How Should Christians Approach The Sabbath

By Dan Hult

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 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. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

-Exodus 20:8-11, ESV

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

-Mark 2:23-28, ESV

In the last post, I discussed the three types of laws in the Old Testament: moral laws that are binding on everyone across all of time, ceremonial laws that were fulfilled by Christ and are thus no longer binding, and civil laws that were specific to the theocratic nation of Israel and thus not binding on Christians.  I stated that all of the Ten Commandments were part of the moral law, which would include the Fourth Commandment to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.  If it is part of the moral law, then Christians must observe the Sabbath and therefore refrain from doing work.  But if that is the case, why was Jesus constantly pushing the boundaries of the Sabbath rules so much that the Jewish leaders accused Him of breaking the Sabbath (John 5:18)?  As I discussed in a previous post, if Jesus sinned it would completely undermine the Gospel, so His violation of Sabbath rules could not have been a violation of God’s Law regarding the Sabbath.  He obviously understood it properly, an it is of utmost importance that we do too.

What is the Sabbath?

The concept of the Sabbath is introduced in the creation narrative, which states that after creating the entire universe in six days, God rested on the seventh day, therefore blessing it and making it holy (Genesis 4:1-3).  Since the Fourth Commandment explicitly states its origin as God resting after Creation, it must be a moral law.[1]  The verbiage of Exodus 20 thus shows that the Sabbath was not instituted by the Mosaic Law but recognized and applied by the Mosaic Law, designating it as Saturday (but it would become Sunday after the resurrection of Jesus).  This command required Israelites to honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy because God had made it holy.  They were to do this by refraining from work.  But it is also clear throughout the Law that the Sabbath was not merely a day of rest, but a day in which people were to put aside their ordinary work in order to focus on God.  This is the most often emphasized command in the Mosaic Law and it is also referenced throughout the prophets, showing just how important it is to God.  Calvin noted that God required no other command to be as strictly obeyed as adherence to the Sabbath.[2]  So we should similarly take it very seriously.

But there are also ceremonial and civil aspects to the Sabbath.  It was considered one of the Jewish feasts—the most frequent feast.  In addition to Sabbath days, there were also Sabbath years, in which the land itself was to rest (with no crops being planted) and Jewish slaves were to be freed (Exodus 23:10-12, Leviticus 23 and 25).  The Jewish religion was thus set up around the proportion of sevenths.  Six days a week were for ordinary work while the seventh was the Sabbath for rest and the worship of God.  Six years in seven were for ordinary work in fields and by slaves, but the seventh was for the rest of the land and slaves.  This prohibition of work also meant that the Sabbath had civil aspects, with the penalty for breaking the Sabbath specified as death (Exodus 31:12-17 and 35:1-3).  As discussed last time, these aspects are no longer binding.

Since there are clearly moral, ceremonial, and civil aspects to the Sabbath, we must identify which parts of the Sabbath are moral vs. ceremonial and civil to determine which aspects of the Sabbath are still binding today.  Based on Genesis 2:1-3 and the Fourth Commandment, the Sabbath is a day that is blessed and holy (set apart) for rest from regular work in which all people and livestock are to rest.  It is also clear that the death penalty for breaking the Sabbath is part of the civil law and the Sabbath year is part of the ceremonial law, so those are no longer binding.  Paul refers to the Sabbath as a shadow, of which the substance was Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).  Since he lists it along with diet, festivals, and new moons, he is clearly referring to the ceremonial aspects of the Sabbath.  Calvin explains:

“Now there is no doubt that the ceremonial content of this precept was abolished by Christ’s coming, for he is the truth who, by his presence, makes all these symbols disappear….Although the Sabbath has been revoked, it does not prevent the custom among us of having certain days when, first, we gather to hear sermons, to offer public prayer and to celebrate the sacraments, and, second, when some relief is given to servants and to manual workers.  There is no question that the lord intended both things when he issued the Sabbath injunction.”

-John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (1541 edition), 142

So far, this means we can conclude that the moral aspect of the Sabbath that is still binding today is that God has set aside a day of rest for the purpose of both refreshing us and focusing on Him. 

The Sabbath is for Man, Not Vice Versa

Even so, there is much disagreement among Christians as to what it truly means to observe the Sabbath.  This can lead to one of two extremes.  The first is that of legalism, in which we strictly define what can and cannot be done on the Sabbath and thus make it more of a burden than a blessing.  This is clearly what the Jewish leaders were doing in Jesus’s day.  As with many aspects of the Mosaic Law, they had set up rules about the rules about the rules.  While there is wisdom in setting up prudent boundaries to prevent sin, the Jewish leaders had elevated these boundaries to the same authority as Scripture, which drew condemnation from Jesus (Matthew 15, Mark 7), especially about the Sabbath.  Thus they considered it breaking the Sabbath for Jesus to tell the paralytic at the Bethesda pool to pick his bed (John 5:1-17) as well as the very act of healing him (and the blind man in John 9 and the man with the withered hand in Matthew 12:1-8). They similarly chastised His disciples for picking grain in a field they were passing through (Matthew 12:9-15).  In doing so, they had missed the point of the Sabbath.  By making the Sabbath all about following a myriad of rules, they were actually preventing both themselves and others from both resting and focusing on God.  Rather than being refreshed (Exodus 23:12), people were burdened.  Thus in their attempt to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy, they were actually dishonoring the Sabbath, essentially preventing it from fulfilling its purpose for them.  Jesus explicitly stated that the Sabbath was created for man and not vice versa, which means that it was meant to serve us and not for us to serve it.  They had therefore strained out the gnat (the smallest unclean animal) of every possible way one could work on the Sabbath while swallowing the camel (the largest unclean animal) of dishonoring both the Sabbath and the God who created it (Matthew 23:24). If we become legalistic about specifically what can and cannot be done on the Sabbath, we risk making the same error the Jews did. 

Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath

There is another error that is just as dangerous and much more pernicious in the American church.  To most American Christians, the Sabbath is restricted to a couple hours on Sunday morning, with the rest of Sunday being normal.  This means that while God has required of us the entire day, many give Him only an hour or two before returning to their ordinary lives. This also overlooks the purpose of the Sabbath: to rest from our normal work in order to focus on Christ.  Right after saying that the Sabbath was created for man, Jesus declares that He is the Lord of the Sabbath.  Just as Jesus is Lord over all of space generally but the Temple (now the Church) specifically, so He is Lord over all time generally but the Sabbath specifically.[3]  So while the Sabbath was created for our benefit, it (like everything else) ultimately belongs to Jesus.  Just as God requires that we give back to Him the firstfruits of our labor and resources, He also requires we give the firstfruits of our time. But instead, we often fit church into our busy schedules such that even while we are at church, we are distracted by what we must do after church.  In doing this, we miss the point of the Sabbath just as much as the legalistic Jewish leaders of Christ’s day.  And since Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, when we dishonor the Sabbath in this way, we dishonor Him. 

So how do we honor the Sabbath and thereby honor Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath?  The 1646 Westminster Confession of Faith says it like this:

“As it is of the law of nature that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him….This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts, about their worldly employments and recreations; but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.”

-Westminster Confession of Faith, Article 21, paragraphs 7-8

The 1689 London Baptist Confession contains very similar wording.  By this, we keep the Sabbath holy when we first prepare our hearts to focus the entire day on God, prepare our affairs beforehand such that they will not be a distraction to us, and refrain from not only common manual labor but also common labor of thoughts and words so that we can spend the day in both public and private worship, biblical instruction, prayer, and meditation on Scripture.  Since we live in a fallen and sinful world, emergencies will happen, so acts of necessity and mercy are allowed by both confessions.  After all, Jesus healed people on the Sabbath, so such acts of mercy must be not only allowed but necessary.  But the confessions explicitly discourage recreation, which is the main area in which Reformed Christians differ with regards to the Sabbath.  My current church takes exception to this portion of the confession, stating that since we are called to rest physically on the Sabbath, recreation is allowed—especially in the context of fellowship.  This also accords with Calvin, who emphasized resting from our work so that God could work on us, focus the day on worship, and not placing excessive burdens on those under our authority.[4]

What Should We Do on Sundays?

All of this leads to the question of what Christians really should do (and not do) on Sundays in order to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.  Whatever we do, we must avoid legalism that reduces the Sabbath to endless rules that distract us from God and prevent us from resting as He intended by giving us the Sabbath.  But we must also avoid minimizing it by simply fitting church into a busy day of otherwise normal activities that also distract us from God and prevent us from resting in Him and being nourished by His Word and the means of grace that He provides through proper use of the Sabbath. 

First of all, whatever we do on Sundays must be done in faith since whatever is not done in faith is sinful (Romans 14:23) and in honor of Christ, as Paul says clearly:

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

-Romans 14:5-8, ESV

Since this comes in the context of a discussion on disagreements over matters of conscience, it is clear that not only would a list of do’s and don’ts for Sundays be unnecessary but it might actually cause a fellow believer to stumble (which is forbidden in Scripture).  Therefore, I will provide no such list but merely offer some thoughts from my current perspective for consideration.  Each person must search the Scriptures and be attentive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as to what is appropriate to do and not do on Sundays.  This is especially important since Scripture emphasizes right attitudes and motives.  I will also offer some of my own practices, not to bind anyone’s conscience but as an example.

• Employment: Since the Sabbath from the beginning has been mainly about resting from our primary labor to focus on God, it is best to refrain from your occupation as much as practical.  For those of us who telework regularly, it may be tempting to log onto the work computer on Sunday, but we should resist this temptation as it can distract us from focusing on God and fellowship with His people.  Sometimes, it does make sense to do some work on Sunday evening to prepare for Monday morning.  If you must do this, I would recommend starting your Sabbath on Saturday evening so as to still spend a full day apart from your normal work focusing on God.  Starting Saturday night would also facilitate in preparing your mind for Sunday morning worship. 

• Household Chores: Normal chores around the house are part of normal work and should therefore be avoided on Sundays when possible.  Daily chores, such as making the bed, doing simple meal prep and cleanup, and doing things like shoveling snow after a Saturday night storm are necessary.  Obviously, childcare falls into the necessary category as well. The quicker and simpler these tasks are, the less likely they are to distract us from focusing on God.  I personally do simple meal prep and cleanup but avoid doing laundry, vacuuming, and errands on Sundays in most cases. Outdoor chores that are weather dependent may need to be done on Sundays, but the time spent on them can be redeemed for spiritual benefit by listening to Scripture, a Christian book, a good sermon, etc.

• Extracurricular Activities:  Sports and activities that conflict with church attendance should be avoided.  Not only do they prevent us from fellowshipping with the saints and partaking in the means of grace that God has chosen to impart through corporate worship, but they also communicate to both our families and those around us that Christ is not our top priority.  Even if these activities do not conflict regularly with church, they pose a significant risk of causing distraction during church, so they should only be undertaken after substantial prayer and counsel. 

• Fellowship and Hospitality: Fellowship with other believers after church, including inviting them over for a meal, is certainly in keeping with the purpose of the Sabbath and should therefore be encouraged.  This is especially important in churches like mine, where people are spread out geographically such that getting together during the week can be difficult.  As much as possible, preparations should be made beforehand so that as little work as possible remains to be done on Sunday.  As hard as it may be, cleanup should also be delayed so that everyone involved can enjoy fellowship.  And as important as this fellowship is, it does not supersede church, so no one should miss church in order to prepare for post-church get-togethers. 

• Eating Out: There are differing convictions as to whether we should eat at restaurants on Sundays.  Some would say that it forces other people to work, which would be against the spirit of the Sabbath.  They would further argue that if we would stop eating out on Sundays, it would reduce demand such that it would make sense for the restaurants to close on Sundays.  However, in our present context Christians are the minority, so our abstention from eating out on Sundays would likely not have that effect.  Eating out can also be an opportunity for fellowship with other believers, as it was for me in my previous church.  So in our present context, I do not see eating out on Sundays as a violation of the Sabbath, but that would likely need to change if Christians became a significant majority.  Regardless, when we do eat out, we should set an example of Christian behavior by being polite, patient, and good tippers so that the restaurant staff will look forward to Sundays with anticipation not dread.

• Recreation: We should be wise in which recreational activities we choose to engage in on Sundays.  Preference should be given to activities that help us to focus on God such as reading Christian books as well as activities of fellowship with other believers.  Since one purpose of the Sabbath is for us to be refreshed, we should also prioritize activities that help us to be refreshed.  For example, living in an area where the weather does not always cooperate (especially this time of year), I would not hesitate to go for a run on a Sunday afternoon if that was my best opportunity.  For me, theology is also a hobby, so I have no issues engaging in it on Sundays—after all, I wrote part of this post on a Sunday.  However, it is difficult to justify mindless activities.  I am not an NFL fan, but if I was I would be very hesitant to watch Sunday games, as that takes up 3-4 hours of the day, since there are probably better uses for that time.

• Travel: Sometimes, travel on Sundays is inevitable, but we should try to avoid it if possible.  I try to plan my personal trips such that I will not be gone on Sundays.  If I will be gone on a Sunday, I try to find a good church in the area.  This past summer, I had to take a work trip that would force me to travel on Sunday.  Instead, I went out the Friday before so that I was able to both go to my old church that Sunday and spend the weekend fellowshipping with believers there.  If I do have to fly Sunday, I try to fly in the evening so I can at least go to church.  Traveling time can also be redeemed to help focus on God through reading Christian books and listening to Christian teaching.

Again, this is not meant to be a restrictive list but a help in deciding how to use our Sundays to both honor Christ and facilitate our own rest and spiritual growth.  The general principle is that we must make the best use of our time (Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5).  Whatever we do on Sundays, it must be to honor Christ and keep the day set apart for Him and for His Church.  As I said in my very first post, Jesus loves the Church so we should too (and by extension we should love the Sabbath). Just as the American church has devalued the physical gathering of the saints (as I discussed in a previous post), so we have devalued the concept of Sabbath.  We need to restore the emphasis on both, not merely out of obedience to God but also for our own benefit. By truly resting one day each week and using that time to privately and publicly focus on God, we not only take advantage of this gracious gift of God but also look forward to our future ultimate rest.

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

-Hebrews 4:6-13, ESV

NOTES

[1] John Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing: 2013: 64-66.

[2] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion: Translated from the First French Edition of 1541 by Robert White, Edinburgh, UK: Banner of Truth Trust: 2014: 139.

[3] John Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing: 2013: 453.

[4] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion: Translated from the First French Edition of 1541 by Robert White, Edinburgh, UK: Banner of Truth Trust: 2014: 144.