In the past, I have always held the non-Sabbatarian, Lord's Day-observant view, believing the Lord's day to be something different than the Sabbath and that the Sabbath is ceremonial in nature. However, for the past few months, I have been studying the issue and reading and listening to pro-Sabbatarian material, and have come to understand the strengths of the position. I have also implemented a Sabbatarian practice while I am searching this out and have been very blessed in doing so. Here is my question:
What is the one argument or one resource that helped the most to convince you once-and-for-all of the Lord's Day Sabbatarian position? Is there a particular book, article, sermon, lecture, etc. that really settled the issue for you? This question especially applies to those who have been non-Sabbatarian in the past. I am looking for the strongest evidence possible. What convinced you?
N.b. I know there are many people in the last century who have fallen into a non-Sabbatarian position merely from laziness and a desire to watch football on the Lord's day instead of spending time in the Word, etc. I am not coming from that side of things. I desire to obey God's Law. I am coming from an exegetical perspective (i.e. I have always thought there was exegetical and early church historical strength in the non-Sabbatarian position). Please don't assume that I just want to watch football instead of praying. That is far from the truth. Help a fellow out and give me your best resource to read or listen to on the subject.
I know there are other threads on this. The reason I am posting a new one is because I am specifically asking for the one thing that convinced you once-and-for-all - the one argument or reference that settled the issue in your mind. It is very important to me that I get to the bottom of this.
(Note: This is a request for Sabbatarian arguments and resources only. It is NOT an attempt to engage in a debate on the subject, for 2 reasons: (1) I believe it is against the rules to advocate an unconfessional opinion, and so I will not attempt to do so, and (2) I am not convinced that what I have always believed is right, so arguing for a position I am unconvinced of would be foolish.)
-----Added 9/26/2009 at 04:07:37 EST-----
The more I have studied this and practice it, the more Sabbatarian I have become and the stronger my desire for it to be true, but I am still at the threshold and need someone to tip the scales. Basically, I have always though D.A. Carson had the right idea on this one (in his book From Sabbath to Lord's Day).
-----Added 9/26/2009 at 04:13:14 EST-----
Anyone who invokes early church fathers in their response gets a gold star. That is the big deficiency I have noticed in the resources I have used so far - no mention of early church practice and interpretation. Are the non-Sabbatarians the only ones who read the Fathers? I am sure that's not true.
What is the one argument or one resource that helped the most to convince you once-and-for-all of the Lord's Day Sabbatarian position? Is there a particular book, article, sermon, lecture, etc. that really settled the issue for you? This question especially applies to those who have been non-Sabbatarian in the past. I am looking for the strongest evidence possible. What convinced you?
N.b. I know there are many people in the last century who have fallen into a non-Sabbatarian position merely from laziness and a desire to watch football on the Lord's day instead of spending time in the Word, etc. I am not coming from that side of things. I desire to obey God's Law. I am coming from an exegetical perspective (i.e. I have always thought there was exegetical and early church historical strength in the non-Sabbatarian position). Please don't assume that I just want to watch football instead of praying. That is far from the truth. Help a fellow out and give me your best resource to read or listen to on the subject.
I know there are other threads on this. The reason I am posting a new one is because I am specifically asking for the one thing that convinced you once-and-for-all - the one argument or reference that settled the issue in your mind. It is very important to me that I get to the bottom of this.
(Note: This is a request for Sabbatarian arguments and resources only. It is NOT an attempt to engage in a debate on the subject, for 2 reasons: (1) I believe it is against the rules to advocate an unconfessional opinion, and so I will not attempt to do so, and (2) I am not convinced that what I have always believed is right, so arguing for a position I am unconvinced of would be foolish.)
-----Added 9/26/2009 at 04:07:37 EST-----
The more I have studied this and practice it, the more Sabbatarian I have become and the stronger my desire for it to be true, but I am still at the threshold and need someone to tip the scales. Basically, I have always though D.A. Carson had the right idea on this one (in his book From Sabbath to Lord's Day).
-----Added 9/26/2009 at 04:13:14 EST-----
Anyone who invokes early church fathers in their response gets a gold star. That is the big deficiency I have noticed in the resources I have used so far - no mention of early church practice and interpretation. Are the non-Sabbatarians the only ones who read the Fathers? I am sure that's not true.