This is a breakaway question from the Sabbatarian thread of Brad's. To avoid going down a rabbit trail, I started a new thread. My question is this: At what point does observing the Sabbath go from obedience to God to legalism? I have seen some disturbing behaviors chalked up to being "Sabbatarian." FWIW, I have seen the extremes (had an uncle who was paid to turn on the lights for a neighbor every Saturday) and the really amazing mental gymnastics needed for a guy in a black hat to carry housekeys with him (Eruv is a word to google to explain the mechanics of this "law").

The second question I have is if there is a point where following the law becomes a sort of idol. I do not ask either question to start a flame war but to understand a little better where the Sabbatarians are coming from.

Thanks!

__________________

Legalism: Trying to gain merit before God by keeping the Law.

Legalism: requiring more of people than God requires.

Neither definition fits into the command that the Law of God as found in the Ten Commandments are to be fully pursued and kept to the best of the Christian's ability. That is by no means "legalism." The "following of the law" is only idol because of a man's heart and not because of the Law.

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Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
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It is God that multiplies our sorrows.... God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied. - Matthew Henry

I know others will give better answers, but I think a good place to start is to consider your focus. A humble and paltry analogy:

Driving down the road, you see fog lines and a ditch. You know what they are for. They are to warn you to stay on the road.

But when you drive, do you stare at the fog lines? They are practically screaming "don't cross me!"

No, you know they are there, but your focus is on where you are going.

Whenever I'm convicted about breaking a law of God, I have two choices: (1)focus completely on avoiding breaking that law, and thereby ignore God, or (2) focus on my God to direct me away from those deadly transgressions, pray for him to renew and change my sinful desire to break them, and follow him yet again.

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Providence Reformed Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA

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People rightly equate a list of "dos" and "don'ts" with legalism. When I was wrestling with this issue I had much trouble compiling a non-legalistic list is "dos" and "don'ts". There is no "rest" in such a system. Rather I settled on a two question "test", if you will. 1) Could I effectively do this task/activity on another day? 2) How does this activity help to focus my family and I on God and His glory? My grade on this test is often D-, but I find that it does bring things into sharper focus.

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I use a similar system, as stated in another thread. And I must admit you have a better GPA that I do.

Theognome

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Bill Cunningham
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Joshua,
It's not really quite that simple. Part of the problem with the term "Sabbatarian" is that all of us believe in the Sabbath. For some of us Christ is our Sabbath and we worship day in and day out with this in our hearts. Sunday is not set aside for worship, because every day is a day of worship. Sunday is set aside for gathering for worship. So we would perceive ourselves as observing the Sabbath continually as a shadow of our eternal Sabbath. In such a case, if someone comes along and tells me I'm grievously sinning against God because I played darts with my brothers after church then I'm going to be baffled. It simply makes no sense to me, and comes across as an imposition on Scripture, rather than any sort of obedience.
I do not propose this as an argument. Hopefully I can simply add some clarity to what seems to be, in many cases, one imposing motive and thought on another's understanding. Those who adhere to resting on Sundays don't seem to understand that those who don't may have just as much, or more, veneration for the Sabbath as they do because it's seen so closely tied to Christ. It's simply that their understanding of the Sabbath is different. So the finger pointing at those who don't consider the Lord's Day as the Sabbath appears to be legalistic from their point of view; probably no more so that the Lord's Day = Sabbath proponents consider their counterparts to be licentious.
There is room for mutual respect if mutual understanding is gained. And, I can assure you, neither side is more, or less, convinced that they are correct than the other.

Blessings,

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For the Glory of our King,
Joe Johnson
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That's fine, Pastor. She asked about legalism, so I gave a definition. I am happy to "side" with the Confession without condemning non-Sabbatarians to hell. I was a member of a non-Sabbatarian Baptist church for almost four years and I dearly love those shepherds and sheep there. What I have trouble with is the "P-Bomb" and "Legalism" epithets thrown around that have no ground in the truth, nor in the two major Confessions of this board, and yet are oft directed toward those of us who are Confessional according to the Historical and Original Intent of said Confessions.

I have to confess that I am confused by the (common) argument that "Christ is my Sabbath."

No one, that I am aware of, would desire to do away with the 6th commandment or the 9th, and yet Scripture explicitly states that "Jesus is the Life" and "Jesus is the Truth."

I'm not trying to be cute or snide - really. And that is hard to get across in writing. But Christ is the fullfilment of the whole Law, isn't He? (For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Rom 10:4) And yet we would not abrogate the other nine commandments, would we?

I find this an interesting phenomena in modern Christianity.

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I think some find "Sabbath-keepers" unbalanced...ok, I think some are unbalanced. All during the week, they can watch garbage on tv or movies which even secular analyst state sways people's thinking into the culture which tv promotes and yet all of the sudden Sunday comes around and all's good! No tv or movie watching, no rock and roll which some people's taste is astounding to me, plus no jogging, no this no that. It's as though Sabbath-keepers are trying to make up for all the garbage in their lives on Sunday. Sundays are the only day which they won't allow the world to touch, but on the other days they soak it all in. That is my frustration. I'm not perfect either. I do things I shouldn't but I don't think we should call them ok. I'm not trying to sound self-righteous or condemn anyone here...really I'm not. This is just a valid frustration I see for others and for myself. Whenever I point to Scripture which tells us to set our minds on things above and not on things of this earth, people are quick to throw it out in order to protect their tv and movie and inappropriate music. They say those things are Christian liberties. Please don't take this as anger or anything like that...I just wonder where the balance is in all of us.

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sarah
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Probably in Heaven. Or maybe Puritanism? Seriously, the same guys who get bashed as Pharisees on their Christian Sabbatarianism where pretty stout on the garbage in garbage out stuff too.

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I'm stepping out of this wading-pool ... starting to feel like a hot-tub.

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Hot tubs are quite neeto. Enjoy your hot tub with a nice glass of sherry and a bikini clad lass of God's choosing. It's a blast!

theognome

But the wading-pool is not for hot-tubbing. Too many kids.

This is just me personally talking, but aside from gathering to worship on the Sabbath, Sunday's are very busy days. (Morning Worship, Bible Class, Class Social, Bible Class, and finally Evening Worship). Hardly a true day of rest by some definitions. Therefore, when I can, I often try to use Saturdays as a Sabbath Preparation day whereas; I rest, meditate, and commune with God as much as possible. (Assuming the honey-do list isn't too lengthy)

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Rangerus
Southern Baptist
Austin, TX
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I agree! Calvin would be wagging his finger at many of us (including me) on what we do during the week.

Michael Phillips, Dream of Freedom

The bikini clad lass is only appropriate if she is your wife, no matter what day of the week. Who's Sherry?


You're right, Fred. Nobody wants to do away with any of the commandments. That's part of the misunderstanding. Scripture does make it clear that Christ is our rest.
Christ also made it clear that obedience was a matter of the heart, not strictly the action. The action reveals the heart, in many cases. But I can certainly murder in my heart while professing love with my lips, and even actions. What does obedience to the Sabbath look like for the Christian? Honestly, if one is truly going to say that the Sabbath transfers to Sunday then their servants and animals cannot work either. That's the law, with no exceptions. Servants would include anyone doing work for you.
Christ was the Lord of the Sabbath, not placed under it. Also, the Sabbath was a provision FOR man, not a master over him. This sets it aside from the other commandments, which are all restrictive except for the commandment with a promise. It is a positive command, fulfilled in Christ and sustained in Christ as our head.
I'm not trying to debate the issue here, only add clarity. As Joshua pointed out, there can be a lack of grace in this discussion.That's a little loaded, but perhaps we need to deal with this. The two major confessions are quite clear in regard to their position on the Sabbath. Since this board recognizes these two confessions as accurate in their understanding of Scripture, perhaps any discussions contrary to their understanding of the Sabbath should end. Even though I disagree with the understanding, such action might be helpful. Then, when someone shares that they have done something on a Sunday that transgresses the WCF understanding of the Sabbath, rather than having those who adhere to a Sunday Sabbath point a finger and call them "Sabbath breakers," the person could quietly be told that this is not permitted on this board and the post can be edited, or deleted. In such a case the one who does not observe Sunday as the Sabbath will perceive no need to defend themselves, rendering such discussions unnecessary. I, for one, am not sure where the line is drawn on this and wish to respect the board oversight. But when told one is sinning against God when they disagree that their action is sin there is a perceived need to defend one's position.
I am not being facetious or sarcastic in this. And, honestly, I think it would be a nightmare to maintain. But I suppose it would be consistent and avoid the problems inherent in the different understanding of the Sabbath.

By the way, I didn't think it was hot in here. From my perspective, this has been a good and amiable conversation.

This is a big topic and we have to carefully understand this. What you are reacting to is hypocrisy. Very few things can disgust more than that.

But let's look at this carefully. Feeding on "bad" television, music of the pop culture may be sin in-and-of itself (e.g. provoking one to violence, intemperance, sexual immorality, scandal, rumor, etc.). It stands on it's own terms.

Keeping the fourth commandment stands on its own terms also. Yes, the hipocrisy can disgust, but it is still better to be obedient in one area and disobedient in others rather than disobedient in all areas.

Breaking "bad" patterns is actually one of the things keeping the forth commandment helps us to do. By focusing on worship, it replaces the chasing after self-gratification that is our tendency as fallen human beings.

Keeping the fourth commandment is difficult- impossible to even try without God's grace. It continually confronts us with our sin, and it is inconvenient. But once one tries, in good faith, by asking God's grace to keep it- God is faithful- it can become a blessing.

-----Added 2/5/2009 at 05:23:57 EST-----

Really, its not about "balance." It's about doing what is commanded, and not requiring what is not commanded. It's about bringing the whole of life under the obedience of Christ, which involves using the Ten Commandments, all of them, including the Forth one, as a rule for life. Easy to say, hard to do. But God's grace is sufficient, we need ask continually for grace and repentance.

__________________
Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

I, on the Sabbath ever since the day I was Born again do not switch the tv on, radio unless it is to listen to a sermon, do not even leave the house unless it is to go to worship. These things are done purely because of the commandment to remember the Sabbath & keep it holy. It is done in obedience to God, for no other reason and I continually pray that He would lessen my worldliness on the other six days. I am disobedient in my life in many aspects but through the grace of God things will change bit by bit. There is no day more treasured and blessed to my soul than the Sabbath and I truly believe without the obedience to the fourth commandment many Christians are missing out on much of God's rich blessing no matter how much they try and justify it.

Your brother in the Lord Jesus Christ

David

__________________
David
Stornoway Free Church (Continuing)
Isle of Lewis, Scotland

I think these are good definitions, Josh.

As legalism pertains to the 4th commandment, I think it springs from a focus on the letter of the law rather than the ultimate intent, which is to obey, honor, and serve our Lord on His day. Those who get caught up in following a tedious list of activities (or non-activities) focus on those actions rather than on God. We should cease from our normal employments and recreations on the Lord's Day, but the particulars of that are fleshed out somewhat differently in different people. We can all agree that working (other than out of need or mercy) is sinful, as is recreation that leads to the neglect of restful worshipping the Lord. But beyond that I don't think we can draw definite standards that apply to every single Christian. Attempts to do so often, IMO, lead down the path of legalism...

__________________
Mason
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA)
New York, NY

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18

It is helpful to understand that Christ perfectly kept "the law"- all of it, ceremonial, civil and moral. It is His sinlessness that made Him the "perfect" sacrifice that once and for all paid for our sins.

Christ obeyed all the ceremonial law (including those aspects called "sabbaths" or that were observed in connection with The Sabbath Day). Because of that, He fulfilled it in His sacrifice and now we don't have to keep that (the ceremonial).

So, that's true freedom. Freedom from all that ceremonial regulation.

Not freedom from the moral law with its applications to thought, word, and deed. Christ would no more do that (abrogate God's moral law for His creatures) than "free" us from obeying God.

But He did free us from all those ceremonial aspects by completing their purpose in His atonement. Faith in that, Christ's righteousness, is what justifies us. If we misunderstand that, we misapprehend grace.

So, it might be "legalism" to approach God on the basis of our moral obedience (e.g. do's and don'ts) rather than on the basis of faith in Christ's righteousness alone.

It might also be called that to add to God's Word with requirements that are not in there. We have no right, as the Reformers say, to burden men's conscience with things that are not in Scripture.

The Pharisees, as recorded in Scripture, did both of these things while at the same time demanding others follow them, in effect, rather than God. Now, that's "legalism."

The problem is (from our standpoint as human being fallen in sin, with a remnant of the old nature abiding) is that God does command us to come apart from our ordinary routines of work and entertaining ourselves and seeking all that goes with that in order to focus on worshipping Him.

As with all other obedience, there is wisdom and blessing and grace provided by Him to do what we cannot do in our own strength- perfectly obey our God. And that, for a whole day- one day in seven to be remembered until He returns!

(a marvellous thing to consider, study and meditate on on the Lord's Day).

However, I am not familiar with any "argument" for this position--just the mantra over and over again. I've been asking what does "Christ is my Sabbath" mean around this board for years to no avail. Since I'm at it I'll try again:

What does "Christ is my Sabbath" mean? I don't need to hear "I rest in Christ" because I'll ask you what that means too. I would very much like to hear the doctrine spelled out. Maybe a book recommendation?

__________________
Chris
Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte (PRC)
Student, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
SC

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~ Calvin's Institutes III.ii.43

Gail, I want to attempt to answer the above question.

Keeping the sabbath, even strict observance, is not legalism. Losing focus of Christ is.

Unlike the unbelieving Jews, all true born again believers have the imputed righteousness of Christ (Rom. 3:22). It's for this reason that Paul wrote a stinging rebuttal about going back to the Law in Galatians 3. The danger that an improper view of the sabbath can create is that keeping the sabbath is either A) a reflection of our personal piety ~or~ B) a method of achieving God's favor. Believers can fall into this trap. Hence, the reason for Paul's rebuttal in Galatians.

The sabbath is a rest for the Christian. That the day is consecrated (made holy) for worship, meditation, fellowship and acts of mercy is not a consignment to spiritual obligation. Consecrating the sabbath should be the pinnacle of joy for a believer! If I may be so trite, we should approach the sabbath with a joy that rivals our preparation and expectation for vacation. We will be meeting with God, and His people on the Lord's Day. The saint who observes the sabbath is dining sumptuously, instead of existing on meager fare. When the sabbath is approached in this manner, there is no room for legalism.

I hope this helps.

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Bill Brown
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I gave a short answer above. But I find this a little baffling in light of the fact that many who observe Sundays as the Sabbath use the same terminology. Here's a quote from an article defending Sunday Sabbath observation.

Of course we [Sabbatarians] use this same language, I don't see how this is relevant. When a non-Sabbatarian answers "Christ is my Sabbath" to the question "How do you understand the 4th commandment" I need to know what on earth he is talking about. I see "Christ is my Sabbath" referring to salvation from your quote.

But how does this relate to the 4th commandment? How is "Christ is my Sabbath" keeping the Sabbath holy? Are you saying because Christ kept the Sabbath holy, fulfilling it in a sense, you are not bound to do so? Or, reading your earlier post, are you saying that Christ, being exalted at the right hand of God, is in a sense maintaining the 4th commandment and us being in Christ we are keeping the Sabbath holy?

Of course she's the wife- hence 'of God's choosing'. Sherry is a very small lass that can fit into a glass, of course.

Theognome

For reference, WSC Q. 57:

Q. Which is the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Chris,

I think you're observations are on the right track. Both of my posts were made in light of post 6, which I think rounds off the picture. Of course I don't expect you to agree with the position. But hopefully that helps with understanding.


To help clarify the challenge, those of us who don't observe Sunday as the Sabbath do not consider the arguments that Sunday became the Sabbath as tenable. The church gathered and worshiped together on Sundays in celebration of the resurrection. Argumentation from there on is extra-biblical. Also, the nature of obeying the observance of a day appears antithetical to the New Covenant. The New Covenant changes the heart, conforming one ever more into the image of Christ. A Sabbath day observation appears to make a rule that bypasses the heart. Other than the OT commandment, there is no morality inherent in keeping the Sabbath on Sundays (note that I did NOT say "in keeping the Sabbath" period). And there are dangers inherent in the legalistic tendencies that can arise from Sabbatarian observation. Most notably are probably the ire that is aroused against non-Sabbatarians and the reality that many see Sunday as THE day they must worship, but fail to walk in worship throughout the week.

So, yes, my rest is in Christ. My rest is in salvation. My rest is in the comfort of the promises of God. All is fulfilled in Christ and considered finished before it ever began. I can rest in all of this, worshiping every day, knowing that my righteousness is in Christ and His fulfillment of all that God requires for my sin. He requires that I walk in a manner worth of His calling, with a heart embracing and emulating His character, not merely in word or deed, but in spirit and truth. I can add nothing, for anything I attempt to add actually takes aware from His glorious work. And this very rest, is God's Sabbath rest.

Joe, I do agree with you that far.

But, myself I don’t think we must choose one or the other.

Understanding Christ as our Rest, our Sabbath OR Keeping the 4th Commandment in the Lord’s day.

I simply don’t see that dichotomy in the New Testament. We need both!


I am so thankful to the Dutch influence in my life that goes back to 1989, but many Christians in Holland simply don’t cook on Sundays because of the 4th Commandment and this particular passage.

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. Exodus 35:2-3

Do we Christians cook, barbecue or use our ovens on Sunday?

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses. Numbers 15:32-36

I can only understand these passages in the light of the Law being a Tutor, a Teacher pointing, leading to Christ. Gal3:24

In a sense the most terrible consequence of disobedience of Sabbath keeping, on top of being disobedience to God’s given Law, was to misunderstand salvation by Grace alone through Faith alone.

Righteousness by Faith alone, was the inner substance of the Abrahamic Covenant, even the Galatians, who heard the Gospel, were in danger to misunderstand the Covenant of Grace.

-----Added 2/5/2009 at 09:51:18 EST-----

(repeating my other post)

So I don’t honestly see any contradiction between keeping the holiness of the Sabbath, by not working in the Lord’s day and dedicate it to Worship the Lord with His Church,

As these are Commandments we can clearly understand from the narrative of Creation, the Law and the Apostolic writings,

While simultaneously seeing and trusting the Lord Jesus as our Sabbath, being the Lord the one Who gives us rest.

For we which have believed do enter into rest (…)
For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. Hebrews 4:3-4

Being His fulfilled vicarious work for our salvation truly complete , and one we don’t dare to add anything of ourselves, we can therefore rest in absolute faith on the Great Salvation our Lord accomplished for us. To Him be the Glory.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
(Shall we then disobey the Law?) God forbid Romans 6:1-2

If we obey both the 4th Commandment and look to Jesus as the One who fulfilled all the Law for our sake, we will be free from both antinomianism and legalism, as we will better and better understand that the Gospel is not about Don’ts or Do’s but a once and for all DONE

It is finished

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César Proença

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Thanks César,

I don't see a dichotomy either. I can't tell you how much we are in agreement here, except for the idea that the Sabbath is Sunday and is to be observed as in the OT (without the ceremony, of course). Take that aspect out of your statements and we're saying the same thing. One side says it is sin to not observe Sunday as the Sabbath. The other says that there is no such law in the New Covenant, having been fulfilled and maintained in Christ. There appears to be a very real sense in which both see a denial of Christ in the other's perspective.

Your comments are refreshing though, for you seem to see where some of us are in regard to the Sabbath.

Let's keep this thread on the track of what legalism is/isn't.

In the main, you have to be cautious here.

I think Josh's quick definition is very helpful.

The reason why this is tricky is because just as the immature can become legalists by looking at rules as an end to themselves, some immature people can look at behavior alone and try to conclude whether legalism is occuring or not.

You can observe two people with scrupulous Sabbath habits (or any other habit for that reason) and cannot tell by the mere presence of scrupulous behavior that legalism is the root of the behavior.

I've given a pretty consistent percentage of my income for a number of years. I started out with a legalistic motivation but didn't throw the baby (habit) out with the bathwater (legalism). In other words, Jesus didn't tell the Pharisees to stop being scrupulous about the Law altogether but to change their whole attitude about what they were about. Of course, nothing is more offensive to a self-righteous person than to be told that you're fundamentally unrighteous and that your habits don't repair that problem.

People that concern me are often not those that are overly scrupulous about the Law because they recognize the sin within themselves but those that are not scrupulous at all these days because they don't seem to recognize any sin. There's not only a lack of concern for the Law which prevents them from ever becoming legalists but there's a lack of concern for the Law that makes them oblivious to God's character altogether.

I don't know how a converted soul cannot be confronted by their own sin pretty regularly and not be frightened by it and recognize their regular need not only for the Gospel but for some sort of way to mortify the man of flesh within that they desire to put to death. The third use of the Law is intended toward that end.

But the third use of the Law cannot be strictly prescriptive or immitative. It really needs the Communion of the Saints. The Book of Hebrews really underlines the sense of the community of the faith that are intended to spur one another on and consider how none of us may be found to be unbelieving. I believe it should always be in that context that we put on the training wheels of the Law as it continually causes us to grow in our mature understanding of God and His character. We need the mature around us to tell us when we're being a bit too rigid or even when we're being slothful.

Unfortunately, we often detach the Law and Wisdom literature from this community and our application of aphorisms and other good ideas tends toward various extremes that, if we were in/among a community of the faith, we would be much less likely to err. Thus, in my view, the boundary between legalism and following the Lord (or even being slothful) is best maintained not as an individual activity but as an activity within the Body itself.

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discipulo, excellent post.

"I simply don’t see that dichotomy in the New Testament. We need both!"

Amen.

My 12 year old daughter came home from a SS class and asked me if daddy was sinning every sunday because we light a fire in the wood stove. One of the girls in the class asked if it was OK to light a fire if you are cold and the teacher said no, it is work.

I've played phone tag with the teacher twice and have yet to catch up with her, but all I can say about legalism is that the minute you start telling kids that their parents are sinning, on particulars not clearly articulated in scripture, I think you are keeping the law.

I find it hard to believe the early Presbyterians let their kids freeze in the winter

__________________
Lynnie

PCA

Central NJ

Just a quick comment here in regards to the comments of our Scots brother in Stornoway:

I see so often comments on how "well, I can do this/that/the other as it is an issue of Christian liberty and there is no biblical ordinance against it, etc." My question is: OK, so you can do it, but why would you want to? God has given you a day of rest and the implications are that it is to spend the day in worship and meditation - this is a command and a gift! Why do we strain against this gift and kick against the pricks in trying to push the envelope? I don't get it. We don't revel in being given one entire day in seven read/sing/listen to His word. Instead, we look for loopholes so we can enjoy ourselves as we see fit.

PS - this is not to say that you shouldn't start a fire in the stove. Your husband probably opens the cutlery drawer to get out utensils for breakfast, too. That's just as unnecessary and just as much "work".

__________________
Kevin, husband of a truly angelic woman, and father to ten.
Zion United Reformed Church of Sheffield
Ontario, Canada

This, to me, is a view of the law that amounts to "don't touch that hot stove because you'll get burned."

My hand isn't burned, so therefore I'm OK.

It seems good to us that we have all the things we can/cannot do but, in the end, we forget that the Sabbath is to be a delight.

A good way was suggested earlier. If we are training ourselves to delight in a rest of the Lord and contemplation of Him then some techniques may aid in that initially but, if at the end of our "training", we simply learn to fear certain behavior and can never articulate the "why" of the behavior beyond the reason "it's just sin", then it's sort of like a twenty year old kid that still needs wiping lessons from his Mommy.

Is it "worldly" to leave the house for reasons other than worship?

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Daniel
PCA
Memphis, TN

I realized something today as I pondered this, and Kevin's comment underscores what I was thinking. From the perspective of almost every Sabbatarian I have ever met, I observe the Sabbath. I set it aside for worship, fellowship, family and other activities that help me focus on Christ. As I noted before, this begins Monday and culminates on Sunday. But from Saturday night on my focus is purposely on Sunday's worship. I don't watch football (this year's Super Bowl was an exception). Sometimes, in our fellowship, we'll play a game of ball, or horseshoes, darts or even cards. Sometimes there is something that just needs attention (car, repair around house, ox in ditch, etc.). But most of the time we simply relish in the blessings God has provided and focus on Him throughout the day. This is not because I perceive anything compelling me to in Scripture, but because I am able to do so as a gift from God. I want to. So, any discussions regarding "loopholes" really are irrelevant. I would give up little to nothing to observe Sunday as the Sabbath. Furthermore, as a pastor, it would be much more convenient for me to be convinced of the Sabbath position because I could "enforce" such a belief in our church in the pursuit of greater faithfulness and holiness; something that is regularly on the mind of a shepherd. There is a very real sense in which I wish the Sabbath was on Sunday because I tire of seeing people so apathetic toward God.

I think we both know that you are taking two separate sentences twisting them together and making a single one. The worldliness I speak of for the other six days has nothing whatsoever to do with leaving the house.

If it appeared that way, I apologize, but that was not my intent. My intent is to have you define "worldliness". I'm asking if you consider the activities you avoid on Sunday to be "worldly".

Piper has an interesting article on this.

What does it mean practically to keep the Sabbath holy? :: Desiring God Christian Resource Library

I found it interesting that he does consider Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, but refuses to place rules on the day outside of how he leads his family. I agree with how he approaches Sundays. The TV thing is a non-issue for us because it's probably not on more than 10 hours a month, and often much of that is for Bible studies and preparation. Perhaps this article will add clarity.

I certainly try and avoid worldly activity of any sort on the Sabbath, TV & Radio certainly are avoided. Any form of recreation that is for my own pleasure I see as being wrong on the Sabbath yet not wrong on other days.
There are many examples of what I feel convicted over which may differ from others but we will be convicted over differing things so who am I to say what is right or wrong. What I am saying though is that we are commanded to do something on a particular day and I believe this generation are extremely disobedient with regard to it. Hope this clears up my position on the matter.

David

Thanks for the response. I guess I have a hard time defining what is worldly. I guess some people would define it as being anything that isn't focused on God, but I'm don't buy that. I would disagree with you (and the WCF) about recreation on the Sabbath. For example, on a nice Sunday afternoon, my wife and I will gather our children and dog and go for a long walk. We enjoy each others company and we have casual conversation. We don't talk about Scripture or the character of God. We talk about the week to come. It is very much "recreation" and very much appropriate for Sunday. We rarely get to do that at other times in the week.