Meditations on the sabbath this Lord's Day

[Scott1]

We do well to recognize that God's people are not as conscious of the Christian sabbath, the Lord's Day, in this generation as they were in the last. And, more, to know that many rationalize away their not keeping it, under all sorts of imagined pretexts.

So, while not ordinarily eating out in restaurants, causing others to earn their living for our convenience and hindering them from keeping the command might seem "legalistic" to one who does not want to be so constrained, it is at the heart of obedience to that command.

It is also related to loving one's neighbor.

The Westminster Confession Chapter XXI summarize the doctrine of Scripture to include the ordinary advance preparation and abstaining from work and recreation all the day, by words, thoughts and actions so that the worship of God, individual, family and corporate is prioritized all the day.

Mercy and necessity as to the works themselves are established as part of the command.

The Westminster Larger Catechism at Question 121 also summarizes the doctrine of Scripture, in saying that the keeping of it helps us to “better to keep all the rest of the commandments,” and that “there is less light of nature for it,” and that “Satan with his instruments labours much to blot out the glory, and even the memory of it, to bring in all irreligion and impiety.”

Scripture tells it is a delight.

That is experienced with obedience, and with the practical effect on our behavior that makes the day "holy," that is set apart.

And, like all the commandments, it shows the disobedience that is in man's hearts, and the utter resentment that flows from the claim of a holy God upon the time and actions of His creatures.

Somehow, I believe many believers who have gone before us practiced and affirmed all of this in their day. All, in not being more strict than the Scripture commands.

We would do well to do the same in ours.

 

[jwithnell]

"Are we criminals? We're breaking the law! Six days you should rest and on the seventh labor?" This is the barrage I heard from my son while going by Home Depot this morning to pick up pavement salt needed for us to be able to hold worship services (safely) this morning. It's hard to explain works of necessity to an autistic son, although it does please me to know how much he pays attention to the law.

 

[Pittzburghkid]

Interesting thoughts. Should you fill your car with gas? Donuts? Should you stop buy the store and get the potatoes you forgot for the stew you are preparing for a Sunday evening fellowship dinner? Is that better than eating out? If your friends oxen falls into a Starbucks should you not help him pull it out?

 

[Scott1]

Keep in mind the heart of the fourth commandment.

Exodus 20

8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10But 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:

11For 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.

Work six days, rest one.

Make the one day "holy" set apart from the rest of the days so that the worship of God may be prioritized all day. That includes, ordinarily abstaining from work and recreation, and preparing in advance.

Interesting thoughts. Should you fill your car with gas?Ordinarily that is engaging in commerce so, no. Make sure that is taken care of by Saturday night. Donuts? You should never fill your car with donuts. (ha, ha). Refrain from buying, ordinarily, on the sabbath. Should you stop buy the store and get the potatoes you forgot for the stew you are preparing for a Sunday evening fellowship dinner?Why were you careless to prepare for the sabbath? Is that better than eating out? Ordinarily, eating out on the Lord's Day causes others to work for your convenience on their Lord's Day, or because of your carelessness. If your friends oxen falls into a Starbucks should you not help him pull it out?Help him retrieve the oxen you come across, skip buying coffee.

Remember, keeping the holiness of the sabbath involves thoughts, words and deeds. There are exceptions for things that are in and of themselves necessary to be done at that time. But a good faith attempt to obey God in this is not trying to imagine every exception to try and get out of it.

Here's a book you may find helpful in understanding this:
http://www.ligonier.org/store/the-lords-day-paperback/

 

[J. Dean]

How do you who keep the Sabbath account for Calvin stating that the Sabbath was abolished?

 

[Bethel]

Keep in mind the heart of the fourth commandment.

Exodus 20

8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10But 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:

11For 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.

Work six days, rest one.

Make the one day "holy" set apart from the rest of the days so that the worship of God may be prioritized all day. That includes, ordinarily abstaining from work and recreation, and preparing in advance.

Interesting thoughts. Should you fill your car with gas?Ordinarily that is engaging in commerce so, no. Make sure that is taken care of by Saturday night. Donuts? You should never fill your car with donuts. (ha, ha). Refrain from buying, ordinarily, on the sabbath. Should you stop buy the store and get the potatoes you forgot for the stew you are preparing for a Sunday evening fellowship dinner?Why were you careless to prepare for the sabbath? Is that better than eating out? Ordinarily, eating out on the Lord's Day causes others to work for your convenience on their Lord's Day, or because of your carelessness. If your friends oxen falls into a Starbucks should you not help him pull it out?Help him retrieve the oxen you come across, skip buying coffee.

Remember, keeping the holiness of the sabbath involves thoughts, words and deeds. There are exceptions for things that are in and of themselves necessary to be done at that time. But a good faith attempt to obey God in this is not trying to imagine every exception to try and get out of it.

Here's a book you may find helpful in understanding this:
The Lord's Day: Dr. Joseph Pipa Jr. - Book - Christian Living, Controversies in the Church, Sabbath | Ligonier Ministries Store

This is very sound advice. I would also highly recommend The Lord's Day by Pipa. This book has changed the way our family views the worship of God on Sunday in light of the 4th commandment.

 

[nwink]

How do you who keep the Sabbath account for Calvin stating that the Sabbath was abolished?

Could you please quote the section of Calvin you're referring to?

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Calvin in his sermon on Deuteronomy 5:12-14 may utter the phrase "the Sabbath Day is abolished", but Calvin only means in its outward, Jewish, ceremonial aspects. The principle is still in effect. That is why in the same sermon he says things like:

Thus we see how the things that are ordained here concerning the Sabbath day are now fulfilled, at least with respect to the truth of the figure that the fathers had only as a shadow. In fact, what was commanded about the day of rest must also apply to us as well as to them. For we must take God’s law as it is and thus have an everlasting rule of righteousness. For it is certain that in the Ten Commandments God intended to give a rule that should endure forever. Therefore, let us not think that the things which Moses says about the Sabbath day are unnecessary for us not because the figure remains in force, but because we have the truth represented by the figure.

For this reason, the Apostle (in Heb 4.3-10) applies the things that were spoken about the Sabbath to the instruction of the Christians of the new Church. He shows us that we must imitate our God in whom reside happiness and perfection, because the entire sovereign welfare (or highest good) of man consists in being created in the image of God. What is to be done now, since the image is defaced by sin, so that it can be restored again? You know that the way for us to attain to perfection is to model ourselves after our God, yield to his will, and inquire about his works so that we may act like him. Therefore, let us understand that to serve God well we, on the Sabbath Day, are commanded to strive to the uttermost to subdue our own thoughts and desires so that God may reign in us and rule us by his Holy Spirit.

Therefore it is a vain thing for all hypocrites to ignore this requirement to be holy and to rationalize their actions. For as long as the wicked have covetousness lurking in their hearts and as long as they are full of envy, spite, ambition, cruelty, or craftiness, it is certain that they do nothing other than break the Sabbath. Therefore we must conclude that they throw out service to God just as I showed before from Ezekiel, and as it is said in Jeremiah (Jer 17.24). This is the reason that the ceremony was so carefully prescribed under the Law.

 

[Scott1]

How do you who keep the Sabbath account for Calvin stating that the Sabbath was abolished?

You will find substantial evidence to suggest that, in practice, sabbaths in Geneva looked very much like those summarized by the Westminster Confession and London Baptist Confessions.

While the "Greatest Theologian," stands without equal to this day in the breadth of his biblical work, he is not infallible.

The question though is not what a particular theologian, even a great one, believed at a given point in his life, but what does the Holy Spirit, speaking through Scripture say to us?

Very clearly, God gave His creatures, ten commandments, which broadly summarize His moral law, binding on all men- in all generations.

That fact that, in every generation, men often do not want to obey them, points them to their need for Christ, restrains evil, and provides a mirror of what the life of God's people ought look like.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

How do you who keep the Sabbath account for Calvin stating that the Sabbath was abolished?

See the link in my signature to a Calvin article, the early part canvases literature showing Calvin's practical sabbatarian views; but see also this post.

 

[J. Dean]

This is the quote I refer to:

There were three reasons for giving this [fourth] commandment: First, with the seventh day of rest the Lord wished to give to the people of Israel an image of spiritual rest, whereby believers must cease from their own works in order to let the Lord work in them. Secondly, he wished that there be an established day in which believers might assemble in order to hear his Law and worship him. Thirdly, he willed that one day of rest be granted to servants and to those who live under the power of others so that they might have a relaxation from their labor. The latter, however, is rather an inferred than a principal reason.

As to the first reason, there is no doubt that it ceased in Christ; because he is the truth by the presence of which all images vanish. He is the reality at whose advent all shadows are abandoned. Hence St. Paul (Colossians 2:17) affirms that the Sabbath has been a shadow of a reality yet to be. And he declares else-where its truth when in the letter to the Romans, chapter 6:8, he teaches us that we are buried with Christ in order that by his death we may die to the corruption of our flesh. And this is not done in one day, but during all the course of our life, until altogether dead in our own selves, we may be filled with the life of God. Hence, superstitious observance of days must remain far from Christians.

The two last reasons, however, must not be numbered among the shadows of old. Rather, they are equally valid for all ages. Hence, though the Sabbath is abrogated, it so happens among us that we still convene on certain days in order to hear the word of God, to break the [mystic] bread of the Supper, and to offer public prayers; and, moreover, in order that some relaxation from their toil be given to servants and workingmen. As our human weakness does not allow such assemblies to meet every day, the day observed by the Jews has been taken away (as a good device for eliminating superstition) and another day has been destined to this use. This was necessary for securing and maintaining order and peace in the Church.

As the truth therefore was given to the Jews under a figure, so to us on the contrary truth is shown without shadows in order, first of all, that we meditate all our life on a perpetual Sabbath from our works so that the Lord may operate in us by his spirit; secondly, in order that we observe the legitimate order of the Church for listening to the word of God, for administering the sacraments, and for public prayers; thirdly, in order that we do not oppress inhumanly with work those who are subject to us. [From Instruction in Faith, Calvin's own 1537 digest of the Institutes of the Christian Religion, sec. 8, "The Law of the Lord"].

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[NaphtaliPress]

A reminder folks that we do not allow advocacy of unconfessional views.
http://www.puritanboard.com/f58/all-pb-members-please-read-51410/

 

[J. Dean]

A reminder folks that we do no allow advocacy of unconfessional views.
http://www.puritanboard.com/f58/all-pb-members-please-read-51410/

Fair enough. Submitting to my authorities, agreement or no..