WSC Q&A #58

Q: What is required in the fourth commandment?
A: The fourth commandment requires the keeping holy to God such set times as he has appointed in his word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself
Exodus 31:13  You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you.'

The idea of sabbath, that is, "holy rest", is so essential to the life of a Christian. The sabbath shows and reminds us of a great reality. It is God's invitation to his people to participate in his own holy rest. The seventh day of Creation was set aside, ordained by God, to be a day of holy rest. This makes the sabbath not merely a command of the law, but rather, it makes the sabbath a "Creation Ordinance", ordained by God in his work of creation. For the Old Testament people of God, the sabbath was a reminder of their need for rest, and a reminder that true rest and peace comes from communion with God. Likewise, and more fully understood, the New Testament community finds our holy rest in our union with Jesus Christ. It is in Christ that we find rest from the burden of the law and a rest from the burden of our sins. Because of this, we remember the sabbath and keep it holy, not out of obligation, not only because God commands it, but also out of delight because, as Exodus 31 says, doing so assures us that the LORD God is indeed sanctifying us. The sabbath speaks the reality of the gospel into our lives, and the command to remember it and keep it holy is one of God's ordained means of grace for the good of his people and for his own glory. 

Worth Reading

1 John 1:1-4

Do you come to our gathered worship service expecting God to speak to you through his Word? We encourage you to prayerfully read through the passage that will be preached prior to the service to help you prepare.

True Reformation

Awakening is at the very heart of the Christian faith, and it is the reason we are Christians. . . When God awakens us, He regenerates our hearts, gives us the gift of new birth, and makes us alive. He says to us, “Live!” (Ezek. 16:6). . .

just as God ordains awakening, He ordains the means of awakening. God not only sovereignly ordains the ends of all things, He ordains the means of all ends as well.

How R.C. Sproul’s Words Changed My Life

I asked a question about pride and success. Sure, I could have struck a nerve with double predestination or eschatology or whatever. But I can find those answers on my own. I wanted to ask a question that only Sproul could answer, so I asked this... Sproul could answer, so I asked this…

10 Serious Problems with Jesus Calling

The point is clear: Jesus Calling is a book built upon a faulty premise and in that way a book that is dangerous and unworthy of our attention or affirmation. The great tragedy is that it is leading people away from God’s means of grace that are so sweet and so satisfying, if only we will accept and embrace them.

Worth Reading

Mark 13

Do you come to our gathered worship service expecting God to speak to you through his Word? We encourage you to prayerfully read through the passage that will be preached prior to the service to help you prepare.

The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Our Problem

We will not believe more than we know, and we will not live higher than our beliefs.

Three Ways to Share the Gospel This Week

“Preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.”

This classic quote, misattributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, is both clever and catchy. It just isn’t biblical.

Evangelism—communicating the good news of King Jesus—always requires words. Christians are called to adorn the gospel with actions (Titus 2:10), to be sure, but our actions are not the gospel. No amount of righteous living can replace the necessity of verbally proclaiming God’s saving achievement in Christ.

But even though all evangelism involves sharing the same message, not all evangelism occurs in the same manner. Here are three kinds we see modeled in the New Testament.

My Husband’s Cancer and the Lord of Steadfast Love

Yes, we want the storm to be still. Quiet waters are a welcome sight after the whipping of the wind and waves. But the calm isn’t enough. We need a safe place to drop anchor—a shelter, a place to catch our breath.

Worth Reading

Mark 13

Do you come to our gathered worship service expecting God to speak to you through his Word? We encourage you to prayerfully read through the passage that will be preached prior to the service to help you prepare.

Husbands, It’s Time to Start Leading Family Worship

The worthiness of God to receive your family’s worship each day is reason enough to start practicing family worship today. But in addition to that, consider these other good motivations. . .

[In this article I wish the author had addressed “Single Mothers” and said something like:
If, in God’s providence, your husband/the father is not present or willing and able to lead family worship, resolve to rely on the grace and strength that God daily supplies for you to lead family worship. (I’m thinking particularly of women who have been divorced, widowed, or have unbelieving husbands.)]

Healing from Post-Abortion Grief

On the anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on January 22, we present this free Journal of Biblical Counseling (29:2) article on healing from post-abortion grief written by CCEF Faculty, Aaron Sironi.

The Doctrine of Scripture: Defining Our Terms

The doctrine of Scripture is foundational to the Christian faith. But there is more to say about Scripture than simply, “The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.” If you don’t grasp what the Bible is and how it came to be, you’ll never fully grasp its meaning. Since the meaning of the Bible is vitally important to our faith and life, we will here briefly define a few key terms that relate to the doctrine of Scripture as the study of God’s Word written.

Worth Reading

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+12.35-44&version=ESV

Mark 12:35-44

Do you come to our gathered worship service expecting God to speak to you through his Word? We encourage you to prayerfully read through the passage that will be preached prior to the service to help you prepare.

http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/12/three-reasons-why-christians-m.php

Three Reasons Why Christians and Muslims Do Not Worship the Same God

However laudible it may be for Christians to express kindness and human solidarity with members of other religions, the one thing we must never do is deny our faith in the Triune God who is revealed through Jesus Christ, God's Son, who alone died to free us from our sins. - See more at: http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2015/12/three-reasons-why-christians-m.php#sthash.wNNTwxSV.dpuf

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-bible-is-alive-and-active

What I’ve Learned About the Bible

For years I thought God could be active in my life through the Spirit, and the Bible was a book I had to obey if God was going to come in. I now realize the Bible is the way that, through the Spirit, God is active in my life.

http://www.gentlereformation.com/2016/01/13/raising-up-encouragers/

Raising Up Encouragers

The church and her saints grew quickly when Barnabas encouraged people. We know from 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 that when it comes to growth, some plant, others water, but only God causes the growth. Encouragement serves as one form of watering.

read and be encouraged to look around today for someone to encourage.