The fourth commandment says to work 6 days per week; what do you do on Saturday?

[Tim]

I believe the fourth commandment to be still binding upon Christians. This thread is not intended to discuss this issue.

Rather, I am interested in how one ought to use Saturday in order to properly obey the commandment. I know that we are to order our affairs and prepare for the Lord's Day (when work and recreation are not to be done). But what else?

Monday through Friday are clear, because most of us work regular hours. How ought we regard the 6th day of the week?

If one spent the whole of Saturday in family recreation (playing with children, family outing, etc), is that a violation of the 4th commandment because we are supposed to work 6 days?

Please don't say I am being legalistic. I just want to obey this commandment the best I can.

 

[jfschultz]

Some of the groups that advocated the 5 day work week held to the fourth commandment. Their argument was that with industrialization one worked so long for the employer on the 6 days, they were ended up "working" for themselves (buying food, clothing, etc.) on Sunday.

Indeed, it seems to me that I work 5 days for FedEx and one day for my family.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

See also this thread:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f40/impiety-5-day-work-week-exodus-20-9-a-35941/

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

I would note that "work" as intended in the Fourth Commandment is not confined to renumerative employment but rather all the regular employments of life, which does include recreation.

Many in certain professions (medical, for example) work three or four days (sometimes 12 hour shifts) and take three or four days off.

I think that Saturday is often a good day for recreation, provided other duties are not neglected and Sabbath preparations are made. Robert Harris, Westminster divine, was known to employ his Saturdays that way.

James Reid, Memoirs of the Lives and Writings of Those Eminent Divines, who Convened in the Famous Assembly at Westminster, Vol. 2, p. 17:

He was most exactly temperate in the use of all things, confining himself strictly to hours for food, sleep, labour, and recreation. He ate sparingly and seasonably, which had a strong tendency to preserve in him much vigour, even to a great age. His principal time for recreation was the afternoon of Saturday, when he would unbend his mind, and allow himself some harmless recreation, in order that he might be more vigorous for the important and deeply interesting work of the Lord's day.

Links and Downloads Manager - Educational Links - Memoirs of the Lives and Writings of Those Eminent Divines, who Convened in the Famous Assembly at Westminster (Vol. 2) -- James Reid - The PuritanBoard

 

[cih1355]

You could do housework or wash your car on Saturday.

 

[KMK]

Indeed, it seems to me that I work 5 days for FedEx and one day for my family.

Indeed. With 5 kids, a pastorship, a dog-breeding business and a full-time job, Saturdays are the hardest day of the week for me! My 'honey-do' list reads like the WLC!

 

[KMK]

The thrust of the 4th Commandment is that we are to get all of our affairs in order in 6 days, we are not to be slothful and lazy, so that one day in seven will be set apart completely and totally for the Worship of God and acts of mercy, etc. It does not mean, In my humble opinion, that you ought to have to do some form of work every Saturday, or every day off you may have from your gainful employment ... particularly if the yard's already mowed, the house is already clean, the ceiling fan's already fixed, yada yada yada. Ditto to Andrew.

My point is that when you have as many little ones running around as I do, there is no way the lawn is going to be already mowed or the ceiling fan already fixed. I was not trying to legalize the commandment. I fully recognize that there are those who might be able to get everything done in 5 days and relax on the 6th. More power to them.

 

[VictorBravo]

Answering the original question re what I do, I'm a lot like Ken. Last Saturday I tore out an old sink and rebuilt a countertop, the Saturday before that I built a pantry and did some weeding. The Saturday before that I worked on some plumbing, did yard work, and started building a business website. And before that. . . . replumbing, installed a floor, installed a new screen door, on and on. . . .

We did some recreation on a Saturday once, but it made us tired. I'm sure recreation is fine on Saturday, as long as you work at it!

 

[ChristopherPaul]

Good question Tim!

We should regard the requirements for the 6th day the same as we treat the prohibitions of the 7th day. "Work" is all that is not worship (in a formal sense); our worldly obligations be them vocation, family, friends, etc. God in His kindness gave us a day to rest from all obligations to devote to worship. We do worship the other six days but not without expected distractions. By all means be productive on Saturday while worshipping God in all that you do. Slothfulness is sinful and should be avoided at all times - even on Sunday.

 

[Scott1]

Great question.

Post #4 nailed the biblical concept.

We are stewards of time, as other resources, and we are to use it wisely, as God defines that.

If we were to work [every part of] 6 days we would have to be gainfully employed from the moment the sun rose to the moment the sun set- with no time to eat, for recreation, worship(!), family needs, household management, etc.

God is very generous. He provided one day in seven for rest from "work" and to engage the whole day in worship. In addition, he gave Israel many feasts and celebrations- some monthly, some annually to do nothing but enjoy feasting, celebrating, and fellowship. Probably even a sabbatical after every 6 years. Remember, a new groom was to take off a whole year from work to "get to know" his wife!

 

[jaybird0827]

The thrust of the 4th Commandment is that we are to get all of our affairs in order in 6 days, we are not to be slothful and lazy, so that one day in seven will be set apart completely and totally for the Worship of God and acts of mercy, etc. It does not mean, In my humble opinion, that you ought to have to do some form of work every Saturday, or every day off you may have from your gainful employment ... particularly if the yard's already mowed, the house is already clean, the ceiling fan's already fixed, yada yada yada. Ditto to Andrew.