Isaiah 58 and Recreation on the Sabbath

[Hamalas]

Hi all. I've recently been having some discussions with friends about what is acceptable to do on the sabbath. We agree that it is a holy day that is set apart by God for worship and rest. We agree that it is part of God's unchanging moral law. We agree that it is binding for the Christian and that we should neither work nor do things that would cause others to work unnecessarily (so we're not talking about watching a NFL game).

Where the disagreement comes in is over what is acceptable in terms of recreation on the sabbath.

Question number one: does Scripture forbid any type of recreation at all (i.e. talking about something that's not explicitly spiritual such as cooking, travel, our plans for the week, a story we were reading, etc... or moderate recreation such as having a family from church over for hospitality and playing a board game or a game of soccer with the kids in the backyard)?

Second question: does the Westminster Standards forbid any type of recreation at all?

I'm familiar with the language of the Confession and Catechisms, so I guess what I'm looking for is your interpretation of the Standards on this issue. Also, since Isaiah 58 seems to be the key passage in these discussions I think this article would help to express where one side is coming from: Does All Worship and No Play Make Jack a Holy Boy? Sabbath-keeping according to Isaiah 58:13 » It Is Written

Thoughts?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Seems like many who desire to rest in activities besides worship, necessity (including physical rest), and mercy can't help but accuse strict sabbatarians of being all about externals. As if the WCF actually taught that enforced "no play" constituted holy conformity to God's will.

Why not just admit they aim to do as they please? And they think "God is fine with that, especially if I make it a priority to get to a worship service, and devote a couple hours to making that a "big deal."

Children, in particular, need something to do while adults are profiting from some much-needed "down time." Parents and caregivers should apply themselves to supplying their charges with activities that "fit" the uniqueness of the day, that serve in some way the purposes of the day. The message should be that Sunday is different.

Fellowship is precious; I think it is obviously a work of mercy, of love. But maybe Monopoly® isn't the right way to express it on the Lord's Day, do you think? Is there no more intentional means of coming together in brotherhood and community than in the idle ways suitable to every other day in the week?

WCF 21:8, "...observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments, and recreations, but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy."

WLC 117-118

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 118: Why is the charge of keeping the sabbath more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors?
Answer: The charge of keeping the sabbath is more specially directed to governors of families, and other superiors, because they are bound not only to keep it themselves, but to see that it be observed by all those that are under their charge; and because they are prone ofttimes to hinder them by employments of their own.​

I think the Confessional position is clear.

 

[Hamalas]

So that answers question number two. What about question number one?

 

[TylerRay]

Ben,

I think that rather than giving a list of do's and don't's, Scripture simply tells us to keep the day holy. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy;" "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words."

The question isn't so much, "What may we do on the Lord's day?" The question is, "How can we sanctify the Lord's day?" If our activities are not holy (holy in the sense of separated from the common, rather than holy in the sense of separated from sin), merciful, or necessary, then our activities are not lawful (the same, of course goes for thoughts and words).

Since talk about cooking, travel, etc. is not usually separated unto the Lord, nor merciful, nor necessary, it's not usually lawful on the Lord's day.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

The Puritan expositions usually argue from the greater to the lesser; if our main weekday duty, our lawful laboring at our calling, is forbidden so we can devote time unto the Lord, so much more the lesser unnecessary things that similarly distract from the duties to worship God that day.

 

[Ryan J. Ross]

Re Isaiah 58, I know there are many Presbyterian ministers who either disregard adherence to WCF and WLC on this point or interpret "pleasure" as "business." I am no Hebraist, but I've never found that interpretation particularly persuasive. I'm curious if those so trained would speak to this. I think it would inform the OP.

 

[Romans922]

I've always attempted to examine my heart (and call others to examine theirs so it isn't about a list of do's and dont's) by asking, "Am I doing this for my own pleasure?" If I am then it is a breaking of the Sabbath day as holy either in motive or actual practice.


Another question (somewhat different question) I ask is, "If it is a necessary thing to do on the Sabbath (e.g. eating), is it possible to prepare in advance to limit or cut out any work involved to focus my time moreso on the Lord and His worship?"

 

[whirlingmerc]

I find if I read the Bible while I do aerobics, like a stationary bike it actually helps me thinking about it.
I think Jonathan Edwards might have found a walk in the woods helpful to meditation
So what of that sort of recreation

 

[Miss Marple]

"Since talk about cooking, travel, etc. is not usually separated unto the Lord, nor merciful, nor necessary, it's not usually lawful on the Lord's day. "

I find this line of thought somewhat grievous, as many are only able to fellowship with fellow Christian on Sunday. I cook as Christian, I travel as a Christian, I do everything as a Christian. For me to be able to converse freely with my fellows on Sunday is a great blessing, it seems to me. The few I've met who seem to think it's a sin to talk about anything but the means of grace directly (the sermon; their prayer life; Bible reading/stories) don't seem to be much conversing at all, but rather just speechifying. The conversation is awkward, stilted, often seems phony. I appreciate they are trying to please God but I don't think it's what He commands of us on Sundays. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Ryan J. Ross]

Miss Marple, are you coming to those conclusions based on any specific texts? However awkward holy, lawful communications may be, it is certainly to be preferred over your cooking and travel plans--wouldn't you agree? I ask that honestly without malice. In addition to "talking idly," Ephesians 4:29 has application on the Lord's Day. I wouldn't want to to sanctify my speech, if not related to the edification of the hearers.

 

[Miss Marple]

No Ryan, I'm not basing it on texts. Just my experience. I believe our speech should be sanctified at all times, of course. I am just disagreeing with the idea that we can only discuss the means of grace on Sundays.

I don't think that talking about our travel, or cooking, or whatever else is going on with us, is what is condemned as "doing our own pleasure" on Sundays. I am sharing what is going on with me, and listening to what is going on with others. We are communicating/talking. I think that's a large part of what fellowship is. I feel the notion that only the means of grace, or immediately necessary comments like "the bathroom is to the right," may be uttered, is a strange imposition on the Lord's Day and makes for weird and rather false communication.

I appreciate that your question is without malice; I did not take it so.

 

[Ryan J. Ross]

I'd also like to point out that while I understand and appreciate those who often speak of the benefits of avoiding Sabbath questions in terms of "do's and don'ts," I find it especially helpful to think in precisely these ways. For example, Romans 7:6–12ff demonstrates how serving God in newness of the Spirit relates to the law. Both old and new man are informed of the duty God requires of him by "thou shalt nots." The commandments are holy, just, and good; all of which are profitable when learning how to apply the fourth commandment on Sundays.

 

[senjui19]

Miss Marple, perfectly agree with you. Spiritual-only conversation on the Lord's Day borders on legalism. Just my 2 cents

 

[Tim]

WLC

Q. 119. What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. 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.

There are so many wonderful spiritual matters to discuss. Why would we not be delighted to have all of our words be of this kind on the Sabbath?

 

[Hamalas]

WLC

Q. 119. What are the sins forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. 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.

There are so many wonderful spiritual matters to discuss. Why would we not be delighted to have all of our words be of this kind on the Sabbath?

Tim, here's the issue for me (or at least one of the issues): I hope we do all delight to discuss spiritual things on the Lord's Day, but what exactly constitutes "spiritual" in this context? Only matters *explicitly* related to the Bible or salvation? Only the Sunday sermon or the Christian literature we are reading? I agree that such topics are wonderfully well suited to the Lord's day, and I seek to bring up those topics in a particular way in my conversation. But to say that anything that doesn't fall into these categories is a sin to discuss seems both extrabiblical (I can see no support for such a restriction) and counterproductive. By these restrictions if I had a couple over after church on Sunday I couldn't ask them how they met. I couldn't ask about where they went to school, what their interests are, where they're originally from, what their families are like, or anything that wasn't specifically spiritual. This creates a dichotomy that (as others has said) can border on legalism. I know that there are people who never discuss spiritual things on the Lord's day and who probably need some biblical encouragement to move beyond smalltalk and chit-chat in their Sabbath conversations, but to say that all conversations which are not exclusively spiritual are a sin doesn't seem required biblically or productive towards the goals of Christian fellowship, Christian delight, or Christian worship.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Let's stop throwing the L-word around. Use strict or too strict but to toss out the term legalism or near-legalism is a pejorative term and is not helpful.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I do notice that many conversations at church around jobs, kids, homes may be edifying in that they better inform the listeners what to pray for and convey interest and concern .... it's not necessarily so but more often than not in my experience, it seems people like to know what to pray for in people's situations and that touches on lots of aspects of life Often many people don't see each other often and it's one chance to get updated.... there is gossip... idle talk... and concerned exchange of information... not the same. Also as it says in Titus everything is sanctified by thanksgiving in a sense. A person might thank God for a wonderful restful needed vacation.... not exactly worldly

As far as excersise I sometimes work in scripture memory in with a gym workout in addition to Bible reading at aerobics
Same thing with driving a car... scripture memory cd's are great... today I drilled Hebrew vocabulary on the way to and from church

I do remember once reading the Bible at Gold's gym in the Atlanta area and someone form one of the largest mega church groups there (which I will not name) wanted to know why in the world someone would read the bible at gym which doing aerobics (instead of watching TV like most? I thought it an odd question) All of life is worship of one thing or another and we are to pray at all times in some sense and the scriptures should be with us in our coming and going in some sense.... gym included... had a great conversation with a Jehovah Witness last week on the treadmill

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I don't know what going to the gym has to do with what latitude we may or may not have in our Lord's day conversations. I'm also pretty sure that just because one can do something like meditating on God's Word while biking does not justify biking as a legitimate Lord's day activity.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I do allot of evangelism at the gym and does it matter if I read the Bible on a couch at home or on a bike at the gym?
Like many things I leave it to conscience I also have long commutes making excursive weekdays more limited than I would like and there is health consequence to not exercising As I said... the increase in blood flow at my age helps concentration. Not so sitting on a couch

 

[NaphtaliPress]

We are not talking about every day activities. If you are doing evangelism at the gym on the Lord's day you are not there to exercise and partake of the benefits of that business as you would on a week day, and as I say, just because you can meditate during some activity does not mean it is an activity in keeping with the fourth commandment.

 

[whirlingmerc]

And going for a walk on Sunday meditating and fellowshipping? Same because that could be done any day?

Part of the problem is I don't have time because of the long commute to exercise every day as long. So being able to excersise for a long time while reading is refreshing and I actually read the Bible much better than sitting on a couch at home reading due to the increased blood flow.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

We all have limitations but we find ways to frame the six days the Lord gave us rather than accommodate to ourselves the day the Lord reserves to Himself. There is not any recreation one could not justify from "what about a walk"? The exercise such as it is, food and rest needed, which we take on the Lord's day has one purpose, which is to allow us to be able to do the duties of the day. We refrain from our lawful recreations on the Lord's day as clearly expounded in the Westminster Standards.

 

[Pergamum]

I do allot of evangelism at the gym and does it matter if I read the Bible on a couch at home or on a bike at the gym?
Like many things I leave it to conscience I also have long commutes making excursive weekdays more limited than I would like and there is health consequence to not exercising As I said... the increase in blood flow at my age helps concentration. Not so sitting on a couch

I do allot of evangelism at the gym

I bet that is annoying to some people. How do they respond?


In the matter of exercise to "rest" one's body better for prolonged sitting, it seems a major factor is whether you are causing others to work due to your rest. A walk to clear one's mind is free, but gyms must hire employees for Sunday customers.

 

[Romans922]

And yet a walk itself is doing your own pleasure. Am I doing my own pleasure? Answer would have to be yes. Yes I am walking to get exercise. For who to get exercise? Myself. So you are doing it for yourself. It isn't a walking to worship a walking from worship, it is just a walk.

It is a walk of freeing the mind. The Lord doesn't want our mind free but filled with Him, delighting in Him. So again, Am I doing my own pleasure by freeing my mind? The answer again would have to be yes because you are doing what you want, not filling your mind with the Lord.

Part of the problem is I don't have time because of the long commute to exercise every day as long.

Exercise may be a good thing, but to do so on the Lord's day again is what, even from your answer it is doing your own pleasure. You are saying, "I don't have time to do as much on other days, so I do so on the Lord's day for longer." Is that a delighting in God? Well you may have some delight in God by doing it, but that's not the question. The question is are you doing your own pleasure? It seems again you are, you are wanting to get more exercise because the rest of the week you don't have as much time to do it. So you are doing your own pleasure on the Lord's Day. Instead as you say you exercise the other days, you should then abstain from exercising on the Lord's Day and focus your delighting in the Lord and not on your own body.

 

[VictorBravo]

The exercise such as it is, food and rest needed, which we take on the Lord's day has one purpose, which is to allow us to be able to do the duties of the day.

I like this expression because it is balanced and has focus.

And yet a walk itself is doing your own pleasure.

I'm not quite with you on this, Andrew. This afternoon I was sitting and reading through some of my Hebrew bible. My eyes got heavy and I felt very sluggish. I walked with my wife around the perimeter of our property, getting some fresh air and noting some quail darting into the rye-grass. In so doing I was refreshed enough to continue reading, meditating, and it had the side-benefit of allowing me to delight in God's creation.

Yes, the walk was pleasurable, but it had a purpose: an exercise to fortify and encourage me to be about my duties.

True, during my walk I was tempted to tighten a fence wire, or clean up some debris, but I didn't do it because that was not the purpose of the walk.

I think it is about focus and sense of purpose--does this activity sustain me in observing the Sabbath, or does it distract and hinder me?

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Thanks Vic; I don't own the idea; it is pure Puritanism.

In so doing I was refreshed enough to continue reading, meditating, and it had the side-benefit of allowing me to delight in God's creation.

Yes, the walk was pleasurable, but it had a purpose: an exercise to fortify and encourage me to be about my duties.

True, during my walk I was tempted to tighten a fence wire, or clean up some debris, but I didn't do it because that was not the purpose of the walk.

I think it is about focus and sense of purpose--does this activity sustain me in observing the Sabbath, or does it distract and hinder me?

In Nicholas Bownd’s work expounding the fourth commandment (which I hope to finish and send off to the book maker this week; all praise to the Lord and may He bless that teacher's work again), he spends quite a bit of space on meditation and Christian conferencing particularly suitable for the Lord’s day. He says we should meditate on both the Word and works of God. On the latter he dives into several of the psalms and then writes:

And this is part of that heavenly sermon which our Savior Christ makes unto the people in the mountain, as it is recorded by the evangelist St. Matthew, where He dehorts them from too much careful seeking after the things of this life, by the serious meditation upon God’s |412| providence over them; which that He might persuade them of, He shows it them by experience in those creatures of God, that were common before their eyes.
​

Therefore I say unto you, be not careful for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more worth than meat? and the body more than raiment? Behold, the fowls of the heaven, for they sow not, neither reap, nor carry into the barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they? And why care ye for raiment? Learn how the lilies of the field do grow; they labor not, neither spin. Yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow cast into the oven, shall He not do much more unto you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewith shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be ministered unto you (Matt. 6:25–33).

​

In all which words, we see how He draws His exhortation from the creatures to teach us that we should not be idle, and unprofitable beholders of them. But as the Lord most clearly manifests Himself unto us in them, so we (besides the present use of them) should open our eyes to behold that which the Lord offers unto us by them. For this cause the Lord Himself, after He had made the whole world in six days, rested the seventh, that by His own example He might stir up mankind to meditate upon the wonderful great frame, and everything in it, that he might give glory unto God that was due to Him for it, and serve Him carefully, that had so wonderfully provided everything for him.
​

…
​

He then concludes.

Therefore, if men will needs overlook their grounds upon the Lord’s Day (as sometimes they must), and be |414| dealing with their cattle, and talking about them; let their cogitation and speeches tend to this end; and then in so doing they may sanctify a part of the day. Otherwise they shall be as merely worldly upon that day, as in any others of the six. And indeed if we would thus bend our minds and pray to God for His Spirit, and use to do it [regularly do so], we should never want [lack] matter of profit to ourselves and others, in what estate and condition soever we were; about whatsoever we had to deal either in the day or in the night; at home or abroad; alone by ourselves or with others.
​

I say all that, to address the thread again. If in things necessary, and in merciful acts, such as the example given, we should turn them to a profitable use on the Lord’s day by meditating, conferring on and commending God’s Word and Works, how much more should we so direct and focus our social niceties, conversations, “askings after,” and all customary marks of our love for one another as well as the stranger, the same way? I just don’t think Johnny really has a problem in being too restrained on the Lord’s day. Our problem remains the opposite; we want to do our own things, don't like our time constrained; etc. If some folks simply come off too awkard, forced and robotic in trying to do this, at least give them the courtesy by acknowledging they are at least trying to guard the proper use of the day from doing our own pleasures.

 

[whirlingmerc]

As far as evangelism in the gym

I bet that is annoying to some people. How do they respond?

Had a fantastic conversation with a JW last week. It depends on how you do it.
While I could do evangelism any day, it is both spiritual and mericful so I have serious doubts the Westminster Divines would ban evangelism on Sunday
It's both an act of mercy and a spiritual act.

I believe the Eric Liddel would not run on Sunday for the Olympics, citing the Isaiah verse, but as a chemistry teacher with many kids to watch out for did agree to referee in the prisoner of war camp where he died for the kids there who played sports so they wouldn't accidentally kill each other on the Lord's day, showing at times there should be some flexibility.

 

[Cymro]

Our fathers got the coal in on the Saturday, drew water from the well on the Saturday,
polished the family shoes on the Saturday, the men even shaved on the Saturday for the Sabbath.
This was not being legalistic, pharasaical or "Jewish", but they ordered their lives so that they had
the maximum time on the Queen of days to draw out the sweet cordials that the Sabbath offered.
The saints should desire nothing else to leaven their conversations than the the grand subjects treated
upon the Lord's day. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one with another." A Sabbath of delight
in Christ, to rest in Christ and to improve spiritual fellowship one with another. Now that does not mean that
it precludes one from asking how a sick parent is progressing, or how new members are settling in,etc, but
these are asides mentioned in concern and etiquette. But the main thrust of fellowshiping should be on the
the spiritual level. "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." The only commandment with this injunction
to remember. Why? Because we have a tendency to forget, and leave things slip, or relax our watchfulness,
and so conversation deteriorates. It is a rare and delightful experience to be amongst a company of believers
between meetings and after meetings, and the talk has been so spiritually enlightening, profitable and warm,
that it has been a heaven on earth. The best way to keep the Sabbath holy is to be holy yourself, keeping your
own vineyard."On six days God feeds us, on the Sabbath He feasts us."

 

[Alan D. Strange]

I think that we sometimes get ourselves in a tangle over this matter that can be avoided. Namely, we read WLC 119, which is the negative, forgetting the positive (WLC 117) that has proceeded it.

WLC 117 instructs us with respect to sanctifying the day. It is a day set apart for holy resting so that all that we do should have that orientation. Thus we refrain from what we would ordinarily do on the other six days with respect to our worldly employments and recreations. Then, as WLC 119 completes that thought, we refrain from needless works, words, and thought about such. Notice it does not say we are to refrain from such simpliciter, but from needless works, words, and thoughts. We must let Scripture define what is needful.

It is needful that the minister address how business owners should conduct themselves in their professions as Christians. It is needful that I reflect on such and talk about it with my fellow saints. It is needful that I bring the light of God to bear on the whole of my life and discuss it in that light. If I have someone over on Sunday afternoon and am getting to know them, it is needful that they be able to "tell their story" of God's wonderful working in their life. If I am conducting a pastor's visit, or even inquiring as to how I might pray for someone else, I need to know about them and their lives. I could go on here, but this line of reasoning should be clear.

What would be not needful? Me planning, talking about, or conducting business or simply who won the game or is likely to win the game or my recipe for Beef Wellington. I think that it is not too hard to distinguish a needful bringing the light of God's Word to bear on all my life so that I might that much more glorify and enjoy Him and my pursuing the things of the other six days as if it is one of those days and not the Lord's Day. I do not understand this to mean some artificial and mechanical avoidance of anything about the rest of my life, however. It is needful to have it all in view on the Lord's Day in a proper way and not to have it in view in an improper way. I think that charity should prevail here and that we should remember that Christ is our Lord and we are not to lord it over each other in respect to this (Romans 14).

Peace,
Alan

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I suppose it is not incredible some folks can combine their exercise routines and do some sort of meditation and memory work at the same time; but it is not a sufficient argument that because one can means one should. This is true of meals and such like; but that does not mean we should prepare and enjoy an elaborate meal and spend the time exploring one's cooking craft on the Lord's day, simply because for some portion of it we can claim we are worshipping the Lord at the same time. One could easily justify, if one is not going to argue from the standpoint of the true doctrine of the fourth commandment, that because I'm able to do some private worship at the same time as some of my weekday labors, I can make up for some lost business work on the Lord's Day because I can give Him half or some portion of my focus at the same time. Let's make the Lord's Day laundry day and go to the laundromat; after all I can do some private acts of worship at the same time, and it is so hard to find the time during the week to do it.

The commandment is clear though as expounded by the Westminster Standards, that the Lord desires 100 percent of our devotion, not half if that to Him and half to our own desires and weekday affairs. And even while we engage as called for in acts of necessity and mercy, we don't forget what day it is and even while doing those acts we still have the purposes of the Lord's Day in view.