The Sabbath commandment

[stenerson]

I'm interested in the opinions of fellow Calvinist here. This is regarding the Sabbath commandment.
First of all should NT Christian believers be calling Sunday the Sabbath?
2ndly should they treat it carefully, as the Mosaic Jewish Sabbath was to be treated?
My understanding of the Sabbath is that it was an ordinance pointing to Christ. A shadow prefiguring God's/Christ's completed work of redemption on our behalf and our eternal rest in Him. My reading the Pauline writings always gave me the impression that the enforcing of days on the conscience of believers is taboo, including the concept of Sabbath.
I did a little research and was surprised to read Calvin holding the same opinion. Having read so many great Calvinist giants like Spurgeon and Edwards warn against "Sabbath" violations I figured Calvin held to that same line. But instead, in his commentary he seemed to say (don't have it handy now but will paraphrase) that holding up any day in our conscience as "holy" or "obligatory" as NT believers is more or less superstitious and idolatrous.
He said that the Church has a duty to set a certain program, or order for the preaching of the word, ministration of sacraments etc.

 

[JM]

I can't speak for everyone...but...

I'm interested in the opinions of fellow Calvinist here. This is regarding the Sabbath commandment.
First of all should NT Christian believers be calling Sunday the Sabbath?

I don't believe so. Not if they are referring to the Sabbath instituted in the Mosaic Covenant changing from one day of the week to another without scriptural warrant.

2ndly should they treat it carefully, as the Mosaic Jewish Sabbath was to be treated?

If it's the Sabbath, one must keep it exactly as prescribed.

My understanding of the Sabbath is that it was an ordinance pointing to Christ. A shadow prefiguring God's/Christ's completed work of redemption on our behalf and our eternal rest in Him. My reading the Pauline writings always gave me the impression that the enforcing of days on the conscience of believers is taboo, including the concept of Sabbath.

That is my opinion as well.

I did a little research and was surprised to read Calvin holding the same opinion.

As I understand it, Sunday Sabbath keeping finds its raise in English Puritanism. (see the work edited by D. A. Caron From Sabbath to Lord's Day)

Let Calvin speak for himself,

"there can be no doubt, that, on the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ceremonial part of the commandment was abolished. He is the truth, at whose presence all the emblems vanish; the body, at the sight of which the shadows disappear. He, I say, is the true completion of the sabbath: “We are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life,” (Rom. 6:4). Hence, as the Apostle elsewhere says, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ,” (Col. 2:16, 17); meaning by body the whole essence of the truth, as is well explained in that passage. This is not contented with one day, but requires the whole course of our lives, until being completely dead to ourselves, we are filled with the life of God. Christians, therefore, should have nothing to do with a superstitious observance of days. 32. The two other cases ought not to be classed with ancient shadows, but are adapted to every age. The sabbath being abrogated, there is still room among us, first, to assemble on stated days for the hearing of the Word, the breaking of the mystical bread, and public prayer; and, secondly, to give our servants and labourers relaxation from labour. It cannot be doubted that the Lord provided for both in the commandment of the Sabbath."Institutes
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I could be wrong but I believe Calvin is telling us the local church/synod has the power to set a day for its members to gather for worship. John Gill would have agreed. This is often called The Lord's Day for it is set aside by the church for hearing the preaching of the word and celebration of the ordinances/sacraments.

Having read so many great Calvinist giants like Spurgeon and Edwards warn against "Sabbath" violations I figured Calvin held to that same line. But instead, in his commentary he seemed to say (don't have it handy now but will paraphrase) that holding up any day in our conscience as "holy" or "obligatory" as NT believers is more or less superstitious and idolatrous.

He said that the Church has a duty to set a certain program, or order for the preaching of the word, ministration of sacraments etc.

I would be grateful for a direct quote.

Thank you.

Yours in Him who saves to the uttermost,

j

 

[JM]

To be fair, here is an argument for Christians keeping a Sabbath from a Reformed Baptist.
How To Make a Case

 

[stenerson]

I would be grateful for a direct quote.

Thank you.

Yours in Him who saves to the uttermost,

j

Sure, I'll try to find a few. I listen to many sermons from both on mp3. Spurgeon mentions it many times, concerning keeping the Sabbath commandment as important.
Edwards spoke of it, and seemed to apply the Mosaic method of sun down to sun down observance. I'll have to look it up.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

I'm interested in the opinions of fellow Calvinist here. This is regarding the Sabbath commandment.
First of all should NT Christian believers be calling Sunday the Sabbath?
2ndly should they treat it carefully, as the Mosaic Jewish Sabbath was to be treated?
My understanding of the Sabbath is that it was an ordinance pointing to Christ. A shadow prefiguring God's/Christ's completed work of redemption on our behalf and our eternal rest in Him. My reading the Pauline writings always gave me the impression that the enforcing of days on the conscience of believers is taboo, including the concept of Sabbath.
I did a little research and was surprised to read Calvin holding the same opinion. Having read so many great Calvinist giants like Spurgeon and Edwards warn against "Sabbath" violations I figured Calvin held to that same line. But instead, in his commentary he seemed to say (don't have it handy now but will paraphrase) that holding up any day in our conscience as "holy" or "obligatory" as NT believers is more or less superstitious and idolatrous.
He said that the Church has a duty to set a certain program, or order for the preaching of the word, ministration of sacraments etc.

"In Geneva’s three churches, the Word was preached every day of the week and twice on Sunday, with sermons lasting for more than an hour. Calvin rarely preached topical sermons, but rather taught consecutively through books of the Bible. When he was banished from Geneva for three years, his first Sunday back in the pulpit he picked up with the next verse following his previous sermon three years before (T. H. L. Parker, John Calvin [Lion], p. 108)! Sometimes he would preach several sermons on a single verse. At other times, he would cover several verses (CP, p. 84). He preached 123 sermons on Genesis, 200 on Deuteronomy, 159 on Job, 174 on Ezekiel, 189 on Acts, and even 25 sermons on the 5 chapters of Lamentations and 5 sermons on the one chapter of Obadiah (CP, p. 159)!" https://bible.org/seriespage/john-calvin-man-and-his-preaching

I have never met a preacher who preaches every day of the week, and most sermons are pre-packaged to fit within the time span of an hour, after prayers offerings etc. they tend to range between 30-45 min, and quite often topical with a dash of pragmatism....

 

[JM]

I could handle that of preaching but doubt many could. My phone is full of sermons for that very purpose. It does seem a little extreme though, almost ascetic. Calvin does strike me as being somewhat ascetic same with A. W. Pink and J. C. Philpot. Pink kept up a regiment of scripture reading and study that few could mimic.

 

[stenerson]

I would have loved to sit under the exposition/tutelage of scripture everyday for an hour under Luther, Calvin or any of the giants. Heck, even under my own fine pastor.
May seem a bit excessive to some, but I figure that after a millennia of Popery strong medicine was necessary..
I have a 2 hour (round trip) commute to work everyday and it goes by fast hearing sermons, lectures, James White Dividing line (my light listening time), etc.

 

[JM]

Gotta add Don Fortner, Darvin Pruitt and the other preachers on FreeGraceRadio.

 

[AMR]

If you have the chance, this will be a joy to read:

Amazon.com: John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, Doxology eBook: Various Contributors, Burk Parsons, Burk Parsons: Kindle Store

John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, Doxology

And all those sermons were preached without notes by Calvin. Amazing.

 

[stenerson]

Gotta add Don Fortner, Darvin Pruitt and the other preachers on FreeGraceRadio.

 

[heymikey80]

If you would really like Calvin's straightforward view applying the Sabbath command, look up the Geneva Catechism on it.

Reformed thinkers were & are not agreed on the Sabbath concept, and Geneva disagrees with Westminster.

It is something of an eye opener. It's what Calvin's Geneva taught.