Going out to eat on Sunday

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What about "working" in the sense that you're serving your neighbor in some way...helping him move, paint, tear down a fence, etc? Do we say "no" to "working" on Sundays even when it means serving our non-believing friends? How about inviting them over to watch a football game at your house? Or a BBQ? Some of us work on Saturdays, and Sundays are our only day to hang out and celebrate life with our friends.
 
Dear Batman,

Your complaint that working on Saturday only leaves you with Sunday to hang out with friends was covered by God with the, "six days you shall labor" part of the commandment. We ARE supposed to work on Saturdays.

Superheros may be exempt from ceasing to work on Sundays anyway, though. Most churches make exceptions for police, firefighters, etc. So long as your works are acts of service, I think you're OK.
 
Originally posted by Batman
What about "working" in the sense that you're serving your neighbor in some way...helping him move, paint, tear down a fence, etc? Do we say "no" to "working" on Sundays even when it means serving our non-believing friends? How about inviting them over to watch a football game at your house? Or a BBQ? Some of us work on Saturdays, and Sundays are our only day to hang out and celebrate life with our friends.

We should not disobey God's command to refrain from our works and recreations on the Sabbath to please men. If your neighbor needs help on Sunday, one could just as easily use the opportunity to show the difference of Christianity from the rest of the world by refraining from work. I am in now way discouraging helping people, but if at all possible, not on the Lord's day.

I myself work six days a week. That is the biblical principle. Work 6, rest 1. That has never changed. I in fact think that it is dishonoring to regularly work 5, devote 1 to self, and 1 to the Lord. This is not the biblical model. The Lord has given us 6 days to do all our work, and recreate, and graciously given us 1 day of rest from those activities. We must realize that this is for our benefit, and out of obedience to this command, glory will be brought to the Lord, and we will rejuvenate ourselves.

Serving our non-believing friends should always be done. That being said, the Lord's day is not one of work, but there are many other ways in which you could "serve" them. Share the gospel with them. Discuss Christ and the rest that only he can provide. The Westminster Confession here is useful, as it limits these activities to acts of "necessity and mercy." Acts of necessity are like feeding your animals. The bible explicitly says that this is to be done regardless of what day it is. Mercy should also be provided when situations present themselves. Football games do not fall under these categories.

The Sabbath is mainly a day of worship, not celebrating our "life with our friends." Homage to God is due explicitly on this day. We must keep him in all our thoughts and deeds. The rest of the week should fit the situations you have provided.

Blessings,
 
thank you for your insight, but I don't share your view. I fully respect it, but don't agree.

celebrating my life with my friends, kids, etc...is in my view, not only an act of worship, but also paying homage to God. For example, going surfing with my buddies and praising God upon the waves is not only restful to me, but also an opportunity for me to worship God. Playing soccer with my kids on Sunday is relaxing, and also an opportunity to praise God for my kids, health, creation, etc. I do my best not to "work" on Sundays, but if a buddy asks me to move a couch with him on the Sabbath, I'm not going to say, "I can't help you today, but let me tell you about Jesus, instead." That is not the message I want to send my non-believing neighbors about my faith. I realize many, if not most, on this site will disagree with me, and I'm fine with agreeing not to agree on this issue.
 
Danny,
I used to have the very same convictions that you seem to have....


and I still do. I love the sabbath.

(Whispering: except I'm a seventh dayer, so I try not to work on Saturday but this frees me to move my Sunday keeping brother's refrigerator while hes praying and reading his scriptures.)
 
I'm not sure the answer was adequately given yet.

We eat at home, and use electricity to use the stove, microwave, slow cooking pot, by the electricity, and use electricity for refrigeration.

Now really, this is an act of convenience because of the time period in which we live. 200 years ago and previous there was no "refrigeration in every home, or electricity.

Should we then shut off the breakers on Saturday night? (That would be horrible for people living in Florida without air conditioning!)

How much of the commandment do you think applies to that situation?

Are we begging the question based on convenience?

Remember, I'm definitely not tossing the 4th command as you all probably know. Just making us think through it a bit more.
 
Originally posted by webmaster
I'm not sure the answer was adequately given yet.

We eat at home, and use electricity to use the stove, microwave, slow cooking pot, by the electricity, and use electricity for refrigeration.

Now really, this is an act of convenience because of the time period in which we live. 200 years ago and previous there was no "refrigeration in every home, or electricity.

Should we then shut off the breakers on Saturday night? (That would be horrible for people living in Florida without air conditioning!)

How much of the commandment do you think applies to that situation?

Are we begging the question based on convenience?

Remember, I'm definitely not tossing the 4th command as you all probably know. Just making us think through it a bit more.

Using electricity is not doing business on the Sabbath (unless you pay the electricity bill). Causing unbelievers to work is one issue. I honestly don't know where I stand on this yet, in light of Kline's (et al) view of the 4th commandment as sacramental. However, one thing I believe is sinful (and explicitly stated in scripture and the WCF) is trading, or doing business. This is engaging oneself in work on the Sabbath.

The way I look at it, if the Nehamiah's admonition is valid, no business can be done on Sunday.

NEH 13:15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

:2cents:
 
Originally posted by Matthew French
These conversations always degenerate into, "Well, what about doing this on Sunday?" The electric and gas companies are always dragged into them as well. Rather than wrangle over how far of an extreme we should take things to, why don't we rather do what's easy: Don't work and don't personally ask other people to work for you.

If it is wrong for you to work on Sunday then how on earth can you sit in a restaurant and ask a nice young lady who wasn't at church at 11:30 a.m. to bring you another cup of coffee at 12:30 p.m.?

My antenna goes up whenever I hear people dismiss anything because it's difficult to deal with the extreme circumstances. The homeless, for instance, is an extreme example. Using electricity is an extreme example. Soliciting the personal services of someone who should not be working on the Lord's day is putting a stumbling block right in front of him. Without forgiveness from God, he WILL be be held guilty for the work that you requested he do. That's an easy one, to my mind.

By the way, regarding the "restaurants are going to be open anyway" argument... Restaurants are packed to the gills with people coming from church. If all the Christians took this commandment seriously you would see restaurants closing left and right on Sundays.

Regarding the "my wife needs rest, too" argument. Good point, maybe you could help her.

:welcome: Glad to see another fellow Toledoan.
 
Jeff,

Would it not be doing business on the Sabbath to use their electricity?

If I use their electricity, and then just "pay it" another time, how is this not indirectly "doing business" for goods I need to use on the Sabbath?

Would it fall under necessity?


Using electricity is an extreme example.

Of course it is an extreme example that every single one of us has to deal with. Though it is an extreme example, it still is, unfortunately, an example.

Or is it?

Don't work and don't personally ask other people to work for you.

I'm with you on this, please do not think I'm not. I'm just stirring the pot as to how far our comfort level goes and how far we "really" take the commandment, if I can say, seriously.

How serious are we with ALL examples? :detective:

[Edited on 5-28-2005 by webmaster]
 
I believe utility services such as electricity, telephone, gas, water, cable, internet all fall under "works of necessity." Yes, it is true that none of these services existed 200 years ago. People can survive without any of them.

However, the purpose of the Sabbath is not to bring man back to the level of the Stone Age. With the telephone I can have a godly conversation with a long-distance friend or family member; with electricity I can use light to read my Bible, cook a meal for my wife, and not worry about extremes in heat or cold for my family; with cable I can check the Weather Channel when I see potential funnel clouds outside; with the internet I can engage in godly conversation with my Puritan Board brethren. With a modern, gas-filled car I can drive to church instead of walking.

Do these things count as unncessary works because they were not available to generations before? Certainly temptations exist with respect to some or fall of these services to use them in ways that go beyond works of mercy or necessity. However, true Sabbath-keeping is not about an Amish-style withdrawal from the world. Just as the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath, so likewise the things of this world may be used to promote Sabbath-keeping rather than be an occasion of stumbling blocks.

[Edited on 5-28-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]
 
Originally posted by crhoades
Without getting into all of the ins and outs of this discussion so far as to the levels one will actually do something on the sabbath...

A very practical suggestion for people who are trying to keep it:
Slow cookers/crock pots...Put a roast in the night before. Cook chili in it. soups...We have a great cook book with a ton of slow cooker recipes. Come home from church and a hot meal is already waiting. It also makes it easy to have people over after church. :2cents:

Also...use paper plates and styrofoam cups too for less clean-up hassles.

[Edited on 5-27-2005 by crhoades]

Excellent suggestions, Chris! :up:
 
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
I believe utility services such as electricity, telephone, gas, water, cable, internet all fall under "works of necessity." Yes, it is true that none of these services existed 200 years ago. People can survive without any of them.

However, the purpose of the Sabbath is not to bring man back to the level of the Stone Age. With the telephone I can have a godly conversation with a long-distance friend or family member; with electricity I can use light to read my Bible, cook a meal for my wife, and not worry about extremes in heat or cold for my family; with cable I can check the Weather Channel when I see potential funnel clouds outside; with the internet I can engage in godly conversation with my Puritan Board brethren. With a modern, gas-filled car I can drive to church instead of walking.

Does these things count as unncessary works because they were not available to generations before? Certainly temptations exist with respect to some or fall of these services to use them in ways that go beyond works of mercy or necessity. However, true Sabbath-keeping is not about an Amish-style withdrawal from the world. Just as the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath, so likewise the things of this world may be used to promote Sabbath-keeping rather than be an occasion of stumbling blocks.

[Edited on 5-28-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]

Thanks for saying it better than I could! :lol:
 
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