Salvation or Obedience?

We just celebrated Passover this past week, in the midst of it really. Passover generally includes the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of the First Fruits, which is still 'on' right now. The last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, according to the lunar month is this Wednesday, making it another day off (High Sabbath). We had a wonderful dinner with a few family members and friends. I like the Passover Seder. It includes so many senses; sight, taste, smell, hearing. I like the purposefullness in the dinner. This year we used a very simple but Messiah centered Haggadah (booklet). It was interesting to hear the conversation after we were done, 'I've been a Christian all my life, brought up in the Church, and I've never done this before.' This person had missed a talk at their church about the Passover, but felt that this was much more educational than any 'talk' about Passover.

Some how the conversation moved into this Feast being a 'nice' thing to do but that it's not really necessary. I was dishing up dessert so I'm not sure how it transitioned from the meaningful (full of meaning) Passover meal to the "it's a nice gesture but we really don't have to do any of this".


It was one of my family members who was making sure this point was highlighted.

I just want everyone to know this: I AM NOT CELEBRATING THE BIBLICAL FEASTS AS A SALVATION ISSUE! I AM NOT CELEBRATING THE BIBLICAL FEASTS BECAUSE THEY ARE 'NICE' AND 'MEANINGFUL' (which they are). I AM KEEPING/CELEBRATING/FOLLOWING BIBLICAL FEASTS BECAUSE GOD SAID THEY ARE HIS APPOINTED TIMES AND THEY ARE SCRIPTURALLY SOUND.

KEEPING THE APPOINTED TIMES OF GOD IS AN OBEDIENCE ISSUE NOT, I REPEAT, NOT A SALVATION ISSUE. IT'S NOT A SALVATION ISSUE.

The "Law" on our hearts

I used to think that the phrase pertaining to the Law "written on our hearts" was a "new" covenant phenomenon. I have come to know that this is way of thinking is misleading and is not consistent with Scripture. In reading Deuteronomy, I've found it very clear that the "law" was always meant to be on our hearts. Yet so far I've only noted Deuteronomy I will continue looking through the rest of the Scripture to find more references. I am amazed to read many times that those who were saved by Yahweh's arm of salvation, were told through Moses to take to heart the instructions given to them. They were to "take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children--" (Deut 4:9)

I'm planning to stickie note my Scriptures every time I read about Yahweh's special instructions for our hearts. I wonder if it will be mentioned more in the Old than the New. Hmm... just wondering.