Is it good to help a disabled widow by cutting her grass?

[DamianWarS]

Of course working in a food kitchen is lawful on the Sabbath. I wouldn't do it every Sabbath but if I wasn't disabled and can't spend a lot of time on my feet it is something I would do.

I'm curious what your reasoning is why you wouldn't want to do it every Sabbath? If we were to modify the scenario slightly instread of giving out free food we gave out free haircuts is that still good?

 

[Gary K]

I'm curious what your reasoning is why you wouldn't want to do it every Sabbath? If we were to modify the scenario slightly instread of giving out free food we gave out free haircuts is that still good?

Paul told us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Jesus did good on the Sabbath but never at the price of not attending church. Giving out haircuts ia not the same as food is a must for life.

My example of doing good on the Sabbath was to help a neighbor who had to stop mowing his lawn to keep from having a heat stroke. I've had one and it took me years to recover, if I ever did fully recover. Heat has bothered me all my life, but after that it just zapped the energy right out of me.

 

[returntosender]

Nasty things are hard to get out of the mind. I don't like to see this thread. I had to unfollow.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I'm curious what your reasoning is why you wouldn't want to do it every Sabbath? If we were to modify the scenario slightly instread of giving out free food we gave out free haircuts is that still good?

There was an early megachurch in Hammond, Indiana which had various altar calls at the end of their services. One altar call was for a free haircut. Because many young men at the time had longer hair than was considered to be Christian by this church, they were encouraged to get their hair cut in obedience to God. Thus, the barber was serving God on the Sabbath (actually Sunday) by cutting hair.

 

[DamianWarS]

Paul told us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Jesus did good on the Sabbath but never at the price of not attending church. Giving out haircuts ia not the same as food is a must for life.

might we do both?

and what about the free haircuts for those in need.... are we calling that good, or not good?

 

[DamianWarS]

There was an early megachurch in Hammond, Indiana which had various altar calls at the end of their services. One altar call was for a free haircut. Because many young men at the time had longer hair than was considered to be Christian by this church, they were encouraged to get their hair cut in obedience to God. Thus, the barber was serving God on the Sabbath (actually Sunday) by cutting hair.

I think we're speaking of different things. You seem to be addressing a call for obedience, albeit misplaced, it's still the motivation where surrender becomes the cost. I'm speaking of a free haircut with no cost, simply offering a free service to cut someone's hair regardless of their motivation, this could be run within a side room of a soup kitchen.

 

[Gary K]

might we do both?

and what about the free haircuts for those in need.... are we calling that good, or not good?

Giving out haircuts for the very poor and the homeless is not necessarily bad. The problem is when people become dependent on handouts and consider it a "right" to be given things. It's a big time problem in our society today.

 

[DamianWarS]

Giving out haircuts for the very poor and the homeless is not necessarily bad. The problem is when people become dependent on handouts and consider it a "right" to be given things. It's a big time problem in our society today.

That's a problem better suited for another thread. please don't avoid the question.

 

[Gary K]

That's a problem better suited for another thread. please don't avoid the question.

It is unavoidable as your suggestion makes it happen.

I didn't avoid the question as the answer to it was implied in my answer so I didn't see the need to directly answer your question.

 

[DamianWarS]

It is unavoidable as your suggestion makes it happen.

I didn't avoid the question as the answer to it was implied in my answer so I didn't see the need to directly answer your question.

I'm sure you already know my direction (which was also implied), please let's engage the point not digressed topics. if we call a socially responsible service to cut hair for free good, is it lawful on the Sabbath?

 

[Gary K]

I'm sure you already know my direction (which was also implied), please let's engage the point not digressed topics. if we call a socially responsible service to cut hair for free good, is it lawful on the Sabbath?

If we call it that, yes. There will, however. be a wide divergence of opinion on that.

 

[DamianWarS]

If we call it that, yes. There will, however. be a wide divergence of opinion on that.

So cutting hair may be an act of service to help out another and thus be called good thus lawful on the Sabbath. At what point is something no longer called good that it cannot be conducted on the Sabbath?

 

[Gary K]

So cutting hair may be an act of service to help out another and thus be called good thus lawful on the Sabbath. At what point is something no longer called good that it cannot be conducted on the Sabbath?

When it becomes an all day activity as that will make people like me miss the assembling of ouselves together.

 

[DamianWarS]

When it becomes an all day activity as that will make people like me miss the assembling of ouselves together

So it's not the work you're concerned with, it's missing a weekly organized assembly?

Gathering is scripturally important and should take high value, but conflating it with the Sabbath day seems driven by tradition not scripture.

You seem to bring it up like a non-negotiable in terms of which day it happens on but it should be more fluid as we may miss opportunities Christ has for us because we have blackout days which makes a counter-focus of the gathering (at least in your heart). Most churches have midweek events with still a focus on gathering, things like prayer meetings, Bible studies or even social events. There is no reason to discredit those days as not valuing assmeling together if for example on the Sabbath you felt it better to help someone in need then to go to church.

We all have demands of life and priorities that we move through and choose when we focus on something and when we don't. If we maintain a focus of goodness under Christ through it all then we don't have to worry about where we find ourselves as it all will be lawful. You seem to be in a position where you can't see the forest through the trees.

 

[Leaf473]

So it's not the work your concerned with, it's missing a weekly organized assembly?

Gathering is scripturally important and should take high value, but conflating it with the Sabbath day seems driven by tradition not scripture.

You seem to bring it up like a non-negotiable in terms of which day it happens on but it should be more fluid as we may miss opportunities Christ has for us because we have blackout days which makes a counter-focus of the gathering (at least in your heart). Most churches have midweek events with still a focus on gathering, things like prayer meetings, Bible studies or even social events. There is no reason to discredit those days as not valuing assmeling together if for example on the Sabbath you felt it better to help someone in need then to go to church.

We all have demands of life and priorities that we move through and choose when we focus on something and when we don't. If the we maintain a focus of goodness under Christ through it all then we don't have to worry about where we find ourselves as it all will be lawful. You seem to be in a position where you can't see the forest through the trees.

People often point to this passage from Leviticus 23 when saying why an assembly has to take place on the seventh day. To me, though, it just brings up the question of which laws are still in force today, How a person decides.

Bible Gateway passage: Leviticus 23:3 - New American Standard Bible

‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings.

www.biblegateway.com

 

[Leaf473]

When it becomes an all day activity as that will make people like me miss the assembling of ouselves together.

Can you assemble after sunset on Friday? Just asking

 

[Gary K]

Can you assemble after sunset on Friday? Just asking

Obviously. It's ok to assemble on Sabbath.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Obviously. It's ok to assemble on Sabbath.

Is it not ok to assemble on another day of the week?

 

[Leaf473]

Obviously. It's ok to assemble on Sabbath.

Cool! Then haircuts all day Saturday would not have to interrupt the assembly.

 

[Gary K]

Is it not ok to assemble on another day of the week?

Where would you come up with up with that idea? Every denomination that I know of either has or had evening assemblies during the week?