What can and can't I do on Sabbath (whether Sunday or Saturday I do no mind)

[SeventhFisherofMen]

Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath.

The main issue I'm bringing up is I have always had a hard time knowing what is and is not ok to do on the Sabbath to the extent I almost do nothing at all.

I want to play games like I used to but always feel guilty. Specifically animal crossing where i like to fish and just have fun but I always think it's wrong. I don't want to sin but I don't want to live a life where I do nothing at all. What do you guys think?

 

[BobRyan]

Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath.

The main issue I'm bringing up is I have always had a hard time knowing what is and is not ok to do on the Sabbath to the extent I almost do nothing at all.

I want to play games like I used to but always feel guilty. Specifically animal crossing where i like to fish and just have fun but I always think it's wrong. I don't want to sin but I don't want to live a life where I do nothing at all. What do you guys think?

Good topic, Good questions.

Here is the actual Sabbath commandment:
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

The text says it is the 7th day that is the Sabbath. No other text in all of scripture assigns any other day of the week as the weekly Sabbath.

So the first instruction in the commandment is to remember the actual day that is the Sabbath.

In Ex 20:8-11 Sabbath is a day of rest - sanctified , set apart for God.
In Lev 23:3-4 it is a day for "Holy convocation" - a day of worship
In Is 58:13 it is a day to refrain from our own secular activity - even speaking common secular topics is not advised according to that chapter.

So then what ARE we supposed to be doing?

Bible study , prayer. Yes that sounds good.
But what about going out into nature and reflecting on God's creation - is work in providing a home for mankind. After all the Ex 20 text points to the Sabbath as a memorial of God's work in Creation.

And what a great day not just to fellowship with fellow Christians but to find opportunities to share the gospel with someone, visit the sick, pray for and encourage someone.

 

[Lost Witness]

Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath.

The main issue I'm bringing up is I have always had a hard time knowing what is and is not ok to do on the Sabbath to the extent I almost do nothing at all.

I want to play games like I used to but always feel guilty. Specifically animal crossing where i like to fish and just have fun but I always think it's wrong. I don't want to sin but I don't want to live a life where I do nothing at all. What do you guys think?

The sabbath/shabbat starts at sundown on Friday and lasts till 1 hour past sundown on Saturday.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath.

The main issue I'm bringing up is I have always had a hard time knowing what is and is not ok to do on the Sabbath to the extent I almost do nothing at all.

I want to play games like I used to but always feel guilty. Specifically animal crossing where i like to fish and just have fun but I always think it's wrong. I don't want to sin but I don't want to live a life where I do nothing at all. What do you guys think?

The Sabbath is the day to keep holy Exodus 20:8 and God identities the Sabbath as being on the seventh day Exodus 20:10 and it is the day to honor Him Isaiah 58:13. God gives us six days Exodus 20:9 and only asks for one to be fully dedicated to Him. For me, I like to go to church, study the Bible, witness, pray, listen to sermons, get out in nature and really spend time with God. I feel spiritually charged after each Sabbath and need it after a long week!

 

[truthisfreedom2019]

Mark 2:23 "And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain." They were not out working, so it would be out communicating with one another and enjoying the outdoors.

 

[Jonaitis]

In the Reformed tradition, Sunday is traditionally held as the Christian Sabbath day. Herein is what is held in our churches.

Keach's (aka Baptist) Catechism:

Q. 66. How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?
A. The Sabbath is to sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days, and spending the time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. (Lev. 23:3; Isa. 58:13,14; Isa. 66:23; Matt. 12:11,12)

Q. 67. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
A. The fourth commandment forbids the ommission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about worldly employments or recreations. (Ezekiel 22:26; 23:38; Jer. 17:21; Neh. 13:15,17; Acts 20:7)

Section 8 in Chapter 22 of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith:

"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. Not only that, but they also fill the whole time with public and private acts of worship and the duties of necessity and mercy."

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

 

[SabbathBlessings]

In the Reformed tradition, Sunday is traditionally held as the Christian Sabbath day.

Keach's (aka Baptist) Catechism:

Section 8 in Chapter 22 of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith:

This is what God wrote down and spoke.

Exodus 20:10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.

And told us not to edit His commandments. Deut 4:2

 

[Jonaitis]

This is what God wrote down and spoke.

Exodus 20:10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.

And told us not to edit His commandments. Deut 4:2

Section 7, Chapter 22 - 2LBCF:

"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. 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. 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."

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

 

[SabbathBlessings]

Section 7, Chapter 22 - 2LBCF:

I can only go by scripture and God said to not add or subtract from His commandments Deut 4:2 There is no scripture that say after Jesus rose the Sabbath changed. None of the scripture you referenced says that either.

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

What about Romans 14:5 "One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind"

And when Jesus said "The sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath."

I am not saying this to stumble anyone rather to bring to attention the meaning of scripture which Sabbath ultimately is for rest

 

[Jonaitis]

I can only go by scripture and God said to not add or subtract from His commandments Deut 4:2 There is no scripture that say after Jesus rose the Sabbath changed. None of the scripture you referenced says that either.

We point to Acts, where the first day of the week was when our Lord consistently revealed Himself to His disciples as they gathered together, and such gatherings were consistently observed after His ascension, indicating that change. This tradition has been kept this way since the days of the apostles.

 

[Jonaitis]

What about Romans 14:5 "One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind"

And when Jesus said "The sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath."

I am not saying this to stumble anyone rather to bring to attention the meaning of scripture which Sabbath ultimately is for rest

I agree with this, I am simply pointing out my denomination's traditional view. I have no problem if some want to honor it on a Thursday.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

What about Romans 14:5 "One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind"

This is not referring to the Sabbath commandment- the Sabbath isn’t even mentioned in this whole passage. What day a person esteems over another has nothing to do with what day God esteemed over all days, which He stated: Exodus 20:10, Genesis 2:1-3, Mark 2:28, Isaiah 66:23, Isaiah 58:13 They had a number of “holy days” not the seventh day Sabbath commandment that were called feast days- if you read this in context you will see its about food- start from Roman’s 14:1 and read the whole passage. It’s like the equivalent of us keeping Christmas- it is not a commandment- but if one wants to keep it keep it unto the Lord.

And when Jesus said "The sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath."

Yes, the Sabbath was made for man- man was created on the sixth day Genesis 1:26 right before the first Sabbath in the presence of God. Genesis 2:1-3. Man came first then the Sabbath- Sabbath was made for man.

I am not saying this to stumble anyone rather to bring to attention the meaning of scripture which Sabbath ultimately is for rest

God said the Sabbath is the day to keep holy Exodus 20:8 and its the day to honor Him. Isaiah 58:13 Nothing wrong with resting on the Sabbath, but we should not lose sight of the purpose- to rest in Christ by doing His way on His holy day and in return He blesses us. Isaiah 58:13-14

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

I agree with this, I am simply pointing out my denomination's traditional view. I have no problem if some want to honor it on a Thursday.

I also bring up Jesus's response to the pharisees when they accused his disciples of breaking the sabbath. He said the sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath.

I believe that the spirit of the law of sabbath is rest. You find a lot of jewish and other religious denominations specifying dos and don'ts, but ultimately it should be about rest and about including God in all you do. I am beginning to see that I have spent a good majority of my life focusing on what i cannot do rather than the freedom that comes from following Christ. Paul also mentions that those lead by the spirit are not under the law.

I also want to add that I still refrain from working and buying things, but my relationship with Christ should not be focused on rules. This is hard to hear because most of my life has been about rules. I do not want to go to the extreme and just say I will do whatever, but there has to be a balance somewhere, and i believe that ultimately it is between us and Jesus. This is not easy trust me, I have spent many Sundays laying in bed all day because I was afraid i would do something wrong. When responding to me just know you are not responding to someone who is unfamiliar with following rules. I just want to experience the freedom Paul describes as well. This is a matter that has taken prayer and consideration and i do not have all the answers. I know Jesus is merciful and knows what I have prayed, He knows my intentions in all I do. This walk is not easy. As soon as I think I know everything I find out I do not.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

We point to Acts, where the first day of the week was when our Lord consistently revealed Himself to His disciples as they gathered together, and such gatherings were consistently observed after His ascension, indicating that change. This tradition has been kept this way since the days of the apostles.

Acts makes it pretty clear that the Sabbath was the day the apostles gathered together and preached God’s Word every Sabbath to both Jew and Gentiles.

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God
Acts 13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

The reference you indicated in Acts was was about a secular offering, so not something done on the Sabbath, the other was a meeting that ran late- started on the Sabbath (days start in the evenings in scripture) and ended on the first day when Paul was ready to leave. None of the verses you provided say the Sabbath was changed in scripture. We already know this can’t happen because God said to not edit His commandments Deut 4:2, and no one has authority to do so. Jesus commanded His disciples teach teach everything He observed. Jesus observed the Sabbath Luke 4:16 and kept all of His Fathers commandments as our example to follow. John 15:10, 1 John 2:6

 

[Jonaitis]

Acts makes it pretty clear that the Sabbath was the day the apostles gathered together and preached God’s Word every Sabbath to both Jew and Gentiles.

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 13:44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God
Acts 13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

The reference you indicated in Acts was was about a secular offering, so not something done on the Sabbath, the other was a meeting that ran late- started on the Sabbath (days start in the evenings in scripture) and ended on the first day when Paul was ready to leave. None of the verses you provided say the Sabbath was changed in scripture. We already know this can’t happen because God said to not edit His commandments Deut 4:2, and no one has authority to do so. Jesus commanded His disciples teach teach everything He observed. Jesus observed the Sabbath Luke 4:16 and kept all of His Fathers commandments as our example to follow. John 15:10, 1 John 2:6

The text you provided is about Paul's evangelistic efforts with Hellenistic Jews and converts to Judaism. It does not indicate anything about Christian public worship for the people of God.

If it were important to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath, show me apostolic teaching on it in the New Testament. Show me where it is encouraged by the apostles to be kept correctly. You will not find it, because it does not exist. At least with our interpretation, we can point out that the Lord's Day was not a latter invention, but was traditionally known and consistently kept by the apostles.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

I also bring up Jesus's response to the pharisees when they accused his disciples of breaking the sabbath. He said the sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath.

I believe that the spirit of the law of sabbath is rest. You find a lot of jewish and other religious denominations specifying dos and don'ts, but ultimately it should be about rest and about including God in all you do. I am beginning to see that I have spent a good majority of my life focusing on what i cannot do rather than the freedom that comes from following Christ. Paul also mentions that those lead by the spirit are not under the law.

I also want to add that I still refrain from working and buying things, but my relationship with Christ should not be focused on rules. This is hard to hear because most of my life has been about rules. I do not want to go to the extreme and just say I will do whatever, but there has to be a balance somewhere, and i believe that ultimately it is between us and Jesus. This is not easy trust me, I have spent many Sundays laying in bed all day because I was afraid i would do something wrong. When responding to me just know you are not responding to someone who is unfamiliar with following rules. I just want to experience the freedom Paul describes as well. This is a matter that has taken prayer and consideration and i do not have all the answers. I know Jesus is merciful and knows what I have prayed, He knows my intentions in all I do. This walk is not easy. As soon as I think I know everything I find out I do not.

If we are led by the Spirit we are not an enmity to God’s laws. Romans 8:1-8. God’s law and God’s Spirit are In harmony- Jesus said if we obey and keep the commandments He gives us His Spirit. John 14:15-18. I think its easy to justify anything, but that why scripture says not to lean on our own understanding Proverbs 2:5-6 and He will direct our path and His Word is a light to our path Psalms 119:105 and the only way we will not be deceived. Isaiah 8:20

Anyway, I am glad you are thinking about this- it’s an important part of scripture and God said those who keep His Sabbath is a sign between Him and His people. Ezekiel 20:12, Ezekiel 20:20.

God bless!

 

[SabbathBlessings]

The text you provided is about Paul's evangelistic efforts with Hellenistic Jews and converts to Judaism. It does not indicate anything about Christian public worship for the people of God.

If it were important to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath, show me apostolic teaching on it in the New Testament. Show me where it is encouraged by the apostles to be kept correctly. You will not find it, because it does not exist. At least with our interpretation, we can point out that the Lord's Day was not a latter invention, but was traditionally known and consistently kept by the apostles.

There is no scripture that says the first day is God’s holy day, is sanctified by God or blessed by God. There is no commandment to keep the first day holy. This is all reserved for the seventh day and there is no scripture that says the “Lord’s day is Sunday and kept by the apostles“ in scripture and you didn’t post a reference to this, and our opinions are not equal to scripture. The Sabbath was from the very beginning Genesis 2:1-3 and will continue until the very end. Isaiah 56:1-7, Isaiah 66:23 because it is the Lords holy day in His own words Isaiah 58:13 that He said is on the seventh day Exodus 20:10

The Sabbath is a commandment of God personally written by God’s own finger, Exodus 31:18, Exodus 32:16, spoke by God’s own voice Exodus 20. God said not to edit His commandments Deut 4:2 and Paul reminds us what matters is keeping the commandments of God 1 Cor 7:19 and preaching God’s Word every Sabbath is certainly an example of keeping this commandment.

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

If we are led by the Spirit we are not an enmity to God’s laws. Romans 8:1-8. God’s law and God’s Spirit are In harmony- Jesus said if we obey and keep the commandments He gives us His Spirit. John 14:15-18. I think its easy to justify anything, but that why scripture says not to lean on our own understanding Proverbs 2:5-6 and He will direct our path and His Word is a light to our path Psalms 119:105 and the only way we will not be deceived. Isaiah 8:20

Anyway, I am glad you are thinking about this- it’s an important part of scripture and God said those who keep His Sabbath is a sign between Him and His people. Ezekiel 20:12, Ezekiel 20:20.

God bless

it's not about justifying, rather it's about are we just following rules or are we following Christ. We can follow Christ and be free from rules. There is such a thing as being free. If a child wanted to play tag with their friends at Church after service would you scold them or give them the freedom and grace to enjoy Sabbath. I'm not saying just do whatever, but also i'm saying don't be so caught up in the rules that you lose sight of Jesus.

 

[Jonaitis]

There is no scripture that says the first day is God’s holy day, it sanctified by God or blessed by God. There is no commandment to keep the first day holy. This is all reserved for the seventh day and there is no scripture that says the “Lord’s day is Sunday and kept by the apostles“ in scripture and you didn’t post a reference to this, and our opinions are not equal to scripture.

The Sabbath is a commandment of God personally written by God’s own finger, Exodus 31:18, Exodus 32:16, spoke by God’s own voice Exodus 20. God said not to edit His commandments Deut 4:2 and Paul reminds us what matters is keeping the commandments of God 1 Cor 7:19 and preaching God;‘s Word every Sabbath is certainly an example of keeping this commandment and what matters.

Again, produce Scripture where Sabbath-keeping was a concern for the Church? God stresses it with the people of Israel time and time again. You would think that, if keeping it the way it was kept was important, it would be frequently discussed, or at least mentioned in passing, in Paul's writings to Gentiles who had no association with the Law. You won't find it, because it was no longer a standard practice. Even the Noahide Principles that the Council in Jerusalem issued in Acts 15 does not include keeping the Sabbath. The entire absence of it shows little to no significance to the Christian tradition. You keep referring to the Law like you're Jewish, but I am referring to the apostolic tradition that has been kept since the beginning for our people.