Do you believe the Sabbath Day command is in effect for the believing Christian?
Exodus 20:8-11 reads:
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Lewis Sperry Chafer in his book “Grace” suggests the Sabbath Day command is a test as to whether we obey the teaching of grace or the Torah. Many of us still hold this viewpoint, namely that only 9 of the 10 commands apply to the church or the New Covenant era. So which choice BEST approaches your perspective. It doesn’t need to be a perfect fit.
We are talking, BTW, or attempting to implement the command. If we cannot document when the first Sabbath actually was, that is — by the creator of this post’s ruling — a worthless point.
Poll Results
Do you believe the Sabbath Day command is in effect for the believing Christian?
I believe the Sabbath command is in effect and Saturday(7th Day) is the Sabbath. Votes: 0
I believe the Sabbath day was changed from Saturday to Sunday. Votes: 3
I believe that Sunday really is the 7th Day. Votes: 0
I believe that Jewish believers should observe the Sabbath, but not an issue for gentile believers Votes: 0
I believe every day is alike, but we are encouraged (not mandated) to observe the Lord’s Day Votes: 10
I believe we are not obligated to observe Sabbath but are obligated to observe the Lord’s Day Votes: 5
I believe that we are obligated to take one out of seven days off to rest, no matter which one Votes: 2
I believe we are to make time to meet with God’s people often, perhaps weekly, and that is all that relates Votes: 6
Other Votes: 4
- 6 views
I voted: “I believe every day is alike, but we are encouraged (not mandated) to observe the Lord’s Day”
Observations and comments:
- The Lord’s Day (as the 1st day of the week) commemorates our Lord’s resurrection. We have historical record of the early disciples gathering to worship on the 1st day of the week.
- Let’s be honest about the traditional practice in fundamental churches: With 2 services and SS and often for many a meeting before the evening worship service, it’s hardly a day of rest
[Jim]
- Let’s be honest about the traditional practice in fundamental churches: With 2 services and SS and often for many a meeting before the evening worship service, it’s hardly a day of rest
So true indeed, especially for leaders! Chafer, in his book Grace, uses this very argument. I am surprised that the Southern Baptists seem to mandate observing the Lord’s Day, and have a hard time figuring out how it could be a day of rest (source: http://www.sbc.net/bfm2000/bfm2000.asp):
XVII. The Lord’s Day.
The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, resting from worldly employments and amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted.
"The Midrash Detective"
With a job, a wife, and four crumb-crunchers running around, NO DAY is a day of rest! :-)
Discussion