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One issue that has continually reappeared throughout church history is the Sabbath/Lord's day issue. Before closing with some descriptive/prescriptive principle/commands/patterns drawn from Rom 14 and 1 Cor 8-10 I would like to review some issue discussed in this series.
First, when did the Sabbath begin? Is it a creation ordinance such as marriage? Was it a latter motivation for one of ten commandments? If only one of the ten does it still have force today, some say yes and some say no?
Second, how was the Sabbath practiced within the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and in the gospels? It obviously was important and even selected and practice after returning from a 70 year captivity. It is obvious that Jesus still observed the sabbath day (though not according to the man made additions of the Pharisees).
Third, the book of Acts records for us the disciples worshipping in the synagogue on the sabbath and meeting in churches on the first day of the week. It was on the first day of the week when the historical event of Christ's bodily resurrection occurred.
Lastily, Paul's epistles to several local NT churches addressed this issue, both directly and in principle.
So if many evangelical Christians today make not connection between the Sabbath and the Lord's day in 2016, how and when should we worship? Some have taken great liberties while others have not. Historically some people have fled homes and came to new countries for religious freedom. I would also had from a historical stand point several church confession have highlighted this idea of personal liberty, especially in relation to application of the OT ceremonial law, and the uses and abuses of liberty (see London Baptist Confession, Chapter 21, "Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience").
I would like to suggest some principles (out of an actual belief in sola scriptura) on how we can live our Lord's day in a way pleasing to the Lord. I will extract these principles from the above mentioned texts Rom 14 and 1 Cor 8-10. By way of introduction, anyone familiar with these texts knows they can pack a punch to liberty, conscience, stumbling blocks, and actually practicing love for a brother. Typically ad hominem rhetoric can emerge here in heavy dose: worldly, licentious, liberty, legalist, and antinomianism (whatever these terms mean).
By way of distinction, I would like to suggest Rom 14 addresses conscience/practice issues based on actual OT precedent or command among believers (I see no reference in the text to unbelievers). On the other hand, 1 Cor 8-10 is addressing a believers partaking in a "neutral" activity made sinful based on its association to a place or ritual. This context in contrast to Rom 14 contains scenarios pertaining to both believer's practice with believers and with unbelievers. It is this latter category that feeds the music and culture and "neutral" issue. If people can be convinced that culture and/or music is morally neutral then they can fight to apply these three chapters (don't need to make this one up, read the literature on this one).
First some principles from Romans 14. Paul addresses two kinds of believers: weak and strong. Some would suggest we don't want to be either but a third type who is neither weak nor strong. I do not expect anyone to agree with these, but these are only suggestions hopefully obvious from the text;
1) Whether Jew or Gentile, some genuine Christian people, believe there are principles and or commands given in the Old Testament which their consciences are bound to keep (both days of observance and/or food and drink categories). They may be tempted to or actually do look with judgment upon others.
2) On the other hand, whether Jew or Gentile, some genuine Christian people, do not believe there are principles and or commands given touching on days of worship (Sabbath in specific--for Israel only) and food/drink consumption (usually but not always fleshed out in alcoholic consumption).
From here I would like to make some applications that I have preached on multiple times extracted from Rom 14:13-23. For sake of this thread I am rewording the statements to be applicable to the Lord's day/sabbath issue. Consider with each point the consideration: Is my liberty or view here more important than love for a brother?
1) Do not knowingly cause another Christian to stumble through you liberties practiced on the Lord's Day? (v.13)
2) Do not knowingly cause another Christian grief through your liberties practiced on the Lord's day? (v.14-15)
3) Do not knowingly destroy another Christian through your liberties practiced on the Lord's day? (v. 15)
4) Do not knowingly ruin your own testimony, witness, credibility, or ability to minister to others through your liberties practiced on the Lord's day (v. 16-19)
5) Do not knowingly tear down another Christian through you liberties practiced on the Lord's day (v. 20-21).
6) Do not condemn yourself by practicing your liberty on the Lord's day (v.22-23).
On to 1 Corinthians 8-10. This section begins in the same fashion as 1 Cor 16 with "Now as touching" (same underlying Greek text). The focus here directly referenced by many Bible chapter headings is "Food offered to idols." So right off the bat the topic is the consumption of food but not just any food but food (meat in this case) associated with idol temple worship "things offered to idols" (v. 1). Here again I would like to extract some principles from this three chapter context of 1 Cor 8-10.
1) Will this activity of mine on the Lord's day edify or tear down my fellow believer (1 Cor 10:23-30)?
2) Will this activity of mine on the Lord's day cause a "weaker brother" to stumble and/or to violate his conscience (1 Cor 8:9-13)?
3) What activity or liberty of mine will most contribute to the cause of the gospel (1 Cor 9:1-27; 10:32-33)?
4) Can I participate on the Lord's day in this liberty of mine to the glory of God (a good old camp verse I quoted many times before a meal at the WILDS) (1 Cor 10:31)?
This does not exhaust the issues involved but is simply an example of principles for living and worshiping on the Lord's Day.
I don't expect this to convince anyone but perhaps it will be a help to some struggling with this issue.
Thoughts and comments encouraged.
From here I would like to make some applications that I have preached on multiple times extracted from Rom 14:13-23. For sake of this thread I am rewording the statements to be applicable to the Lord's day/sabbath issue. Consider with each point the consideration: Is my liberty or view here more important than love for a brother?
1) Do not knowingly cause another Christian to stumble through you liberties practiced on the Lord's Day? (v.13)
2) Do not knowingly cause another Christian grief through your liberties practiced on the Lord's day? (v.14-15)
3) Do not knowingly destroy another Christian through your liberties practiced on the Lord's day? (v. 15)
4) Do not knowingly ruin your own testimony, witness, credibility, or ability to minister to others through your liberties practiced on the Lord's day (v. 16-19)
5) Do not knowingly tear down another Christian through you liberties practiced on the Lord's day (v. 20-21).
6) Do not condemn yourself by practicing your liberty on the Lord's day (v.22-23).
On to 1 Corinthians 8-10. This section begins in the same fashion as 1 Cor 16 with "Now as touching" (same underlying Greek text). The focus here directly referenced by many Bible chapter headings is "Food offered to idols." So right off the bat the topic is the consumption of food but not just any food but food (meat in this case) associated with idol temple worship "things offered to idols" (v. 1). Here again I would like to extract some principles from this three chapter context of 1 Cor 8-10.
1) Will this activity of mine on the Lord's day edify or tear down my fellow believer (1 Cor 10:23-30)?
2) Will this activity of mine on the Lord's day cause a "weaker brother" to stumble and/or to violate his conscience (1 Cor 8:9-13)?
3) What activity or liberty of mine will most contribute to the cause of the gospel (1 Cor 9:1-27; 10:32-33)?
4) Can I participate on the Lord's day in this liberty of mine to the glory of God (a good old camp verse I quoted many times before a meal at the WILDS) (1 Cor 10:31)?
This does not exhaust the issues involved but is simply an example of principles for living and worshiping on the Lord's Day.
I don't expect this to convince anyone but perhaps it will be a help to some struggling with this issue.
Thoughts and comments encouraged.
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