Home

This blog is meant to encourage you to do the good works, which were prepared beforehand for those who are saved by grace through faith.  It was for these good works that the Lord created us.

As the Scripture says:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:8-10)

Resting from Work	Keeping Sundays Holy	Christian Sabbath is Sunday, not Saturday
The Lord's Day	Keeping Sundays Holy - Part II	Famous Christian Sabbath Observers
Sabbath Period	The Origin of the Sabbath	Righteous Deeds and White Robes
Doing What is Right	Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice	The Law Established Through Faith
Law of Love in the New Testament	Deleted Scriptures in the Bible?	Why Paul Lived Like a Jew Among the Jews
Is Obedience Optional?	The Cost of Discipleship	Obedience by the Spirit
The Law Fulfilled in Us	The New Covenant	Costly Grace
Partaking of the Divine Nature -- Part I	Partaking of the Divine Nature -- Part II	God Has Not Rejected His Jewish People, Has He?
Faith Works!	The Spirit's Law of Life	The Spirit of the Law
Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?	Righteousness by Faith not Law	The Ebb and Flow of Ministry for the Lord
Compelled by Love	God's Idea of Work	What Then Must We Observe
The Law is Good if Used Lawfully	The Sale of Christian Music and Art -- A Robbers' Den?	Remember the Eternal Law of God
All Our Deeds Are Known to the Lord	Practicing Your Righteousness	The Righteous Will Shine Forth as the Sun
The Ways of Life	Followers of the Way	Judging with Righteous Judgment
Holding Fast the Faithful Word	Whatever You Do, Do All Like This	The Conditional Security of the Believer
No Flesh Will Be Justified by Works	Wesley's Sunday Sabbath Keeping	Running from God
Spiritual Do-It-Yourself	Life by the Spirit, Not Under the Law	Walking by Faith
Obedient to the Heavenly Vision	The One Another Commandments	When the Lord was Angry with Moses
What Shall We Say to These Things	Bearing Fruit in Every Good Work	House of Idleness
Leaving Your Family for the Love of Christ	Overcoming the Fear of Death	Equipped for Every Good Work
Wesley and Henry on the Gospel Law	Run with Endurance	Faith in Action
Seven Things That Accumulate Building Materials	Was Paul Speaking of His Past or Present Life in Romans 7?

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The Good Samaritan by Dan Burr of Dan Burr Illustration copyright 2013 used by permission.

You may also access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

What Shall We Say to These Things

Let's look at seven rhetorical questions the apostle Paul asked in his epistle to the Romans, in order to learn what the Holy Spirit wants to teach us through them. Under each of the topical headings below, observe the recurring question he asked, "What shall we say?", followed by the the apostle's answer to his own question.


1. The Righteousness of God

Q: "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)" (Rom 3:5)

A: "May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?" (Rom 3:6).

This teaches us that God is righteous and that He alone is fit to judge the world.

2. The Righteousness of Abraham

Q. "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?" (Rom 4:1)

A: "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness..." (Rom 4:2-5).

This teaches us that Abraham found the righteousness that is by faith.

3. Freed from Sin 

Q: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?" (Rom 6:1)

A: "May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?...knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin." (Rom 6:2, 6-7).

It's wonderful to know we no longer have to sin. We are free not to sin, because two thousand years ago our old self was crucified with Him. That's amazing freedom!

4. The Law is Holy

Q: "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? (Rom 7:7a)

A: "May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COVET'...So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good...For we know that the Law is spiritual..." (Rom 7:7b, 12, 14a).

This teaches us that no matter what anyone says of the Law, it is holy, righteous, good, and spiritual. The problem is not with the Law but with our weak, sinful nature. We are no longer under the Law but under grace. And by this faith we do not nullify the Law but uphold it (Ro 3:31).

5. All Things Work Together for Our Good

Q: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things?" (Rom 8:18, 28-31a)

A: "If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us." (Rom 8:31b-34)

This teaches us about the awesome glory of God and His amazing love for us.

6. The Sovereign Justice of God

Q: "What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there?" (Rom 9:14a)

A: "May it never be! For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy." (Rom 9:14b-16, NIV*).

This teaches us that our salvation does not depend on our desire or effort, but on the mercy of God. It also teaches us that God doesn't have to ask anyone for permission to do anything. He doesn't report to anyone, and does whatever He pleases. Whenever a person goes to their eternal destruction in hell, it is because they deserve it and it is perfectly just. Whenever God chooses to have mercy on anyone or to have compassion on anyone because of His Son Jesus Christ, that is solely His prerogative beyond any doubt or scrutiny. He always acts in accordance with His perfectly just, sovereign will.

7. The Righteousness of the Faithful Remnant

Q: What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea, "I will call those who were not My people, 'My people,' and her who was not beloved, 'Beloved.'" And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there they shall be called sons of the living God." Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, "Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; for the Lord will execute His Word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly." And just as Isaiah foretold, "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, we would have become like Sodom, and would have resembled Gomorrah. What shall we say then?" (Rom 9:22-29, 30a)

A: "That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law." (Rom 9:30b-31).

This teaches us about the amazing grace and mercy of God. Gentiles and Jews alike can attain the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by keeping the law.

Closing Words
From each of these seven rhetorical questions asked by the apostle, we have learned about the holiness of the Law, the sovereign justice of God, the righteousness of God, the righteousness of Abraham that is by faith, the righteousness of the faithful remnant, the freedom we have in Christ from sin, and that all things work together for our good, who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Such freedom! Such glory! Such love! What do you say of these things?

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, copyright The Lockman Foundation, used by permission, Other Scriptures where noted taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. The image may be subject to copyright, used according to the Fair Use Act for commentary and educational purposes only. *The first four words of this quote are from the NASB, and the remainder of it is from the NIV.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy No Flesh Will Be Justified By Works, The Conditional Security of the Believer, Life By the Spirit - Not Under Law, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Drifting Away, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Obedience by the Spirit, The Obedience of Faith, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Baptized with the Spirit, Holy Fire Baptism, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Pleasing the Lord, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Doing What is Right, The Ways of Life, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, and Listen to Jesus, Who Upholds Moses and the Prophets. You can find more of my articles related to Working God's Way on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

What Then Must We Observe

In today’s culture, people observe many different things, including traditions and holidays -- both secular and religious.  Some sincerely devout people even observe the Law of Moses.  But what does the Scripture teach us to observe?  And what are we not to observe?  Let’s search the Scriptures and find out.

Do not observe traditions of men
First of all, we are not supposed to observe the traditions of men, which the Pharisees did.

“For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.”  (Mar 7:3-4)

The Greek word for “observe” in this verse and the following verses is “phulasso,” meaning “to watch, that is, be on guard (literally or figuratively); by implication to preserve. obey, avoid: - beware, keep (self), observe, save.” (Strongs).

While the Pharisees taught people to watch and obey and keep their traditions, the Lord taught that those man-made traditions actually nullified the Word of God by causing the people who observe them to break God’s commandments (see Mk 7:13).  And the elders in some churches today teach people to follow their beloved traditions, as if they have power to save them, but this is not true. We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, not by observing traditions of men.  It is the gift of God; so don’t observe traditions of men. Follow Jesus.

Do not observe the Law of Moses
Although I teach the need for obedience to God’s commandments, not just adherence to the New Testament, I do not teach people to observe the Law. I do not teach the observance of ceremonial rites and sacrifices, nor the observance of days and months and seasons and years. We are not endeavoring to keep up the law of Moses in conjunction with the gospel of Christ.  This matter came up in the early church, and as we know, the apostles and elders in Jerusalem met to decide this matter.

“But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.’”  (Act 15:5)

However, the council rejected that notion, and decreed the following decision proposed by James, a Jew:

"Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."  (Act 15:19-21)

The apostle Paul, also a devout Jew, agreed with that decision and later wrote to the church in Galatia:

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”  (Gal 4:9-11)

Again, Paul was saying that for the disciple of Christ, these things are weak and have no power to save. Since the church in Galatia had gone back to these things, he feared that his gospel work among them had been in vain.

Observe the decrees decided by the apostles and elders
Rather than observing the Law, we should observe the decrees decided upon by that first Jerusalem council.

“Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily.” (Act 16:1-5)

Notice that there were Jews in those parts in Derbe and to Lystra, as well as Gentiles.  And “while they were passing through the cities,” Paul, Silas, and Timothy “were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe.” That means we, too, must observe the decrees of the first Jerusalem council to “abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.”  These decrees come directly from the commandments of God found in the Law.

Observe God’s Commandments in the whole Bible
As I have already mentioned, just as the apostles did, I also teach the need for obedience to God’s commandments.  The apostle John wrote: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.”  (1Jn 5:2)

We are supposed to love God and observe God’s commandments.  That means we must obey the whole Bible. The apostle John learned this from the Lord Jesus, who said that the ones who are truly blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.

“While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.’ But He said, ‘On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it.’”  (Luk 11:27-28).  Jesus did not say, "Blessed are those who do what the New Testament Scriptures say."  He said, "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and observe it," and at the time He said this, not even one book of the New Testament had yet been written.  Since "the Word of God" refers to all Scripture, that means we must hear and observe what God says in His Word throughout the whole Bible.

Incidentally, we don't obey the whole Bible in order to be justified by God (i.e., made righteous), "because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:20).  As the apostle Paul said, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Rom 3:28).  But through this faith that has already justified us, we uphold the Law, rather than nullify it.  "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law." (Rom 3:31)

In the passage I cited in Luke's gospel, Jesus redirected the focus of the women in the crowd away from marveling at the blessedness of mother Mary, and emphasized something contrary to popular thinking, which is the blessedness of the obedient observers of God’s Word. In fact, this was one of the last things He taught before ascending to the Father’s right hand in heaven.  He said:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  (Mat 28:19-20)

As we go and make disciples, we are supposed to teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded the apostle and us to do. The Lord said, "Continue in My Word." (Jn 8:31)

We are to obey Jesus Christ
The apostle Peter taught that we should obey Jesus Christ.  All of the previous Scriptures I have cited (except Jn 8:31) used the word “observe” (Gr. phulasso).  But I want to close with this one Scripture that uses a different word, since it confirms and supports my point.

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”  (1Pe 1:1-2)

This is the word hupakoe, meaning “attentive hearkening, that is, (by implication) compliance or submission: - obedience, (make) obedient, obey (-ing).” (Strongs).

Peter taught that we are chosen…to obey Jesus Christ.

The Difference Between Observing the Law and Observing God's Commandments
Since the Bible says that we must not observe the Law, and yet we must observe God's commandments, you may be wondering what the difference is between those two things.  I believe the main difference is that the observance of dietary laws, ceremonial rites and sacrifices is obsolete, as is the observance of days and months and seasons and years -- the requirements of the Old Covenant. These are types and shadows of the reality found in Christ under the New Covenant. So once you have come to know Christ, you no longer need these.  On the other hand, what counts is keeping God's commandments (see 1 Co 7:19).

That which pleased God thousands of years ago, and which He commanded, is still pleasing to Him today.  These are the ways of God. He changes not."My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways." (Pr 23:26). Also see The Ways of Life.

If you are interested in a more detailed explanation, I recommend reading the following articles below, beginning with the ones in the left column:

Is Obedience Optional? The Law of Christ  The Law Fulfilled in Us The Law Established Through Faith The Cost of Discipleship Faith Works! Costly Grace Deleted Scriptures in the Bible? Did Jesus Nail the Law to the Cross? The Obedience of Faith

Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God Aim for Perfection Righteous Deeds and White Robes Doing What is Right Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice Partaking of the Divine Nature Walking in the Perfect Will of God Pressing on Toward the Goal Obedience by the Spirit The Law is Good if Used Lawfully

Putting it All Together
So we have learned from God’s Word that we are not supposed to observe the traditions of men or the Law of Moses.  We are not endeavoring to keep up the law of Moses in conjunction with the gospel of Christ.

We "serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Rom 7:6). Becoming a Christian does not mean you become "Jewish", or follow Jewish customs, but that you become one who is a Jew inwardly (Rom 2:29), and there are marked differences in the way we apply the Scriptures to our lives, including the Law.  We do not follow the Jewish customs as if we were now Jews, but we follow Jesus.

We are to observe the decrees decided upon by that first Jerusalem council.  We are to observe God’s commandments and the whole Word of God.  We are to observe all that Jesus commanded the apostles and us to do.  We must obey Jesus Christ, Who alone became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. 

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Holy Living in a Perverted World, Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, Garments of Godliness,  Is Tithing Required?, Keeping Sundays Holy, and The Lord's Day, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, The Flesh vs. the Spirit, The Highest Form of Slavery, and the other posts available through the links on the Home page.  You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice

In my previous post, Doing What is Right, I showed from Scripture that the righteous do what is right, and the recompense given at the eternal judgment is based on each person's own deeds.

Today I would like to expand on that theme from Jesus' own teaching:

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." (Mat 16:24-27)

In this passage, the Lord said He is going to come back in His Father's glory with His angels, and He will pay back every person based on his deeds.  The word for "deeds" here in the Greek is "praxis", which means here a "practice, act, deed, or work" (Strongs).  According to Thayer, it may mean "1) a doing, a mode of acting, a deal, a transaction, such as the doings of the apostles, or in a bad sense, wicked deed, crime, wicked doings (our practices, i.e. trickery).  It may also mean 2) a thing to be done, business."

According to Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, the word "praxis" as it is used in this passage in Mat 16:27 means, "acting, activity, or function."  As the NIV Bible translation puts it, "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

This word "praxis" was also used by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans.  He wrote, "So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds (praxis) of the body, you will live." (Rom 8:12-13).  Paul said that if you are putting to death the "praxis" or "deeds of the flesh," you will live. 

This explains why Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." (Mt 16:24)  The only way to put to death the praxis, or deeds, of the flesh is to deny yourself daily, take up your cross and follow Jesus.  You've got to lose your life for Jesus, in order to find it.

If you do so, then your praxis will be His praxis.  Your practice will be what He practices. You will do the deeds that Jesus did, and even greater deeds.

Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father." (Joh 14:12)

God will reward each person according to what he has done.  Anyone who says that is not true shows that he does not know what the Bible says.

King David said, "Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done." (Ps 62:12)

King Solomon said, "Will He not repay everyone according to what they have done?" (Pr 24:12b, NIV)

Jesus said, "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done." (Rev 22:12).  The Greek word for "what he has done" in this verse is "ergon", meaning "toil, deed, labor, work." (Strongs).

Paul said, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2Co 5:10).  The word for "done" here in this verse is "prasso," meaning to “practice”, that is, "perform repeatedly or habitually." (Strongs)

The Scripture is clear that if you practice evil, you will be recompensed for it at the judgment.  Jesus said you would lose your life. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it..."  (Mt 16:25).  Paul said, "for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die..." (Rom 8:13a).  Don't forfeit your own soul for the brief and passing pleasures of this world!  As I've said before, when you are judged before God, if your deeds were evil, you will be punished eternally.

However, if your deeds were righteous, you will inherit eternal life.  The only ones who will inherit eternal life are those who repent from evil practices, and through faith in Christ practice righteousness.  They live according to the pattern of God's and do His will. You must walk by the Spirit to do so.  This is the way to enter the eternal kingdom.  This is how you are fit for heaven.  If you are righteous, you must continue to practice righteousness. Heaven is the home of only those who practice righteousness.

Please take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to shine the floodlight of illumination on your heart.  Ask Him to show you if there is anything hidden in your life that must go.  Are you habitually committing evil deeds?  Are you doing certain other things unworthy of God?  Are you actions unpraiseworthy?  Or are you doing deeds consistent with repentance? Are you acting in a manner consistent with the gospel?  If you are a believer, but the Lord shows you a few things in your life that you need to give up yet, then you go and give them up, and follow Jesus.  Make His practice your practice.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. The Good Samaritan by Dan Burr of Dan Burr Illustration copyright 2013 used by permission.
 
Author's note: The message I've just taught in this article has been beautifully expressed in a couple of poems my young daughters have written, called Perfect for the King and Reward of the Overcomer.  I encourage you to take a moment to read those.  And if you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links on the Home page, such as Doing What is Right, Faith Works!,   Righteous Deeds and White Robes, and Practicing Your Righteousness. Remember to Never Trust in Your Own Good Works.  Some other related articles are:

Law of Love in the New Testament	The Law Established Through Faith	Costly Grace
Is Obedience Optional?	The Cost of Discipleship	Obedience by the Spirit
The Law Fulfilled in Us	The New Covenant	Deleted Scriptures in the Bible?

You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Righteous Deeds and White Robes

Is it necessary to have a white robe to live in the Holy City of heaven?  If so, how do you get one of these special robes? And how do you keep it clean? Is this all done for you, or do you have any part in it? Let’s see if there is a relationship between our white robes and our righteous deeds. 

We All Have a Destiny
The Bible teaches that we each have a destiny. “If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.” (Rev 13:10; cf. Jer 15:2b; 43:11)

For thousands of years, men have believed in and worshipped the god of Fortune or Destiny, their lucky stars, which govern the events of their lives (Is 65:11-12).  These are mere idols and not gods at all. In fact, there is One, Who predestines events to occur, and His name is Yahweh.  If we worship Him alone and obey Him, we will be blessed.  He has a wonderful plan for our lives (Ps 139:16; Eph 1:5, 11; 2:10; Rom 8:29-30). 

However, Scripture teaches that we have choices to make.  "Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy." (Rev 22:11)

Each person has a free will, and if it’s their desire to do wrong, let them do wrong.  God will not force obedience from you.  If you’re a filthy person, you have that option and God will let you continue to be filthy until you choose the Lord’s way.  But as long as you continue in those sinful ways, you will not enter into the kingdom heaven. If you are righteous, you must still practice righteousness.  If you are holy, you must still keep yourself holy.  It’s not just a moment in time, but a deliberate lifestyle.  “Keeping yourself holy” is an act on your part, as is “practicing righteousness.”

Your Robe Can Become Filthy
When you come to Christ, you're cleansed from sin and made white as snow.  But as I've just said, if you do not continue to practice righteousness, but practice sin instead, your robe will become filthy.  There is a passage of Scripture about this in Isaiah.  The prophet says:

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on Your name, Who arouses himself to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities. (Isa 64:6-7)

Many take this out of context, and use this Scripture to teach that the righteous deeds of every disciple of Christ are like filthy rags.  This is not correct.

The reason the righteous deeds of the Israelites at that time were like filthy garments was because they had sinned and continued in sin for a long time.  This is found in the verse immediately preceding the one above.  Isaiah says to the Lord, "You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved?" (Isa 64:5)

The same happens to any believer, who continues in sin.  They stain their robe. Your robe must be kept pure white and spotless.

You Must Wash Your Robe
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.” (Rev 22:14, NASB)

The King James Version translates it differently to say that those who do his commandments have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the Holy City. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Rev 22:14, KJV). So in the King James, the phrase “those who wash their robes” is translated “they that do his commandments.”  It’s not necessary to spend a lot of time, as some have, trying to determine which translation is correct, because there are plenty of other Scriptures that teach we must do God’s commandments to enter life (e.g., Mt 7:22-27; Mk 10:17-19; Jn 15:10; He 5:9; Js 2:17, 26; Re 12:17; 14:12). 

If you look at the context of Rev 22:14-15, you can clearly see that the ones who do not wash their robes are the ones who continue to do wrong and continue to be filthy.  John wrote, “Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.” (Rev 22:15).  So it doesn’t matter if you call Jesus your Lord, or even if you are a pastor of a church, if you continue in these things, you will not enter the Holy City.  It’s that simple.  Washing your robe is connected with what you do – in other words your lifestyle of obedience to the Lord. 

Let me be clear about doing the commandments.  All religion which teaches that salvation is by religious works is false.  As the American evangelist, Bob Jones, Sr., once said, “A Christian does good deeds, but just doing good deeds does not make a man a Christian.” Jones also said, “The acid test of our love for God is obedience to His Word.” 

Remember that it is only the ones who practice lawlessness that Jesus ultimately rejects. "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' (Mat 7:23).  Lawlessness (Greek, anomia) is a violation of the law, illegality, unrighteousness, and wickedness. The very word “lawless” in English has the word law in it – Law-less.  We cannot define the word lawlessness as used in Scripture without making any reference to the Law of the Lord. Jesus does not care how gifted you are.  What matters to Him is whether you practice righteousness and do what He has commanded.  You must wash your robe.

How do you wash your robe?

Now that we’ve established the fact that you must wash your robe in order to enter heaven, we need to find out how to wash it.  This is like the garment care instructions on the clothing tag.

The apostle John wrote in his Revelation: “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘My lord, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’” (Rev 7:14).  So in this passage, the ones who came out of the great tribulation have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That’s still the same way that we wash our robes.  His precious, sinless blood alone can wash away every sinful stain. 

But the Scripture has more to say about obtaining white garments.  In the message the Lord gave to John for the angel (messenger) of the church in Laodicea, He said: “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” (Rev 3:18)

Why would a messenger of a church, such as a pastor, need to buy from Jesus white garments so that the shame of his nakedness would not be revealed? How could the Lord tell him that he was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked? If you believe that grace automatically covers all his sin, no matter how he lives, then the command of the Lord to the angel of the Laodicean church would make no sense.

How would he buy white garments from Jesus?  Just through confessing sin asking forgiveness and then continuing in the same sin?  No, we need to be overcomers, which requires that we persevere in our faith to the end, forsaking sin, and continuing in righteousness.

'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev 3:5)

Overcoming is not a passive act, but a very active one.  It comes from the Greek word “nikao” meaning “to subdue (literally or figuratively), conquer, overcome, prevail, or get the victory. It is only the one who overcomes who will be clothed in white garments! 

What does fine white linen stand for?
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Rev 19:7-8)

Notice the Bride makes herself ready.  Since the Bride makes herself ready, this requires both a decision and action on her part, which is motivated by her desire and love for the Bridegroom.  The fine white linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones.  Righteous acts are good deeds, equitable actions, good things God’s people do, or righteous deeds.  The fine, white linen does not stand for simply a positional righteousness. It does not refer only to a spiritual state of being righteous that is devoid of accompanying actions. Righteous acts are the things that God's holy people do that have his approval. 

Here are some other translations of Rev 19:8:
(CEV)  "She will be given a wedding dress made of pure and shining linen. This linen stands for the good things God's people have done."

(ESV)  it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

(GNB)  She has been given clean shining linen to wear." (The linen is the good deeds of God's people.)

(GW)  She has been given the privilege of wearing dazzling, pure linen." This fine linen represents the things that God's holy people do that have his approval.

Contrary to the teaching that all our righteous deeds are like filthy garments, for the overcomer, who washes his robe, the Lord delights in his righteous deeds.  As the prophet Isaiah says in the Scripture I mentioned earlier, "You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved?" (Isa 64:5).  The Lord welcomes the person who rejoices in doing righteousness.
 
So why would someone say that this is legal teaching?
While you are saved by grace alone, once you are saved and become righteous, you must continue to PRACTICE righteousness.  Once you are holy, you must continue to BE holy. “…let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy." (Rev 22:11b)

The Greek word of interest to us in Rev 19:8 is dikaioma.  According to the Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich Greek Lexicon, this word means a “righteous deed.” This same Greek word is used by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans to refer to the righteous act of Christ on the cross. He says, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.” (Rom 5:18)

This same Greek word is also used by the apostle John in his Revelation to refer to the righteous acts of the Lord God Almighty. He wrote: “And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,  ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." (Rev 15:2-4)

Look closely at the lyrics to this song and notice how the saints who sing this song are repeatedly singing about the WAYS of the Lord God, which are righteous and true.  They are singing about his marvelous WORKS.  They are singing about his righteous acts.  And the word used for the Lord’s “righteous acts” here is dikaioma, which is the same word used in Revelation 19:8 for the righteous acts of the saints. 

According to Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich, this word in other contexts also means a regulation, requirement, or commandment.  For example, when Luke describes Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist, he says, “They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.” (Luk 1:6).  The word dikaioma in this context literally means righteous deeds, but by implication it is referring to the Lord’s righteous requirements.  So we could say that this couple was walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous deeds of the Lord.  They were DOING the Lord’s good deeds by being obedient servants.  They were “walking” blamelessly, which refers to how they were living their lives.  This is about their lifestyle.  It’s about their way of life, their daily activities, which were based upon the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord.  You cannot have righteous deeds without the underlying commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord.  They go hand in hand. Therefore, if we understand the word dikaioma this way, we can correctly understand the righteous acts of the saints in Rev 19:8.  Certainly the righteous acts of the saints are based upon the Lord’s commandments and righteous requirements.  That is their premise.

Paul also uses the word dikaioma to refer to the requirements of the Law.  He says, “So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?” (Rom 2:26).  He speaks of the uncircumcised man in a good light here, showing how such a man would be regarded as if he were circumcised if he keeps the Lord’s righteous requirements. 

Paul again uses this word to refer to the righteous requirements of the Law as they relate to the life of the saint. He said, “…that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom 8:4).  This is a key verse, because it teaches that if we walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the sinful nature, the righteous requirements of the Law will be fulfilled in us. This word “fulfilled” is pleroo, which means to execute something, so that the requirements are fully carried out or completed perfectly or done to the fullest extent.  You could say that as we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, the righteous requirements of the Lord are executed in our lives, so that God’s righteous requirements are fully carried out, or completed perfectly, or done to the fullest extent in us. 

Paul uses this word dikaioma to refer to the righteous requirements of the Lord when he says, “and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” (Rom 1:32). He was saying that the wicked people know that those who practice such deeds deserve death, because the Lord’s righteous requirements (dikaioma) teach this.  Yet even though they know the ordinance of God, they practice the very things they ought not to do. 

Putting it All Together
We all have a destiny. What’s your destiny?  Rest assured there is One, Who predestines events to occur, and His name is Yahweh.  He has a wonderful plan for your life. If you worship Him alone and obey Him, you will be blessed.  But you’ve got a free will, and until that will is surrendered to the Lord, it’s going to get you into trouble.  You’ve got choices to make in life, which are going to be based on your desires.  You also have a very real enemy who hates you and wants to keep God's plan for your life from being fulfilled.

If you wish, you can be like the wicked that perish, who know the Lord’s righteous requirements and do not practice them. Many Christians today – even pastors and missionaries -- have chosen to do this.  They are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. If they do have robes, their garments are dirty and wrinkled.

Instead, we must be like the saints in glory who have made themselves ready by doing or practicing the righteous requirements of the Lord.  They have washed their robes and do the Lord’s commandments. They  do not rely on obedience to the Law to save them, because it is only by grace that we are saved through faith (Eph 2:8-10).  But as they keep His commandments, they abide in His love (Jn 15:10).

Yes, my friend, there is something you must do. Wash your robe! Your robe must be washed in the blood of the Lamb. But then afterward you must also continue to be holy, as well as practice righteousness. The fine, white linen of the saints stands for their righteous deeds.  Always remember that.

I encourage you today to practice righteousness, and be sure your righteousness is more than merely an external one for men to see.  Do it from the heart, through faith in Christ, by the power of the Spirit, and for the glory of God.  And always remember that apart from the Lord Jesus we can do nothing (Jn 15:5).

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: The message I've just taught in this article has been beautifully expressed in a couple of poems my young daughters have written, called Perfect for the King and Reward of the Overcomer.  I encourage you to take a moment to read those.  And if you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar, such as the companion messages, Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice, Doing What is Right, and Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth? I also recommend Restored Truth and God's Amazing Plan for Your Life. Some other related articles available on the Home page include:

Law of Love in the New Testament	The Law Established Through Faith	Costly Grace
Is Obedience Optional?	The Cost of Discipleship	Obedience by the Spirit
The Law Fulfilled in Us	The New Covenant	Deleted Scriptures in the Bible?

You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Image credit: "Welcome My Child" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. The "Christ's Bride" drawing is from my fifteen-year old daughter, C.V. Lacroix, and may be found in the art gallery at A Brush with Life.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Him.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Famous Christian Sabbath Observers

D.L. Moody

In another blog of mine, called The Four Tallest Homes in Heaven (see here), I told of a conservative Presbyterian Pastor from Korea, named Yong Park, who was taken to Heaven and Hell when he died tragically in 1987. He was shown why some saints are richly rewarded in Heaven.  These included those saints with the four tallest homes in heaven, two of whom are John Wesley and D.L. Moody.  Both of these men labored tirelessly for the Lord in preaching the gospel to their generations in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries respectively.

As I mentioned in my blog called The Lord's Day (see here), about keeping Sundays holy, both John Wesley and D.L. Moody believed and taught that we should keep the Sabbath, according to the fourth commandment.  You can read Wesley's position on the Sabbath (see here), as well as Moody's (see his view on the Fourth Commandment here). And they both believed that the Christian Sabbath is on Sundays, not Saturdays (see my blog about that here), which was their constant practice.

There were many famous servants of the Lord down through history, who kept the Christian Sabbath very strictly on Sundays.  Among those were brother David Wilkerson; Matthew Henry, the humble, beloved pastor whose expository commentary of the Bible has blessed millions down through the centuries; Albert Barnes, the American theologian who wrote the popular Bible commentary by that name; Lottie Moon, the famous missionary to China; Jonathan Edwards, the American revivalist preacher, philosopher, and theologian; Mary Slessor, the Scottish missionary to Nigeria; and William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army.

However, today I would like to highlight one of them, and share an excerpt from a book, called The Shorter Life of D.L. Moody, regarding his deathbed experience. It was glorious!

"When D. L. Moody, the American evangelist, was dying, his son was at his bedside and heard him say in slow and measured words, 'Earth recedes: heaven opens before me.' His son’s impulse was to arouse him from what he thought was a dream. 'No, this is no dream, Will,' he said. 'It is beautiful!…If this is death, it is sweet!…God is calling me and I must go.'

"Later he exclaimed, 'This is my triumph; this is my coronation day! I have been looking forward to it for years.' Then his face lit up, and he said joyfully, 'Dwight! Irene! I see the children’s faces!' referring to his two grandchildren, whom God had taken home within the past year. Again he said later, 'This is my coronation day! It’s glorious!'"

There is much more to his coronation day testimony that's worth reading, and it's all posted on the Moody Library website in The Shorter Life of D. L. Moody (see here), "Coronation Day" Chapter XXII on page 111.  I encourage you to read the whole testimony!

There is a stark contrast between the horrible and terrifying death of the wicked, and the sweet and peaceful death of the righteous. Moody enjoyed such a glorious coronation day, because he knew Jesus Christ as his Savior and spent his life in obedience to the Lord's commandments, serving Him.  He was ready for the end of his earthly life.  And the fact that he and Welsey have two of the four tallest homes is heaven is directly connected with the way they lived their lives on earth in service to the King.

My friend, please make very sure you are ready, because we all have an appointment we will definitely not miss, which is our appointed day to die, and we have no idea when that will be. Please don't ignore the Lord's commandment to keep the Sabbath holy.

Author's Note: I also recommend reading David Wilkerson's message, Honoring the Sabbath, which I discovered after writing this article. I also encourage you to read Albert Barnes' commentary on Romans 14:5, particularly the section called "Every day alike", as well as his commentary on Revelation 1:10, particularly the section called "On the Lord’s day". 

If you enjoyed this message, you may also be interested in the other posts on this blog, available through the Home page, especially Resting from Work and Christian Sabbath is Sunday, not Saturday. Also see Seventh-day Adventist Heresies.

You can also find my complete collection of blogs at Writing for the Master.

Photo credit: D.L. Moody photo from Sermon Index.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Christian Sabbath is Sunday, not Saturday

I've written previously on the need to keep Sundays holy.  If you have not read those posts, please do (see note at the end of this blog).  I know that some people are very opposed to this teaching.  Some feel it is not biblical to keep the Sabbath, which I have already addressed in my previous posts.  Others believe the Sabbath is supposed to be celebrated from Friday evening to Saturday evening.  So I'd like to address that question here in this post. I will be borrowing largely from research done by someone who identifies herself as "ursinsrforgiven" on the official website of brother Yong Doo-Kim.

She provided the following information, which I have revised here, explaining that the true Christian Sabbath is Sunday, not Saturday.  I will quote her piece directly, as much as possible, interjecting my own comments in between hers:

Emperor Constantine did not change the Christian Sabbath
Some people claim that Emperor Constantine changed the Sabbath from Saturday to the first day of the week. "A little knowledge of history can easily dispel that myth."

First, consider the common practice of Christians before the time of Constantine, who became emperor in the fourth century. "For Christians two important events happened on Sunday. First, the Resurrection of Christ occurred on Easter Sunday (John 20:1ff). Secondly, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church on Pentecost Sunday (Acts 2:1ff). Also after His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Apostles twice, each on Sunday (John 20:19, 26). As a result, Sunday became known as the Lord's Day for Christians." Let's take a close look at those two instances when Jesus appeared to His disciples on Sundays after His resurrection:

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!'” (Joh 20:19).

Matthew Henry, a famous Sunday Sabbath keeper, stated in his commentary on this verse:

"Here is a Christian sabbath observed by the disciples, and owned by our Lord Jesus. The visit Christ made to his disciples was on the first day of the week. And the first day of the week is (I think) the only day of the week, or month, or year, that is ever mentioned by number in all the New Testament; and this is several times spoken of as a day religiously observed. Though it was said here expressly (Joh_20:1) that Christ arose on the first day of the week, and it might have been sufficient to say here (Joh_20:19), he appeared the same day at evening; yet, to put an honour upon the day, it is repeated, being the first day of the week; not that the apostles designed to put honour upon the day (they were yet in doubt concerning the occasion of it), but God designed to put honour upon it, by ordering it that they should be altogether, to receive Christ's first visit on that day. Thus, in effect, he blessed and sanctified that day, because in it the Redeemer rested."

"A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!'" (Joh 20:26, NIV).

Matthew Henry commented on this verse:

"He deferred it so long as seven days. And why so? (1.) That he might put a rebuke upon Thomas for his incredulity. He had neglected the former meeting of the disciples; and, to teach him to prize those seasons of grace better for the future, he cannot have such another opportunity for several days. He that slips one tide must stay a good while for another. A very melancholy week, we have reason to think Thomas had of it, drooping, and in suspense, while the other disciples were full of joy; and it was owing to himself and his own folly. (2.) That he might try the faith and patience of the rest of the disciples. They had gained a great point when they were satisfied that they had seen the Lord. Then were the disciples glad; but he would try whether they could keep the ground they had got, when they saw no more of him for some days. And thus he would gradually wean them from his bodily presence, which they had doted and depended too much upon. (3.) That he might put an honour upon the first day of the week, and give a plain intimation of his will, that it should be observed in his church as the Christian sabbath, the weekly day of holy rest and holy convocations. That one day in seven should be religiously observed was an appointment from the beginning, as old as innocency; and that in the kingdom of the Messiah the first day of the week should be that solemn day this was indication enough, that Christ on that day once and again met his disciples in a religious assembly. It is highly probable that in his former appearance to them he appointed them that day seven-night to be together again, and promised to meet them; and also that he appeared to them every first day of the week, besides other times, during the forty days. The religious observance of that day has been thence transmitted down to us through every age of the church. This therefore is the day which the Lord has made."

Moreover, with a bit of research, I easily verified that the first Pentecost in Acts 2 was on the first day of the week (see here).  And the early church continued to assemble together on the first day of the week to break bread, as we read in the book of Acts:

"On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.: (Ac 20:7)

"The Romans had an 8 day week with the 8th day being a market day. The Romans never ceased working on their 7th day which they called Dies Solis. In 321, Emperor Constantine issued an edict forbidding work on the Christian Sabbath. That edict never became part of Roman law. In the Theodosian Code, all Constantine did was close the courts on the day he called Dies Solis which just happened to coincide with the Christian Sabbath."

"Constantine and his advisers noticed that the Christian Sabbath corresponded with the Roman Dies Solis or Day of the Sun so they used that to merge Christianity with Roman paganism."

"Christians by this time were already meeting together for worship on the first day of the week. Many, if not most, had been doing so for at least a couple centuries before Constantine arrived on the scene. They did not call this day Sunday, but rather referred to it as the Lord's Day, in honor of Christ's resurrection from the dead. And history does not support statements by the Catholic Church that they changed the day of worship from Sabbath to Sunday. This is an inconsistent argument that fails to make any sense."

Emperor Leo I was the first truly Christian Emperor—not Constantine.
"In 469, the Emperor passed legislation outlawing work on the Sabbath and commanding all to observe the day of the Resurrection with reverence. Obviously he wanted all the people to keep the 4th Commandment."

"Leo's coronation as Emperor on February 7, 457, was the first known to involve the Patriarch of Constantinople.  In 469, Leo issued an edict concerning the 'Christian Sabbath or the Lord's Day.' Here is Constitution LIV (54) from the Constitutions of Emperor Leo:"

A law was in force among the disciples of these distinguished men which directed that every kind of labor shall be suspended on the day of the Resurrection. There is, however, another which contradicts this, and provides that all persons shall not be prevented from working upon that day, but that some should be indulged in this respect; for it declares that judges, the inhabitants of cities, and all artisans should rest on this venerated day, but that persons residing in the country can freely engage in the cultivation of their fields, which exception is not founded upon reason. For although, in this instance, the pretext that the crops must be saved can be alleged, this excuse is of no weight, and indeed is futile, as when God gave Us the fruits of the earth he intended that they should be preserved by the effect of the sun, to which, rather than to the industry of the cultivators of the soil, is due the abundance of the crops, and should be so attributed; and as the existence of a law of this kind dishonors the worship of the Lord, and is contrary to what was prescribed by those who, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, obtained a victory over all their adversaries, We hereby decree, in accordance with the 'wishes of the Holy Spirit,' as proclaimed by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, that, during the sacred day when Our redemption is celebrated, everyone shall desist from labor, and neither farmers nor anyone else shall be allowed to perform any unlawful work. For if those who observed only the shadow and semblance of the laws had so much respect for the Sabbath as to strictly abstain from every kind of labor, how can those who are enlightened by divine grace, and cultivate the truth, fail to exhibit the same reverence for the one day out of seven which has been consecrated to the glory of God, and on which he has honored Us, and delivered Us from death? And when one day of the seven has been dedicated to Our Lord, does it not evince contempt for religion to refuse to be satisfied with working during the other days and not preserve this one sacred and inviolate for God, nor make a distinction between it and the others by using it for the same purpose? (Constitution LIV).

"We can directly cite the writings of Christians who lived in the first century - centuries BEFORE Eusebius or Constantine. Even though these writings do not have the same authority as the Bible, they are still reliable historical sources - preserving the thoughts, beliefs and lifestyle of Christians during the first century. These writings include the Didache (a church manual written by the Apostles during the 1st century), the Epistle of Barnabas (c. 100 A.D.) and the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch who was martyred in Rome before 110 A.D. Translations of these classic Christian writings can be found at the local public or university library. The following quotes were cited from Early Christian Writings (Penguin Classics, 1987). According to the Didache, the Apostles wrote:"

Assemble on the Lord's Day, and break bread and offer the Eucharist; but first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one. [The Didache 14:1]

"This passage is very similar to Acts 20:7. Also note the connection between the breaking of bread and the Eucharist (cf. Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 10:16; 11:23ff). St. Barnabas in his epistle devotes a whole chapter on the issue of the Sabbath. He concluded by writing:"

And we too rejoice in celebrating the eighth day; because that was when Jesus rose from the dead... [Epistle of Barnabas 15]

"St. Barnabas in using the phrase 'the eighth day' was referring to Sunday. Perhaps the most powerful statement was made by St. Ignatius of Antioch. Before 110 A.D., St. Ignatius wrote to the Magnesians:"

We have seen how former adherents of the ancient customs have since attained to a new hope; so that they have given up keeping the Sabbath, and now order their lives by the Lord's Day instead - the Day when life first dawned for us, thanks to Him (Jesus) and His death. [Epistle to the Magnesians 9]

"This passage indicates that early Christian converts from Judaism began to observe the Lord's Day in honor of Christ's Resurrection. From their writings it is clear that Christians already during the first century were observing the Lord's Day on Sunday."

"As baptism replaced circumcision (Col 2:11-12) for Christians, so does Sunday replace Saturday. Observance of the Lord's Day is not a 'mark of the beast' but the mark of being Christian."

Early Church Fathers' Writings

Epistle of Barnabas 2:4-6 (c. 130 A.D.)

For He has made it clear to us through all the prophets that He needs neither sacrifices nor whole burnt offerings nor general offerings, saying on one occasion: 'What is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?' says the Lord. 'I am full of whole burnt offerings, and I do not want the fat of lambs and blood of bulls and goats, not even if you come to appear before Me. For who demanded these things from your hands? Do not continue to trample My court. If you bring fine flour, it is in vain; incense is detestable to Me; your new moons and Sabbaths (Saturday) I cannot stand.' Therefore He has abolished these things, in order that the new law of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is free from the yoke of compulsion, might have its offering, one not made by man.

Epistle of Barnabas 15:8-9 (c. 130 A.D.)

Finally, He says to them: 'I cannot bear your new moons and sabbaths(Saturday).' You see what He means: it is not the present sabbaths that are acceptable to Me, but the one that I have made; on that Sabbath, after I have set everything at rest, I will create the beginning of an eighth day, which is the beginning of another world. This is why we spend the eighth day in celebration, the day on which Jesus both arose from the dead and, after appearing again, ascended into heaven." (11)The Didache (or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) 14:1 (c. 70 A.D.)"On the Lord's own day gather together and break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure." (12)

"The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus (c. 260-339 A.D.) is probably one of the most important works on early Church history available, covering the events of its first three centuries. As one born during the early Church period, Eusebius was an able historian who had a close view of the events that helped shape the historical and theological developments of the early Church."

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, Book 1, Chapter 5 (c. 315 A.D.)

For as the name Christians is intended to indicate this very idea, that a man, by the knowledge and doctrine of Christ, is distinguished by modesty and justice, by patience and a virtuous fortitude, and by a profession of piety towards the one and only true and supreme God; all this no less studiously cultivated by them than by us. They did not, therefore, regard circumcision, nor observe the Sabbath (Saturday), neither do we; neither do we abstain from certain foods, nor regard other injunctions, which Moses subsequently delivered to be observed in types and symbols, because such things as these do not belong to Christians. (13)

Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, Book 5, Chapter 23 (c. 315 A.D.)

The churches throughout the rest of the world observe the practice that has prevailed from apostolic tradition until the present time, so that it would not be proper to terminate our fast on any other but the day of the resurrection of our Savior. Hence there were synods and convocations of the bishops on this question; and all unanimously drew up the ecclesiastical decree, which they communicated to all the churches in all places, that the mystery of our Lords resurrection should be celebrated on no other day than the Lords day. (15)

Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (c. 178 A.D.)

The duty of celebrating the mystery of the resurrection of our Lord may be done only on the day of the Lord. (16)

Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 A.D.)
"Justin Martyr lived during the reign of Antonius Pius and suffered martyrdom in 165 A.D. during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. He was an enthusiastic evangelist of the Gospel, and after traveling widely throughout the Roman Empire settled in Rome as a Christian teacher. While there, neighboring philosophers plotted against him because of his Christian profession, brought him up before the Roman authorities, who carried out his execution by beheading him."

The First Apology of Justin, Chapter 67

And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things ... But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. (17)

"This is the Church of which Christ said 'the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.'" The Lord is quite capable of preserving and/or restoring Truth in His Church over the centuries. "Also, the men who wrote letters such as these to the early Christians were the type of people of whom were spoken of in Hebrews 11. (Hebrews 11:35-40)." 

"Many early Church leaders and followers of Christ such as Ignatius, Polycarp and Justin Martyr, to name a few, suffered severe persecution and eventual martyrdom at the hands of the Romans for spreading the Gospel of Christ. But to keep to the main point, Sabbath-keeping was not a requirement (talking about Saturday, the old Sabbath.) in those days for all Christians, nor was it generally observed."

In the fourth century, John Chrysostom cited Acts 20:7 as testimony. According to this verse in the Bible, the disciples assembled together on Sunday, the first day of the week, to celebrate the Lord’s Supper:

Scripture never mentions any Sabbath day (Saturday) gatherings by believers for fellowship or worship. However, there are clear passages that mention the first day of the week.  "And on the first day of the week, when we were assembled together to break bread [the Lord's Supper], Paul discoursed with them, intending to leave the next morning; and he kept on with his message until midnight." (Acts 20:7)

"Therefore let no one pass judgement on you in questions of food or drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath (Saturday). These are only a SHADOW of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. (Col. 2:16-17)"

"According to these verses, the Hebrew diet, festivals and Sabbaths are no longer obligations for Christians. These were only a FORESHADOWING of things to come in Christ. The focus now is Christ (2 Cor. 3:7-17). Elsewhere Paul told the Corinthians to contribute money to the Church each Sunday (1 Cor 16:1-2)."

"NOW CONCERNING the money contributed for [the relief of] the saints (God's people): you are to do the same as I directed the churches of Galatia to do.On the first [day] of each week, let each one of you [personally] put aside something and save it up as he has prospered [in proportion to what he is given], so that no collections will need to be taken after I come." (1 Cor 16:1-2).

"This would be a strange request, if Christians assembled on Saturdays...According to Rev. 1:10, John was 'in the Spirit on the Lord's day.' This is the only place in the Bible where the phrase 'the Lord’s day' occurs. If his vision occurred on Saturday, St. John would have written 'the Sabbath' instead of using a new [expression]. Even though the disciples may have attended the synagogues on the Sabbath to evangelize (Acts 18:4), there is already a definite transition from the Sabbath to the Lord's Day in the New Testament."

[end of article by "ursinsrforgiven" accompanied by my comments]

The Days of the Week in Other Cultures
Obviously, in the Judeo-Christian tradition, Sunday is considered to be the first day of the week. In this tradition, biblical Sabbath corresponds to Saturday, and the day following Sabbath is the first day of the week corresponding to Sunday, which the Hebrews call Yom Rishon (literally "First Day").  Certainly this is the pattern followed throughout all of the Scriptures, including the New Testament.  Both the ancient Jews and the early Christians designated the days by numbers (as was first done in Genesis 1), while the sixth and the seventh were also called ‘the Preparation’ and 'the Sabbath’ respectively.  However, it is interesting to note that not all cultures consider Saturday to be the seventh day.  Some consider Sunday the seventh day of the week and Monday as the first day.

For example, we spent nearly five years in Hungary, where Sunday is the seventh day.  According to Wikipedia, "The Slavic, Baltic and Uralic languages (except Finnish and partially Estonian) adopted numbering [the days], but took Monday rather than Sunday as the "first day".  Therefore, when people become dogmatic that the biblical Sabbath day of worship must be on Saturday, they are doing so from a culturally-centered or traditional point of view.

Moreover, there is further evidence that other cultures of the world consider Sunday to be the day of worship. For example, Wikipedia states that one "Chinese numbering system, found in spoken Mandarin and in southern dialects/languages (e.g. Wu, Yue and Min), refers to Sunday as the 'day of worship' and numbers the other days 'first [day after] worship' (Monday) through to 'sixth [day after] worship' (Saturday). The Chinese word used for 'worship' is associated with Christian and Muslim worship."  Likewise, many European languages, including all of the Romance languages, have changed the name of Sunday to the equivalent of "the Lord's day" in English (based on the Latin dies Dominica). In Russian and Portuguese, their word for Sunday means "resurrection."

These are just a few examples of how certain aspects of the world's languages point to the Truth of God's Word.

The Sun of Righteousness
The fact that Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, rose from the dead on Dies Solis (the "sun's day") is another such redemptive analogy.  The prophet Malachi prophesied four hundred years before Christ:

"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves." (Mal 4:2)

As I wrote in my article, Light of the World, "The word for sun in this passage is the Hebrew word , שׁמשׁ, 'shemesh' (sheh'-mesh). It comes from an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun. So while the expression 'Sun of Righteousness' sounds like the English expression 'Son of Righteousness,' this is not the case in the original Hebrew language the Scripture was written in. This Hebrew word shemesh is the same word used for the actual sun in our sky, which is the closest star to the earth." It sounds nothing like "ben," the Hebrew word for son.  But the Scripture does not confuse God with the sun, and never does it teach that the sun is God or that we should worship the sun.

The Psalmist wrote, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." (Psa 84:11)

The apostles, as well as the Church fathers, from Justin downward, and nearly all the earlier commentators understood the "Sun of Righteousness" to be Christ, who is described as the rising sun.  The apostle Paul wrote, "Christ will shine on you" (Eph 5:14b). The apostle Peter wrote of the day dawning and the Morning Star (a figurative reference to Christ as the sun) rising in your hearts (2 Pe 1:19). The apostle John wrote about the New Jerusalem in heaven: "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp" (Rev 21:23). Jesus refers to Himself as "the Light of the World" (Jn 8:12) and "the Bright Morning Star" (Rev 22:16).  Clement of Alexandria wrote of "the Sun of the Resurrection, he who was born before the dawn, whose beams give light". The prophet Isaiah also wrote:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." (Is 60:1-3).

Therefore, it's no coincidence that Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, known at that time in the Roman empire as Dies Solis (the "sun's day").  He alone is the only sun to be worshiped, which the prophets foretold. Anyone who takes issue with the fact that we worship the Lord on Sunday has missed the intended prophetic significance.

In Conclusion
I think the article by the sister I have quoted above was well-done and sums up my own thoughts on the matter succinctly. 

I acknowledge that there are different opinions in the Body of Christ about which day is the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath according to the Bible.  I have my opinion, which is that the Christian Sabbath is on Sundays. Unfortunately Seventh Day Adventists teach that keeping Sunday's holy is or will become the mark of the beast, and they dogmatically insist that the Christian Sabbath is on Saturdays (see Seventh-day Adventist Heresies).

However, the focus should always be on the Lord, not on passing judgment on others regarding which day they believe is the Sabbath day.  You cannot rely on your obedience to the Law to save you, because it is only by grace that you are saved through faith (Eph 2:8-10).  Always remember that we can do nothing apart from the Lord Jesus (Jn 15:5).

I think the main reason why it is so important for us to assemble ourselves together for worship on the same day -- the Lord's day -- is for the sake of unity.  When we assemble together in the Lord's name, there is greater power in the spirit than when we pray separately, and the enemy fears this. 

As a believer in Christ, you have a great deal of freedom in this matter, but with that freedom comes a great responsibility.  You will be accountable to God for your decision, and subsequent actions, so make your decision wisely.  If you are a pastor, I recommend you diligently search the Scriptures, pray and ask the Lord for guidance, and then be led by the Spirit in obedience to the Word.  If you are not a pastor, then submit to your leaders and honor the day they designate for worship.

I also recommend reading David Wilkerson's message, Honoring the Sabbath, which I discovered after writing this article.

Please also see my previous posts on this blog about keeping Sundays holy:
Resting from Work
Keeping Sundays Holy - part I
Keeping Sunday Holy - part II
Famous Christian Sabbath Observers
The Lord's Day
Sabbath Period
Light of the World

Seventh-day Adventist Heresies

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.  

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

__________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.