankind when it was given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  It was a gift given to them so they would not have to work "24/7" and could rest and have a relationship with Him.

Exodus 16:4, 22-24, 27-28 is a passage where God reminded His people of this wonderful gift He had given them.  God had just delivered the Israelites from being in slavery to the Egyptians.  The Egyptians were hard task masters, expecting God's people to work 24 hours a day - 7 days a week.  However, once God miraculously delivered them out of Egypt - He had to remind them about His gift of the Sabbath Day.

In verse 4, God says that He will rain down bread from heaven, "that I may test them whether they will walk in My law or not."  What "law" was God referring to since we've been taught there was no law until Moses at Mt. Sinai?  As you read further, you will see that God was referring to His law of the seventh day Sabbath.

Verses 22-24 state:  "On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread...Then Moses said to them, 'This is what the Lord has said:  'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.'  So they laid it up till morning as Moses commanded.  Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you won't find it in the field.  Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.  Verses 27-30 state:    Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.  And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep (obey) My commandments and My laws?  See!  For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days.  Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.  So the people rested on the seventh day."

Every Saturday, which is the "seventh day Sabbath of the Lord your God", we have a choice either to obey our God by being thankful for this day of rest and opportunity to show our love to Him - or to go out and do our "own thing" such as shopping, eating at restaurants, etc. - stubbornly refusing to honor and glorify God by being disobedient to Him and His commandment.

As someone once said, "God gave me the gift of the Sabbath, and that's why I'm keeping it!" 

The Link Between Secular Humanism and Christianity's Teaching of "Lawless Grace"

Before I begin this post, I want to make it clear that a person's salvation is not based on their good works or on obeying the Ten Commandments, etc.  God's law (the Ten Commandments) was given to show us that we all are sinners - deserving of God's wrath and judgment because of our sin and rebellion against Him.

As Christians who have repented of our sin and given our lives over to the lordship and control of Jesus Christ, we now obey the Ten Commandments as well as other commandments given in the Bible because of our love for Him and for the suffering, punishment, and death He took in our place on the cross.  It is now our life's purpose to live our lives to bring glory to God. 

However, if as New Testament Christians we say we no longer have to obey God's commands (which is lawless grace, by the way!) - then what is left?  Christian Humanism!  We are now people who say we are Christians, BUT we live for ourselves and what makes us happy!  If it doesn't make ME happy or it interferes with MY life and the plans I have made for MY life - then I just don't have to obey what God is telling ME to do.  Christian Humanism! 

Let's take God's fourth commandment for example in Exodus 20:8-10:   "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath   of the Lord your God.  In it you shall do no work...."  Here God says, "Don't forget the Sabbath day. Don't forget to keep it holy (set apart from the rest of the world)." 

Every Sabbath day (Saturday) we drive to church, we pass churches that are closed.  Why?  They have chosen to forget God's holy day, the Sabbath!  Christians have chosen instead to work on that day or to make others work on that day by going to malls, restaurants, ball games, etc. etc.  If you read the rest of Exodus 20:10 it says we are not to make anyone else work on that day as well.

So how does Humanism fit into all of this?  Christians today are choosing to make themselves happy instead of making God happy.  It's when "my happiness is more important than God's happiness".  When we make God the means to our happiness instead of making Him the end, we are practicing Humanism.  Somehow our happiness becomes more important to us than our holiness and obedience before God.

As one of the old ministers on the Revival Hymn said, "It's not what you are going to get out of God - it's what He is going to get out of you"!  As Christians, our only reason for being is the glory of God!

What is Christian Humanism?

What is "Christian Humanism"?  Actually, the term "Christian Humanism" is an oxymoron.  Humanism believes that "the chief end of man is happiness".  Christianity believes that "the chief end of man is to glorify God forever in Christ Jesus".  These two are basically polar opposites.  Christians as well as churches are being deceived into accepting this belief system called Humanism.

One of my favorite Christian programs to watch is Manna Fest with Perry Stone.  Last night his topic was, "Tapping into the Blessing Cycle".  His guest speaker was Walter Hallam.  Mr. Hallam began his presentation by stating, "Every man of God was born for success."  Excuse me, Mr. Hallam.  Did I hear you right?  Let's look at what he said with the definition of Humanism in mind.  My paraphrase of what Mr. Hallam said might go something like this:  "Every man of God was born for happiness."   Hmmmm.
That sure sounds like Humanism to me.

"Christian Humanism" desires to make God the means to our happiness instead of making God the end .  Our purpose in life is not so we can be "happy" or successful.  Our only reason for being is for the glory of God in Christ Jesus!  That is the chief end of all mankind.

There's a reason this generation is called "The Me Generation".  Young and old alike have fallen for the very first lie in the Bible.  God had told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden.  Satan came along and told Eve in Genesis 3:4&5 that they would not die but that "... you will be like God"!  Wow!  Wouldn't that make you "happy" - to be like God??  What's sad is that Christians, and even our pastors are falling for this lie of making the goal of your life "happiness" instead of "bringing glory to God".

One of my favorite videos is called "Revival Hymn".  It's 35 minutes long, but will turn your life around if you let it!  One of the prayers recorded in it goes like this:

"Lord Jesus, I'm gonna obey You and love You and serve You and do what You want me to do as long as I live even if I go to Hell at the end of the road simply because You are worthy to be loved, obeyed and served!"

My next post will take a look at how "lawless grace" and "humanism" are tied together.  For now, take a few minutes to enjoy the video.  God bless!

The Offense of the Gospel

Last night at church, we were sharing about talking to people about Christ.  Someone mentioned they thought the reason we as Christians don't share very often is because of our fear of "offending" the other person.  This is not the first time I've heard this brought up in Christian gatherings - so it made me wonder just what God had to say about this in His Word, the Bible.

I Peter 2:8 says referring to Jesus, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense."

I Corinthians 1:23 says, "but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews an offense and to the Gentiles foolishness."

Galatians 5:11 says, "And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution?  Then the offense of the cross has ceased."

Romans 9:33 says, "Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
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The following two scriptures were really interesting to me, as Jesus is confirming that He truly is the
"rock of offense":

Matthew 13:57:  "So they were offended at Him."

John 6:61:  "When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples grumbled about this, He said to them, 'Does this offend you?'

We can be offensive to others because of our lack of kindness, thoughtfulness, and even through our personal hygiene, but this is not what is being discussed here.  It is very clear from the above scriptures that instead of being afraid of sharing the Gospel with someone because we will offend them - we need to share the Gospel KNOWING it will offend!  Notice, though, what is doing the offending.  It's the Gospel that is offending - not you!

Oh, but wait a minute.  Maybe that is where the real problem lies?  Maybe as Christians we do know that it is the Gospel that offends and that is the real reason we don't want to share it with others.  What that amounts to in reality is:  We are ashamed of the Gospel because it (the Gospel) offends people.  So instead of saying, "I'm afraid I will offend others if I share the Gospel with them", we are really saying, "I'm afraid the Gospel will offend others if I share it with them."

Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."

Luke 6:22,23:  "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!  For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."

Jesus was called "the rock of offense".  As Christians, are we not called to follow in His steps?