BY MAY-ELLEN COLÓN
NE SABBATH I CRINGED AS I realized what our family had to do
that day. We had prepared food on Friday for Sabbath potluck. My husband, Gaspar,
and I were in charge of Sabbath school; Gaspar also had to teach the Sabbath
school lesson. I had to play the organ for church. Gaspar and I led out in a
church planning meeting after potluck. Our two college-student children had
come home for the weekend with two of their friends, and after church we went
to the zoo with them. When we returned home I prepared supper for everybody,
we had sundown worship, and then some other college-student friends joined us
for Saturday night games and socializing near the fireplace.
It isn't hard to understand why I was more tired when our "day
of rest" ended than I was when it started. This sort of schedule is not
unusual for many church families. But is this what God had in mind when He said,
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" (Ex. 20:8, NIV)?
Recently I studied the Sabbathkeeping practices of Seventh-day
Adventists, and the factors related to these practices. My study involved 3,221
families in 51 countries.1 From all over the world, respondents
shared their innermost personal feelings about the Sabbath. To many, the Sabbath
is a joy and a delight. To others, it's a personal dilemma and a struggle about
how to keep the day holy. When asked why they kept the Sabbath, Adventists who
struggle with Sabbathkeeping answered this way:
"I don't really think I keep the Sabbath as God would like
me to." (Portugal)
"I keep Sabbath the way I see fit, which might not always
agree with other Adventists." (United States)
"In reality I don't observe the Sabbath as I should, but
I do it to do it." (United States)
"[I] needed rest, so I don't work every day. I guess often
I keep Saturday rather than Sabbath." (United States)
When asked, "What does Sabbath mean to you in your relationship
with God?" people responded:
"Right now I'm not sure; Sabbath a.m. is such a hassle
with children--arrive at church, get to Sabbath school, potty, feed, and play
with the kids outside of church so they don't disturb anyone, and then go home
ready to sleep. It sounds like I ignore Him; at least it feels that way."
(Côte d'Ivoire)
"Sadly enough, it is a burden for me, because I cannot
experience it freely. On other days I have more inner peace and rest. I hope
and pray that I can experience the Sabbath as a blessed day." (Austria)
"I see the Sabbath as a day for my relationship with God,
but somehow this does not work yet (too many programs)." (Germany)
"Sabbath is a wonderful time for spiritual communication
with God, but a pastor almost never has time for this." (Moldova)
"For me it is an oasis, even though the water may seem
bitter at times. But I persist." (Mexico)
"It means another semiboring day filled with meetings,
missionary stories, and sleep. It doesn't really help my relationship with God."
(United States)
Perhaps the Sabbath is a delight to you, and you can't relate
to the above comments. On the other hand, maybe you've had Sabbath dilemmas,
frustration, and confusion as you have tried to keep the Lord's day holy.
Why Can't We Just Have a List?
The seventh-day Sabbath is one of the key tenets of our faith. But often in
our observance of the Sabbath we have to walk the fine line between "keeping
it holy," and possibly loading it down with burdensome, human restrictions
and prohibitions, or regarding it as just a day off, a holiday, instead
of a holy day. Church members, frustrated by apparently different standards
of Sabbathkeeping around the world, have suggested that we need some reliable
rules for keeping Sabbath.
In a Cornerstone Connections youth Sabbath school lesson,
James Robertson shared some sample Sabbathkeeping rules from the Jews of Jesus'
day. To properly observe the Sabbath, people were urged to avoid tying or loosening
a knot, lighting a fire or putting one out, eating an egg that had been laid
on the Sabbath, writing or erasing more than two letters of the alphabet, spitting
on the ground, carrying a handkerchief in one's pocket, walking more than three
fifths of a mile.
The Jews were not alone in this approach to Sabbathkeeping.
Philip Yancey portrays the influence of Christian Sabbathkeepers on the early
Code of Connecticut: "No one shall run on the Sabbath Day, or walk in his
garden, or elsewhere except reverently to and from meeting. No one shall travel,
cook victuals, make beds, sweep house, cut hair, or shave on the Sabbath. If
any man shall kiss his wife, or a wife her husband on the Lord's Day, the party
in fault shall be punished at the discretion of the court of magistrates."2
These examples of Sabbathkeeping lists make a serious point.
If rules are all we have, we tend to lose sight of the reason that we keep the
Sabbath in the first place.
It's also possible that Sabbathkeeping rules that we deem appropriate
might hinder someone else's personal relationship with Jesus. Rules for observing
the Sabbath must be adaptable to different cultures of Sabbathkeepers.
First Things First
To fill a large mayonnaise jar with Ping-Pong balls, marbles, and rice, it is
wise to start with the largest items first--the Ping-Pong balls, followed by
the marbles, then the rice. Doing it the other way around is an exercise in
futility.
How would this activity apply to us as we search for guidance
about Sabbathkeeping? The Ping-Pong balls represent the person of God--the
eternal qualities that make Him who He is. The marbles represent principles--timeless
truths for all people, places, and situations. The rice represents precepts--the
rules that give specific directions on what we do.
If we begin with rules, we may never see beyond them to larger,
universal principles. They may prevent us from knowing and appreciating God's
character or person. We might be tempted to give up without realizing that God
wants to transform us into His image. We must begin with God, His person, His
personality, His character.
In the book Original Love, Des Cummings writes: "On
the sixth day God created Adam and Eve, joined them in love, and called it marriage.
On the seventh day God created a day for love, united them with Himself, and
called it Sabbath." If we apply this love principle to our lives, the rules
about Sabbathkeeping that emerge aren't restrictive, but simply tangible reminders
of Someone we want to be like.
Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler present a pattern for understanding
truth that helps us get past rules, so that we can focus on God and His principles
for happiness in life. They call it "the test of truth," which they
compare to three lenses, and identify with three P's: precept, principle, person.3
A Closer Look
Let's take a look at McDowell's and Hostetler's three "lenses" and
apply them to Sabbathkeeping.
Lens 1--Precept: Precepts are but the first step
in understanding God's will for Christian living. For example, God said to specifically
keep the seventh day (Saturday) as the Sabbath (Ex. 20:10); to remember to do
certain things to keep the Sabbath holy; and not to do certain things, such
as work (Ex. 20:8-11). He issued specific commands in explicit terms.
When it comes to the Sabbath, we're faced with choices: What
do we do? What do we refrain from doing? But those commands point to larger,
universal principles. Paul wrote that God's law "leads us by the hand,
like a child going to school, to learn deeper lessons. 'Therefore the law has
become our tutor [literally, child conductor] to lead us to Christ, so that
we may be justified by faith'" (Gal. 3:24, NASB).4
In Paul's day there was a type of household servant called paidagógos
(the root of "pedagogue"). This servant's duty was to supervise the
child's character development. Part of his job was to take the child to school
each day. He wasn't the child's teacher, but was responsible to ensure that
the child was under the teacher's care.
God's laws have the same function as the household servant.
Scripture's precepts do not say only, "Don't do this" and "Do
that." Their higher calling is to lead us beyond the precept to universal,
timeless principles that apply to everyone, everywhere, always.5
Lens 2--Principle. Precepts, put into practice,
are based on principles. Ellen White expressed it this way: "The principles
of truth impressed upon the heart, line upon line and precept upon precept,
will produce right action."6
Sometimes I've had to help my children deal with hard issues.
As we worked through them and came to a final decision, I've told them, "We're
doing this as a matter of principle."
The Random House Dictionary of the English Language defines principle
as "a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are
derived . . . something established as a standard or test, for measuring, regulating,
or guiding conduct or practice." John Youngberg, my dissertation chair
and mentor, shared with me this rhyme about principles:
Rules are many,
Principles are few.
Rules may change,
Principles never do.
A principle is larger than a rule or precept.7
A principle helps explain the "why" behind a command.8
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The Sabbath
lay aside the burdens of life and rest
focus on God and His agenda
seek intimacy with God
highlight the happiness, delight, and joy that come from having a relationship
with God
focus on God's Word
enjoy God's created works and reflect on the love that gave them to us
use the Sabbath to reflect on the gift of salvation and embrace eternal life
focus on nurturing relationships with people
use the day in service as a witness for God
participate in corporate worship of God with church family
respond to God's love with joyful obedience
create an atmosphere of celebration (it is the birthday of the world)
prepare in advance of Sabbath to enjoy its benefits
express acceptance, love, and affirmation to the people in your influence
use the day to ignore life's stresses and trust in God
delight in spiritual healing, relief from guilt, and physical refreshment
care for necessary physical needs
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For example, love is the principle behind God's command to love
our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39). Reverence for life is the principle behind God's
command "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13). Honesty is the principle
behind "Thou shalt not bear false witness" (verse 16). The value of
our relationship with God is one of the principles behind "the seventh
day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work"
(verse 10).
Here are a few of the biblically based guiding principles for
Sabbath observance I used in my study (see box):
These principles may exist at various levels of generality,
but precepts (rules) emerge from them. And not every principle for Sabbathkeeping
can or should be highlighted every week. The Sabbath lasts, after all, only
24 hours. In that time we can sample only some of the many joys God created
for our enjoyment on that day. But knowing the biblical principles behind Sabbath
rules better equips us to make sensible, God-guided choices for Sabbath observance
and living the Christian life in general.
Still, principles are not the bottom line. There is yet another
level beyond the principles to which precepts (specific rules) point.9
Lens 3--Person. Precepts are not right only because
they reflect a principle; they are right because they come from God--they reflect
His nature.10 To live the Christian life--and truly keep
the Sabbath--we need to focus on God's nature, His attributes, His character.
For example, Exodus 34:6, 7 depicts God as compassionate, gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, forgiving, and just. First
John 4:8 states that God is love. Jesus, God the Son, said that the Scriptures
testify of Him (John 5:39), and His life demonstrated the person of God. He
inspired timeless truths (principles) and precepts (rules) to live by. If we
know the Person, we have a better idea of what the right choice looks like in
person. True Sabbathkeeping is mostly about God, not only about us.
When we are dealing with different cultures, decisions about
Sabbathkeeping often seem difficult. What's prohibited in one culture is practiced
freely in another, and vice versa. However, when we focus on God and His character,
there is plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to guide the application of a biblical
principle within different cultures.
So What?
In Psalm 19:7-9 David describes God's law as perfect, sure, right, radiant,
pure, and righteous. The law has these qualities because they belong to
the Lawgiver--God Himself. Likewise, Sabbathkeeping principles flow out of God's
nature into His laws. These truths (principles) are "right for all people,
for all times, for all places."11
Let's examine McDowell's and Hostetler's three P's--precept,
principle, and person--in light of understanding how God wants us to observe
the Sabbath.
Often the Sabbath comes at the end of a busy week. Work, school,
and social obligations make our week a blur of often nonstop activity. How refreshing
it is, when the family comes to Friday supper, to have special traditions, place
settings, perhaps with scented candles, to remind us that God's day of rest
has arrived. Perhaps a simple but special meal or dessert is reserved only for
Friday evenings. You might establish family traditions to do before or after
church to remind everyone in the family that God wants the Sabbath to be a delight.
The precepts or practices (rules, if you like) may include
candles, flowers, special foods, family traditions, etc. These vary from family
to family, culture to culture.
The principle underlying these precepts is making the
Sabbath a delight (Isa. 58:13).
These precepts and principle about Sabbathkeeping honor the person of
God, who is our delight:
"Then will I go to . . . God, my joy and my delight"
(Ps. 43:4, NIV).
For Reflection . . .
1. Using the precept, principle, personhood pattern, what would
you give someone regarding the unrestful "day of rest" described at
the beginning of this article?
2. Apply the precept, principle, personhood pattern to some
other Sabbathkeeping situations, either real or imaginary. Write down the precept,
the principle, the personhood (characteristic of God) that you would use to
help you decide what to do.
3. Read the following statement and discuss how it relates
to the "three P's": "Christ's true followers will be in conformity
to the mind and will and character of God, and the far-reaching principles of
the law will be demonstrated in humanity" (Ellen G. White, Review and
Herald, Mar. 9, 1897).
4. A faculty member at an Adventist boarding academy commented
while watching the students play volleyball on Sabbath afternoon: "Which
is better? Letting the students be out in the fresh air fellowshipping with
each other, batting a ball around, or sending them to their rooms, where they
will sleep, play secular video games, or gossip about just anything?" How
would you answer that question?
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Often during the week our lives are filled with secular activities.
Our modern lifestyles don't easily lend themselves to acts of service. But perhaps
our Sabbath rituals could be constructed so as to give us opportunities to serve
others and nurture relationships.
For example, some families enjoy having a Friday evening potluck
meal together. Afterward they pull out instruments and sing gospel songs and
choruses. It wouldn't take much organization to invite a few neighbors or friends
from church or work to join in these informal times of fellowship and worship.
Some people enjoy entertaining visitors who happen to drop in
for worship by inviting them home for a meal after church. Some families pack
picnic lunches and eat at a city park, taking enough food and drink to share
with others in the park who may not have as much as they do.
The precepts (rules) for these practices might be to bring enough
food for two to four extra people, invite two people who are not part of your
normal social group, plan a special social/outreach activity at least once a
month.
The principle behind such practices is the importance God places
on relationships. The Sabbath is a time to focus on our vertical relationship
with God, but it's also a time to nurture our relationships with one another--family
member to family member; church member to church member; friend to stranger,
etc.
These principles and precepts are based on the fact that God
as a Person is relational. The apostle Paul wrote: "I kneel before the
Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name"
(Eph. 3:14, 15, NIV). John the revelator wrote that Jesus wishes to spend quality
time with His people: "I will come in and eat with him, and he with me"
(Rev. 3:20, NIV). Such Sabbathkeeping takes the focus off merely the day and
puts it on God; how to know Him better, and how to reflect His character to
others.
Try It Yourself
Start with something you know about the person of God: God is a healer (Mark
2:1-12). We could expand on that truth about God as a person and say: The Sabbath
is a day for healing. Now, what precepts, put into practice, would reflect that
principle?
We might say, During the Sabbath we will look for ways to build
up other members of the family by __________. During the Sabbath we will make
a point of not being critical or judgmental. During the Sabbath we seek to reduce
suffering in the world by ___________ (fill in the blank).
These are only samples of ways the three "truth lenses"
(precept, principle, personhood) might be applied. Go through this process
with other Sabbathkeeping issues. If we look through these three lenses, we
will be better able to make personal Sabbathkeeping decisions. We will be able
to pray with the psalmist, Lord, "send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide [us]" (Ps. 43:3, NIV).
Then the Sabbath will be a day of love and delight, and God's
people of all ages and cultures will be able to enjoy the Sabbath as the day
of "all the week the best."12
_________________________
1 M. E. Colón, "Sabbath-keeping Practices and Factors
Related to these Practices Among Seventh-day Adventists in 51 Countries,"
Ph.D. dissertation, Andrews University, 2003.
2 Philip Yancey, What's So Amazing About Grace? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1997), p. 235.
3 Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, Right From Wrong: What You Need to Know
to Help Youth Make Right Choices (Nashville: W Publishing Group, a division
of Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1994), p. 97.
4 Ibid., p. 95.
5 Ibid.
6 Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 68.
7 McDowell and Hostetler, p. 209.
8 Ibid., p. 96.
9 Ibid.
10 Ibid., pp. 219, 220.
11 Ibid., pp. 98, 99.
12 "Don't Forget the Sabbath," Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal,
No. 388.
_________________________
May-Ellen Colón is an assistant director of Sabbath School and Personal
Ministries for the General Conference. This article is adapted from a forthcoming
book on the subject of the Sabbath.
