Glenn Ferrell
Puritan Board Junior
How will you respond to the imminent national celebration of professional Sabbath breaking for fun and profit?
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Glenn
The problem is that this issue has been debated/argued/etc. time and time again. I am certain you meant nothing by your post at all and I am certain most don't any time it comes up. However, it's come up so often that non-sabbatarians just get "fed up".
Now, this being the PURITAN board your view is the "accepted" view and promoted here heavily. However we don't restrict non-sabbatarians from discussing the NFL and other such things except on the Lord's day. They all know they are in a minority here and that Sabbatarians believe they are sinning.
What can we do, well my position is not one to enforce anything but if you want my opinion I feel a general statement that the board is by confession Sabbatarian but non Sabbatarians are permitted to discuss the NFL and other such things so far as they do not condemn Sabbath keeping or promote non Sabbatarianism out right (example: Calling Sabbath keepers legalistic, etc.)
It's that, or we start insisting all members be Sabbatarians.
Lord willing, I will spend all day in worship at Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, and lament privately the perpetual breaking of the 4th Commandment practiced every Lord's Day by all men, including many Reformed Brethren. But it will be more than just this Lord's Day, and I will include myself in lamentation for my own breaking of God's Law in word, thought, and deed. Then I will thank the Lord for the Truth of the Gospel.
I'm sure this discussion has been worn out several times on PB, but being a new guy I have not seen them.
So is it out of line for me to ask how watching a football game is breaking the 4th commandment? How is this not in line with the Confession?
So is it out of line for me to ask how watching a football game is breaking the 4th commandment? How is this not in line with the Confession?
I'm thinking it depends upon whether you've got the Puritan or Continental view on the Sabbath.
However, I think the PB policy may be inconsistent here. Would a discussion presupposing the intention to commit adultery, theft, murder or idolatry be permitted? Would discussion of that sin after the fact be tolerated, apart from the need for repentance?
Somehow, with many otherwise faithful Christians, the Fourth Commandment doesn’t rate with the other nine. How many wives would tolerate, how many congregations would permit their members, to commit a little adultery on occasion? Maybe just once each year?
So is it out of line for me to ask how watching a football game is breaking the 4th commandment? How is this not in line with the Confession?
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. [WCF XXI:viii]
-----Added 1/29/2009 at 02:30:19 EST-----
I'm thinking it depends upon whether you've got the Puritan or Continental view on the Sabbath.
The “Continental view” is repeatedly used as an argument for Sabbath indifference.
Can anyone demonstrate a consensus of the Continental Reformed prior to 1900 approving the playing or watching organized sports on the Lord’s Day?
So is it out of line for me to ask how watching a football game is breaking the 4th commandment? How is this not in line with the Confession?
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. [WCF XXI:viii]
-----Added 1/29/2009 at 02:30:19 EST-----
I'm thinking it depends upon whether you've got the Puritan or Continental view on the Sabbath.
The “Continental view” is repeatedly used as an argument for Sabbath indifference.
Can anyone demonstrate a consensus of the Continental Reformed prior to 1900 approving the playing or watching organized sports on the Lord’s Day?
I just get my info on this from R.C. Sproul. He watches football on Sundays...he's a "Continental viewer."
Sorry, I wasn't going to enter back into this, but how does a clear difference of opinion among the Reformed mean something isn't didactic? If someone appears to get 98% of Scripture or theology "right", are we willing to listen to them about some thing they differ on, even if it might appear to be antithetical to Scripture?
Not trying to be a jerk, but it seems like the argument is along the lines of "Well some smart people disagree, so they have a point." I just can't follow that.
-----Added 1/29/2009 at 02:43:33 EST-----
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. [WCF XXI:viii]
-----Added 1/29/2009 at 02:30:19 EST-----
The “Continental view” is repeatedly used as an argument for Sabbath indifference.
Can anyone demonstrate a consensus of the Continental Reformed prior to 1900 approving the playing or watching organized sports on the Lord’s Day?
I just get my info on this from R.C. Sproul. He watches football on Sundays...he's a "Continental viewer."
Ya, and some former students of his that I know are appalled and shocked at it.
I disagree with the broad brush that's being used to paint a standard for what is acceptable Sabbath keeping.
We can't even agree on what is good and acceptable worship on the Lord's Day. Some are offended by the instruments, some by the Trinity Hymnal, and let's not even mention the alternate song book.
How will you respond to the imminent national celebration of professional Sabbath breaking for fun and profit?
Maybe I'm getting off topic, but what all is included with the Puritan view of "recreation"? I gather watching football on TV would be out of the question, but what about throwing a football with my son out in the yard?
There's a huge difference between observing something in the liberty of your conscience and desire to worship God and telling everybody else what a great Sabbath keeper you are.
Maybe I'm getting off topic, but what all is included with the Puritan view of "recreation"? I gather watching football on TV would be out of the question, but what about throwing a football with my son out in the yard?
Sinner.
*joking*
I think throwing a football is great because you have to spend time and fellowship with each other and not beside each other.
-----Added 1/29/2009 at 02:56:31 EST-----
There's a huge difference between observing something in the liberty of your conscience and desire to worship God and telling everybody else what a great Sabbath keeper you are.
But we are the best though, right?
As I said, I used to be a deacon in the Seventh Day Baptist church. A great bunch of people who are dear to my heart.
The SDBs settled the town I used to live in. I looked into the history and found out that there was once another SDB church on the other side of town and I couldn't understand why the folks didn't meet in the middle. There was only two miles between the churches.
It turned out that there was a great split 100 years ago. The church on the west side it turned out were a bunch of libertines. They were the flagrant wretches who came to the conclusion that one could play croquet on the Sabbath. So Milton, Wisconsin was split into the croquet players and the abstainers.
How will you respond to the imminent national celebration of professional Sabbath breaking for fun and profit?