Maranatha 238

Sanctification is for Sabbathkeepers, August 18

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.... The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work. Exodus 20:8-10.

God has declared in His Word that the seventh day is a sign between Him and His chosen people—a sign of their loyalty....

The seventh day is God’s chosen day. He has not left this matter to be remodeled by priest or ruler. It is of too great importance to be left to human judgment. God saw that men would study their own convenience, and choose a day best suited to their inclinations, a day bearing no divine authority; and He has stated plainly that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord.

Every man in God’s world is under the laws of His government. God has placed the Sabbath in the bosom of the Decalogue, and has made it the criterion of obedience. Through it we may learn of His power, as displayed in His works and His Word....

Men could not place themselves more decidedly in opposition to God’s work and to His law than by upholding a day that is without one evidence of sanctity, and professing to worship Him on that day. Those who have corrupted the law by substituting a false sabbath for the holy Sabbath of God, and who compel the observance of this false sabbath, exalt themselves above God, and honor the spurious above the genuine.

Sanctification is claimed by professed Christians who ignore God’s holy rest day for a spurious sabbath. But God declares that the sanctification coming from Him is bestowed on those only who honor Him by obeying His commands. The sanctification claimed by those who continue in transgression is a spurious sanctification. Thus the religious world is deceived by the enemy of God and man....

Men have sought out many inventions. They have taken a common day, upon which God has placed no sanctity, and have clothed it with sacred prerogatives. They have declared it to be a holy day, but this does not give it a vestige of sanctity. They dishonor God by accepting human institutions and presenting to the world as the Christian Sabbath a day which has no “Thus saith the Lord” for its authority.


http://bibletools.info/Ezekiel_20:20

WATENDAKAZI PAMOJA NA MUNGU.

Fungi kuu: Mithali 3:9,10/11:24 & Isa 32:8  Hekima ya Mungu imeonyeshwa katika mpango wa wokovu, sheria ya kutenda na wajibu, inafanya kazi kwa ukarimu katika sehemu zake zote, kubarikiwa maradufu. Anayetoa kwa wahitaji anawabariki wengine na kujibarikia mwenyewe katika mibaraka ya hali ya juu.               


UTUKUFU WA INJILI:                       Ili yakwamba mwanadamu asipoteze mibaraka ya matokeo ya ukarimu, Mwokozi wetu alianzisha mpango wa kumhesabu kama mtendakazi wake. Mungu angaliweza kuendesha kusudi lake la kuwaokoa wenye dhambi pasipo msaada wa mwanadamu; lakini alifahamu kwamba mwanadamu asingefurahi kukosa na sehemu ya kufanya katika kazi hii kubwa. Kwa mnyororo wa mambo ambayo yangevuta mapenzi take alitoa kwa mwanadamu njia zilizobora za kustawisha ukarimu, na kumfanya awe na tabia ya utoaji kwa kuwasaidia masikini na kwa kuendesha mbele kazi yake.  Ni utukufu wa injili ulioanzishwa juu ya Kanuni ya kulirudisha taifa  lililoanguka katika mfano wa Mungu kwa njia ya utoaji wa ukarimu. Kazi hii ilianza katika makao ya mbinguni. Kule mbinguni  Mungu alitoa kwa mwanadamu upendo ulio wazi wazi (Yohana 3:16). Moyo wa ukarimu ni moyo wa mbinguni. Dhabihu ya upendo wa Kristo ilionyeshwa msalabani. Ili mwanadamu spate kuokolewa, alitoa yote aliyokuwa nayo, na ndipo akajitoa mwenyewe.           

MIBARAKA YA UWAKILI:                   Katika agizo kwa wanafunzi wake,  "Enendeni ulimwenguni mwote mkaihubiri injili kwa kila kiumbe,"   Kristo aliwapa kazi ya kueneza ujuzi wa neema yake,. Maadamu wengine wakienda kuhubiri, huwaita wengine kufanya wajibu wao kwa kutoa sadaka ambayo itasaidia kuendesha kazi yake  duniani.  Kila kitu chema kiliwekwa hapa duniani na mkono wa ukarimu wa Mungu kama kielelezo cha upendo wake kwa mwanadamu. Masikini ni wake na kazi ya injili ni yake. Fedha na dhahabu ni Mali ya Mungu, na angaliweza kuzileta kutoka mbinguni kama angalitaka. Lakini badala yake alimfanya mwanadamu kuwa wakili wake kwa kumkabidhi fedha, sio kukusanya, lakini kuzitumia kwa kuwasaidia wengine. Kwa hiyo amemweka mwanadamu kuwa njia ambayo atagawanyia mibaraka yake duniani.                                  Upendo  uliofunuliwa Kalwari ungalionyeshwa na kuimarishwa kwa kuenezwa miongoni mwa makanisa yetu.                        Kutana kando ya msalaba wa Kalwari katika kujikana nafsi na kwa kujinyima. Mungu atakubariki ukitimiza wajibu wako. Unapokaribia kiti cha neema unapojiona kwamba umeunganishwa kwa kiti cha enzi mnyororo uliotoka  mbinguni mpaka duniani, kuwatoa watu kutoka katika shimo la dhambi, ndipo moyo wako utakuwa na upendo kwa ndugu na Dada zako ambao hawana Mungu wala tumaini katika ulimwengu.(9T 253-256).