CREATED FOR A WHOLE LIFE

God’s law in the Ten Commandments show us how to live and make clear our need for Jesus. Though the law shows us the path to follow and convicts us of sin, it’s about far more than just toeing the line. The commandment’s principles outline a holistic relationship with God, self and others.

Because God shows rather than just tells us how to live, Jesus came as an example of God’s law brought to life. In contrast to the Sabbath observance of His day, Jesus emphasized the seventh-day Sabbath as both a day of rest and restoration. We observe the weekly Sabbath by pausing our self-striving, day-to-day business and seeking to serve and blessing others and doing good. The Sabbath is God’s gift of freedom to us. It gives us time to restore ourselves, our families and our relationship with God.

God calls us to be His stewards, entrusted with responsibility. God entrusted the earth, its resources and its children to us to manage. One day soon He will return. We must be good stewards of our time, energy and bodies; the environment, material resources and each other. As Christians we don’t just look out for our own interests but the bigger picture, weighing our actions in light of God’s plans, knowing God will bless.

God desires us to live in wholeness and balance, caring for our bodies, refining our minds and nourishing our spirits. Knowing the high price Jesus paid to redeem us, we desire to glorify God in every aspect of our lives. As the Spirit lives in us, we seek to uplift others and embody God’s grace in our actions and interactions. As careful witnesses for God, we advance His priorities in our use of time, consume only that which nourishes our minds and bodies, and consider our impact on ourselves, others and society.

God created us in His image, male and female. The lifelong commitment of marriage is God’s plan for His people to enjoy union and companionship, supporting and uplifting one another. God designed for children to grow up in an environment of love and discipline. Though families may fracture, all can be a part of the family of God.