SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/10/2020 9:55 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
“Jesus Fulfilled the Moral Law”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 5:17
Message
of the verse: “17 "You must not think that I have come to abolish the
Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to complete them”
(Phillips).
Before we
begin to comment on our subject for today I want to say that I had not looked
at the Phillips rendition of this verse, but I have to say that he makes a
great deal of since in how he wrote this verse.
Let us
answer the question as to what the moral law was: The moral law was God’s foundation code is
how MacArthur explains it. We have
already touched on the truth that Jesus fulfilled the law by His perfect
righteousness. Jesus obeyed every
commandment, He obeyed every requirement that He met, and every standard He
lived up to.
I want to
quote a paragraph from MacArthur’s commentary as he writes about keeping the Sabbath,
which is one of the Ten Commandments. He
writes “Because keeping the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments, it may be
helpful to comment on that part of the moral law. The essence of Sabbath observance was
holiness, not resting or refraining from work.
It was a provision meant to remove the heart from early endeavors and to
turn it toward God. Because Christ
fulfilled all righteousness and has become our righteousness, the purpose of
Sabbath observance ended at the cross.
Christians possess the reality, and so no longer need the symbol. All believers have entered into permanent salvation
rest as the writer of Hebrews carefully points out (4:1-11). Every day has become holy to the Lord.” Let us take time to go over those eleven
verses from Hebrews at this time before we continue looking at this subject.
“1 Therefore, let us fear
if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to
have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just
as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by
faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,
"AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His
works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said
somewhere concerning the seventh day: "AND GOD RESTED ON THE
SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; 5 and again in this passage,
"THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST." 6 Therefore, since it remains for
some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed
to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying
through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF
YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not
have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works,
as God did from His.11
Therefore let us be
diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following
the same example of disobedience.”
Let
me also quote the last paragraph from MacArthur commentary and then I will make
some comments and look at some more Scripture.
“In demonstration of that fact” (every day has become holy to the Lord) “the
early church met together every day for worship (Acts 2:46). But before long their primary worship
meetings were held on the first day of the week (see 1 Cor. 16:2), which became
to be called the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10) because of its association with Jesus’
resurrection. That day was to stimulate them to holiness every
other day as well (Hebrews 10:24-25).”
“24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is
the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you
see the day drawing near.” “As Paul made
clear, however, there is no longer any special day of worship (Rom. 14:5-6;
Col. 1:16-17). Worship on Tuesday,
Thursday, or any other day of the week is no less biblical or spiritual than
worship on the Lord’s Day. Sunday is not
the ‘Christian Sabbath,’ as some claim, but is simply the day of worship most
Christians have observed since New Testament times, a special time set aside
for spiritual exercises. The moral aspect inherent in the
Sabbath law is the heart of true worship.”
Let
us look at Romans 14:5-6 and then Col. 2:16-17, the verses referenced in the
paragraph above.
“5 One person regards one day above
another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully
convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord,
and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who
eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.”
“16 Therefore no one is to act as your
judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a
Sabbath day- 17 things which
are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs
to Christ.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Knowing the truth of how the Lord Jesus
Christ fulfilled the moral law was something that will help me for this day and
days to come. Realizing that every day
is a day to worship the Lord is something that was also something great to be
reminded of.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Remember the worship of the Lord today and
every day that God will give me breath.
7/10/2020 10:27 AM
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