Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach
Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach
Discovering the New Covenant by Greg Taylor - exAdventist Outreach
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DISCOVERING THE NEW COVENANT<br />
observing days is not an issue. It is <strong>the</strong> judgmentalism<br />
associated with it that is forbidden. We must not judge one<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r over <strong>the</strong>se things or make salvation issues out of<br />
<strong>the</strong>m.<br />
Imagine that you are on a business trip abroad for your<br />
job that has caused you to be separated from your family for<br />
several months. You miss your family and long for a<br />
meaningful time toge<strong>the</strong>r even though you are apart. Your<br />
travel budget allows you to spend two hours once a week on<br />
<strong>the</strong> telephone with your family. So you set up a time when<br />
<strong>the</strong> whole family will ga<strong>the</strong>r around <strong>the</strong> telephone for this<br />
family communion. It becomes <strong>the</strong> highlight of your weekly<br />
schedule. Let’s say that your family meets at home every<br />
Tuesday evening for your call, and it is early Wednesday<br />
morning for you where you are in <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r country. Even so,<br />
this scheduled time is a wonderful and vital time for your<br />
family. Time flies <strong>by</strong>, and eventually you return home. It is<br />
so good to be back toge<strong>the</strong>r! But do you keep on meeting<br />
every Tuesday evening now that you are back face-to-face?<br />
No. There is no longer need for a scheduled appointment<br />
now that you are face to face! However, if you choose to do<br />
so because this special family time became a special tradition<br />
while you were overseas, you might decide that you will<br />
keep <strong>the</strong> Tuesday evening date. Great idea! But now that you<br />
are back face to face all <strong>the</strong> time, is it mandatory that this<br />
weekly meeting happen? No, of course not! You might find<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r time works better for you. You might move it to<br />
Wednesday nights sometimes, or Friday nights. Maybe<br />
sometimes <strong>the</strong>re could be several family meetings during <strong>the</strong><br />
week. Now that you are back home face to face, it is not<br />
required that you meet at <strong>the</strong> same time in <strong>the</strong> same way. It is<br />
permissible, but not required.<br />
The same is true of <strong>the</strong> weekly Sabbath. The Sabbath<br />
reminds us of God’s original intent that we be human beings,<br />
not human doings. He created us for relationship with<br />
Himself. So it was in <strong>the</strong> days of old, <strong>the</strong> Sabbath pointed