Some Qualifying Statements
Sabbath Study, Part 3
First, I am NOT going to say that the true Sabbath is on Saturday. Later on in the study (when we get to the end of the gospels), we’ll look more in-depth at the “Saturday vs. Sunday” debate. Until then, I’ll just say that I think the Saturday Sabbath as the Jews knew it has ceased and that the Christian Sabbath rests (no pun intended) on Sunday.
Second, I am NOT going to say that God’s acceptance of us is influenced by how we observe (or neglect) the Sabbath. God accepts us solely because of Christ (Eph. 1:6), whose imputed righteousness is the only basis on which we have a right standing with God (Phil. 3:9). We can obtain God’s acceptance through observing the Sabbath no better than we can obtain God’s acceptance by obeying any of the other commandments in Scripture.
Finally, I am NOT going to say that we need to add an extra and unnecessary burden to our schedules. Granted, that may sound like a blatant contradiction to my main purpose—namely, to show that the fourth commandment is still in effect today, making the Sabbath observance a necessary aspect of the believer’s life. However, the reason I am not contradicting myself is that the Sabbath observance was created for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). In other words, the fourth commandment was designed in part to relieve the very burden that we accuse it of creating.
It is one thing to take the premise of Sabbath rest as an occasion for forcing men into bondage (as the Pharisees did). It is quite another to adhere to certain divine ordinances so that we might partake of the wonderful provision of rest found in the Sabbath. In fact, the Sabbath, Biblically defined, is a liberating provision. Without it, we are tempted to live life in Fast Forward with no Pause button in sight. Indeed, true bondage belongs to the life dominated by a rigorous schedule with no room or hope for repose.
Let me conclude the introduction to this blog series with one more quote. In his book Simplify Your Spiritual Life, Donald Whitney describes a life of observing the Sabbath. His conclusion on the matter is encouraging and inspiring.
Imagine living to age seventy and spending every Lord’s Day in the ways I’ve suggested. You’d experience ten years of worshiping the Lord with His people, reading great literature, playing with your children or grandchildren, taking walks, enjoying fellowship, and taking naps. Does this sound like a burden to you? Most people dream of a life like this. It’s the kind of life you can enjoy when you delight in the Lord’s Day.