How would you answer this?

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Abeard

Puritan Board Freshman
I've come across this same question when discussing public worship on days other than the Lord's day (Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Years Eve, etc). People would often respond "Why wouldn't you want to worship when the saints gather?" How would you respond to this? I see there point to a certain extent, but it seems more of a distraction from the Lord's day.
 
when discussing public worship on days other than the Lord's day (Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Years Eve, etc).

Below is one standard answer from the Westminster Standards: The answer to your question is kind of, Yes and No...

From: The Directory for the Public Worship Of God;
an Appendix Touching Days and Places for Public Worship


There is no day commanded in scripture to be kept holy under the gospel but the Lord’s day, which is the Christian Sabbath.

Festival-days, vulgarly called Holy-days, having no warrant in the word of God, are not to be continued.

Nevertheless, it is lawful and necessary, upon special emergent occasions, to separate a day or days for public fasting or thanksgiving, as the several eminent and extraordinary dispensations of God’s providence shall administer cause and opportunity to his people.

Westminster Assembly. (1851). The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition (p. 501). Philadelphia: William S. Young.
 
I've come across this same question when discussing public worship on days other than the Lord's day (Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Years Eve, etc). People would often respond "Why wouldn't you want to worship when the saints gather?" How would you respond to this? I see there point to a certain extent, but it seems more of a distraction from the Lord's day.


One answer may be I rather be at work.
 
"Why wouldn't you want to worship when the saints gather?"

This question implies that there is something 'wrong' with you because your conscience won't allow you to worship corporately on other days beside the Lord's Day. They have turned holy days into a 'moral' issue. They begin with the argument that they are 'allowed' to worship corporately on Christmas but then proceed with the argument that you are 'obligated' to join them. They are attempting to bind your conscience while liberating their own.
 
"Why wouldn't you want to worship when the saints gather?"

This question implies that there is something 'wrong' with you because your conscience won't allow you to worship corporately on other days beside the Lord's Day. They have turned holy days into a 'moral' issue. They begin with the argument that they are 'allowed' to worship corporately on Christmas but then proceed with the argument that you are 'obligated' to join them. They are attempting to bind your conscience while liberating their own.

Also if they say one is not morally obligated they turn our worship into an adiaphorous issue, which at bald face value this defense is ludicrous in of itself.
 
Just respond with the truth that it is a hijacked pagan festival. Though I would countenance a New Years eve prayer meeting, or early New Years morning one, as used to be practised here by our fathers. They based it on the OT recognition of the passing of the old and its providences, and the dependence on the Lord for the year to come.
 
I've come across this same question when discussing public worship on days other than the Lord's day (Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Years Eve, etc). People would often respond "Why wouldn't you want to worship when the saints gather?" How would you respond to this? I see there point to a certain extent, but it seems more of a distraction from the Lord's day.

The simplest approach would be to clarify that it is not the gathering of the saints to worship on a day other than the Lord's day that is the reason for not joining in these situations. One would - and presumably does - gladly worship with the saints on a day of solemn fasting called by the church or civil magistrate. There are other matters entailed in at least two of the examples given which warrant the abstention.
 
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