What do Puritan Board members think about applicability of the Fourth Commandment, Exodus 20:8-11, restated Deuteronomy 5:12-15?

Ordinarily, not including emergency or unusual situations involving works of necessity or mercy, what is required by the Fourth Commandment?

According to the Westminster Larger Catechism (with which I agree fully)

Question 116: What is required in the fourth commandment?

Answer: The fourth commandment requires of all men the sanctifying or keeping holy to God such set times as he has appointed in his Word, expressly one whole day in seven; which was the seventh from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, and the first day of the week ever since, and so to continue to the end of the world; which is the Christian sabbath, and in the New Testament called the Lord's day.

Question 117: How is the sabbath or the Lord's day to be sanctified?

Answer: The sabbath or Lord's day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to betaken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God's worship: and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.

Question 119: What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?

Answer: The sins forbidden in the fourth commandment are, all omissions of the duties required, all careless, negligent, and unprofitable performing of them, and being weary of them; all profaning the day by idleness, and doing that which is in itself sinful; and by all needless works, words, and thoughts, about our worldly employments and recreations.

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Rev. Adam King
Minister in the RPCNA
Pastor-Elect awaiting installation at Trinity Reformed Church
Wichita, KS

This is my argument for why the Sabbath continues today.

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Rev. Lane Keister
Teaching Elder, PCA, North Dakota (working out of bounds in a CRC and an RCA church)
http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com
http://brahmsgreenglove.blogspot.com
http://accenttranslation.blogspot.com
Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

The recreation category still needs to be further defined.


I shun organized sports and activities on Sunday and yet recreation with family is nothing more than family time and being with the ones you love and should not be clumped with Soccer League after church.

I hold out that some recreation is actually rest, such as me and my son chasing lizards and me going for a jog on Sunday.

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

HA! My own conscience convicts me and makes me spell it wrong I guess! It's corrected.

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

First option.

To "remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy" is to do so on the other six days. Part of the preparation is making every effort to wise use of the 144 hours the Lord has so generously given us for our own employments and recreations so as to conclude that business by the close of the day prior.

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~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
Substitute Teacher
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

*EDIT*

What is meant by advanced preparation?

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DAVIDIVS DOCTVS VTRIVSQVE LINGVAE
Husband of Emilia
Member: First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Durham (RPCNA) - Durham, NC
Currently in the process of transferring membership to an as-yet-undecided church in Chapel Hill
Student: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, German Literature and Classics

I chose the first choice, although I think the need for preparation in advance needs to take Matthew 12 into account (it's strange that the disciples didn't gather enough food the day before). Also, I think taking a walk on the Sabbath is acceptable while organized sports are not. There's a bunch of recreation in between those that two activities that I'm not sure about.

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Scott Roper
Member, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA): "A bunch of hippie Calvinists"
Winston-Salem, NC

The answer to your question may be related to the way in which Exodus looks (back) at Creation in preface to the Command, whereas Deuteronomy looks at redemption (forward) in preface to the Command. The Sabbath respresents two benefits- creation and redemption.

Also, in the Old Testament times the day before the Sabbath was often called the Preparation Day. They prepared in advance for it so as to not be distracted from observing it by getting done ordinary tasks beforehand. (cf John 19:31, Mark 15:42)

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Scott
PCA
North Carolina

Such as preparing all meals for Sunday on Saturday.

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Ivan Schoen, Pastor * Maranatha Baptist Church, Poplar Grove, IL * http://maranatha-sbc.org/

"I want to assist churches and to assist pastors in training pastors. But, after fourteen years of service in this capacity, I am absolutely certain that the finest theological seminary on earth is absolutely incompetent at replicating the actual life of a Gospel congregation. I want to train a generation of pastors who will train pastors, and I want to help them in that task." --- Dr. R. Albert Mohler, President of THE Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

Okay, I was wondering whether "preparation" meant necessary tasks or some kind of spiritual meditation/contemplation.

I think it is relatively clear from the historical data that the drafters of the Confession were talking about "recreations" such as bear-baiting and other things in the "Book of Sports" published and ramrodded by King James, and not walking, etc.

I would argue by modern application we should not watch NFL games (for example), but may walk with our kids, etc.

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Fredrick T. Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

It all seems like Judaism to me.....Don't hurt me!

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Richard W. Roldan "Ricky"
Member and Teacher of Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada Berea (PCA)
Winter Haven, FL./ Under Care of the Southwest Presb.(PCA)

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,...” Jesus

" I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel," Paul

Not meaning to hurt you, but would it "seem like Judaism" to you if a discussion was had with respect to what it means to keep the 5th commandment (i.e. who are my father and mother? what does honor mean?) or the ninth (what does it mean to bear false witness?) ?

You forgot NASCAR, Golf, & Baseball.

I agree that historically recreation was referring to the "Book of Sports" and other such things. If it forbade all things that might be considered recreation I wouldn't be allowed to memorize my Bible. And such a definition of recreation would ultimately reduce to subjectivism. I think Isaiah 58:13 & 14 are a good rule for what to do on the Sabbath.

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Chris Thomas | SBC-Founders | Fairbanks, AK

Q. How many things are necessary for thee to know, that thou, enjoying this comfort, mayest live and die happily?
A. Three, the first, how great my sins and miseries are, the second, how I may be delivered from all my sins and miseries, the third, how I shall express my gratitude to God for such deliverance.

Blog: http://johngillisdead.blogspot.com/

No

I voted "Abstain from work but not not advance preparation or abstaining from recreation."

However, as others have stated "recreation" is a pretty broad term. We'll go for walks or I'll go for a run on a Sunday, but I wouldn't feel okay about organized team sports for instance.

The same goes for "advance preparation." We prepare in advance by doing our shopping on Saturday and making sure that the car is filled with gas etc.. , so that this doesn't need to happen on the Sabbath, but my wife doesn't pre-make meals.

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Eric
Woodgreen Presbyterian (PCA)
Calgary, Alberta CANADA

So then your position is that the 4th commandment is not as "good" as the other 9, right? It only is subject to "Judaizing?"

Not that its not as good but that its shadow is fulfilled in Christ. Why are we even calling it a Sabbath anyways when its the Lord's Day? It wasn't changed from Saturday to Sunday for no reason and why are we puting back a shadow on top of the reality? Do you guys also have a cut off time like at 6pm or something that would only be consistent sabbath law requirements, I just think option #1 goes way to far. I agree with Calvin on this