The PuritanBoard - View Single Post - Sabbath-breaking

VirginiaHuguenot · #8 (**permalink**) 01-17-2005, 11:31 AM

Ivan,

You might find this article by the Webmaster profitable: http://www.apuritansmind.com/TheLord...heLordsDay.htm

It has a good bibliography on the subject of Sabbath-keeping and links to several excellent articles. In particular, I would recommend Joey Pipa's The Lord's Day and Walter Chantry's Call the Sabbath a Delight.

I would also recommend study of the Westminster Larger Catechism questions 115-121. It is a very thorough Biblical exposition of the Fourth Commandment. Westminster Confession of Faith chap. XXI is also very good:

Quote:

VII. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, He has particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him:[34] which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week: and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,[35] which, in Scripture, is called the Lord's Day,[36] and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.[37]

VIII. 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 wordly employments and recreations,[38] 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.[39]

The main thing to remember is that 1) the Fourth Commandment is still binding; and 2) the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Hence, we ought to endeavor to keep the Lord's Day holy, yet remember mercy and necessity, find physical and spiritual rest, and engage in worship and fellowship. In so doing, who can have time for going out to restaurants or watching pro football? Let us be about our Father's business on this day and experience a taste of heaven!