Exodus 20:8 - Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (KJV)
New Testament:
Mark 2:27-28 - And he said unto them, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath; 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. (KJV)
This is the one commandment that some Christian "scholars" say today's Christian's do not keep. In reading their reasoning, I understand. The sabbath is the Jewish term for the 7th day, if we think about it, the 7th day of the week (as most commonly recognized by people today) is Saturday. However, we should look at it as keeping the Lord's day holy. Most Christians now-a-days have service on Sunday and would consider that the Lord's day. This practice fell into place (from what I understand) based off the principle that Jesus rose on the 3rd day and we know that He was crucified on a Friday so the 3rd day would put it to Sunday.
We know that Jesus healed on the Sabbath saying Is it lawful to do good ont he sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? (Mark 3:4 KJV). The Pharisees later plotted against Jesus trying to figure out how to destroy Him because of His actions (Mark 3:6), but Jesus kept on healing those who needed to be healed whether it was the Sabbath or not.
How does one go about keeping the Lord's day holy? Most likely that would include fellowship with like minded believers. But what kind of work is prohibited on Sundays? I know some groups where cooking is not allowed so the women will prepare Sundays meals on Saturday. Most people would agree doing laundry would be considered work, but some go as far as not allowing wash to be hanging out on the line on a Sunday. I was told by someone that anything we could do on another day of the week, we should refrain from doing on Sundays. I believe the gentleman who told me this was meaning to not fuel up cars, not do house chores, not work at a job, and other things like that, but he had no objections to a woman cooking on a Sunday.
What types of activities would be allowed? A lot of churches near where I live would go with fellowship and napping :) I myself am not one for naps, although I have found myself enjoying one every couple weeks, so I will often sew, read a book, play a game or work on a puzzle. Things that I do not generally have time for during the week...however, as I mentioned before, if I begin to feel frustrated with anything, I will stop because I do not feel that an activity in which I become frustrated is one to be done on Sundays. With the spring and summer months coming upon us rather quickly now, I may also take a walk and just enjoy God's creations :)
How do you keep the Lord's day holy? Is there any work that you would believe to be okay and allowable on the Lord's day?
Blessings in Christ,
Hi Chelsea, I appreciate your blog. And it encourages me to go ahead with covering. It´s so hard- after 2 years being the only one among nonbelievers and in church among christians, wearing the headcov....
ReplyDeleteWhat the 4th comm. is concerned I like it to see, that you want to take God´s Word as it is: Gotd´s Word. But I want to tell you: look throughout the whole Bible: "The Lord´s Day is meant only for the Sabbath, and Jesus has never never put it away. He even never worked on a Sabbath. He healed. And you also should help you neighbour, whose "donkey" is exhausted and fallen ( sorry, my english...) His disciples kept the sabbath, and even His holy body had rest on the sabbath (while He, as the scripture says, preached to the dead peaple...). They kept on keeping the sabbath through the whole Acts 1 to 28. In Jes 66 we read, we will keep the sabbath on the new earth. Even there. What the most Christians don´t know is, that "The Lord´s Day was and is a special word for the Day God said it is holy. And Satan hates it. Hes 20 tells us about 4 times that Sabbath is a sign.
When John received the word - Revelation - it was on a Lord´s Day. And only - even the vatican admits!!!! - the cath. church claims it was the sunday. Until this day you meant it very good to keep the 4th comm. (And I really don´t want to teach you...), but please, go to the concordance (is it the right word....?) and study again about the Lord´s Day. What if I was right? God looks into the heart of every believer and is happy of those who love Him and His Son. But He wants us to learn His word, His obedience.
(I go down on my knees and praise God about all the other things I learnded from your writings!!, that encourage me.) God bless you!
Tina