Glenn Ferrell
Puritan Board Junior
I imagine some early Hellenistic-Roman Christians were slaves and did not have a day off. That might be why we have accounts of first, second and third century Christians meeting in the evening or early morning. Only after Christianity was legalized were more Christians able to consistently avoid labor on the Lord’s Day.
One might argue a low wage worker who finds the only immediate job available to support his family is one at Walmart where he will be required to work Sundays is in a similar position as a first century slave. Personally, I’d refuse such a job and trust God to provide. But, given the biblical injunction to support one’s family, I’m not going to make an accusation when a brother with limited skills and resources feels compelled to take such a job. I’d advise him to think of such as temporary and have as his goal to find another job without such a requirement. A church which would discipline in such a case, should be prepared to offer the man an alternative job or support the family from their deacon’s fund.
Orthodox Jewish application of Mosaic Laws in regard to igniting a fire, including closing an electric switch, starting a car, ringing a doorbell, or answering a phone, seem legalistic. I suppose starting a fire in the days before matches and lighters was an ordeal. Turning on an electrical switch is no more work than using my fork to feed myself, and certainly does not detract from my commitment of time to the Lord.
The beginning of Sabbath keeping is calling “the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable,” not for my own way, pleasure or words (Is. 58:13), not in making a list of things I can’t do. God promises if we do the former, “Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD” (Is. 58:14).
If Orthodox Jews, with all their restrictions, find a way to turn their Sabbath into a delightful feast, certainly Christians should be able to obey God’s commands and yet make the Lord’s Day a delight. There is no biblical requirement to eat only raw or cold food. There is the injunction to make prior preparation and keep our attention centered on God.
While we should have compassion on the destitute and economically marginal believer who thinks he has no alternative but to work on the Lord’s Day and help alleviate this necessity, we who have the liberty should rejoice in our privilege to spend the day as free men in the things of the Lord; and so order our lives that we may have more time for the means of grace God has provided, and to delight in what God has done in Christ making unnecessary our labor. Keeping the LORD’s Day is an indication of the freedom, joy and adoption I have in Christ, not some burden imposed upon a servant. It seems shameful Orthodox Jews who know not Christ seem to have more delight in their Sabbath than we do in the Lord’s Day.
One might argue a low wage worker who finds the only immediate job available to support his family is one at Walmart where he will be required to work Sundays is in a similar position as a first century slave. Personally, I’d refuse such a job and trust God to provide. But, given the biblical injunction to support one’s family, I’m not going to make an accusation when a brother with limited skills and resources feels compelled to take such a job. I’d advise him to think of such as temporary and have as his goal to find another job without such a requirement. A church which would discipline in such a case, should be prepared to offer the man an alternative job or support the family from their deacon’s fund.
Orthodox Jewish application of Mosaic Laws in regard to igniting a fire, including closing an electric switch, starting a car, ringing a doorbell, or answering a phone, seem legalistic. I suppose starting a fire in the days before matches and lighters was an ordeal. Turning on an electrical switch is no more work than using my fork to feed myself, and certainly does not detract from my commitment of time to the Lord.
The beginning of Sabbath keeping is calling “the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable,” not for my own way, pleasure or words (Is. 58:13), not in making a list of things I can’t do. God promises if we do the former, “Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD” (Is. 58:14).
If Orthodox Jews, with all their restrictions, find a way to turn their Sabbath into a delightful feast, certainly Christians should be able to obey God’s commands and yet make the Lord’s Day a delight. There is no biblical requirement to eat only raw or cold food. There is the injunction to make prior preparation and keep our attention centered on God.
While we should have compassion on the destitute and economically marginal believer who thinks he has no alternative but to work on the Lord’s Day and help alleviate this necessity, we who have the liberty should rejoice in our privilege to spend the day as free men in the things of the Lord; and so order our lives that we may have more time for the means of grace God has provided, and to delight in what God has done in Christ making unnecessary our labor. Keeping the LORD’s Day is an indication of the freedom, joy and adoption I have in Christ, not some burden imposed upon a servant. It seems shameful Orthodox Jews who know not Christ seem to have more delight in their Sabbath than we do in the Lord’s Day.