Picture: Counsel #8 — Identity in the Sabbath CSL 18.1
Keeping the 7th Day Sabbath holy, as God instructed,[16]Exodus 20:8-11 profoundly indicates our identity in Christ. This weekly rhythm of rest and worship isn’t just a religious tradition; it’s a divine date with God, and those who keep it He claims as His children. Honoring the Sabbath expresses respect for God, showing our gratitude for His creative power and our role in His grand design. CSL 18.2
We gain a deeper comprehension of God’s character by keeping the Sabbath holy, and consequently, a clearer understanding of our identity as His beloved children. This special weekly date reminds us of God’s sovereignty and our complete dependence on Him. The Sabbath reinforces our identity as people who honor God’s creative and redemptive acts.[17] https://whiteestate.org/devotional/mar/08_24/ CSL 18.3
“Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. …Hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.” Ezekiel 20:12, 20 NKJV CSL 18.4
“The Israelites placed over their doors a signature of blood to show that they were God’s property. So the children of God in this age will bear the signature God has appointed. They will place themselves in harmony with God’s holy law.” Ellen White in That I May Know Him, p. 211 CSL 18.5
Reflect: In what ways do your personal observance of the Sabbath, or lack thereof, influence your sense of who you are in relation to God? CSL 18.6
