Observance of God’s Holy Sabbath
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world as the sign of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the
Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the power that re-creates
the soul in His own likeness. To those who keep holy the Sabbath
day it is the sign of sanctification. True sanctification is harmony with
God, oneness with Him in character. It is received through obedience
to those principles that are the transcript of His character. And the
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Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the
fourth commandment will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through
obedience.
To us as to Israel the Sabbath is given “for a perpetual covenant.”
To those who reverence His holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God
recognizes them as His chosen people. It is a pledge that He will
fulfill to them His covenant. Every soul who accepts the sign of God’s
government places himself under the divine, everlasting covenant. He
fastens himself to the golden chain of obedience, every link of which
is a promise
Remember the Sabbath Day
At the very beginning of the fourth commandment the Lord said:
“Remember.” He knew that amid the multitude of cares and perplex-
ities man would be tempted to excuse himself from meeting the full
requirement of the law, or would forget its sacred importance. There-
fore He said: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
Exodus
20:8
.
All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and
be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment.
We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We
are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of
life. All who regard the Sabbath as a sign between them and God,
showing that He is the God who sanctifies them, will represent the
principles of His government. They will bring into daily practice the
laws of His kingdom. Daily it will be their prayer that the sanctification
of the Sabbath may rest upon them. Every day they will have the
companionship of Christ and will exemplify the perfection of His
character. Every day their light will shine forth to others in good
works.
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Testimonies for the Church 6:349, 350