# Are You Keeping the Sabbath?



## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 21, 2008)

In this excellent post linked below, Rev. David McCullough explains why Christians should not do the things which others do on the Lord's Day. To be perfectly truthful, I have no more desire to watch sporting events on the Sabbath than I have to go to the moon; this post basically summarizes why that is the case:

He rules over the nations: Are you Keeping the Sabbath - are you Reaching out?


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## Blueridge Believer (Feb 21, 2008)

That was a short, but most excellent and convicting read dear brother.


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## Stephen (Feb 21, 2008)

Thank you, brother for sharing that convicting work. I am going to be preaching on the Sabbath from Mark 2 next Lord's Day and this is so appropriate. I have never seen anyone state that the church's observance of the Lord's Day is a proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ. If we dishonor the Lord's Day we in essence are saying we deny His Resurrection. I have no issue with sporting events, but I think it is irronic that many believer's choose the Lord's Day to watch sporting events, which really indicates that sports is their idol. Perhaps the Lord's Day is a good time to reflect on if we really love the LORD enough to put aside our own ways, thoughts, and activities (Isaiah 58:13 & 14).


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## DMcFadden (Feb 21, 2008)

Daniel,

My young friend. I never cease to be amazed at the value you bring to my life with your thought-provoking and very challenging pieces. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Feb 21, 2008)

> So don't be sucked in by the cunning schemes of the devil to have a day doing your own thing, lying in your pit, recovering from a busy week, it is to be the wonderful rest of change and a day totally for Him. Try it and you will see that a day given to Him. A day given to His worship, publicly and privately, a day given to prayer and study of the Word. Not only will you be well sabbathed but the change in you may well mean that others will be pointed more to the one who gives ultimate rest.





The Scripture says,
"Walk by faith and not by sight"
And "the Sabbath day is a day of delight."
The Gospel is true and I know it's plain--
The Sabbath ain't about some football game!


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## Sonoftheday (Feb 21, 2008)

I once heard a statement made along the lines of "Whenever Isreal broke God's Sabbath command they were given over to slavery, Today as christians break God's Sabbath command they are given over to be slaves of that which they break it for." I cant remember who said it, nor the exact wording, but it is an idea I have come to realize more and more lately.

This is especially apparent in those who work on the Lord's Day yet constantly complain about working all the time. I once worked on sundays and was bouncing at least one check every month on bills, since I quit working on the Lord's Day I am glad to say that the Lord has blessed me to be ahead on my bills.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 21, 2008)

DMcFadden said:


> Daniel,
> 
> My young friend. I never cease to be amazed at the value you bring to my life with your thought-provoking and very challenging pieces. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?



Really its Rev. David McCullough who should get the credit for this; he is the interim moderator of my congregation while we are currently without a pastor.


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## DMcFadden (Feb 21, 2008)

Daniel,

I have participated in numerous affinity based message boards before this one. But, NONE of them have had as much salutary impact upon my soul as this one. Anyone can challenge your mind, you PB buds change my life. Thank you, Daniel. I am profoundly grateful to you for this one and other helpful comments.


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## Sonoftheday (Feb 21, 2008)

DMcFadden said:


> Daniel,
> 
> I have participated in numerous affinity based message boards before this one. But, NONE of them have had as much salutary impact upon my soul as this one. Anyone can challenge your mind, you PB buds change my life. Thank you, Daniel. I am profoundly grateful to you for this one and other helpful comments.





I came to this site because I was sick of the same old Cal. vs Arm. debate and saw this a place to learn, but I am amazed at how much Ive learned in such a little time. And not only learned things as intellectualism, but Ive learned much that has changed my life and helped me to grow spiritually. 

(For instance the TV no longer turns on on the Sabbath)


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## Pergamum (Feb 21, 2008)

I was struck odd by the inclusion of this in th article..."Why do you not do your studying?..."

Huh? Can a seminarian not study the Bible on a Sunday if he takes a Bible test on a Monday?




Usually the question "Are you keeping the Sabbath" is really, "Are you keeping my rules for the Sabbath..."



Sunday is a day of refreshment to engage in the study of God's work and holy rest, which includes vigorous play with family. Vigorous play with family often includes recreations. One need not go into a holy stupor and shut all the blinds to honor the Sabbath.


I think the article is a bit simplistic. 

Our country is in a mess because of playing sports and doing other things on one day of the week????.... what about those other six days. 


Sabbath disobedience is not so much a cause but a symptom of evil times. And sabbath disobedience is not as cut and dry as many suppose.


I played sports last Sunday with my son. We played catch after church as we relaxed. Am I part of the cause for our nation's decine then?


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## Pergamum (Feb 21, 2008)

The article also asks, "Why do you not do your visiting or your partying" on the Sabbath.


Christian fellowship seems to be one of the chiefest delights on the Sabbath. To get together and enjoy the company of other Christians on Sunday is a true joy for a world that is so busy with 60 hours work weeks.

It need not be a day long quiet time. Fellowship is a great blessing and a God glorifying thing, to gather and enjoy the company of other Christians and talk about His mercies.


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## DMcFadden (Feb 21, 2008)

Pergamum said:


> I was struck odd by the inclusion of this in th article..."Why do you not do your studying?..."
> 
> Huh? Can a seminarian not study the Bible on a Sunday if he takes a Bible test on a Monday?
> 
> ...



Pergy,

As a lifelong evangelical, Sabbath observance has NEVER been on my radar. So, parsing the distinctions the article mentioned are still out of my comfort range. How much of this is necessary for a faithful observance, and how much (if any) is hyper scrupulosity, I don't know. If memory serves me, 35 years ago Moises Silva would not assign homework over weekends lest we be tempted to study on Sunday. But, to my knowledge, he never made a case for his reasoning. 

At this stage in life I am not sure how far my journey will take me in this matter as well as some others. But, I do know that the PB crowd is a much better group with which to explore these issues than other forums familiar to me.


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## kvanlaan (Feb 21, 2008)

Many thanks for that, brother. It was a hammer blow to the head: short, quick, and made quite an impact.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 22, 2008)

Pergamum said:


> I was struck odd by the inclusion of this in th article..."Why do you not do your studying?..."
> 
> Huh? Can a seminarian not study the Bible on a Sunday if he takes a Bible test on a Monday?
> 
> ...



A seminarian should not study for his course on the Lord's Day as it is a day for rest and worship.

Of course there is more to the reason why our nations are in a mess than Sabbath-breaking; but it is one of the chief reasons.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 22, 2008)

Pergamum said:


> The article also asks, "Why do you not do your visiting or your partying" on the Sabbath.
> 
> 
> Christian fellowship seems to be one of the chiefest delights on the Sabbath. To get together and enjoy the company of other Christians on Sunday is a true joy for a world that is so busy with 60 hours work weeks.
> ...



Its not ruling out visiting for Christian fellowship - I was round at the home of the Pastor who wrote the article one Sabbath for fellowship a few months ago - instead it is talking about idle visiting.


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## Pergamum (Feb 22, 2008)

Daniel: What if he likes the same portion of Scripture that he is being tested on, or if his devotions match his school subject? If he wants to study, then it is not a labor right?

What about playing catch with my son all afternoon?


I agree with the rest thing, but it appears that the main thrust of the Sabbath is the worship and the corporate gathering. 

A lot of rest and recreation, however, takes a lot of work - even when enjoyable and among God's people.


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## AV1611 (Feb 22, 2008)

Compare

*Exodus xxxi.12-17* "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."​
With

*Ezekiel xx* "And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me. Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God; In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD. Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day. Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field; And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein. And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched. Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?"​


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## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 22, 2008)

Pergamum said:


> Daniel: What if he likes the same portion of Scripture that he is being tested on, or if his devotions match his school subject? If he wants to study, then it is not a labor right?
> 
> What about playing catch with my son all afternoon?
> 
> ...



Its unlikely that he would know what he is going to be tested on, but he should not be studying on the Lord's Day for an exam on another day of the week as it is not an activity suitable for that particular day. Besides, while some of what you mention is a more grey area, the article was talking about academic study for university etc. 

It is true that rest can take a lot of work in some sense, but the Sabbath is a day of rest for worship, not a day of rest for idleness.


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