# Lord's Day 31 (2018). A Sabbath of worldly amusement has no place in Christianity



## NaphtaliPress (Aug 4, 2018)

Lord's Day 31 (2018). A Sabbath of worldly pleasure and amusement has no place assigned to it under Christianity—James Gilfillan. 
Danæu: "Christ is born, is circumcised, dies, rises again for us every day in the preaching of the Gospel."​"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24.

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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 4, 2018)

I really have never been exposed to this viewpoint on the practice of the Sabbath. I am truly curious how we are to distinguish between worldly amusement that is allowed on days other than the sabbath.

Taking my kids for a walk? Worldly or ok on sabbath? What if we are on bikes? Does that make it worldly?

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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 4, 2018)

It's not taught much in the PCA I grant you even though the PCA standards still teach it. Any recreation, games etc. that are otherwise lawful just as our labors, the Lord has given six days to do in order to devote a day to His worship. The seventh day belongs to the Lord. It requires perfection as much as the other commandments do in what they command and forbid (see Bownd pt 14 below). But it was made for man and to enjoy the worship of the Lord. So activity to keep one alert just as modest food and rest is necessary, but the activity should not detract or distract from keeping the day fully to the Lord, but be a means of doing so.

Below is the teaching of the Confession of Faith and WLC. Expositions of the doctrine are ubiquitous so I'll spare linking (you can see Shaw's exposition of the Confession, Williamson on the WCF and catechisms, Vos on the LC, Watson, Vincent and many expositions of the SC).

WCF 21.8. VIII. This Sabbath is to be kept holy unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations; but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.

*Q. 115. Which is the fourth commandment?*
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested in the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath-day and hallowed it.621.

622 and in the New Testament called The Lord’s day.623

*Q. 117. How is the sabbath or the Lord’s day to be sanctified?*
A. The sabbath or Lord’s day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day,624 not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful;625 and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy626) in the public and private exercises of God’s worship:627 and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.628

*Q. 118. Why is the charge of keeping the sabbath more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors?*
A. The charge of keeping the sabbath is more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors, because they are bound not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be observed by all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone ofttimes to hinder them by employments of their own.629

*Q. 119. What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?*
A. The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required,630 all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them;631 all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful;632 and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations.633

*Q. 120. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it?*
A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, the more to enforce it, are taken from the equity of it, God allowing us six days of seven for our own affairs, and reserving but one for himself in these words, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:634 from God’s challenging a special propriety in that day, The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God:635 from the example of God, who in six days made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: and from that blessing which God put upon that day, not only in sanctifying it to be a day for his service, but in ordaining it to be a means of blessing to us in our sanctifying it; Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.636

637 partly, because of the great benefit of remembering it, we being thereby helped in our preparation to keep it,638 and, in keeping it, better to keep all the rest of the commandments,639 and to continue a thankful remembrance of the two great benefits of creation and redemption, which contain a short abridgment of religion;640 and partly, because we are very ready to forget it,641 for that there is less light of nature for it,642 and yet it restraineth our natural liberty in things at other times lawful;643 that it cometh but once in seven days, and many worldly businesses come between, and too often take off our minds from thinking of it, either to prepare for it, or to sanctify it;644 and that Satan with his instruments labours much to blot out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.645

Below is Nicholas Bownd's summary of puritan sabbatarianism. His was the first large work systmatizing the doctrine and influnced all subsequent puritan, presbyterian and nonconformist English works as well as the teaching of the Westminster Standards.


Spoiler: Nicholas Bownd's summary of Puritan Sabbatarianism



First of all, that the observations of the Sabbath is not a bare ordinance of man, or a mere civil or ecclesiastical constitution, appointed only for polity; but an immortal commandment of almighty God, and therefore binds men’s consciences.

2. The same was given to our first parents, Adam and Eve; and so after carefully observed, both [by] them and their posterity, the holy patriarchs and Church of God, before and under the law, until the coming of Christ.

3. And it was revived in Mount Sinai, by God’s own voice to the Israelites, after they came out of Egypt, with a special note of remembrance above all the rest; and fortified with more reasons than they, and particularly applied unto all sorts of men by name; all which shows how careful the Lord was that everyone should straightly keep it.

4. The ceremonies of the law, which made a difference between Jew and Gentile, though the gospel has taken away, since _the partition wall was broken down by Christ _(Eph. 2:14); yet this commandment of the Sabbath abides still in its full force, as being moral and perpetual, and so binds for ever all nations and sorts of men, as before.

5. The apostles by the direction of God’s Spirit (leading them into all truth) did change that day (which before was the seventh from creation, and in remembrance of it) into the eighth; even this which we now keep in honor of the _Redemption. _And therefore the same day ought never to be changed, but still to be kept of all nations unto the world’s end; because we can never have the like cause or direction to change it

6. So that we are in keeping holy of a day, for the public service of the Lord, precisely bound not only to the number of seven (and it is not in our power to make choice of the sixth or eighth day); but even on this very seventh day, which we now keep, and to none other.

7. On which day we are bound straightly to rest from all the ordinary works of our calling, every man in his several vocation; because six days in the week are appointed for them, and the seventh is sanctified and separated from the others, to another end; even for the public service of God, and that by God Himself.

8. Much more, then, in it ought we to give over [_relinquish_] all kinds of lawful recreations and pastimes, which are less necessary than the works of our calling, and whatsoever may take up our hearts to draw them from God’s service; because this law is spiritual, and binds the whole man, as well as any other. Most of all ought we to renounce all such things, as are not lawful at any time.

9. Yet in cases of necessity God has given great liberty unto us, to do many things for the preservation and comforts not only of the beasts and dumb creatures, but especially of man. Not only when he is weak and sick, but being healthful and strong, both in the works of our callings, and also of recreations, without which necessity we are persuaded that men ought ordinarily to cease from them.

10. And herein more specially the governors of the Church and Commonwealth have great liberty above all others, who in such cases may upon this day do many things for the good of both, not only for war, but for peace; and may prescribe unto others, and the people ought therein to obey them. And as in other things they ought not busily to inquire a reason of all their commandments; so in this they ought to presume with reverence so much of their good consciences, that they know more cause of the things which they command and do, than themselves do, or is meet for them curiously to inquire.

11. The same day of rest ought ordinarily to be spent altogether in God’s service, especially in frequenting the public assemblies, where the Word of God is plainly read and purely preached, the sacraments rightly administered, and prayer made in a known tongue to the edifying of the people; where also they ought to attend upon these things from the beginning to the ending.

12. The rest of the day ought to be spent by every man himself alone, or with others (as his family or neighbors) in all private exercises of religion, whereby he may be more prepared unto, or reap greater fruit from the public exercises: as in private prayer, reading of the scriptures, singing of psalms, meditating upon, or conferring about, the Word and works of God—and that either in their houses, or abroad in the fields.

13. And as every man particularly is bound to the observation of this commandment, so more specially masters in their families, magistrates in their precincts, and princes in their realms ought to provide for this, as much as in them lies; and hereby to look to all that are committed to their charge, and to compel them at the least to the outward observation of the _rest_, and the sanctifying of it, as well as of any other commandment, as of not committing murder, adultery, theft, and such like.

14. Lastly, though no man can perfectly keep this commandment, either in thought, word or deed, no more than he can any other; yet this is that perfection that we must aim at; and wherein, if we fail, we must repent us, and crave pardon for Christ’s sake. For as _the whole law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ _(Gal. 3:24); so is every particular commandment, and namely this of the Sabbath. And therefore we are not to measure the length and breadth of it by the over-scant rule of our own inability, but by the _perfect reed of the Temple _(Ezek. 40:3); that is, by the absolute righteousness of God himself, which only can give us the full measure of it.
From the author’s preface, Nicholas Bownd, _Sabbathum Veteris et Novi Testamenti, or The True Doctrine of the Sabbath_ (Naphtali Press and Reformation Heritage Books, 2015) 7–9.

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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 4, 2018)

It's hard to even phrase an example without sounding sarcastic, but I am seriously asking about some real-world examples. 

So would you say that my example of taking my kids on a walk or a bike ride is breaking the sabbath? I always try to discuss the Christian life with them all 7 days, but I have viewed the way we keep the Sabbath is attending worship and not working that day.


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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 4, 2018)

It can be. If it is something you do Lord's days to try and keep them focused on worshipping the Lord, it may not be. The care would be to make sure to keep the purpose of the day foremost so such an activity merely doesn't turn into a distraction and means to get off purpose, as it easily can. 

The purpose of the day is not mere inactivity. We don't have to worry so much about it in our day when the culture is anti-Sabbatarian, but back in the day when it was Sabbatarian the potential of misunderstanding and causing offense would be an issue also to judge an activity. Thus James Durham acknowledges a man may be out on a walk and keeping the day, but may cause others to stumble. 

"Thus one walking abroad on the Sabbath, may be sanctifying it, yet by his example some other may be provoked to vage and gad and cast off all duties of the day, and to neglect what is called for in secret, or in the family. In that respect, it becomes offensive to go abroad, although it is lawful in itself to meditate abroad in the fields, as well as in house." _Concerning Scandal_ (Naphtali Press, 1990), 14.​

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## jwithnell (Aug 4, 2018)

It's not so much a matter of what you can and cannot do as much as gratefully accepting tremendous gifts from you creator. First, that He is your creator and made you to rest one day in seven. Next, that He provides all you need for seven days while laboring for six. That He desires your worship and adoration. He gives the great gift of fellowship with His people that may be hindered the rest of the week. Are these gifts your really want to squander? Is this time you really want to fritter away on the inane?


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## brendanchatt (Aug 5, 2018)

Romans5eight said:


> I really have never been exposed to this viewpoint on the practice of the Sabbath. I am truly curious how we are to distinguish between worldly amusement that is allowed on days other than the sabbath.
> 
> Taking my kids for a walk? Worldly or ok on sabbath? What if we are on bikes? Does that make it worldly?



Great considerations. It’s great to be thinking about this stuff.


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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 5, 2018)

Yes, the whole fear of causing others to stumble is something to consider. The tension in my mind is how Christ kept all the commandments, but seemed to cause the Pharisees to stumble all the time. They accused him of breaking the sabbath. 

He made and drank wine which could have caused some to stumble.


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## jwithnell (Aug 5, 2018)

Where the Sabbath is concerned, you see Jesus challenging the oral traditions which set the kind of rules mentioned earlier in this thread. Oh, you can walk x yards but only if you talk about ....

The Bible gives us plenty to consider, most of which has been lost to a modern church that considers cultural adaptations above all else. We refrain from gainful employment, and we do not expect others to work in our place ... our children, slaves, or the stranger within our gates (that IHOP waitress). 

The net result is a life organized around a day of worship. I find my whole week is arranged so I can get kids out the door on Sunday morning and food prepared for home or church.


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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 6, 2018)

I mentioned Durham mainly to show the puritans did not view activity on the Lord's Day as in itself sinful. i.e. a man could be walking, meditating, and not be profaning the Sabbath, but in a certain setting it might cause others to stumble. Durham was discussing where things of an indifferent nature might become no longer indifferent (and this was just an example he adduced in his teaching on that subject). We don't know of a circumstance where Christ had the opportunity to drink wine where there were those present that could have been stumbled. But we do know there are scriptural principles about the use of things indifferent and to avoid stumbling others in them. So we could hypothesize what Christ might have done.

As to the Pharisees; they made impositions of their own rules onto the Lord's commandments. The Lord showed from the OT that the commandment always included the qualification of acts of necessity and mercy which are noted in the standards and passage from Bownd cited in my post above.

Reducing the point I was making, to you can do x if you talk about the Lord, misses the point. If you are wondering if a particular activity is lawful on the Lord's Day, it is judged on if it distracts or detracts from the purpose of the day, worshipping the Lord, or rather like our food and rest that day, is of a nature to help us keep the day; e.g. a restless child needs to get some energy out and walks around or something; or dad tosses a ball to his son while trying to redirect his thoughts at the same time to the purposes of the day.

We do not need to be home bound, though there is nothing wrong with that. But if that were a requisite, there would be no way to take opportunities for acts of mercy (visiting the sick, shut-in, nursing home, etc.) which are actually part of keeping the Lord's Day as Christ showed. Merging an outing to vary up the day into and with the purpose of an act of mercy would be another thing to do with children on the Lord's Day.


Romans5eight said:


> Yes, the whole fear of causing others to stumble is something to consider. The tension in my mind is how Christ kept all the commandments, but seemed to cause the Pharisees to stumble all the time. They accused him of breaking the sabbath.
> 
> He made and drank wine which could have caused some to stumble.

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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 6, 2018)

So would you say that the sabbath should not be a day of inactivity, which most people would say, but a day of purposeful spiritual activity? More like a day to devote ourselves and our families toward spiritual devotion and service rather than just a day of inactivity.


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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 6, 2018)

Correct. It's not just a day of rest, it is a day of rest from our regular weekday labors, affairs and recreations, to devote time to the Lord's worship, private, family and public, with attending acts of mercy, and when required, acts of necessity that normally wouldn't be done except for a necessity. Bownd quotes now considered dubious Athanasius (but still to point), 

"Non otij causa, God gave not the Sabbath to make men idle. For whereas every day in the sacrifice was offered a lamb in the morning and in the evening; upon this day He commanded that two lambs should be slain in the morning and two in the evening, and that twelve loaves should be set upon the table with frankincense, etc. [Lev. 24:8]. If He had delighted in idleness, He would not have commanded so many things
to be done." Nicholas Bownd, _True Doctrine of the Sabbath_ (2016), 153.​

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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 6, 2018)

It seems like people hear “work 6 days and rest 1 day” leads them to believe that the sabbath is a day of leisure. It seems like the Reformed view is saying the sabbath should be a day of spiritual activity which for most people doesn’t sound like rest.


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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 6, 2018)

I once heard a pastor say that he takes Monday as his sabbath because he works on Sunday. 

This shows that he views the sabbath as a day of inactivity rather than a day of worship. It seems like it is the common view.


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## Tom Hart (Aug 6, 2018)

Romans5eight said:


> It seems like people hear “work 6 days and rest 1 day” leads them to believe that the sabbath is a day of leisure. It seems like the Reformed view is saying the sabbath should be a day of spiritual activity which for most people doesn’t sound like rest.



It's called the Lord's Day for a reason.

When I was younger and much more confused about this, I used to go home after church, and, it being Sunday, I didn't do any work at all. Instead I played video games for hours. "It's a day of rest," I reasoned. What a fool I was.


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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 6, 2018)

I know, Twisse, the first moderator of the Westminster assembly observed against the contention that some time for sports and pastimes should be allowed on the Lord's Day, 

"a part of the Lord's Day is to be allowed for profane sports and pastimes, to refresh us after we have been tired out with serving God. Can this be savory in the ears of a Christian?"​
And Bownd also observes from the Athanasius–Dubia quote, 

"And truly if men did only rest upon this day, and had nothing else to do, their very cattle, even their ox and their ass might keep as good a Sabbath as they." Ibid, 302.​
The rest commanded is rest in order to worship. I know some are still in the strait of no time for physical rest, particularly in very poor settings, but in developed countries when we have a Saturday also for mere physical rest, the objection seems less reasonable.



Romans5eight said:


> It seems like people hear “work 6 days and rest 1 day” leads them to believe that the sabbath is a day of leisure. It seems like the Reformed view is saying the sabbath should be a day of spiritual activity which for most people doesn’t sound like rest.

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## Tom Hart (Aug 6, 2018)

Romans5eight said:


> I once heard a pastor say that he takes Monday as his sabbath because he works on Sunday.
> 
> This shows that he views the sabbath as a day of inactivity rather than a day of worship. It seems like it is the common view.



I've heard such a view expressed before, but I have to ask, "What is the biblical justification for changing the day that God has established?"

And yes, many see Sunday as "a day of rest", without understanding properly what that rest is. For example, a pastor I know once went out to a restaurant for dinner, tagging the Facebook photo #sabbathrest.


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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 6, 2018)

Romans5eight said:


> I once heard a pastor say that he takes Monday as his sabbath because he works on Sunday.


It is not the most apt analogy; basically it's his Saturday.



Tom Hart said:


> I've heard such a view expressed before, but I have to ask, "What is the biblical justification for changing the day that God has established?"
> 
> And yes, many see Sunday as "a day of rest", without understanding properly what that rest is. For example, a pastor I know once went out to a restaurant for dinner, tagging the Facebook photo #sabbathrest.


I have heard tell not in one but two different PCA Presbyteries, it is common for the pastor to preach his morning sermon and after worship head off to the Stadium for the big game. It's a sad state the church is in.


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## bookslover (Aug 6, 2018)

NaphtaliPress said:


> I mentioned Durham mainly to show the puritans did not view activity on the Lord's Day as in itself sinful. i.e. a man could be walking, meditating, and not be profaning the Sabbath, but in a certain setting it might cause others to stumble.



Of course, if a Christian spends his time wondering whether the least little thing he does will cause someone to stumble, he'd never leave his house.

This is where discernment is necessary. Yes, it's important not to possibly lead someone into sin, but it's also necessary to understand that, as a Christian, you're not responsible for someone else's walk before the Lord. If you decide to go for a walk on a Sunday afternoon, and if someone sees you and is legalistic enough to think that's sinful, well, that's on _them_. That person may actually think it's sinful, but sometimes legalists are strong people pretending to be weak people in order to control the actions of others.

Romans 12.18 - "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." That "if possible" is very important because it's not going to be possible to live peaceably with everyone. Some people are going to be inevitably "scandalized" by what some Christians may or may not do on Sunday.

If you want to go for a walk, then go for a walk. If someone doesn't like it, that's their problem. As long as your motive is pure (as pure as motives can be in this fallen world), you're not causing that person to sin.

A Christian can't live his or her life in constant fear of offending someone. You do you, and let him do him and, in both cases, "to his own Master he stands or falls."


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## jwithnell (Aug 6, 2018)

The sad part is that many view sabbath-breaking as a victimless 
crime. The commandment is careful to name all classes of people -- your children, slaves, aliens within your gate -- so that all may rest. (Which isn't an inappropriate word to use; God certainly used it, but idleness is not the goal.) 

We engage in a kind of slavery when we demand labor from restaurants, etc. We also make it harder for the rest of the body to observe the Lord's day if worship is restricted to a morning service and fellowship moves to a commercial establishment. (And yes, the NFL is a commerecial establishment.)

What's more, once we start shaking off one of the commandments, it becomes easier to break the others, because we have placed ourselves as the central authority on right and wrong. (Or our culture rules, which is no friend of the church. In our society, it seems wrong to reserve the pulpit to men .... What's wrong with queer attraction if you don't act on it?) We can come up with all kinds of ways to redefine sin.

Sin is never harmless, and it's scary to think that so many pastors are not protecting their sheep in regard to the sabbath.

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## NaphtaliPress (Aug 6, 2018)

A completely unnecessary and long comment given the context in which I raised this. Please see the first post.


bookslover said:


> Of course, if a Christian spends his time wondering whether the least little thing he does will cause someone to stumble, he'd never leave his house.
> 
> This is where discernment is necessary. Yes, it's important not to possibly lead someone into sin, but it's also necessary to understand that, as a Christian, you're not responsible for someone else's walk before the Lord. If you decide to go for a walk on a Sunday afternoon, and if someone sees you and is legalistic enough to think that's sinful, well, that's on _them_. That person may actually think it's sinful, but sometimes legalists are strong people pretending to be weak people in order to control the actions of others.
> 
> ...


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## Deleted member 7239 (Aug 6, 2018)

I appreciate the comments and thoughts. It's an issue I need to give more thought to and examine my own attitude toward the sabbath.


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Aug 7, 2018)

bookslover said:


> This is where discernment is necessary. Yes, it's important not to possibly lead someone into sin, but it's also necessary to understand that, as a Christian, you're not responsible for someone else's walk before the Lord. If you decide to go for a walk on a Sunday afternoon, and if someone sees you and is legalistic enough to think that's sinful, well, that's on _them_. That person may actually think it's sinful, but sometimes legalists are strong people pretending to be weak people in order to control the actions of others.


Richard,

I struggle to see how your comments are aligned with what has actually come beforehand. No one is advocating no activity whatsoever.

For that matter, how is it we are devoid of any responsibility for another's walk of faith, especially given Romans 14:13-23? For example, Calvin...



Spoiler: Calvin on Romans 14:15



*John Calvin's Verse Commentary
Romans 14:15
15.* _But if through meat thy brother is grieved, etc._ He now explains how the offending of our brethren may vitiate the use of good things. And the first thing is, — that love is violated, when our brother is made to grieve by what is so trifling; for it is contrary to love to occasion grief to any one. The next thing is, — *that when the weak conscience is wounded, the price of Christ's blood is wasted*; for the most abject brother has been redeemed by the blood of Christ: *it is then a heinous crime to destroy him by gratifying the stomach; and we must be basely given up to our own lusts, if we prefer meat, a worthless thing, to Christ*. 1 The third reason is, — that *since the liberty attained for us by Christ is a blessing, we ought to take care, lest it should be evil spoken of by men and justly blamed, which is the case, when we unseasonably use God's gifts*. These reasons then ought to influence us, lest by using our liberty, we thoughtlessly cause offenses. 2

*1.* From the words "destroy not," etc., some have deduced the sentiment, that those for whom Christ died may perish for ever. It is neither wise nor just to draw a conclusion of this kind; for it is one that is negatived by many positive declarations of Scripture. Man's inference, when contrary to God's word, cannot be right. Besides, the Apostle's object in this passage is clearly this, — to exhibit the _sin_ of those who disregarded without saying that it actually effected that evil. Some have very unwisely attempted to obviate the inference above mentioned, by suggesting, that the destruction meant was that of comfort and edification.* But no doubt the Apostle meant the ruin of the soul; hence the urgency of his exhortation, — "Do not act in such a way as tends to endanger the safety of a soul for whom Christ has shed his blood;" or, "Destroy not," that is, as far as you can do so*. Apostles and ministers are said to "save" men; some are exhorted here not to "destroy" them. Neither of these effects can follow, except in the first instance, God grants his blessing, and in the second his permission; and his permission as to his people he will never grant, as he has expressly told us. See *John* 10:27-29. — _Ed._ 

*2.* "Vestrum bonum," ὑμῶν τὸ ἀγαθόν. Some, such as Grotius and Hammond, Scott, Chalmers, etc., agree with Calvin, and view this "good," or privilege, to be Christian liberty, or freedom from ceremonial observances, (see *1 Corinthians* 10:29 but Origen, Ambrose, Theodoret, Mede, etc., consider that the gospel is meant. The first opinion is the most suitable to the passage. — _Ed._



We are responsible—not in the sense of being the determining factor in another's salvation—but rather in the sense that we are held to account (i.e., we are _responsible_) by another, God, for all that we think, do, or say, especially when our acts are contrary to what has been revealed to us in Holy Writ.

Using Paul's example, it seems to me that if my love of meat is going to cause an offense, then I will not eat meat. Period. Paul offers no exceptions to what he has plainly stated that would accommodate your appeals to some nefarious legalists manipulating the circumstances, or all those others upon whom you place all responsibility—"_that's on them_".

Indeed, we have to be discerning. Yet, your post leaves much unsaid that needs to be said. If I am discerning, hence aware of my surroundings, circumstances, and the persons therein, Paul teaches us to comport ourselves accordingly; not to go off unencumbered in favor of my own notions of liberty.

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