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New for You! A Day of Rest
Description: Members respond to whether a day of rest is important.
Categories: Dating, Pen Pals, Friends: Member Surveys
This Post has been viewed 4045 times.
Submitted by: Nannette | View Member Profile | View Other Posts
Created: 5/11/2003
A Day of Rest:
More and more denominations are keeping a day of rest - whether it be the Biblical Saturday Sabbath,
or the first day of the week, Sunday. Do you feel it is important to set aside a day of rest?
What types of things do you think it is okay to do on your day of rest and not do?
For Biblical perspective, see Exodus 20:8-11 -
8"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days you
shall labor and do all your work, 10but 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. 11For 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.
ChildOfGod4Ever:
Female - Age Range: 21-30
You may use my alias.
I don't think it's a matter of what's ok or not ok to do during the Sabbath hours. Good grief -- when we, as followers of the same Jesus who ate grain and told a man to carry his bed on the Sabbath day, nit-pick about how high we can let the water go up our legs when we wade in a lake on Sabbath, I really think we've totally missed the point.
We can't win or lose our salvation based on our actions; rather our salvation is based on what Jesus did on the cross and our willingness to let Him be our salvation. When we believe, we follow His example out of love for Him rather than out of trying to be Biblically 'right' all the time.
Yet, with all that said and done, my answer to the question of works on Sabbath: The Old Testament makes it clear that, when we love God and want to keep all His commandments, that includes His version of the fourth commandment, rather than our man-made version. The only things to be abstained from are works which contribute to the making of money, or which take a person's attention away from God. Some people try to take everything to extremes and won't even reheat their pre-made food on the Sabbath, or use a car or a heater, etc... Others try to make themselves appear to be as outwardly holy as possible, so they whip out those broaches, pins, scarves, ties, cufflinks, suits and dresses, the hairspray and rollers, etc... Sometimes I think we put more work into our day of rest than we do on any other day of the week!
What is the Sabbath? A day of rest and celebration. A day when the Israelites stayed inside their homes all day and never went out. A day which is a sign between God and His chosen people. A day that looks back to creation. A day that God never changed, but that man, in his conceited ignorance of God's will has tried to change. A day that sets apart those who, like Peter and the other apostles, love God enough to follow Him rather than following man's idea of how to do things.
When is the Sabbath? Think of it this way: Men, if you and your future wife had a weekly anniversary, and you were always so exited to start the celebration that you showed up as soon as the sun set the day before, and your wife wasn't there, how would you feel? If you truly loved her, were completely hooked on her, you would wait and wait and wait... While she was who knows where, having the time of her life without you. The next day, you would still be there, waiting; your heart beginning to break, as the hours ticked by. As the evening drew near, your heartache would begin to change to something closer to anger, disgust, and questions. Be honest now, you would be upset as you watched the sun set on the candle lit dinner grown cold, the candles themselves burned to the nub, etc... What do you think it would be like if, the next day, your wife showed up all happy to see you and expecting the celebration to start, mindless of what you had just been through as you waited for her, wondering why she wasn't there to be with you? Do you really think you would just say 'Hey, it's ok, let the celebration begin even though this day means nothing to me!' I wouldn't buy it at all if you said 'yes' to that question. I would buy it though, if you said that you would be very upset with her and would do anything to find out why she wasn't there on such an important occasion. Yes, eventually, you would forgive her and put it behind you and try again next time, but I suspect it would get pretty old after a while. You wouldn't cease to be her husband, because you love her, yet you would just come to expect her to continually break your heart because of her lack of concern for that special day between you and her.
That's what God goes through as He watches millions of His beloveds ignore the day that He set up just for the purpose of resting in Him. If it weren't for God, we wouldn't HAVE a Saturday. We would be stuck with six days in a week, always working and never resting, never celebrating, never having a sign between us and God of His love for us, never caring whether we were created through His love and power or through some random explosion we like to call the start of evolution.
I find it interesting to note that, in the Old Testament, Sunday is referred to as the eighth day, and in the New Testament, Sunday is referred to as the first day; yet in both Testaments, Saturday is always referred to as the seventh day or the Sabbath day. Jesus always kept it on Saturday, so did the disciples when they went to preach in the synagogues. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, and Hebrews Ch. 4 tells us that if God had wanted the Sabbath to be on any other day than the seventh day, He would have told us so. Hebrews was written long after the crucifixion. So, to be honest, it doesn't make any sense to me at all for anyone to claim that the crucifixion is any excuse to try to change God's laws and times to suite man's way of doing things. Remember Cain and Able? Cain did things his way and God didn't accept that. Able did things God's way, and God did accept Abel's sacrifice.
Really, is it such a small thing for God to ask that, when we love Him, we worship Him as He has asked us to, rather than as the world asks us to under the guise of Christianity? The world, through Constantine, has brought many pagan practices into the Christian church, and the church, through all it's changes, has never really recovered from this. Satan used him in a big way, to lead billions of people over the millennia down paths that, unbeknownst to them, have led them away from God. God may wink at their ignorance, but it still hurts Him when He shows up in Spirit and in Truth on Sabbath and they aren't there to fellowship with Him.
For a more complete study on the Sabbath, please refer to Strong's lexicons regarding the following words in both OT Hebrew and NT Greek:
seventh
day
Sabbath
first
day
It's quite an eye opener.
MayDaisy:
Female - Age Range: 31-40
(You may use my alias if you wish.) God knew that humans would desperately need a day set apart on which to 'Remember' and devote time to medidate and commune with God! Especially in this day and age when everything moves past us at the speed of light! And because with our fallen human nature it's so easy to forget. I personally have certain things and activities I feel comfortable doing on the 7th day Sabbath and others that I don't. My friends, even of other faiths know this. I feel the most important question to ask in regards to what is 'right' to do and what is not, is 'would this activity or environment cause me to think about God and medidate on Him or on wordly things?' If it brings me closer to God, then that is the purpose of the Sabbath so I feel comfortable doing it. If it leads me to think of wordly things and away from God then I choose not to do that. Which brings me to another interesting question- Shouldn't we as Christians be 7 day Christians rather than just 7th Day Christians or 1st day Christians? (for my non-SDA friends). Shouldn't we be careful what we do and choose hear, watch, or read, everyday of the week? Well may God touch each of our lives and compell us to draw closer to Him everyday of our lives! May we strive only to serve Him and be changed more into His likeness! And I personally am VERY THANKFUL for the Sabbath! I don't know what I would do without the Sabbath. The past few hours I've been enjoying welcoming it into my home and look forward to worshiping with others at church tomorrow, especially this being Resurrection Weekend!
Cinema:
Female - Age Range: 31-40
You may use my alias.
I find great pleasure & delight in my day of rest. It's the one day a week when nothing is on my agenda but JESUS. I can forget work, all my worries & just relax with HIM. Rest is so good!!! JESUS calls each one of us,'Come to ME, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take MY yoke upon you and learn from ME, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For MY yoke is easy and MY burden is light.' This is what I believe the day of rest was set aside for. A day to come to JESUS, not just for a moment but to stay with HIM, to learn from HIM, to lean on HIM & just rest in HIM. In this busy rat-race world we live in who doesn't need a day of refreshing & rest? Who doesn't feel the need of 'rest for your souls'? I challenge you all to take this day & rest in JESUS and feel the difference in your life. Experience the reality of JESUS in your life as you learn from HIM & let HIM refresh you. HE is so delightful! And let me tell you...HE has a great sense of humor. If you want a boring life...don't come to JESUS. But if you want a life filled with mystery & intrigue, if you want a heart that is bursting with joy & delight, if you want rest for your soul& peace that passes all understanding...then come to JESUS. This is where it's at. One day a week to focus on JESUS alone, a day to praise & worship HIM with abandon, to sink into HIS glorious presence & just soak HIM in...this is a pleasure worth seeking with all your heart! Enjoy HIM! HE is enjoying you!
singingpianogal:
Female - Age Range: 31-40
'You may use my alias'
I thank God every week that He has given me a day of rest. In a world that is so fast-paced, it is more important than ever to have a time to rest and reflect as well as spend time in worship of the Heavenly Father. I always look forward to sunset on Friday evening. After a hectic week of work at school, my body and my spirit are in need of rest and renewal.
I was raised in a home where Friday evenings meant family time--we would gather around the piano and sing songs of praise to God. Then on Sabbath we spent time in church and fellowshipping with our Christian brothers & sisters. Another activity we enjoyed was going for walks in the woods. It was a great way to learn appreciation for God's creation.
I am a firm believer that when God said 'rest' he meant just that. Also, when He said the Sabbath was sanctified and holy, He meant it to be different from the rest of the days of the week. Therefore, I do not work on the Sabbath. (A job at school works nicely for this and I pray that they never yield to the idea of going to school on Saturdays.)
Along the same line, I also believe that you should not buy or sell on the Sabbath. You should be prepared in advance so you don't find yourself 'needing' to do so. (If you are going to travel any distance on Sabbath, make sure your tank is filled in advance. And just to clarify, I would travel only to church-related activities--not merely for pleasure.)
I believe that the Bible is clear on these topics. God was NOT pleased with the Isrealites when they bought or sold on the Sabbath. Their story is given as an example for us. I don't think God's preferences have changed.
Female - Age Range: 41-50
I think it is important to set aside a day of rest because God says we should in the bible..I think that God wouldnt want us to do any more then we have to....I think it is a good idea to have this day off from work,,,not even working around the house,,but use this time to worship and praise Him....Some things cant be helped and I think God would understand.I know we all struggle with our thoughts , but just pray about whats weighing on your mind pertaining to a day of rest.
Female - Age Range: 41-50
I grew up with the belief that not only was it unacceptable to work on the Sabbath, but that it was unacceptable to cause anyone else to work on the Sabbath. We went to church on Sunday, and then came home, visited with family, made dinner, and just rested. We never went to the store, or out to eat, because that would be making someone else work on the Sabbath.
As an adult, I work in law enforcement, and the 'bad guys' don't take Sundays off, so I often don't get them off either. What I try to do is make one of my other days off the Sabbath, a day of rest. I don't go shopping or do any work around the house. I read my devotional, and my Bible, sometimes I visit family or I write letters.
Jesus healed on the Sabbath, and rebuked the Pharisees when they criticized his disciples for picking and eating ears of corn on the Sabbath. In an age when 'What Would Jesus Do' is (and rightly should be!) our measure for our own actions, I feel ok about 'Protecting and Serving' on Sundays.
Female - Age Range: 41-50
Sabbath ie Saturday is the seventh day which is the day of rest. That means we abstain from all work, secular activities, Television anything that will take our mind off the Lord's Day.preparing for the Sabbath will include the Friday preparation, daily preparation, your bodies, minds and clothing.then you open the Sabbath with songs, with prayer and anticapation. The Sabbath is not to be cooking of food, pleasure seeking or any other worldly employment all those should be laid aside before the sun sets.You can do missionary work on the Sabbath, study, or rest.The benefits of proper Sabbath keeping it can promote physical health, enhances your spirituaity, teaches dependence upon God,provides a witness to society,reminds us of Gods redemptive love and promotes family solidarity.And the Sabbath is a sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the fourth commandment will obey the whole law.
Female - Age Range: 51-60
Since God Himself invited us to spend this time with Him, we should be honored to accept the invitation. What we do is more up to the individual conscience, don't think it can be proscribed by others. The important thing is to accept the invitation given at Creation, and keep the 'date' that God has kept since resting from his work that first week.
Female - Age Range: 51-60
YES! A day of rest is needful. :-) That day must honor and glorify CHRIST JESUS. Now.... Which day should that be??? I was surprised to learn that there is a day when A-L-L humans hearts beats different. The seventh day, Saturday. Our hearts beat slower on Saturday, then the other six days. I am just a layperson, a learner, and prayerful seeker after truth. My bold statement of the slower heart rate one day a week, come from Dr.'s on 3A.B.N. Law suits are no fun, and they would not allow that, so I know that the message is a true one. Rest on that day would diffentaly be the best! :-)
DollyD1:
Female - Age Range: 61-70
You may use my alias:
There really can't be a list of things to do on Sabbath or not do on Sabbath. Each thing depends on motive for doing it rather than an activity in itself. Years ago when Bible was banned. folk smuggled pages in their clothing which was piled on their head while the swam the river (on the Sabbath Day) to share God's word with others. What if a bicycle is only means of transportation to get to church on Sabbath. Any thing that draws us close to God and helps learn about HIM would be acceptable for Sabbath. Like the ox in the ditch helping a neighbor in a dire situation was acceptable to our Lord.
Any thing that increases our love for God and makes the Sabbath a joy and a delight is proper Sabbath observance.
Adventista1844:
Male - Age Range: 41-50
'You may use my alias'
I have tried to disprove the 7th day Sabbath, but caould not. This I did when i was first introduced to the Sabbath truth. I was raised as a Catholic and in high scholl I excepted the Lord as my Lord and Savior and began to attend Sunday churches. The way Iprove anything right is to try to prove it wrong. I searched for some evidence to prove Sunday sacreness, but could not. Now that I live with the true Sabbath truth, I enjoy it very much. Sabbath never seems to last long enough. I look forward to it all week long. Its a day I can set aside the secular activities and usuall buisness to devote my entire mind to the Lord of Creation. Its a testamony to me being a creationist. Have you ever met an evolutionist who is a Sabbath keeper? Its a testamony that I believe in the literal 7 days of creation and the God of Heaven and Earth and everything else. I enjoy taking the Gospel to those who need it and to visit the sick. Sabbath is truly my favorite day of the week.
Chakara:
Male - Age Range: 41-50
You may use my alias.
The scripture quoted is from the old testament, which, according to Romans, is for our learning albeit not addressed to us. We live in the age of the dispensation or administration of Grace where works or lack of them don't get us into heaven. A day of rest is good for the body, mind and soul, but it doesn't affect the spirit of God within us. And therefore, it should be filled with those things that are pleasing both to God and the individual, but we are under no law to do so.
Male - Age Range: 41-50
a day of rest is just that a day to rest iknow ofsomeonewho worked sunday at a christan retreet and rhursday was his day of rest as the retreet needed workers on sunday to clean up the rooms from the weekend i will asume that he did no work that day as the lord was his focus tat day no work just rest in fact you did not ever see him outside on thursday however thurs was the lords day not our traditional sunday
Male - Age Range: 71 plus
The Observance of Days
ADAM, in Eden's garden, observed every day, for he had no need to labor and toil and sweat for his living. But the entrance of sin changed all that. His own vitality was impaired by the operation of death, and the fertility of the cursed ground decreased so that it demanded a life of work and weariness, (Gen. 3:17-19). Yet sin is not eternal, nor are its effects final. It is only a temporary intruder. Indeed, through it, mankind will be brought to a place and position of felicity far beyond that enjoyed by Adam and his wife in Eden. Along with the abolition of death and dying (1 Cor.15:26) will come surcease from sorrow and slavery to the soil. Then, again, every day will be dedicated to the Deity. In that glorious future the very thought of toil and travail will vanish from our minds, for we will be endued with a vigor which will find no task too tiring and no work too wearisome. We will not need a period of rest for recuperation. In effect it will be a continual sabbath, not of cessation merely, but of freedom from everything that would impair our overflowing vitality. To put it another way, we will set aside no day for a sabbath, because we are at ease at all times. Enforced cessation would only irk us and be an intolerable hindrance to our tireless activities. This is what all who have made Paul's evangel theirs by faith already have in spirit. We look forward to the new creation, and attain it now by faith insofar as our flesh will allow. But the sabbath is only a shadow of things to come, in the regeneration, when Israel will cease their own works and rest in Jehovah's salvation. It is limited to this creation. it will find its fulfillment in the millennium, when Israel, the nation to whom it was given, will cease to strive in their own strength for the blessings of God, after their week of weary work, seeking to earn their living by law-keeping and dead works. It was exceedingly important that Israel keep the sabbath holy, because of the great necessity of enforcing the lesson it was designed to teach. Israel was confident that they could do all that Jehovah demanded, so had to be taught their own impotence. Hence Jehovah insisted on one day in which they should cease their doing. But, alas! they often did not even 'do' this! Their utter failure in grasping the spirit of the sabbath-cessation was their undoing. Even today many imagine that it is only a wise and beneficial arrangement to give men a day of rest for recreation and recuperation in order to continue working. But sabbath, in Hebrew, does not mean rest, but cease. It does not foreshadow a period in which Israel will rest up for further effort, but a final cessation of all working for God's favor. Living in Jerusalem, one is impressed with the zeal with which the various religions keep their weekly holy day. The Mohammedans observe Friday, the Jews Saturday and the Christians Sunday. It is bewildering to those who consider such things seriously. Yet it is hardly less confusing to the infirm in faith in Christian lands, where the churches observe Sunday, the first day of the week, instead of Saturday, the last. To the intelligent student this is incongruous, for the sabbath (as Sunday is called) does not come before, but after Israel has done its work. A cessation in working cannot come before work has begun. It must come after. Sunday cannot foreshadow the future sabbatism (Heb.4:9). Work cannot stop before it has begun. Sunday is a heathen holy day dedicated to the worship of the sun, and has no claim on Bible believers. Although I have not done so for the most of my life, I imagine that a rest of one day in seven is beneficial. But that could be any day, whereas the law calls for the seventh, and not any other. From this it is evident that the sabbath is not a mere humanitarian arrangement to mitigate the severities of the curse, but is definitely incorporated into God's great curriculum to teach the blessedness of entire dependence on God for salvation apart from works, and to foreshadow the era when this will first find its fulfillment. It was a vital part of Israel's religion, and had to be enforced, if the lesson it was to teach was to be learned.
But just the reverse is true in our case, if we are confirmed in the truth, and not infirm. If the epistle to the Romans has been believed, then our works have no place in our salvation. Our justification is by faith, apart from works. What need is there of a sabbath to teach us this? Especially when the experience of Israel for thousands of years failed to do so. Already, so far as salvation is concerned, we do not work on any day. We ceased work when we believed, and do not expect to resume. We have the reality, of which the sabbath is only a shadow. We cannot keep on ceasing each week, because we do not work on other days either. For us every day, is 'Sunday' already. Consequently, outwardly we need not observe any day, but inwardly, in spirit, in reality, we must keep every day! And this corresponds to the blessed future for us, when, clothed with life and power, we will set aside every day to the Deity. In the midst of ceaseless activity we can observe unceasing cessation, utter idleness, as far as our salvation is concerned. Hardly a day passes in which I do not approach exhaustion of my physical strength, and yet I never move my finger in order to win salvation. Only on Sundays I reserve what strength I have for a talk to the saints, and relax as much as possible thereafter, lest I deplete my vitality to such a degree that I can do no work at all. Those who strive to keep the law for salvation are really breaking the sabbath on seven days even while observing the sabbath or Sunday on one of them. That which was intended to teach cessation from dead works altogether, is itself made a lifeless effort. But it is not given to many to see the true spiritual import of the sabbath in the light of God's ultimate, as shown in Paul's writings, so it is not possible for them to act in accordance therewith. Judging will not help them now, in their ignorance and mortality. They need sympathetic nurture, that they may no longer be minors, but attain the maturity that is theirs in Christ. Then they will gladly, in spirit, devote every day to God, and, even on the sabbath or Sunday, worship Him with liberty and love, not in bondage and fear.
The illumination and manifestation which will take place at the dais will play an important part in transforming us all. None of us will remain infirm in faith, because it will be replaced by sight. We will no longer be mortal minors, but become immortal and mature. It may be then that we will lose a measure of reward because of our failure to observe every day by resting in God, but our overwhelming joy in our immortality and future will be so great that no forfeit will be able to make any great diminution in our felicity. Many of us would be glad if such a glorious condition were already the portion of the saints. But this is not the proper time. Now we play a part which is vital, not so much for us and our happiness, but for the whole creation. God's grace is glorious when it saves sinners who have no deserts, but it is even more brilliant when it operates among saints who have some knowledge of God, and yet fail to live up to His gracious gratuities.
Our inward sabbatism leaves us much liberty. We may labor or loaf on any day, except when our conduct might injure others. In the darkness of our times one who works on Sunday might stumble infirm saints, especially church-goers, and keep them from even considering the treasures we may wish to share with them. So it may be wisest to dedicate our efforts on that day to definite work in disseminating His Word, or other work of this kind, to which the religious have no objection, and a part of it to physical relaxation if our frames have need of it. Judging our brethren might offend them. Such a course may help them. We should always consider our brethren, lest our liberties become liabilities. We should pursue peace and avoid strife. We should seek to build up, not to tear down. Preceding the dais, the saints are mortal and infirm, and easily stumbled and snared, even by that which is right and proper. We should never force conduct beyond the realm of faith. It has no value in God's sight and is dangerous for mortals. In Paul's epistles conduct is not inculcated until after the basis for it has been set forth. The first half of Ephesians is concerned with doctrine to be believed, and the latter part with precepts to be obeyed. Let us not push any saint beyond the pace of his faith. Let us wait, if need be, until the dais, when he will be immortal. The faith which we have in God's sight is the rule for our own behavior, not for others whose faith is infirm. Even correct conduct is a mistake if it is not rooted in faith. It is like the dead works of the Circumcision, the upright behavior of the religionist, who seeks to save himself by his flawless deportment. Only contact with God through His Word can give our actions that quality which is acceptable to God. For ourselves, may we enjoy the happiness of those who do not judge themselves in that which they do, and so keep our conscience clear; but for others we must leave the judging to One Who is more competent to discern the heart and so deal with sympathy and appreciation. This is especially incumbent on those who consider themselves among the able, and others as belonging to the infirm. What the weak need is strength, not criticism. They need help, not hindrance. They need edification, not destruction. To this end those who are able are to consider the infirm rather than themselves, and to behave with a view to their edification, rather than their own pleasure. They observe every day as a sabbath in their spirits before God, even if they keep Sunday, a heathen holy day, outwardly, in view of religious Christendom.
Guapo2000
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