"Three Topics To Think (upon)" of which this is the first.

Yah, I couldn't think of another word that started with "T."

Hullo! It's been a very long time since I've updated. Life this past semester was busy as I'm getting into some more difficult classes. There were struggles, there were some very good things, but that's not what I'm going to talk about now.

By the way, I've thought about retiring this blog..... but I'm not ready yet! It gives me a platform to speak upon that is unlike any other.

First topic: The Sabbath
I've been reading a few pieces upon the subject. The first was when I opened up some of the works of Jonathan Edwards and began reading one of his discourses upon the Sabbath. He gave some very interesting remarks on it. First he sought to build the case that it was established by God and was meant as a perpetual ordinance. This is seen in two different things:
First, as most people will admit, it was instituted by God at the creation, along with marriage and work, which are two very good things that God has given us. It is said later in the Bible, in Exodus, that we are to labour for six days and rest on the seventh, because this is what God did. He didn't need rest, He is the almighty, rather He did it for our example and edification.

Second, God also gave the command as part of the ten commandments, which Edwards says were written on stone to signify their perpetuity, their unchangeable nature. It is interesting when looking at it, that the commandment does not specify a day, just the seventh day after six days of labour. It is the principle that is in mind here, not a specific day. We could very well begin our counting from Wednesday but the idea remains the same.

After building this case, Edwards continues to make the case that God still gives us a day of Sabbath rest. He asks the very pointed question as to whether or not God would have left the decision of when and how frequently to worship, up to the imaginations of men. There were a lot of people in his day (and in ours) who believe that Sunday is just a convenient day that we have chosen, by tradition or otherwise, to meet. Edwards says no, God has not left us without instruction on this matter.

He brings up some very interesting points, first, that as the Jews were very reluctant to change in many things, so God changed many of their traditions by degrees, or very gently. So there was no immediate command to change from Saturday to Sunday, but He did show more favour upon that than any other day. Take for example, the Spirit catching up John on "The Lord's day" which is a reference to Sunday. Or to Christ appearing to the apostles on that day, in the shut room, or when He sent the Spirit to them on the day of Pentecost. Each of these instances was a Sunday. The apostles began to set an example by gathering together weekly to break bread (communion) on the first day of the week. One important verse is found in 1 Cor. 16:1,2 where Paul makes specific command for people to lay up, or tithe on the first day of the week. This isn't arbitrary, or something that Paul just thought would be good to do and you might as well set a week to do it on, no, this is inspired Scripture and there is a definite purpose behind it. If it isn't to instruct us to meet this day, then it wouldn't appear to have any meaning at all.

The conclusion to all of this is not to become legalistic and claim that we should try to obey strict rules and make a list of "don't do's" etc. As Dan Y. described on last Lord's Day, those people who begin to do this are really forgetting the picture. They have a wonderful steak which God has prepared for them, yet they argue over whether it is all right to eat the peanut butter and jelly off to the side.

The Sabbath is a blessing! It was instituted by God for a purpose, for our rest and edification. The Puritans referred to it as the "market day of the soul" when one would feed his soul well. I have found that the gift of leaving all of my worldly cares behind on that day has been a great relief to my mind. I can concentrate on Scripture, meditation, prayer, worship, singing, things that I don't normally have much time for during the week. It truly is a blessing and a gift and yet it is so often shunned. Why? Why would anyone wish to argue for the cessation of the Sabbath? Why would anyone wish to argue that it's a day like every other and that every day is equally sanctified? We know from experience that it's not true. The testimony of Scripture seems to place more honour on one day than the rest.

Lastly, Edwards exhorts the Christian to expect, as God did in the past, an outpouring of the Spirit on this day. It's a day for the soul, take advantage of it and spend the day in study and communion with God. Don't squander His good gift, but accept it gratefully and use it to your advantage.