The Christian and the Sabbath

The word Sabbath means “rest” (not Saturday). God requires each one of us to set aside one day of the week for worshipping Him and for resting. Let us see what the Bible tells us about this day of spiritual and physical renewal:

1. In Exodus 20:8-11 we read that the believer should rest on the seventh day. (God does not say the seventh day of the week!)

2. The Sabbath, or Saturday is a sign of the Covenant for the Jewish people (Exodus 31:16-17). On that day no fire may be made (Exodus 35:3); no firewood may be gathered (Numbers 15:32-35) and nobody may leave his home on the Sabbath day (Exodus 16:29). If a Christian wishes to keep the Jewish Sabbath (on Saturday) he should do it in the Jewish way.

3. Jesus did not tell his disciples anywhere in the New Testament to keep the Jewish Sabbath. He did, however, repeat all nine the other commandments for his disciples. We notice that the Jews rejected Jesus more than once because he broke the Sabbath according to their understanding (Matthew 12:1-14).

In the New Testament we find that the “Lord’s Day”, Sunday, replaced the Jewish Sabbath for the Christians, because

1. the Lord Jesus rose from death on Sunday (John 20:1);

2. every time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, it was on Sunday (Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1, 13-36; John 20:19-23; etc.);

3. the day of Pentecost (the pouring out of the Holy Spirit) was on Sunday (Acts 2:1);

4. the first Christians thus came together on the first day of the week, the Lord’s day, the Sunday, for their church services and communion services (Acts 20:7) and also brought their offerings to God on Sunday (1 Corinthians 16:2).

5. When the apostle Paul started his work, he tried to reach the Jews by preaching to them on the Jewish Sabbath in the synagogues (Acts 13:14, 42, 44) but to the Christians he preached on Sundays (Acts 20:7) even though he had already arrived there before the Saturday (verse 6).

6. Some of the Jewish Christians tried to force the believers from heathen nations to be obedient to the Jewish laws. An important gathering of Christians was held about this matter in Jerusalem. The decision of this gathering is found in Acts 15:28-29: the Jewish laws (verse 24) do not apply to Christians.

7. Paul also writes that no one may judge a Christian for not keeping the Jewish festival days or Sabbath (Colossians 2:16).

8. Since those days through all the centuries the Christians used the Lord’s day (Sunday) for their day of worship.

In conclusion: The Jews keep their Sabbath on Saturday, but Christians keep their Sabbath (day of rest and worship) on the Lord’s day, Sunday.

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What is Rastafarianism?

Rastafarianism is a religious mixture of Ethiopian Christianity, Old Testament Judaism, African Animism and spiritualism. It has no constant dogma.

The name “Rasta” is an abbreviation for Rastafarianism. This cult is very active in the Caribbean Islands. The main points in this religion are:

1. Rastas believe Haile Selassie, whose real name was Ras Tafari, is the lamb and sacred god of the black people. They say that he, the late King of Ethiopia, was a direct descendent of King Solomon.

2. They say God, Jesus and the early Christians were black. That is why they oppose all pictures or other illustrations that teach that Jesus was a white man, and say it is wrong.

3. They say God became man in Haile Selassie, who still lives in another dimension. They deny the Biblical teaching that Jesus is God.

4. They say they are the true Jews.

5. They claim that the Bible was written by black people for black people.

6. All white people are demons (so they say).

7. Black people shall only be free when they return to Africa, because they are foreigners in other countries such as Jamaica and the other Caribbean Islands.

8. Some of them believe in reincarnation. This is an Eastern belief from Hinduism or Buddhism. They wear their hair in “dreadlocks,” symbolizing the lamb’s wool of their god Haile Selassie. They smoke “dagga” or “ganya” (marijuana) which they regard as sacred herbs in religious rituals. They have their own, individual style of music, called “reggae” which they use in religious and political propaganda. Bob Marley and his pop group “The Wailers” were the best known of the Music of Reggae.

Rastafarianism is a black consciousness movement that waits for the fall of “Babilon” – the Western World.

They are wrong because they revere Haile Selassie as Christ and claim that he lives and rules in another dimension, since no trace of his body, grave or ashes has ever been found.

It is therefore clear that genuine New Testament believers cannot become involved in Rasta without denying the only Saviour of the lost: Jesus Christ (See Acts 4:11-12). Rasta is a religious cult which is in direct opposition to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Do we still have prophets today?

The main thing we need to remember when considering this question, is what the Bible says about prophets.

There are many prophets we read about in the Old Testament. Most of those mentioned by name and certainly those whose prophecies we read, were great men of God and we can learn a lot from them. The greatest prophet of all in the Old Testament was Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10). He was a very good example of what a prophet should be. Other prophets of God had some of the following characterictics, but Moses had them all.

1. He had a special call from God (Exodus 3:1-10). Other prophets also had this call (Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1:4-19, Ezekiel 1 – 3, Amos 7:14-15, Jonah 1:1). The prophets who took on this work themselves without God’s call, were false prophets (Jeremiah 14:14, 23:21).

2. The true prophets were able to pass on God’s message, because they had spent time listening to God. They were able to understand what was happening to them and the people because God had spoken to them (the plagues in Exodus 7 – 11).

3. Prophets were concerned for people. The laws Moses gave to the people were the most helpful to poor people in all the ancient world (Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

4. Many of the prophets were great statesmen or leaders like Moses.

5. Prophets gave God’s message to the people and they predicted things which would happen. Moses was concerned that the people should not be caught up in paganism (Deuteronomy 18:14). He also predicted the coming of Jesus (Deuteronomy 18:15, Acts 3:21-22).

6. They used symbols to explain God’s message. Moses lifted up his hands to illustrate prayer (Exodus 17:8-13). He used the brass snake in Numbers 21:8.

7. They were known to be people of prayer (Exodus 18:19, 32:30, 1 Kings 13:6, 2 Kings 19:4)

Here we should note that even though Jonah was a man of God, his prediction did not come true. The reason for this was that the people repented of their sins and when people repent, God forgives.

Prophets were known to be men of God and different from other people (2 Kings 4:9). They told God’s message because they were convinced that it was true and would never disappear (Isaiah 40:8, 55:10-11). They predicted things to come, to warn and encourage people because they knew God (Amos 3:7).

The test of a true prophet is that his prophecies must come true (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Even so there are prophets whose words come true and who are yet false, but these can be recognised as false because they lead people away from the true God (Deuteronomy 13:1-5).

When we come to the New Testament, we note that Jesus Christ accepted the teachings of the prophets thoroughly. He recognised that they had come from God. He said that John the Baptist, although he lived in New Testament times, was the last and the greatest of the Old Testament prophets (Matt. 11:11). He also said that He himself was the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies (Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:25, 27, 44). The Christian church can learn from these Old Testament prophecies (2 Peter 1:19-21).

Jesus was known as the prophet of God who not only spoke God’s word, but actually was God’s Word (John 1:1-14).

There were prophets in the early church (Acts 2:17-18, 19:6, 11:28 and 21:10-11) and there is a gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1). People were warned to be very careful about what people claimed to be God’s message (Matthew 7:15, 2 Peter 2:1 and 1 John 4:1-3).

Coming to the question of whether there are prophets today or not, we can say very definitely that there are people who are called by God and who speak for God. Many of them are great leaders. They are also concerned for people, especially that they will hear and receive God’s message. There may be times when prophets can give guidance to people or a local church. They can warn or encourage, but everything they say, must be in accordance with what is written in the Word of God, the Bible, because that revelation of God is complete and we cannot add to it or take away from it (Matthew 5:18, Revelation 22:18-19). It must be in line with the faith which was once and for all given to God’s people (Jude 3).

But if people make predictions about things to come, which we are told no-one knows (Mark 13:32) they may be false prophets. They are also false if they lead people away from the only true God to worship other things, or live lives of immorality and especially if they have dealings with the occult or spirits. Christians do not need to find magic solutions to their problems. They have the Holy Spirit who guides, directs, warns or encourages them in their daily lives and leads the church on in her service for God.

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May a Christian join a political party?

It is true that church leaders do need to know all about their people; their politics, their economic circumstances and many other things.

If we were to leave the governing of countries to those who are not Christians, there would be less freedom for the worship of God and for God’s Word to reach the people. God wants Christians to have an influence in all spheres of life, including politics. The question that arises from this is, “How should we be involved?”

We should not be involved for selfish reasons – to promote a better life only for ourselves and our people while others suffer. There should be no thought of seeking fame or money. Our aim should be only that the righteousness of God should be shown and lived out. If this were done, much of the fighting in party politics would disappear. Individual Christians can play a large part in lifting up a nation to the righteousness of God, if God’s glory is their only aim.

The work of the church as Christ’s body is to bring people to know Jesus as Saviour and teach Christians how to live their lives according to God’s principles. Then people who have been taught like this, can go into the world of politics and live the Christian life as God wants them to, and thus be an influence for God. We need to be the “salt” that stops corruption (Matthew 5:13).

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Why do the dates of Good Friday and Easter Sunday differ every year?

The date of the Easter weekend is determined by the date of the Jewish Passover feast. The calendar of the Jews originally worked according to the moon, and therefore it differs from ours. Nowadays Easter (or the Passover) is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21. The date will therefore be determined by the moon during that time of the year.

We can be glad that it is not our duty to decide such difficult dates. Our duty is simply to believe in Jesus Christ and to obey him as our Saviour and King (1 John 5:13).

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Holy Communion: What does it mean to me?

The Lord Jesus instituted the Holy Communion the night before his death on the cross. The bread which he broke, had to become a reminder to His children that his body had been broken for them before and on the cross. The wine had to remind them of his blood which was shed for them by the crown of thorns, the whipping by the Roman soldiers, the nails through his hands and feet, and the spear. 1 Corinthians 10 and 11 describes the institution of the Holy Communion in detail. What is its purpose?

It is:

1. A feast of remembrance: It is just like an anniversary or birthday. The church celebrates Holy Communion to remember the love of Christ as demonstrated on the cross of Calvary (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:26). The Lord wants us to celebrate Holy Communion so that we may remember – so that we don’t forget His wonderful love.

2. It is a feast where we testify: The Feast of the Passover lamb is described in the Old Testament. The Passover festival had to remind the Israelites about that night when God smote the firstborn of the Egyptians, but passed over the houses of the Israelites because the blood of Passover lambs was on the doorposts, the night when God led His people out of Egypt. Moses told the people that when they celebrated Passover and their children asked them: “What does this ritual mean?” they should tell them that “it is the sacrifice of Passover to honour the Lord, because He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt” (Exodus 12:14-16; 26-27). The church celebrates Holy Communion to testify about the saving power of the “Passover Lamb” of God (Jesus).

3. It is a feast where we communicate: We cannot be secret believers. We are members of the church of the Lord. We celebrate Holy Communion together with other believers – we eat and drink together. We confess, at the Holy Communion, what we confess with our lips every Sunday: I believe in the Holy catholic church; the communion of saints.

But we communicate with Jesus too. We know, although we cannot see Him, that he is at the head of the table. We eat the bread and drink the wine as symbols that we are united to the Head of the church, Jesus. In our hearts we say to Him: Lord, we belong to you.

I don’t think it is necessary to discuss the whole feast in detail, except to stress an important element in Holy Communion, namely that the Word (the preaching or reading of the Bible) and the Sacrament (in this case the Holy communion) are intertwined. The Holy Communion and the Word go together. That is why we celebrate Holy Communion in the congregation, in church.

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Masturbation

Masturbation is the act whereby a person satisfies his/her sexdrive by handling his/her own genital organs.

Christians ask: is masturbation a sin? It leaves a person who did it with a terrible sense of guilt. Some fear that it will ultimately lead to physical disability or disease, while others see it as a proof of sexual perversion and that it will harm future marriage relationships, or that God won’t love them any more.

The Bible gives us no direct answer to the question. It does not even mention masturbation. But we can deduct from Scripture principles that masturbation is an unnatural sexual practice. It is not according to the purpose of God who gave sex as a gift to be used between a man and his lawful wife, within the marriage bond only. Any other deliberate sexual act, where true love is not the main driving force, is unnatural.

The Christian must always ask: What is God’s purpose with my life? What is His purpose with the sex-drive which is one of the strongest in any human being? If someone misses God’s purpose with his/her life, he sins. The original Greek word for sin, “hamartia” means to aim at a target and completely miss it.

From this description of sin we can deduct the fact that masturbation misses the mark of God’s purpose with sex.

But don’t see the sex-drive as sin. God made you that way. The sin comes in when we abuse it. And if you fight sin, God always is on your side.

So you, as a child of God, must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in you to practise self-control in this as well. If you read Galatians 5:22-23 you hear these words: “But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. There is no law against such things as these.” He will help you.

Don’t feed your mind with sexual thoughts. Exercise a lot and get rid of excessive energy by working hard.

It is very important to adopt a positive attitude to this problem. Don’t fret about it. If you committed this unnatural act, claim 1 John 1:9 as God’s promise for you – not only to forgive you, but to cleanse your heart. Don’t despair, keep on trusting that with God’s help, you will be victorious. God bless you!

Don’t feel guilty. And don’t do nothing about it. Ask God’s forgiveness and overcoming power, and by trusting Him fight the battle every time when you are tempted. And never think that God will forsake His child in the midst of the battle. If you fall again, fall on your knees and keep on praying and believing that the God of love is also your strength. Say with Paul: “I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me” – (Philippians 4:13, Good News Translation).

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Maranatha: What does it mean?

In 1 Corinthians 16:22 Paul says: “Marana tha! Come, O Lord!” It is a word in the Aramaic language “m ran ath ” which means: “Come o Lord!” or “The Lord comes”. The Aramaic language was the language the Jews generally spoke in the time of Jesus.

The short verse, quoted above, formed part of Paul’s expectation that Christ’s second coming was near. It was one of the primary motives for a fervent Christian life. The Christians lived with the constant expectation that the Lord may come any day to establish the golden ages of eternity where there will be no more sin, no more sorrow, no more death, no more troubles.

That is something we in our times seem to forget. We live as if the Second Coming of Christ is still far away. But if we look at the signs of the times (read 2 Timothy 3:1-5), it is clear that we must also remind one another by shouting: “Maranatha! The Lord comes!” or “Come o Lord”.

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What is love? What is sex?

When someone asks us: What is love? he/she wants information about love between a young man and a girl, or between a man and wife, and not love in general, such as love to God and your neighbour, etc. Our reply is therefore limited to love in marriage or romantic love.

We can understand quite well when an African asks this question. Old cultural customs, in some cases, required that the parents choose a wife for their son. The young man and the girl were usually satisfied with each other and accepted one another without asking questions. They knew nothing about “Western” love, and did not worry about it. Marriage was regarded as a contract between families. The groom and his family paid the bridesprice called lobola or bogadi and the bride in return had to give birth to children for the husband’s family.

Western culture and Christianity, based on Biblical teaching, brought the concept of Christian love. We did, of course, sometimes find that some young people, inspired by a “force” which they could not define, chose their own loved ones. We find something of this kind, for example in the Zulu custom called ukubaleka or ukuganisela, where the girl runs away to her boyfriend’s parents, or in ukuthwala where the young man abducts the girl of his choice and forces a marriage contract.

Many Africans have accepted the Biblical marriage in our changing society today. They know the Bible says: “Husbands love your wives” (Ephesians 5:25). Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies (Ephesians 5:28). Titus 2:3-4: The older women “must teach what is good, in order to train the younger women to love their husbands.”

Now they ask: What is this love? Love which, they say, is the bond which binds people together in marriage. The modern media have changed this “love” into a caricature. That is why the word “love” means “sex” to many people.

What love is not

If you read 2 Samuel 13:1-20 with me, you will hear the tragic story of Tamar. Amnon, her half-brother, said these words to his friend Jonadab: “I am in love with Tamar.” Jonadab, a shrewd man, gave him instructions. He had to pretend to be ill and to request that Tamar come and prepare two cakes in the form of hearts in his house. (There is something ironical in the “heartlike” cakes – a symbol of love?) Read the whole story. He raped her (forced her to have sex with him). Then his “love” changed into hate. Amnon did not love Tamar. Love never acts like that. Amnon loved only himself and desired the physical beauty of Tamar’s body. When he had finished his abominable deed, her physical attractions vanished in his eyes and he chased her out of the house. That is not love. That is sexual roguery.

What is love then?

We find details about the love of God in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. This kind of Godly love must be present in every Christian love-relationship. It must be the main element. It starts when a young man and a young woman feel strongly attracted to each other. The danger that it may be mere physical attraction is always there. She admires him, his appearance, his power, his manners, his whole personality. He likes her, her face, her body, her behaviour – Oh! everything she does is too wonderful for him. Perhaps he can say, like Amnon, “I am in love with her!” But to merely “be in love” does not last very long. If the excitement and romance wears off, it dies like the flame of a candle. Many a marriage has ended in divorce too early because it was built on “I fell in love” only. Love is a gift of God – a permanent relationship.

True love is patient and also accepts the faults or imperfections of the beloved. It is friendly and will never insult the other. It is not selfish. It is happy when the loved one achieves something praiseworthy. It is not conceited and ill mannered. A man who wants a girl’s honour in exchange for the fulfilment of his sexual drive acts like Amnon. That is why the great test whether it is love or not, is to ask yourself these questions: “Am I really unselfish? Do I really intend to spend my whole life with my life partner? To always seek his/her happiness before my own? To forgive his/her mistakes or imperfections?” To act in such a way that he/she can always proudly confess: “That is my loved one”? Yes, always to do as the Bible says, to cleave to him/her (Genesis 2:24) until death do us part. To have mutual respect.

What is sex?

When God instituted marriage, he clearly stated the order in which his command in Genesis 1:28 “have many children” should be performed. We read in Genesis 2:24: “That is why a man

leaves his father and mother and
is united with his wife and
they become one.”

A man

1. leaves his father and mother. He has found someone who is very, very important to him. He wants to live with her for the rest of his life (this applies to the girl too). Then the second step:

2. is united – that is when they get married. But then the last word:

3. they become one. That is when they, already married, become one in the sex act. This is a gift of God. This is not sin. This is sex in its proper place, and not confined to intercourse to beget children or for pleasure only.

But in our times sin and the devil have robbed sex of its holiness and purity. Sex is advertised on TV programmes, in bioscopes, magazines, books and in advertisements as the most important human enjoyment. Women sell their bodies on the streets to any man who is willing to pay what they charge.

Young people reckon that the first thing to do when they fall in love with someone, is to get under the blankets “to become one”. The gift of God in marriage is abused in many ways. The gift of sex is changed into sin.

Then we haven’t even mentioned the terrible things about which Paul spoke in Romans 1:18-28 (Please read it now). Sex alone is not love. Sex must be seen in the context of marriage as one of God’s wonderful gifts of love. Outside marriage, sex is always sin. And this sin is the cause of the plight of thousands of “fatherless” children in our cities and towns, and the unhappiness of scores and scores of unmarried mothers, beautiful intelligent girls who lost the honour God bestowed on them: their purity. Teenage pregnancies is a serious social problem.

Sex without love is a “devil”. Some of the most dreaded diseases, like AIDS, are spread by uncontrolled sex outside of marriage. That which God intended to be his children’s most enjoyable experience, becomes their greatest enemy. It always pays to listen to God and obey Him. If you haven’t done so, please study Biblecor’s popular course: Love, Sex and the Bible. It will help you tremendously.

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Why does God allow His people to suffer?

This is a question which people often ask, especially Christians. They argue that God is a God of love and cannot allow suffering.

The Bible teaches quite clearly that all pain, suffering, disappointment, sickness, death, etc., are the results of sin which came into the world. The world in which Adam and Eve lived before they fell into sin, was a world full of joy and happiness. There was no suffering and pain and sorrow. At the end of time when God shall renew the whole world and heaven (which is prophesied in Revelation 21:4-5): “There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared. Then the one who sits on the throne (will say), `And now I make all things new.'”

But in the present dispensation as descendants of Adam (Acts 17:26) we will experience suffering as a result of the fall of man. God said to Eve: “I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth” (Genesis 3:16). And to Adam: “Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse” (Genesis 3:17).

We find the same connection between the curse upon sin and human suffering in Romans 8:16-22 (Please read it in you Bible). But note the wonderful promise to believers in verse 18. “I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory which is going to be revealed to us”. Until then suffering will be prevalent – because we live in a world which is under the curse of sin.

The whole Bible emphasises the fact that God is love (1 John 4:8-10); that He loves us with a wonderful love. The children of God are in the world. They are not in heaven yet. We are travellers, pilgrims to a better abode. We won’t experience heaven on earth, because of the fact that we are Christians. Yes! true Christians have a joy in their hearts which enable them to sing, even in times of suffering (read Acts 16:22-28). But one day everything will change and God’s children, the true Christians, will suffer no more, because God will wipe away all tears from their eyes (Revelation 21:4).

For the Christians there is everlasting joy awaiting them in heaven, but on earth there is grace to suffer also to His glory. I have a little card on which is written:

“God has not promised
sun without rain,
joy without sorrow,
peace without pain.
But God has promised
strength for the day;
rest for the labourer;
light on the way;
grace for the trials;
help from above;
unfailing symphathy, undying love.”

Remember this always.

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