# Working past midnight on the Sabbath



## BuckeyeGirl (Dec 26, 2018)

Is it sinful to work during the early hours of Sunday morning? I am currently in school, and I believe that doing schoolwork on Sunday is a violation of the 4th commandment. However, this past semester I frequently found myself working into the wee hours of Sunday morning in order to finish papers due on Monday. Is there a reformed consensus about whether the Sabbath is from Midnight-to-Midnight? Thanks for any help you can provide!


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## TheOldCourse (Dec 26, 2018)

BuckeyeGirl said:


> Is it sinful to work during the early hours of Sunday morning? I am currently in school, and I believe that doing schoolwork on Sunday is a violation of the 4th commandment. However, this past semester I frequently found myself working into the wee hours of Sunday morning in order to finish papers due on Monday. Is there a reformed consensus about whether the Sabbath is from Midnight-to-Midnight? Thanks for any help you can provide!



The majority position, as I understand it, is morning-to-morning, however there seems to be some disagreement over whether that morning starts at midnight or dawn. Here's Travis Fentiman's page on the matter: https://reformedbooksonline.com/top.../the-lords-day/when-does-the-lords-day-begin/


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## BuckeyeGirl (Dec 26, 2018)

Thank you! That website looks like a helpful resource.


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## jwithnell (Dec 26, 2018)

You'll find a greater consensus against fencing the law with a great number of what ifs and specific times. The larger concern has to do with the ordering of your life around spending one day in seven in worship. 

Yes, that's primarily the daylight hours on Sunday and a full 24 hours, but it also means making choices on Monday to support the coming Sabbath rest. (Not unlike our making life choices with a view toward an eternal Sabbath rest.)

Reactions: Like 1 | Edifying 1


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## Kinghezy (Dec 26, 2018)

My wife and I have gone back and forth on when certain rules are helpful or when they are a simply a checklist. The one principle we have come down on is that we should be prepared to worship on the Lord's day service. So that means (just a couple examples):

- with having young kids, we don't fill up all of Saturday so that the kids are not able to sit through service. We made that mistake last year when visiting family over Thanksgiving and going to the zoo on Saturday such that it would not have been feasible for them to attend.

- if I am watching some movie over several days at night, I will not do so Saturday to make sure I get good sleep.

I personally would find it hard to be focused the next day if I was up so late.

Regarding your actual question, I am curious to see what others have to say on a consensus. There may be some variation in answers. If I was to be careful with my schedule, I would try to devote the time before bed to preparing for the service. I generally read a leaisure book before bed, so I like the idea of using that time on Saturday to prepare myself for Sunday. That way, when Sunday night rolls around and I start to consider the work day on Monday, it would have been a day's worth of time set aside.


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Dec 26, 2018)

Kinghezy said:


> My wife and I have gone back and forth on when certain rules are helpful or when they are a simply a checklist. The one principle we have come down on is that we should be prepared to worship on the Lord's day service. So that means (just a couple examples):
> 
> - with having young kids, we don't fill up all of Saturday so that the kids are not able to sit through service. We made that mistake last year when visiting family over Thanksgiving and going to the zoo on Saturday such that it would not have been feasible for them to attend.
> 
> ...


I agree here. Getting the heart ready the night before seems to be important.


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## Romans922 (Dec 26, 2018)

Sabbath keeping requires preparation.


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## py3ak (Dec 27, 2018)

I think midnight to midnight is the way to go on counting the days; but working up until 11:59 on a Saturday night, and waiting earnestly for 12:01 on Monday, probably will detract somewhat from observing the Lord's Day. Good rest Saturday and Sunday might mean that an early start on Monday gives time for a final review/any needed polishing.

Reactions: Like 2


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## BuckeyeGirl (Dec 27, 2018)

Thank you all for the feedback! I definitely noticed that I was often distracted and distant during the Lord's Day last semester. I've never really used Saturday evening as a time of preparation. Sounds like I need to make some adjustments this coming semester.

Reactions: Rejoicing 1


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## Kinghezy (Dec 28, 2018)

I looked over this thread and didn't quite see it stated explicitly, the other thing we try to do is get some of the normal housework out of the way and usually choose a meal that is easy to prepare (e.g. crockpot). That goes a long way it making Sunday more of the Sabbath. 

It seems even within reformed churches (at least locally for me), practicing setting aside Sunday is unusual. So I cannot tell if what I said is obvious or helpful.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Dec 28, 2018)

Kinghezy said:


> I looked over this thread and didn't quite see it stated explicitly, the other thing we try to do is get some of the normal housework out of the way and usually choose a meal that is easy to prepare (e.g. crockpot). That goes a long way it making Sunday more of the Sabbath.
> 
> It seems even within reformed churches (at least locally for me), practicing setting aside Sunday is unusual. So I cannot tell if what I said is obvious or helpful.



Did anyone ever tell you that you look a lot like Doug Funny? Especially with that green sweater.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## earl40 (Dec 28, 2018)

Sometimes works of necessity happen.


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## Kinghezy (Dec 28, 2018)

Ryan&Amber2013 said:


> Did anyone ever tell you that you look a lot like Doug Funny? Especially with that green sweater.


Well, better than Skeeter I suppose.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Kinghezy (Dec 28, 2018)

earl40 said:


> Sometimes works of necessity happen.


Certainly. The framing of this whole discussion was on normal practice and advice on how to go about it. The OP's question was not centered around something like needing to study for a test on Sunday.

I would prefer to not get pulled into this tangent any more than I have.


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## Ryan&Amber2013 (Dec 28, 2018)




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