How Should You Keep the Sabbath?
It seems like every family has a different way of keeping the Sabbath. How should I determine how to keep the Sabbath? Some watch television while others do not. Some allow their kids to go to sports games Friday nights while others don't. Every time I spend a Friday night with a Church friend who grew up keeping the Sabbath differently than me, I become more and more confused about how it should be kept. There seems to be no standard other than the obvious refusing to be paid for work on the Sabbath.
This is an important question and one that is very important to our relationship with God. The Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:28) and God fellowships with us during this time that He made holy (1 John 1:3). The best way to determine how to observe the Sabbath is to consider God's instructions regarding it.
While we can't cover all of the scriptures referring to the Sabbath in this short space, here are a few key principles to help you begin determining how God would have you observe this day.
First, we note in Exodus 20:8 that it is a day to "keep holy." This means the Sabbath is special—unlike other days. One way we are to make the Sabbath special is by ceasing from our normal work that we do throughout the week (Hebrews 4:9-10). Isaiah 58 is a good primer on our attitudes toward keeping the Sabbath. Here we find that we are not to seek our own pleasure and that we should look upon the Sabbath as a "delight." The Sabbath is a time to honor God instead of doing our normal activities.
The scriptures we have noted form a good basis for determining what to do or not do on the Sabbath. In keeping with these principles, on the Sabbath many people choose not to watch television (other than news programs) and to listen to different types of music (inspiring in nature) than they normally listen to. Many also choose to spend extra time in study and prayer on this day.
We hope these principles will help you make good decisions about how to observe the Sabbath. If you want to study this subject in greater depth, we recommend our free Bible study aid, Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest.
📖 Get Your FREE Bible Study Aid: "Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest"
Want to Learn More About Keeping the Sabbath?
What Should a Christian Do on the Sabbath? How Should This Day of Rest Be Observed?
On the Sabbath day, the Christian rests from working for a livelihood, spends extra time in prayer, study and meditation, and joins together with other Christians to fellowship and to hear His Word preached. All these are what a Christian should do to observe the Sabbath.
When Should I Go To Church?
In addition to being a day of rest from our regular work, the seventh day Sabbath is a day we are commanded to gather together for a “holy convocation.”
How Can We Be Sure that Saturday is the Seventh Day?
We can look to the Jews, who have tracked and kept the seventh-day Sabbath for millennia, and be confident that our current Saturday is the seventh day of the week, on the same weekly cycle that has been in place since the beginning of creation—a cycle established and confirmed by God Himself.
Why Did Jesus Say He is the Lord of the Sabbath?
Jesus, who is the very Creator (Colossians 1:16; John 1:3), is the One who created the Sabbath by resting on it (Genesis 2:2-3). If we are driven by custom rather than submission to His Lordship in our approach to the Sabbath, we will fail to understand the gift of this day.
Are You Missing Out on a Blessing From God?
Time: It's the one thing that you can never recover. Is your life hectic and out of control? It's time you realized you may be missing out on a special gift from God.
