When I decided to ask my wife to marry me, I began a crash course on diamonds. I thought my proposal might stand a better chance if accompanied by the most beautiful ring I could find. Fortunately, it worked. I quickly learned that there are four C’s you need to know when buying a diamond: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight.
If you’ve ever looked carefully at a diamond, you’ll notice that there are dozens of flat surfaces on the stone. In fact, there are between 50 and 60 flat surfaces on most diamonds. These surfaces are the diamond’s cuts, or facets, and the proper angling, size, and depth of the facets are what give the diamond its brilliance.
The top surface on any diamond is called the “table.” While diamonds may be impressive from many angles, they are specifically designed and cut to be viewed through the table. The goal when cutting the diamond is to have light enter through the table and then be reflected back through the table by the many facets. The better a diamond is cut, the more light will be reflected back through the table, and the more brilliant the diamond will appear.
I believe that God’s truth is much like a diamond. God’s truth is multi-faceted and may be appreciated from many angles, but when we turn ourselves to view it through the table cut we begin to see the beautiful brilliance that God intends.
If you travel in Christian circles, you’ll surely hear someone make reference to “God’s Truth,” or to “The Truth,” or in our denomination, “The Sabbath Truth.” When I hear the term invoked, I always wonder, what is “THE Sabbath Truth” that they are viewing all other Sabbath Truth through?
There are certainly many facets to Sabbath truth. There is the physical benefit we receive by unplugging and taking a rest. There is the relational benefit we receive by taking time to engage with our family, our friends, and our God. There is the spiritual benefit we receive by setting time aside to study and pray – just to name a few. But what is “The Sabbath Truth?”
It often seems that the truth that all other truth is being viewed through is correctness about the day, and there is really very little historical or biblical doubt as to the correct day. But is that the correct facet to view all other Sabbath Truth through? or have we perhaps tipped the diamond to view it through the facet that is unique to us rather than the one God intended to be primary?
While considering Sabbath, I found that the last mention of Sabbath in the Bible is in Hebrews, Chapter 4. The author makes an eloquent and logical argument that Christ is our Sabbath rest. He explains that any who enter into Christ have rest, and those that do not enter into Christ do not have Sabbath rest. The Bible then abruptly drops the topic of Sabbath, giving us the proverbial last word.
I believe that Hebrews is clear and intentional in its message, and I am convinced that those who believe in Christ have Sabbath rest. Christ is the primary cut, the table top of the diamond, The Sabbath Truth. I’m compelled to view all Sabbath truth through faith in Christ. I’ve no doubt that there are some flaws in the way I view God’s truth, but as long as I can keep looking through the right prism, from the right angle – through Christ – I can begin to see the brilliance of God’s beauty and find Sabbath unity with all who find their rest in Christ.
John Monday
No comments:
Post a Comment