Christian Sabbath

Along with premarital sex/cohabitation and increasingly homosexuality, the christian church in the west has long ago given up on viewing Sunday as the Lord's Day in relation to the 4th commandment. When one can rationalize that the 4th commandment (a creation commandment as well) is not applicable in terms of our work and recreation, then what else might we relegate to a bygone era? 

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RC Sproul and the Sabbath Day

In a recent question and answer session, prominent theologian, RC Sproul spoke on Blue Laws, the laws restricting commerce on the Sabbath Day, or Lord’s Day. This conversation speaks to the broader issue of whether, regardless of Blue Laws, one should work and shop on this day. Sproul states that our neglect of this restriction is a relatively recent matter. This particular conversation centers around whether the government, as a body separate from the church, should be involved in the regulation of this day. He says that it is not function of the church to pass legislation forcing people to take the sacraments or to preach the gospel nor to wage war or impose taxes; that there are different tasks given to the state and given to the church. However, the “question of Sabbath keeping is a question of the origin and the institution and the application of the Sabbath. Is the Sabbath something that was created in the mosaic dispensation of the old testament? Or was the Sabbath instituted before the mosaic covenant?”

He goes on to say that “[t]he Sabbath was not ordained or instituted by Moses merely for the Jewish people, but was established in creation on the seventh day as part of the covenant of creation which would mean that the observation of the Sabbath is given not to Jew as Jew or Christian as Christian, but to man qua man. That this is an ordinance that everybody is supposed to obey and it would fall under the responsibility of the civil government to regulate it. So I [Sproul] for one, as ancient as it may sound, believe that  it is the government’s responsibility to protect the sanctity of the Sabbath for the well-being of human beings.”

Perhaps it is because Dr. Sproul is getting a little older than the average preacher, as he alludes to, but this issue is not really an issue any longer.  Rarely does today’s preacher or parishioner make any distinction between this day and any other day. If you listen to the question, the questioner even implies that this is a matter of Christian “liberty”. Really? What other of the ten commandments are a question of liberty? There are not nine commandments, but ten. Those Christians that continue to work and do business including forcing others to work by frequenting shops and department stores neglect their duty for the want of more stuff and more convenience in their lives. Let us not be legalistic, but let us observe the Lord’s Day, the Sabbath Day, out of love and reverence for our Father who knows that one day in seven is for rest and reflection, worship and good works, to slow us down in a world competing for our time and attention. If God rested on the seventh day, perhaps we should consider doing the same.

Fried Chicken and the Sabbath Day

Chick-fil-A exec touts Bible as chain's blueprint "Chick-fil-A does not shy away from its Christian bearings. That's why its stores are closed on Sunday — typically one of the busier days in food service. And it's why some irreverent folks have dubbed it 'Jesus chicken.'"

Contrast that with Kentucky Fried Chicken's "Sunday Bucket". As one blogger noted, they apparently are doing this in response to Chick-fil-A's decision to be closed on Sunday. This blogger relishes the idea that KFC has taken this approach and seems to want more of it.  Is it such a bad thing to want to be closed on Sundays? That a company actually puts its values above the bottom line? Prior to the last 20 years or so, Chick-fil-A would be in the majority and there would be public scorn for KFC and its ilk that wants to make money on the "day of rest". Sadly in our 24/7 mentality, companies that hold to something higher than the dollar are punished by their competitors and those that frequent these stores. 

As Ronald Regan would say, are we better off today than we were 30 years ago? Kudos for Chick-fil-A and holding to what they believe. 

Sunday Liquor Sales

In the State of Michigan, our legislature recently passed a new law making it legal to sell liquor in the early morning on Sundays - for a price. Formerly, it was illegal to sell liquor on Sunday between 2am and 12 noon. In a deal with the Devil, Michigan will now allow those vendors who pay a fee to make these sales. This marks the ending of what formally was a Christian society. Most “Blue Laws, laws prohibiting business activity on Sunday, have already been stricken from the books in order to obtain more profits for business allowing us all to have more fun on what was formally considered by most to be the Lord’s Day.

Now, thanks to our new “values”, we are able to shop and drink and have all sorts of fun distracting ourselves with the flashy lovers of our time instead of being in church worshiping our Lord and Creator. When will it end? I do not know. Unfortunately I know how it will end.

Sabbath Day or No Sabbath Day

Today, we have disregarded one of God’s top-ten commands, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. When we read that, we can imagine that we keep His day holy in various ways. However, we should read a little further in the text. The primary way, God’s way, to keep it holy is not to work. You, nor your son, nor your daughter, not even your cattle should do any work. Of course, there are other ways to keep it holy. We do that by attending church or studying His word; perhaps even doing good deeds for others. However the primary way to keep it holy has been ignored. If we think about it, the primary reason for breaking this command is to do more activities for ourselves. Blue laws, laws that States and communities passed to restrict businesses from doing business on Sundays, have been taken off the books or ignored as well because we want to shop and spend more. Consequently, we force others to work and break the Holy day for our pleasure. What does the command say? God rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Its hard to keep these days, but let’s try.

"Let nothing ever tempt you to become a Sabbath-breaker. I press this on your attention. Make conscience of giving all your Sabbath to God. A spirit of disregard for this holy day is growing up among us with fearful rapidity, and not least among young men. Sunday traveling, Sunday visiting, Sunday outings, are becoming every year more common than they were, and are doing infinite harm to souls…Once you give up caring for the Sabbath, in the end you will give up caring for your soul. The steps which lead to this conclusion are easy and regular. Begin with not honoring God's Day, and you will soon not honor God's House; -cease to honor God's House, and you will soon cease to honor God's Book; cease to honor God's Book, and ultimately you will give God no honor at all. Let a man lay the foundation of having no Sabbath, and I am never surprised if he finishes with the top-stone of no God". (Thoughts for Young Men, J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), p74, 75)