I've pondered that question a lot over the years.
The typical response is something to the effect that
we're under the New Covenant, and therefore the law is not applicable to us at
all. Or least, some will say, since
keeping the Sabbath is the only commandment not repeated in the New Testament,
we can just ignore that one. Some say
that because Jesus rose on the first day of the week, Sunday replaces the
Sabbath as our day of worship, and we're released from keeping the Sabbath.
Those explanations always seemed...lacking. Almost as if they were reducing a commandment
to something insignificant, as if that one (vs. the other nine) could so easily
become obsolete. There had to be more to
the issue.
I backed up a bit and tried to look at the issue in the
context of the entire Bible. I asked
myself –
What is the purpose
of the Law [we'll just focus on the Ten Commandments for the moment]?
To show us God's standard (and that we were incapable of
meeting it), which in turn shows us God's character. He doesn't just throw out rules arbitrarily;
each came from who He is. When He said, "Don't murder", it was
because He created humans in His image, gave us each a soul, and therefore
human life is precious to Him. When He
said, "Don't commit adultery," it was because He created marriage to
be a special, for-life relationship between one man and one woman.
So why the Sabbath?
What does it show us about His
character, His heart?
Well, we know the Sabbath is tied to Creation (Exodus
20:11). God created for six days, then
rested on the seventh. He didn't do this
because He was tired, but to establish a pattern for us: a time for work, and a
time for rest. From the very beginning
of this world, He laid down certain rhythms for our benefit. Exodus 16:29 says that God gave the Sabbath. The Sabbath was more than a commandment; it
was a gift. Jesus reiterates the idea in
Luke 2:27: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Far from the rule-riddled burden it became with the
Pharisees (and others), the Sabbath was actually designed to be something
beautiful and restoring. It was supposed
to be a reminder of our limits, that we need times of rest. Rest is a gift for our bodies, minds, and
spirits - a gift God was offering through the Sabbath. It was a time to pause the busyness and work
of everyday life, to reflect on Him in quietness and with intentionality. Why did God bother to make it a command? Why not just a suggestion? Because I believe He knows we humans have a
tendency to forget. To be too busy. To get swept away by the loud and the crazy
and the demands. I know I do.
Now we're back to the original question: What is the Christian's relationship with
the Sabbath supposed to be?
The New Testament teaches us that we are not under law
but under grace (Romans 6). We're not
supposed to be looking at the law and trying to keep it; we're supposed to be
looking at Jesus and being led by the Spirit (Galatians 5). As we are led by the Spirit, we will indeed
reflect the heart behind the law God gave,
but we are not motivated by an obligation
to keep a set of rules. For
instance, we won't murder, not because we're
told not to but because we have come
to value human life the way God does.
How will we reflect God's heart behind the Sabbath? I think we'll be taking intentional time to
relax, to worship, to remember. That
we'll have an attitude of resting in Him. That we'll actively resist the temptation to
constant busyness and guard time for listening to His voice.
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