Observation of the Sabbath

Purpose

I've recently been considering the fourth commandment, to keep the sabbath day holy. The 1689 has a specific chapter about it, and specific paragraphs about why Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, or Lord's Day, and what kinds of activities are to be done.

7. It is the law of nature that in general a portion of time specified by God should be set apart for the worship of God. So by his Word, in a positive-moral and perpetual commandment that obligates everyone in every age, he has specifically appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy to him.28  From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ the appointed day was the last day of the week. After the resurrection of Christ it was changed to the first day of the week, which is called the Lord’s Day.29   This day is to be kept to the end of the age as the Christian Sabbath, since the observance of the last day of the week has been abolished.

28Exodus 20:8. 291 Corinthians 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10.

8. The Sabbath is kept holy to the Lord when people have first prepared their hearts appropriately and arranged their everyday affairs in advance. Then they observe a holy rest all day from their own works, words and thoughts about their secular employment and recreation.30  Not only that, but they also fill the whole time with public and private acts of worship and the duties of necessity and mercy.31

30Isaiah 58:13; Nehemiah 13:15–22. 31Matthew 12:1–13.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith outlines a Christian approach to the Lord's Day, or Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. According to Chapter 22, Paragraph 8 of the Confession, the Lord's Day is to be sanctified by believers, which involves engaging in activities that honor God and refraining from those that do not. This perspective is derived from a broader understanding of biblical instructions regarding the Sabbath, particularly the fourth commandment.

Activities Christians Should Engage in on the Lord's Day:

1. Worship and Fellowship: Attending church services, participating in corporate worship, prayer, and fellowship with other believers are central to honoring the Lord's Day. This is a time for Christians to come together to worship God, hear His Word preached, partake in the sacraments, and build up one another in faith.

   • Hebrews 10:25: "Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." This passage emphasizes the importance of gathering together for worship and mutual encouragement.

   • Acts 2:42: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Early Christians prioritized teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayers when they gathered, which is a model for modern Christian worship and fellowship.
     
     

2. Spiritual Reflection and Rest: The day is meant for spiritual renewal and rest in the Lord. This involves personal or family prayer, Bible study, and meditation on God's Word. It is a day to focus on spiritual growth and the deepening of one's relationship with God.

   • Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Jesus invites believers to find spiritual rest in Him, which is especially relevant on the Lord's Day, a day of rest and reflection.

   • Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" This verse encourages believers to pause, reflect on God’s sovereignty, and rest in His presence.
     
     

3. Acts of Mercy and Necessity: The Confession recognizes that acts of mercy (such as caring for the sick) and necessity (such as providing for family needs) are appropriate on the Lord's Day. Jesus’ teachings and actions in the Gospels, where He healed on the Sabbath and taught the importance of doing good, support this view.

   • Mark 2:27: "And he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'" Jesus emphasizes the Sabbath (or Lord's Day) as a day meant for human benefit, implying that acts of mercy are not only allowed but encouraged.

   • Matthew 12:12: "Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Jesus argues for the importance of doing good deeds on the Sabbath, reinforcing that acts of mercy and necessity align with the day’s intentions.

Activities Christians Should Refrain from on the Lord's Day:

1. Secular Work and Commerce: Engaging in regular employment or business transactions not related to necessities or acts of mercy is discouraged. The aim is to keep the day distinct from the other days of the week, dedicating it to God rather than worldly labor.

   • Exodus 20:9-10: "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, 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." This commandment establishes the Sabbath as a day of rest from secular labor for everyone.

   • Nehemiah 10:31: "And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day." This shows an early commitment among God's people to refrain from commerce on the Sabbath -- even with those who may be observing a Sabbath rest on a different day.
     
     

2. Worldly Recreations and Distractions: Activities that are purely secular entertainments or distractions that draw one's focus away from God and the purpose of the Lord's Day are to be avoided. This includes avoiding sports, shopping for leisure, and other recreational activities that do not honor the sanctity of the day.

   • Isaiah 58:13-14: "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth." This passage encourages believers to set aside personal pleasures and focus on delighting in the Lord instead.
     
     

3. Anything that Profanes the Day: Engaging in anything that is seen as desecrating the Sabbath through sin or neglecting the means of grace provided especially for this day is to be avoided. This would include any behavior that contradicts the spirit of worship, rest, and reverence intended for the Lord's Day.

   • Exodus 31:14: "You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people." This severe warning underlines the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy.

   • Ezekiel 20:20: "Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God." The sanctity of the Sabbath serves as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, emphasizing the importance of honoring the day as holy.
     
     

The Confession, and those who adhere to its teachings, views the Lord's Day as a gift from God, providing an opportunity for believers to rest from their labors, worship the Lord, and engage in spiritual practices that foster growth and community among God’s people. The emphasis is on activities that honor God and contribute to the believer’s spiritual welfare, while avoiding those that distract or detract from the sanctity of the day.