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Originally Posted by houseparent  Ok, since Rich has to run I'll ask this of any(every) one. Quote: |
Look at the example of the disciples picking wheat on the sabbath, I can honestly see "some" here (if we didn't have this example in scripture) thinking doing that was sin in violation of the sabbath. You couldn't see that?
| I've seen women here ask if it's permissible to cook a meal for their family on Sunday. I've seen someone ask if answering the phone is. Again, if we didn't have the biblical example of the followers of Christ picking grain as they walked with him and Christ allowing it, don't you think it's possible that many here would disapprove?
If I logged in on Sunday and said I just gotten back from a walk with my friends where along the way we picked some vegetables and ate them, I think it's very possible that someone would think (and maybe even say so in a post) that doing so was sin on the sabbath.
Am I wrong? |
I think you're wrong to primarily worry about how others will view the way you view the Sabbath. Incidentally, there is a spirit of strict Sabbatarianism that views their role as primarily being Reformed "hall monitors". I think a person's view and observance of the Sabbath and other such issues is best handled in a Pastoral setting because the kinds of concerns you have are meant to be handled in the setting where growth in Grace is primarily supposed to occur.
I don't think that simply because people are strict in their observance of the Sabbath that they will necessarily be mature in how they deal with others who have not come to that conclusion. I'm not arguing that there ought not be a concern but an "obey the Law you sinner!" attitude is not really the way to go here. It reveals that the attitude is more about how the offender is breaching what
they expect about them and less about whether they have compassionate concern for those that still need to grow in many ways to include the Sabbath. I would hope that if a new Christian came into one of these Churches that they would want to mature such a man in the Gospel and not immediately hammer them the way they hammer others here and be more forebearing of their immaturity in such areas.
Ideally, those who are seeking to obey the Lord out of their overflowing gratitude and love for Him would be holding out the delight to others that they have. "Come, join us for the Law is our delight...." Should not the person who is demonstrating maturity in this area be humble and servant of all and seeking the edification of the immature? It might reveal in some cases that those that think they are mature in such things still don't realize that things aren't well in the Church just because they are mature if they're not willing to also build up the weak with their good in mind.
I can go around and around on this. The bottom line for me is that the Sabbath is holy. Its proponents are not always so holy because some of them are still themselves learning how to truly delight in everything: not only how they love the Lord in their observance of the Sabbath but how they love their neighbor and bear with his weaknesses, stubbornness, and immaturity. It really does help to be in fellowship with each other where such issues have to be worked out on the ground.