Retail as a work of necessity

[hLuke]

Hi friends in Christ,
I have a question about Sabbath observance in relation to my employment.
Would appreciate your help.

I work in Nightfill for a large retail organisation, where I shelve and restock products for customers.

I would like you're opinion on whether such duties (shelving and restocking products for customers) could be considered a work of necessity, or even one of mercy and thus be permissible on Sunday Sabbath.
What are your thoughts?

 

[Tom Hart]

Not to seem rude, but how could stocking shelves - and being paid for it - be considered a work of necessity? There might be special cases, of course, but my guess is that you’re not stocking emergency medical supplies in an active warzone. Surely this is work that could rather be done on a Saturday.

 

[hLuke]

Not to seem rude, but how could stocking shelves - and being paid for it - be considered a work of necessity? There might be special cases, of course, but my guess is that you’re not stocking emergency medical supplies in an active warzone. Surely this is work that could rather be done on a Saturday.

I should have specified that i work in grocery department.
I was thinking of it in terms of providing food and other essentials to the community. For example without fill workers on Sunday, there might not be enough food for us (community) on Monday

 

[hLuke]

Not to seem rude, but how could stocking shelves - and being paid for it - be considered a work of necessity? There might be special cases, of course, but my guess is that you’re not stocking emergency medical supplies in an active warzone. Surely this is work that could rather be done on a Saturday.

Sounds like a work of necessity is more urgent than shelving and restocking

 

[Ben Zartman]

If the community knew and planned ahead for low inventory on Mondays because their grocers closed the shop on Sundays, there would be no issues: to prepare on Saturday for the Sabbath rest and the aftermath of everybody resting is not a difficult habit.
You just have to train your customers to expect low stock on Monday mornings, and they'll adapt. Might be a chance to witness to them about the Law of God, when they ask, "why are the shelves always low on Monday?"

 

[beloved7]

I would consider it a sin, yes. The only way this could be argued as an act of necessity would be if you have mouths to feed and you can’t work anywhere else, but that’s probably not the case.

My job requires me to work 10pm- 8am Saturday into Sunday which I don’t like obviously but I work Campus Safety for a college and that is an act of necessity. We’re first responders, dispatch 911 calls on campus etc. I do thankfully have the rest of the Sabbath off.

 

[Scottish Presbyterian]

I would consider it a sin, yes. The only way this could be argued as an act of necessity would be if you have mouths to feed and you can’t work anywhere else, but that’s probably not the case.

How would that make it a work of necessity? Surely it's either a work of necessity or not (in this case not, as we all seem to agree). Where else you could or couldn't work, or how many dependents you have, don't really enter into the equation at that point.

 

[beloved7]

How would that make it a work of necessity? Surely it's either a work of necessity or not (in this case not, as we all seem to agree). Where else you could or couldn't work, or how many dependents you have, don't really enter into the equation at that point.

It’s self evident, feeding children is necessary. Scripture in its totality agrees with this assertion. Make no mistake about it, I’m talking if there is no other way to gain employment. Men are to feed their families. I was very careful with my wording and I am NOT advocating common work on the Sabbath.

 

[Scottish Presbyterian]

It’s self evident, feeding children is necessary. Scripture in its totality agrees with this assertion. Make no mistake about it, I’m talking if there is no other way to gain employment. Men are to feed their families. I was very careful with my wording and I am NOT advocating common work on the Sabbath.

Understood, but I'm still not right there with you. Yes, we are to feed our children. That said, we should not, for example, steal in order to do so. It's not clear why it's different to be in unnecessary gainful employment on the Lord's day for the same purpose?

Basically, my question is, granted that we should feed our families, why is it OK to break the 4th commandment to do so, but not, for example, the 8th?

 

[Polanus1561]

Gentlemen, let us consider diaconate help when it comes to financial help and wrestling with job / worship / feed family issues.

 

[beloved7]

Understood, but I'm still not right there with you. Yes, we are to feed our children. That said, we should not, for example, steal in order to do so. It's not clear why it's different to be in unnecessary gainful employment on the Lord's day for the same purpose?

Basically, my question is, granted that we should feed our families, why is it OK to break the 4th commandment to do so, but not, for example, the 8th?

That is a fair point, however I’m approaching this in a more applicable fashion than idealistic. As our society here in the states becomes more and more antinomian, it’s become more difficult finding employment with “weekends” off. Particularly for blue collar workers. I use the term weekend because that’s how employers view it.

Legally one could and should tell their employer they cannot work on the Sabbath, and the employer has to prove that accommodating such a request would create an undue hardship in order to legally deny it under Title Vll. Unfortunately this is not a hard threshold to reach for service work.

If a man has a SAH wife, or is a single parent, if I were an elder I wouldn’t demand they quit their job immediately due to this. I would encourage them to find other employment as soon as possible but I would not discipline someone if they had no other way to provide for their family. It’s easy to be idealistic but we have to think of the practical challenges our brethren have. I’d be particularly sensitive to a man’s heart who is broken over having to wrestle with this.

 

[Scottish Presbyterian]

That is a fair point, however I’m approaching this in a more applicable fashion than idealistic. As our society here in the states becomes more and more antinomian, it’s become more difficult finding employment with “weekends” off. Particularly for blue collar workers. I use the term weekend because that’s how employers view it.

Legally one could and should tell their employer they cannot work on the Sabbath, and the employer has to prove that accommodating such a request would create an undue hardship in order to legally deny it under Title Vll. Unfortunately this is not a hard threshold to reach for service work.

If a man has a SAH wife, or is a single parent, if I were an elder I wouldn’t demand they quit their job immediately due to this. I would encourage them to find other employment as soon as possible but I would not discipline someone if they had no other way to provide for their family. It’s easy to be idealistic but we have to think of the practical challenges our brethren have. I’d be particularly sensitive to a man’s heart who is broken over having to wrestle with this.

I think bringing in the question of the immediacy of church discipline over the matter, potential circumstances, etc, muddies the water a little. The point is that, having difficulty finding employment that doesn't require us to break the Sabbath is not a determining factor in whether or not a particular employment is in fact breaking the Sabbath. This becomes really clear if you try taking a similar approach to any of the other commandments. Anyway, it's perhaps an aside from the main point of the thread, so I'll say no more at this point.