The Sanctity of the Christian Sabbath
I came to faith as an adolescent in a very conservative faith tradition in New York, and so the Sabbath day was always very special. In those days, many businesses were closed on Sundays and attending church was often a full day. Today, I reflect on those experiences with gratitude and appreciation to my mom for inculcating in me the importance of Sabbath Sundays. She was instrumental in my coming to faith in a Sunday school class during my first year of junior high. Recently, I have been reflecting on the Christian sabbath and how it has changed significantly over time - mainly because of the strong influence of the current culture. I recently listened to a message by Alistair Begg on the Sabbath, and I have to say that I was challenged and convicted. What follows here are a few ideas on the Sabbath and why we need to take a closer look at the Christian Sabbath in light of the 4th commandment.
The 4th Commandment
The Ten Commandments, also referred to as The Decalogue as outlined in Exodus 20 in the Old Testament outlines how the people of Israel were to live before God and among each other. The principles of the commandments transcend generations and cultures, and are used in most legal systems around the world today. The fourth commandment states:
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it, you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or your daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Exodus 20: 8-11).
The fourth commandment (as well as the other 9) are God’s gift to Israel (and the world) that serves as a mirror to remind us of our sin and inadequacy in righteousness (Romans 3: 19). This is where the Pharisees fell short. They believed that keeping the law would make them righteous; however, they failed to recognize that Jesus is the Lord of the sabbath and challenged him on two different occasions for what they considered as violations (Luke 6: 1-5, 6-11).
Newfound Appreciation for the Sabbath
I conclude with a few quotes from Alistair Begg’s message on the Sabbath. “Without the conviction of the distinction or sanctity of the Sabbath, we are left with viewing the Sabbath as a legalistic custom or tradition… an anachronism.” As Christians, we honor God by adhering to the principle of distinguishing one day of the week as sacred from the other days. It is a gift from God, not for us to do anything we want, but to do what we should - to focus on worship, fellowship, prayer, study, and holy contemplation.
Denny Barnett