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Obedience to the Higher over the Lesser, to the spirit over the letter of the law, is always to be obedient to the Creator over Creation. No matter whom and what title is stating the command.
What Revelation 14:12 really means. 1. Let us first look at 5th on the list of the 10 commandments.
See Exodus 20:12. And then have a look at Matthew 10.37.
We see here that Christ actually ask us to look away from the lesser of the two main commandments of the law and disobey our earthly parents IF their commands or words are not in harmony with the higher doctrine, the higher law of Christ/God.
This would be to obey the words and commands of our earthly parents, rather than the words and commands of our heavenly parent, no matter whom is stating it, as we by default is obedient to the lower over the higher law.
But we will see soon that being obedient to our heavenly Father over our earthly father, when their commands are not in harmony, it still would not mean we are breaking the 5th commandment of God's law.
In the following passage, honoring your parents as in the 5th commandment is directly attached to OBEYING your parents. To obey means to obey their commands.
Ephesians 6:1-3
"6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."
Exodus 20:12:
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."
Same principle also go when we speak of other authority we are asked to obey. Meaning to follow their council and laws. Take the elders in the church, for a woman to obey a male in church and for males to not obey the teachings from a woman.
These are general principles that I would refer to as the lesser law or the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law would ask you to bypass these outer factors and only look at the content.
Same goes for trusting everything that comes from the mouth of Ellen White. All this is in the category legalism and blind faith.
I'm talking about the fact that a person, no matter who he is, regardless of external factors like race, nation, gender, age, status, etc., comes with a higher doctrine than another. Say a woman to a man. A teenager against a parent, etc. It will then be the content of the message (which represent the inner, that of faith), which precedes who and what title expresses it. This is especially true if it is a spiritual issue. Then the law of the spirit will take precedence over the law of the letter.
Read the entire chapter of Galatians 3. And 2. Corinthians 3.
2. Then see part 7 in the series “Identifying the Image, Seal/Mark of God vs the Beast” ....of how choosing to observe the 7th Day Sabbath as an example where the letter and spirit of the law, here we speak of the 4th commandment, is in total harmony. This commandment links the two main commandments together, without making them equal. It unites the Creator with creation, while still placing the Creator over creation.
“Here is the patience of the Saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus” Revelation 14:12 I think we are realizing now that we are not simply speaking of the 10 commandments on tables of stone, as in the law of the letter, but that this refers to the law of the spirit. Of advancing from the old, immature law, covenant and order where we judge by sight, by the letter, to the new, mature, everlasting law, covenant and order, where we learn to walk by faith, by the spirit of the law. This is the law, the commandments, the order of faith, where Jesus Christ is king. This is the law and order of faith, where Jesus Christ is king. Where the law of God is written on our hearts and minds on the path of the cross, which is Gods sanctification. Which include the ten commandments, but that even here we must analyze and judge by the spirit of the law. So the law is then magnified. From typical to antitypical. From immature, lesser to the mature and higher. We also see that the ten commandments are separated in two categories: the two greatest commandments where the priority is:
1. Love for God, the Creator and His spiritual kingdom.
(Sums up of the first 4 of the 10 commandments that deals with our relationship to God, the Creator)
2. Love for mankind, Creation and the physical kingdom.
(Sum up of the last 6 of the 10 commandments that deals with our relationship to mankind, Creation)
Read 2. Cor 3.
More glorious = more holy = higher = fuller
So again we see, that if we choose the less glorious or less holy, over that which is more glorious and holier AFTER it is revealed to us, it is then, from that point, counted as sin.
If you put the first 4 commandments first, (which is summed up in the first and greatest commandment to love God above all else) and are obedient to them, you are obedient to the whole law.
So if you are obedient to your heavenly father and faithful to your heavenly "husband", over your earthly father and spouse (which are among the last 6 and sum up the second greatest,in the category love for creation/mankind) you are also obedient to the whole law. Because God's will is always for the best for all of creation/mankind.
But you see it is still the first and greatest that is above all else, which means they are holier. Ellen White even states the 4th is the holiest. So by obeying the first, greatest, summing up the first 4, above all else, you are obedient to the whole law.
Notice also that the 4th commandment of the 7th Day Sabbath, is to put the Creator and His spiritual kingdom first, above all else.
We obey the letter of the law unless there is no valid reason not to. When the letter and spirit collide, then we follow the spirit of the law. If the letter has been magnified by a higher, more mature doctrine, we discard the old and replace it with the new and higher, if they collide. Sometimes the letter and the spirit are in perfect harmony, as in the letter and spirit of the fourth commandment of the 7th Day Sabbath.
The letter is that which is lesser than that which is higher in comparison. So if the deeper significance of the Sabbath, of everlasting peace, is of higher importance than to keep the day, it would in that sentence count as the lesser of the two. Yet, the day, the letter is still holy and should be kept as there is no legal or valid reason to discard it. So here in that commandment we see that the letter and the spirit is in perfect agreement, they do not oppose each other. The letter of the 7th Day Sabbath is still in the category “most holy” and spiritual, yet at the same time when you compare it with the deeper significance of the 7th Day Sabbath, which is to advance from the old to the new law and order of Christ, and be born by the spirit, and enter into everlasting rest in Christ, it is of higher importance than that of the day. Yet there is no valid reason to discard the day and not obey the letter of the 4th commandment. It is still holy. And because it is still holy, we should obey also the letter of it, and hence why it is a test for many Christians in these last days who believe we are free to discard it. I believe the often debated chapter 4 of the book of Hebrews speak of both the literal, and the spiritual, deeper significance of the 7th Day Sabbath. To enter into Christ's rest, both literally in terms of observing the 7th Day Sabbath, but also to crucify the law and spirit of self/ the flesh/ of this world, and advance from the old, immature law, covenant and order, to the new, mature and everlasting.
So the 4th commandment bridges or unite the Creator with creation, but also the letter and the spirit. Without sacrificing the authority of the Creator and the spiritual. Continue to:
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