Many of us don’t give much thought as to the implications of our worship on Sunday rather than Saturday. We understand Christ rose on Sunday, and for many that is a simple enough reason for worshipping on Sunday. Now, I have had the privelege (?) of debating with a good number of Seventh Day Adventists and to them it is not such a simple question.
This post is really not going to get into the proof that the Christian Sabbath is now Sunday, nor is it going to explore the question of just how a New Testament believer is to observe the 4th commandment. Rather I want to share a beautiful insight into the ramifications of our worshipping on Sunday that I gleaned from O. Palmer Robertson’s excellent book The Christ of the Covenants.
Before I give the quotation from Robertson, you need to know that he points out 2 reasons for the command to observe the Sabbath. 1) Creation (God’s resting on and blessing/hallowing the seventh day)””Ex. 20:8-11. 2) Redemption (from Egypt)””Deut. 5:12-15.
Now I will close with the quotation from Robertson himself. I hope it will bless you all as much as it did me.
Now the reason for Sabbath-observance relates not only to creation but also to redemption. Because God gave rest by redemption, Israel must observe the Sabbath.
The two alternative reasons for keeping the Sabbath focus on the two great pivots of God’s historical dealings with his people. These two events have equal significance. Creation originates a people of God. Redemption recreates a people of God. In each case, the Sabbath plays a vital role.
When the place of the Sabbath under the new covenant is considered, this perspective must not be forgotten. By his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ consummated God’s redemptive purposes. His coming forth into new life must be understood as an event as significant as the creation of the world. By his resurrection, a new creation occurred.
…
For this reason, the Christian perceives history differently. He does not only look forward to a redemption yet to come. He does not merely hope for a future Sabbath rest. He looks back on a redemption fully accomplished. He stands confidently on the basis of what the past already has brought.
Therefore, it is fitting that the new covenant radically alters the Sabbath perspective. The current believer in Christ does not follow the Sabbath pattern of the people of the old covenant. He does not first labor six days, looking hopefully toward rest. Instead, he begins the week by rejoicing in the rest already accomplished by the cosmic event of Christ’s resurrection. Then he enters joyfully into his six days of labor, confident of success through the victory which Christ has already won. (emphasis added)
Cited from: O. Palmer Robertson, The Christ of the Covenants (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 1980) p. 73
∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7
Bob,
Not a comment, a question:
How do you see the significance of the sabbath-motif in the NT playing out in light of passages such as Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14:5?
Just wondering what your thoughts are.
Pitchford
Nathan,
I am not completely settled yet on a postition. In my dispensational days, John Rices pamphlet against Seventh Day Adventism (particularly Sabbath keeping and 7th day-ism) seemed very convincing. The verses you mentioned coupled with the fact that in Exodus it stresses the requirement of Sabbath observance was a “sign” for the Israelites seemed sufficient to say we are not bound at all by the 4th commandment.
However, now that I embrace Covenant Theology, the designation “Israelites” has new meaning to me. I am part of spiritual Israel, and it may well be that the ordinance of Sabbath keeping still is a sign that I am of God’s covenant people. Several months ago, Pastor Piper preached a message from one of the Gospels (can’t remember right now) about the fact that the Sabbath was created for man. That seems like it stands irrespective of the fact that the Mosaic covenant has now been trumped by a new and better covenant. Also, Robertson stressed that in Genesis it states that God blessed and hallowed the seventh day. This seems to indicate that something is special about one day a week devoted to rest and worship.
As far as how far we are to take the commands under the Mosaic law regarding not working on the Sabbath today, I am not sure—especially in light of the verses you cite above. But I am leaning more and more to the fact that we should devote the day to rest and worship (however certain work functions being necessary to the continuation of society, like being a pastor or a doctor, or as I do supporting the work of doctors and nurses [I still attend church on Sundays, but work Sat. pm and Sun. pm overnights] seem to be permissible).
What think you?
Bob,
Great post. I am grieved by how lightly most Christians treat Sunday (Sabbath). Even those who don’t work still really don’t understand what it’s all about.
Just for the record, I think the Sabbath should still be kept–rest and rememberance–no work. But what’s work and what’s rest… I think we have some flexibility. When you relax you may enjoy a good Sunday nap or a book, another might like a game of tennis…so I don’t think we can be so cut and dry in the application. The Pharisees fell into that very trap–trying to prescribe a law-application for every situation.
MBS
Soli Deo Gloria
I have a friend who was incidentally persuaded of the truth of sovereign grace when she learned the truth about the Christian Sabbath when studying the doctrines of her new Reformed Baptist Church!
Matt,
I agree with how you put it. And it is true that many Christians treat the Lord’s Day too profanely.
John,
Interesting point you make about how this idea of the Christian Sabbath is so tied into the Reformed (i.e. Calvinistic) mindset.
Thanks guys for the great comments.
Bob
My friend said the connection was in the fact that it helped her get a better grasp on the value and the nature of true worship–the adoration part (as in Mary sitting at Christ’s feet) as a necessary component along with service (“Martha, thou are cumbered with much serving!”). Understanding the full concept of corporate worship, which incidentally takes place on the Christian Sabbath, helped her understand the sovereignty of God!
Bob,
Sorry for the delay in responding to your question.
I have also read Robertson, (and others who say the same thing) and his reasoning would be very convincing to me except that I simply cannot reconcile it to passages such as the one I mentioned above. I think that Colossians in particular is clear that the special, mandated observance of a particular day of rest is a shadow, which pointed to something more substantial, which has now been effected by Christ. Your reasoning behind the significance of the “Christian Sabbath” (Sunday) is excellent — but I wonder if it is absolutely essential to require strict Sabbath-observance in order to appropriate that reality. In other words, the reality that Christ accomplished for us our sabbath-rest (cf. also Hebrews 3 and 4), is a blessed truth which we may, with some propriety, reflect on in observing a joyful rest every Sunday. But if one believer chooses instead to strive to remember that truth “every day alike,” without doing something concrete as a reminder, I say, “let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.” Obviously this does not mean that it is fine for a Christian to do anything he wants on Sunday — there are other admonitions about gathering together regularly as believers, etc., which also come into play. But I think that the situation has progressed from that of the OT believers, who had strict injunctions against any physical labor on the Sabbath.
By the way, I don’t think this is altogether different from the way in which we apply the rest of the decalogue. The decalogue says, “Do not murder,” and Christ looks behind that concrete example to find an essential principle, “Do not hate your neighbor.” So also, the decalogue says, “Keep the Sabbath holy,” and the NT says, remember that Jesus has brought you a sabbath-rest through his victory on the cross. Obviously the difference would be that, in the former case, the specific application of the essential principle continues in full force, whereas in the latter, the specific application has been abrogated — but I’m not sure how big a deal this difference really is.
Anyway, those are my rambling ideas, certainly not any refined, concrete convictions.
Thanks, Nathan, for giving us your thoughts. Like I said, I am not dead set on a position yet.
I can see the merits of say, Matthew Sims position above, and also that of yours. I need to study the issue out further.
But thanks for giving us some of your thoughts, they are always worth hearing.
God bless,
Bob
For an opposing viewpoint to Robertson’s, check out this article.
I just stumbled across it, and felt that, as it was pertinent to the discussion, you might appreciate a link.
Pitchford
Nathan,
Thanks for the recommended article. It looks good, and will add to the conversation.
God bless,
Bob