One Man's Look at the Sabbath Keeping Issue

This excerpt from an upcoming book, Is the Sabbath Still Required for Christians?, was posted on Justin Taylor's blog.  This is one man's answer to my Sabbath keeping question.

I think the comments are interesting to read as well.

Yes, I do believe the Lord's Day is what we observe and the ceremonial and dietary laws do not apply.   We are not saved by keeping the Law, but, I believe, we show our obedience through our attempts at keeping it.

This is what the Westminster Confession says on, Of the Law of God.

Here is what the Westminster Larger Catechism says, beginning with Question/Answer #99.

We are not saved by the keeping of the Sabbath, or the Lord's Day.  I do believe biblically, that Christ summarizes the moral law when he said we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.   G. I. Williamson, in his commentary on the Confession, says that we may rightly infer the divisions of the law of God in this statement. 

I admit, that I am not a theologian and do not know enough of my Westminster Confession.  That said, I'm not sure that I agree with the article on Mr. Taylor's blog.

The Gospel frees us from the killing judgment of the Law.  It liberates us from the curse of Law; but it never denigrates the Law of God.  The Gospel saves us not from duty, but unto duty by which the Law of God is established.  --R. C. Sproul in the forward to Reasons for Duty, by John H. Gerstner

A Wonderful Fall Day!

It was supposed to rain and be dreary today.  We were blessed with a beautiful blue sky and a delightfully comfortable temperature in the mid to upper 60s.  My husband and I even enjoyed lunch on the porch.  Those days are rapidly coming to and end I am afraid.

The forecast says that we will get our first frost tonight.  And if anybody is going to get a frost it will be us.  It seems we live in just the "right" spot. 

With that in mind, I asked my hubby to start our little tiller (the thing works well, but the carburetor is gunked up and it is horrible to start).  Since he will be running the big tiller on the Ford tractor over the bulk of the garden, I pulled up some corn stalks that finished a short row of late broccoli and Brussels sprouts.  I figure that he can run the big tiller whenever he wants and the garlic will be close to the edge and not be bothered.

It was wonderful to be out in the sun and getting my hands dirty...and knees.  I have come to realize that I really enjoy the digging and planting part of gardening.  The weeding and picking--not so much.

It was a wonderful, productive and busy day.

Increase my faith in the clear knowledge of
   atonement achieved, expiation completed,
   satisfaction made, guilt done away,
   my debt paid, my sins forgiven,
   my person redeemed, my soul saved,
   hell vanquished, heaven opened, eternity made mine.
--a selection from The Spirit's Work from The Valley of Vision

Sabbath Keeping

Our Sunday school class is looking at what the PCA, my denomination, believes on certain issues.  The last several weeks has been on worship.  Today, we were ending the worship discussion and the homework that we were to read included a section of the Westminster Confession of Faith (scroll down to pages 19 & 20) and it's statements about the Sabbath or Sunday and what is expected.  The last part of the section on "Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day" says this:

viii. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations;(1) but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.(2)



(1) Ex 20:8; Ex 16:23,25,26,29,30; Ex 31:15; Ne 13:15-19,21,22.


(2) Isa 58:13; Mt 12:1-13.
 
Now, I don't know if we ran out of time, which happens a great deal, but we never got here.  Our family does  not keep the Sabbath perfectly--not even close--but I would love someone to make a stand about this!!  Does God change his mind?  What about the way He talks about the keeping of the Sabbath in the Old Testament?  I think He is serious.  Sunday has become another Saturday.  Our culture has lost any concept of what this day really means and the reason God commanded it.  Many think that if they have attended church service, they are done--card is punched.  We can do whatever we want. 
 
Of course, I am old enough to remember the days when the stores were all closed on Sunday, except for the drug store for a few hours.  It was a great scandal when our local corner store opened at noon for people to get the Sunday paper.  My dad told me that they were only permitted to read the Bible or nap on Sundays when he was a boy.  They were not even permitted to read the Sunday comic strip.  How far we have come.
 
I just want to know if God has changed or if our culture has perverted this day so badly that it seems that it cannot be redeemed.
 
If God commanded a day of rest, he has good reasons.  We work against this perfect plan when we disobey. Will there be some sort of judgement on our nation, or on us personally?  I don't really know. 
 
I want to understand how to do Sunday in an obedient way.  Please tell me how!!

No doubt, I need to start with blogging on Sunday.  This was something I had to get off my chest.
 
O LORD,
We commune with thee every day,
   but week days are worldly days,
   and secular concerns reduce heavenly impressions.
We bless the therefore for the day sacred to our souls
   when we can wait upon thee and be refreshed...
--an excerpt from Worship from the Valley of Vision

Fall and the Love of Apples

The western Pennsylvania area had been pretty dry until lately.  We have received a good amount of rain and I can't seem to remember when I last saw the sun.  The days have been damp and dreary.  It got cold enough in the house so that we finally had to turn the furnace on Monday.  The dear weather man says that the sun is coming and that the weekend looks to be beautiful!  I'm looking forward to hanging out with Hazel, my John Deere tractor, and soak up some Vitamin D while I cut the grass.  It certainly has liked this rain and cool weather!

The one thing I love most about fall is the apples!  One batch of applesauce is canned.  I don't know if I'll do more since we have so much left over, but applesauce is my favorite thing to can.  The house smells amazing!  We bought our first cider of the season today.  Some of that will need to be warmed up tonight and served with some apple crisp.  Some of life's simple and delightful pleasures!

Not long ago, my daughter-in-law and I were discussing the upcoming winter and she mentioned how she really noticed that she was dreading the coming cold and snow.  I can agree.  The last couple of years, I have felt the dread of winter.  The neighborhood around us seems to vanish and everyone huddles in their home until you see them magically appear in the spring when the grass needs cut.  Sundays become more special in the winter...not only worship, but people!! 

Maybe this winter won't be so bad. 

Nothing in this world happens by chance.  Our great God has "measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure" (Is. 40:12)....this same God cares for you with such special care that He has numbered the very hairs of your head....You may rest assured that even those experiences that are causing much sorrow are in accord with His eternal counsel and decree.
--C.H. Spurgeon

Updated Web Address

I found out that the Abiding Radio web address had changed and I just wanted to update this.  Not only do they have a nice loop of Sacred and Instrumental Music, but they will have their Christmas music up soon, No doubt.

I'm sorry I missed this until now.

When God Says to the Sun and Moon: "Do it Again!"

This is from Justin Taylor's blog.  In it he has a quote from G. K. Chesterton that I wanted to share.

Fall Garden Update

It is a bit chilly!  Down into the 40s at night and not getting up to 60 these last few days.  We have received some much needed rain, though.  No doubt, some time this week my John Deere, Hazel, and I will be out cutting grass.

I seem to be having a hard time this year adjusting to it getting dark sooner.  ACK! 7:30 and it's dark!  It just seems as if it is 9:30 instead of 7:30.

There has not yet been a frost, but we were able to get the sweet potatoes dug on Friday.  They look pretty sad.  It must have been the lack of rain when they needed it most.  There are a few that are decent size, but the majority are skinny and small.  They should make good sweet potato fries!

The carrots were also dug and are all canned.  The ones that were saved to eat fresh tasted great.

There is not much left in the garden at this point.  Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and I am still holding out some hope that the peppers will come through.  As soon as the soil is dry enough, I hope my husband can till the upper (newest part) of the garden under for the winter.  The lower part has the peppers in it.  We also need to plant our seed garlic pretty soon.

Despite the hot, dry summer, God has provided for us--as always.  Just looking at my full cupboards in the basement should be a daily reminder of His goodness, grace and provision.

May I never dally with the world and its allurements,
   but walk by thy side,
      listen to thy voice,
      be clothed with thy graces,
      and adorned with thy righteousness.
--an excerpt from Christ is All,  from The Valley of Vision