My pastor, Doug Mixer, preached on the pre-Law aspect of the sabbath from Exodus 16. He linked the sabbath back to creation (Genesis 2). I know this is a conviction that has developed for him as he has continued to reform. The same with me. He clearly articulated that...



His clear and concise statement of the Christian sabbath, and it's observance, could not have been misinterpreted. I know that many in our fellowship do not hold to to the confessional view of the sabbath. My conviction has changed in that area, and my heart was thrilled to hear Doug articulate his position from the pulpit. Our church is continually reforming, so I expect (and pray!) for change in this area.

__________________
Bill Brown
Elder
Reformed Baptist
Maryland

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Praise God.

__________________
Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
Facebook - The Calvinist Vent
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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 too pray that our congregation and officers continue to reform. In the meantime, I cringe as "Easter" and the "Easter Resurrection Egg Hunt" for the kids on that day approaches.

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Michael Masztal
Ruling Elder, Chapel By The Sea, ARP
Melbourne Beach, FL

Seriously Michael?

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Benjamin P. Glaser, M. Div, Licentiate, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Member Fairmount ARP Church
Pittsburgh, PA

Deo Vindice

Dead serious. I'm a new elder on the session. I had been in the OPC for most of my Chrisitan walk (with a short time in the PCA). At my first session meeting I brought the egg hunt and how it dishonored God citing the 4th commandment and how it was clearly a form of pagan syncretism. With the exception of one other elder, there was no support to discontinue it.

Since the "egg hunt" is a tradition at the church, I didn't really think I could have it abolished, so I tried to have it moved to a Wednesday when we have our Bible studies and dinner, but that was a no go.

I was advised by others on the session to leave it alone until next year.

Patience.

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Jonathan Hunt

Elder holding forth the word of life at:
Cheltenham Evangelical Free Church (Confessionally Based)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
-- Thomas Elsworth

There are so many unbiblical practices in Christian churches today. Reformation is often a slow and arduous process. I don't mean to be self-serving, but consider the history of my church.

1. Founded in 2000 as a free will leaning Baptist church; Amyraldian at best, with only one Calvinist...me.

2. 2002 - Pastor confesses Calvinism. Church ordains four elders. Three are professed Calvinists.

3. 2005 - One elder denies the inerrancy of scripture and resigns.

4. 2006 - Teaching and preaching ministries of the church become decidedly Calvinistic and covenantal. One elder cannot abide Calvinism and resigns. Two elders are left, and both are Calvinists.

5. 2007 - Discussion begins on becoming a confessional church.

6. 2008 - One elder adopts the confessional view of the sabbath (me!). Discussion about being a confessional church turns into plans to do so. Began teaching the 1689 LBC during Sunday school.

7. 2009 - Pastor goes on record about the confessional view of the sabbath. Church becoming confessional is imminent. Preaching/teaching is continuing in the reformed tradition.

Reforming a church takes time. It's sad to hear of once strong reformed churches being in need for reformation themselves.

8. 20__ - Elders and Pastors embrace Reformed Paedobaptism and Presbyterian Church Government, thus becoming Reformed for real.

Now, play nice, Josh.

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We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lawrence Underwood, Jr.
Pastor - Providence Family Fellowship / Mobile, Alabama
1644/46 LBC
My Blog - Imprimis

T'was.

Your pastor obviously never had to nurse a baby at his breast.

I admit that I don't have this whole subject figured out. But after four babies I know with certainty that the sabbath is no rest from routine duties for many Moms. Often it is the hardest day of the week with services thrown into the mix.

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Lynnie

PCA

Central NJ

Josh, I won the bet I made with myself. I bet myself a Rita's Italian ice that YOU would be the first one to make a paedo recommendation.

Thanks, brother. Now I can buy myself that wild cherry Italian ice!

, but .

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soli Deo gloria!
~Nicholas~ Ordained Pastor
Member, Fulton PCA; GPTS Student
Christians are like snow covered dung; it is the purity of the covering which the Father sees. -Luther-
There is nothing more ugly than a Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion.
-Francis Schaeffer-

And by by do you mean you can bypass it, or did you mean buy? It's okay. The more you reform, the better grammarian and speller you'll become as well. (totally joking)

With all due respect, his pastor did mention works of necessity.

Ahh . . . I see you corrected it.

Correct.

Josh, I'm on the road and using my iPhone. It's prone to typos. I usually go back over my posts and edit as needed. No foul.

Lynnie, you're jumping to the wrong conclusion. As others said, my pastor mentioned works of necessity. Nursing an infant is certainly a work of necessity.

Very exciting to hear!

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Bryan Peters
Providence Reformed Church (URCNA)
Des Moines, Iowa

Doctrinal truth should be preached always, openly, without compromise, and never dissembled or concealed. There is no offence in it; it is the staff of uprightness.
~Martin Luther~

Glad that God is making this admittedly difficult commandment to keep more clear. Remember also, there is blessing in obedience.

Few things will affect the way you actually live out the Christian life before others more than observing the sabbath and tithing/offering. Others will notice, and God will use that... for His Honor and His Glory.

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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 didn't think for one second you or he were criticizing nursing Moms!!

I am talking about the word REST

as in this......observe an holy rest all day

Try that with four boys ages 0/1-3,5,7 and up. And church meant getting ready and then maybe 3 hours or more out of the house if you do Sunday school. Baby naps get all fouled up. Sunday was a hard day when they were little.

I NEVER saw Sunday as a rest with little kids, never. I have come to see the word as a rest from economic trade and regular Mon-Sat labor. (And my hub is as helpful as they come.)

What I really appreciate in retrospect is the few people who used to invite us all for dinner and insist I not make anything. That was nice. I've tried to return that over the years. Often people have said it is so nice that we invited a whole family to dinner, not just the parents. ( well of course! but it does not always happen). I've had numerous Moms say they never get invited anywhere and how nice it is to go to dinner Sunday and not have to cook.

Maybe this is a burr under my saddle......but I'd like to see men who talk about the sabbath rest do everything in their power to give Moms a break that day. How about the men announce they will cover all the nursery duty? My hub does a nursery rotation and mine are grown up now. How about more men doing Sunday school, instead of the Moms always having to do it once a month or whatever. How about Moms never ever ever have to be on duty for the Sunday PM service and the men do nursery every week?

OK, tell me I'm negative and cynical, yeah, I am. It is just that in my experience with a few exceptions like my own DH, the louder they talk about the sabbath rest, they less they intervene to see that Moms at church get one. And if I am wrong about anybody here I apologize. This subject pulls my triggers!! My own dear pastor, when he has had somebody else preaching for a special evening service, has gone in the nursery and rocked crying babies to sleep. God bless the ones with that heart.

I suspect that Lynnie recognizes nursing as a work of necessity, but is questioning how the Sabbath is a rest for her and other moms whose work doesn't seem to stop on Sunday.

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Eric
Woodgreen Presbyterian (PCA)
Calgary, Alberta CANADA

Because by rest it doesn't mean "take a nap, lounge around, etc."

It means to rest from the duties and recreations that are done all the other 6 days of the week. So we rest from our worldly employments (that aren't works of necessity and mercy), we rest from doing our own pleasures (i.e. things that are not unlawful in and of themselves, but things that aren't conducive toward the setting aside a whole day of worship unto the Lord).

So the Lord gives us 6 days to do all these other lawful things, so that on one day in seven, we gather collectively for worship, perform works of mercy and necessity, etc. all of which are things that are geared toward setting aside the day as holy, hallowed, etc. Certainly nursing a child is an act of necessity, and points to Christian charity and duty.

Josh, thanks!

It means to rest from the duties and recreations that are done all the other 6 days of the week

That's my point. Moms of babies and toddlers do not rest from duties. Not unless the men take over

Lynnie,

Poor communication both ways.

The rest we have on the Sabbath is clearly seen in Genesis 2.

God did not cease to uphold creation by His mighty hand on the seventh day. God ceased in His creation of the physical universe and sanctified (made holy) the seventh day as a day of rest. What type of rest?

Our rest is found in Christ. Our ultimate rest is to reign with Christ in glory. For now, our rest is found in Him. This was the rest that the creation narrative pointed towards.

Harden your hearts from what? From unbelief. Unbelief in who? Christ. The Sabbath rest for man is faith in Christ.

So, the Sabbath day rest is not a necessarily a physical rest; although a physical rest may be absolutely necessary for some. Our rest is setting aside our worldly endeavors to focus on Christ. It is a spiritual rest.

P.S. I am not debating the duties of mothers, or fathers on the Sabbath. Fathers should be leading family worship and be just as involved in caring for their children as mothers. The husband is also responsible for making sure his wife is being spiritually nourished.

Well didn't you know, the sabbath rest is not for women. They have to cook and all that you mentioned. Like the OT priest and pastors now they work that day

See read closely
Ex 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. NKJV

It says, you or your son or your daughter, even female servants and ox but nothing about your wife.
So wives don't get a sabbath rest.

You keep nursing the important covenant children!!

__________________
DonP

I think the wife is included in the you portion of the commandment, Friend.

Please tell me this was said in jest.

All wives???

Wow God is merciful in the NT

I thought it was funny!

Seriously, I am in a PCA church which some of you might think rather slack about the sabbath. Some guys watch Sunday football and some folks go out to eat after church. We do have an evening service 5-6.

But it is just great how many men we've gotten to do nursery duty. Moms still do a lot, but the percentage is higher than most churches I've been in. And the ones I can think of who give Moms a rest go home and watch baseball games. May God bless them!!!

If you want to be a guy who is into the strict observance of the 4th command, get on the Sunday school rotation. And start inviting familes over Sunday night and tell your wife she isn't doing one single thing! Buy bags of salad and a box of ice cream the day before, and grill some chicken or hotdogs. Insist that you do it all. Guys, you catch more flies with honey...start giving Moms a sabbath and you'll see God move. Just my .

Absolutely! Great exhortation. As was the one in your previous post about not just men, but all the family helping out mom on the Lord's day.

I encourage my wife to prepare some dish ahead. We usually only have one meal on the Lord's day.
We help with dishes and any necessities that day
and I help her most by telling her she can wait to do that till tomorrow!!
What can I say my flesh is weak!!

We invite people over a lot and careful to do older folks, but I hadn't thought of multi-kid moms as a special group to consider on a Lord's day for those reasons. Great reminder.

Our church takes good care of new moms, brings meals, my wife goes and cleans their houses for them.
So if you multi-kid moms if you want help from us, you have to have another kid, then we will help out for a few weeks.

Josh only made it first because my new job keeps me secluded from my computer most of the time now. But I am glad that he was here to pick up my slack.

__________________
James Helbert, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

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You were my second choice. But you would have yielded a stale pack of gum. I'm glad Josh beat you to it.