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(This spun off from another topic. I want to explorer how Jesus is our rest.)
While we acknowledge that Jesus is our rest, is it only a spiritual rest, or, are there physical benefits as well? Do we experience that rest only in our minds, or, can we apply it to our lives as well?
In this topic I hope to look at a few ways in which we experience the practical aspects of Jesus as our True Rest by illustration. The rest that Jesus provides is not just nice ideas and thoughts but real, tangible, things that we can apply to our lives in a very practical way.
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Jesus, our rest from greed and coveteousness:
Psalm 37 7 ¶ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
I'm not sure this is a topic that holds much value for a believer. After all we are just passing through. Our final destination is determined by a God centered approach to life. To seek the earthly physical benefits of following the dietetic or sabbath law seems tp miss the point. Isn't there enough self-centered Christians walking around? If the Lord had considered the earthly benefits, or for that matter any of the disciples, I doubt they would have finished the race. Sorry I don't mean to be critical but this is low brow christianity to me one step away from the prosperity gospel nonsense.
Yes, Al, there are enough self-centered Christians walking around today. This is exactly my point too. We are sick physically because we are self-centered. We eat what our flesh desires and do not eat what God has provided for our health. How so? We eat twinkies instead of fruit. We are sick spiritually because we eat food of our own manufacture as well instead of eating the pure word of God. If you continue reading I hope to make this even more plain to your mind.
Our Lord knows all things. It is right that he should protect us through Divine intervention where we cannot protect ourselves and through knowledge where he expects us to grow in understanding of his kingdom?
The world was created perfect, for God rested because his work was complete not because he was tired. Yet when the pair sinned the Lord cursed the earth as a blessing for man. There were lessons that God wished to teach man and some of those lessons were to be taught through arduous labor. That was very physical and earthly yet it continues today.
At creation the marriage institution was established, for our Lord said, regarding divorce, "It was not so in the beginning." In God's plan he endowed man with power to procreate. We learn much from this gift of God. This is very physical and earthly yet it continues today.
The plants we use for food had their origin in the creation week and the planting, watering, harvesting, preparing, and eating of them is very physical yet continues today.
Jesus employed many physical elements such as the candle, the salt, the sand, the flowers, the birds, the sowing of seed, the fig tree, the water, bread and wine to illustrate his object lessons to his hearers. Whenever he healed he used physical activity to demonstrate the faith of his hearer. "Rise, walk, awake, come forth, go wash, go show," etc... When he likened us to the salt of the world he implied we should mingle with the world and make it palatable with our "seasoning" power endowed by the Holy Spirit. We have a work to do in this world which is very physical and yet will continue until the mercy of God is lifted.
So I am not sure why you have said what you did. There is an expression of the unchurched which is somewhat derrogatory in tone which states, "so heavenly minded yet of no earthly value."
Jesus gave us health laws, and our governments are based upon the Ten Commandments--Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor Father and Mother, etc. Are we to ignore all these things because we are just passing through or are we to exemplify these things in our life to illustrate the coming kingdom of God as light to the world? This seems like a very physical activity to me.
What about the earth? Should we be pro-active conservationists? Yes, notice this verse.
Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, ... and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Why would God care about this earth which we are told will melt with fervent heat and burn up? Don't you think it has something to do with respecting the Creator?
What about our bodies? Should we be pro-active health advocates and practioners? Look at this verse.
1 Corinthians 3:16,17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
So we see that the Lord is very concerned with how we care for the things he has given to us at great cost. We will be judged by our stewardship. How can you believe what you have written? Everything we enjoy today was paid for by the blood of Jesus. "Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, ... But with the precious blood of Christ..."
We tend to think we work and then receive our reward. However, if you think about it seriously, we have already been paid for our faithful work. The gift of God to us in giving His Son to die for our sins on the cross is the greatest gift ever given or ever will be given. Every other gift will pale in comparison.
No, Al, diet and Sabbath rest or very important to Jesus because they are gifts from him for our benefit, happiness, and rest.
Jesus, Our Rest in Health
Exodus 15:26 ...If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
I am sure if you ever purchased a new automobile and gave it to your child you would certainly expect him/her to care for it because it came to them at great expense to yourself. If they neglected to care for it and used it up before its time you would be incensed and I doubt they would get another car from you until they learned the value of money and proper respect for property. Yet by comparison to our bodies or the earth a car is a trivial thing.
So was Jesus a good steward of the training and opportunity to prosper himself and his family when he walked away from it all and became a roaming beggar without a home or a livelyhood? Do you think God lost all His sovereignty over the life of John when He allowed him to spend his old age hauling rocks on Patmos? Or Paul, what kind of steward was he to lay aside all he had developed intellectually and religiously and came to call it all dung? Some Christians end up eating whatever they can get their hands on and have to work seven days a week in prisons in China. Are they out of God's will?
Do you think Paul buffeted his body daily for the sake of keeping it healthy? The body of man is a conduit for the enemy to gain control over man. Health had little to do with the choices of any true disciple of Christ. Any gross indulgence is significant in that it belies a active flesh and that is God's concern.
Leavened bread and other forms of unlawful foods were significant in that they were types and allegories of the reality in the spiritual realm. The spiritual realm dictates the physical, not the other way around. Of course you can draw some physical analogies to health and God's commands but to desire to serve God or to know God by the manipulation and control of the physical realm smacks of the religion Christ came to overcome. Better to ask if God is eating it then make up another rule that happens to fit the Americanized Christianity world view.
I am struggling to understand exactly what you are fighting against because I don't believe you feel that Jesus' life had no purpose or that you believe he was a "roaming beggar without a home or a livelyhood" as you wrote.
The work of saving souls is the greatest occupation a person can aspire to and Christ's preoccupation was in helping others through compassionate acts and teaching. And, as far as a livelyhood, that is, earning a living, the gospel says that "the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Jesus definitely "earned" his wages, wouldn't you agree?
The scripture says that Jesus did no sin, and as it is written, "sin is the transgression of the law." It stands to reason that if Jesus did not transgress the law then he kept it. Paul writes that "the carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to his law; neither indeed can be." Jesus was not at enmity with His Father but assured us, "I have kept my Father‘s commandments, and abide in his love." Therefore, Jesus was submissive to his Father's will.
It is really very simple. Either we are obedient or disobedient. The question is not whether we should keep the law of God or not, the question is one of motive. Do we keep the law because we are trying to save ourselves from the wrath to come, or, having seen the goodness of God we repent of our evil life and because we love Jesus we accept the new life he gives us through faith.
2 Corinthians 5:14,15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
What criteria do you suppose God will use to determine our obedience or disobedience? Scripture tells us plainly.
Those who love Jesus will keep his commandments
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Those who abide in his love are keeping his commandments
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
We know that we know him if we are keeping his commandments
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
We know we love others when we keep God's commandments
1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
The love of God is the keeping of his commandments
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
The saints keep the commandments of God
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The war Satan waged in heaven against God he continues on earth with the saints
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Those who keep God's commandment receive what they ask of him
1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Those who wish to enter into eternal life should keep his commandments
Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Wondering which of the commandments deals with diet? Don't remember that one in the 10. Also, it is not what goes in a man's mouth that defiles him; but what comes out.
-------------------- 1 Thes. 5:21 (KJV) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Yes, what comes out of man defiles him, not what goes in. SameSpecies and I discussed this somewhat in another topic. We don't put sin into our bodies by eating, drinking, or by temptation. The lesson that Christ is teaching us is that sin resides in the heart. When we are tempted to sin the act merely reveals the sin that already lies in the heart.
The important thing for us to remember is that we should always desire to live in God's will. Is it God's will for us to be sick, or well? Remember, the 1st Adam was overcome by appetite. The 2nd Adam overcame appetite. Though the food we eat does not make us sinners, a poor diet can take its toll upon our health and affect our brain. There is a very close relationship between our body and our mind.
Can we make a god out of appetite just like covetousness is idolatry? We so often eat to please our perverted appetites rather than eating what pleases God. I wonder if we even consider what God wants us to eat. Anything that is not of faith is sin. And, without faith it is impossible to please God. Hummm???
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