Are We Required to Keep the Sabbath?

October 29
I’ve already mentioned this issue in a previous devotional about whether or not we are under the law, so this devotional will be short. I tend to be verbose, so maybe that’s a good thing. There are a little known and seldom taught group of verses in Isaiah that promise a special blessing those who are not Israelites but who keep the Sabbath. First, it bears repeating that Sunday is in no way or in anyway to be mistaken for the Sabbath. It was a practice begun by the early church to meet on the first day of the week to honor the resurrection of Christ. In the same way however, the Sabbath was a specific covenantal responsibility of Israelites and is not extended in a covenant sense with non-Jewish Christians. Israelites were told to keep it in perpetuity; non-Jewish Christians were not (Exodus 31:16). Literally dozens of verses make it clear it was a covenant between God and Israel. Acts 15 makes it clear the non-Jewish converts did not have any obligation to keep the Sabbath, and Isaiah 56:6-7 implies the same thing.

At least one entire denomination has been started for a failure to under this issue. Combined with Romans 14 we can be sure we will not be lost forever in hell for a failure to honor the true Sabbath (Saturday on our weekly calendar). That acknowledged, it is also clear God will especially bless, in some special way known only to Him, those who chose to honor the Sabbath by ceasing from all but essential work (cooking meals is an example of essential work), and spend that day honoring Him. That acknowledged, Jesus made an interesting statement in Mark 2:27, Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." And in Matthew 12:12 we read. “. . . So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Several principles can be gleaned from these verses: First, the issue is not as clear as the nose on your face. Second, the example Jesus used indicates things that are of an emergency nature are acceptable to do and not be in violation of the concept of resting on the Sabbath. Helping someone who has slid into a ditch on a snowy road is an example of such good deeds. Helping someone paint their house is not. Third, it is legalistic and entirely without biblical support to suggest anyone who does not honor the Sabbath is less of a man or less of a Christian. Fourth, honoring the Sabbath is entirely a private choice between God and the man who deems it important. And fifth, no one will gain entrance into the kingdom of God by honoring the Sabbath.

A few weeks ago my wife and I decided to spend several weeks honoring the Sabbath for the specific purpose of focusing our lives on that particular day to honoring God. We aren’t in any way expecting God to enrich us in any financial way, but we do believe He will reward us in some manner much more important that financial riches. I firmly believe that is the point of Isaiah 56. I would like to humbly suggest it would be pleasing to Him and beneficial to this entire country if great multitudes of Christians did so, not out of any feeling of obligation, but out of a sense of love and adoration for Him. And that’s God’s word for us today.