THE LORD OF THE SABBATH

 

 

By

Shelby G. Floyd

Perhaps you have heard the humorous anecdote about governments and two cows. Socialism would have you give one of your cows to your neighbor and you could keep the other. Communism would insist that you give both cows to the state, and if you were lucky you might be fortunate enough to get some milk and butter occasionally. Nazism would shoot you and take both of your cows. In democracy you would sell one cow and by a bull. In legalism there would be so many rules and regulations concerning the keeping of cows that nobody would want them anyway!

In the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell who was religiously devout, forfeited his chances to run in the 1924 Olympic 200 meter dash held in Paris because it would be held on Sunday, which he called the Sabbath. He steadfastly refused to compromise his convictions, which is a commendable thing to do. As a result one of his teammates allowed him to run in his place in the 400-meter dash where he won a gold medal. Eric Liddell said he felt like he could honor God by competing in winning a gold medal for his country of Scotland. He said God made me fast. Like Eric Liddell we must live by our convictions and at the same time we must make sure that our convictions are founded upon truth. Continue reading “THE LORD OF THE SABBATH”

LAWFULLY USING THE LAW

By

Shelby G. Floyd

lawful2

When our forefathers came over to the land that is now called America, the country was under native law made up of the various tribes and nations of American Indians. This law had been formulated over centuries by the patriarchs, the tribes and the combination of tribes that formed over 500 different nations.

After Columbus discovered America in 1492, the country was flooded over the next few centuries by people from all over Europe and around the world. At various times, different sections of America were under Spanish law, French law, Dutch law and English law. By the time of the American Revolution, and the founding of the Constitution of the United States of America, our founding fathers largely based the laws of America on the political, philosophical and moral doctrine of John Locke and Sir William Gladstone. They believed that a republic could only survive if the citizens were a moral people. Therefore, the laws they put on the books were based for the most part, on natural law and nature’s God, which refers to revealed law. As someone said, “In nature God impressed his laws, but in the Bible God expressed his laws.” Therefore, we have natural revelation and divine (special) revelation.

The Law of Moses was never given to any nation except Israel. None of the Gentile nations, then or now have ever been subject to the Law of Moses. But just as some Spanish law, French law, Dutch law, and English law have been brought over and made a part of American law—so the same thing has happened in the divine law of the New Testament—the law of Christ—the law of the gospel—the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The church today is not under the 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments were only given to Israel. But the principles of the 10 Commandments have all been brought over and made a part of the gospel of Christ—the New Testament law. Continue reading “LAWFULLY USING THE LAW”