I do not have a problem with people worshipping corporately on Saturday. I do not have a problem with people worshipping corporately ANY day.
I do not have a problem with people wishing to have a day without work on Saturday. I do not have a problem with people wishing to have ANY day without work. Their bosses might, but if they were working for me, having any day off would not be a problem if it was arranged before hand.
However I do have a problem if someone says that unless I “keep” the same day as him/her I am doomed, will lose my salvation, or some variation on these themes. Where in the Bible does it say this? Where in the Bible does it mention a day at all except for the covenant between God and Israel?
And how do I “keep” a day anyway? The first instruction in Exodus 16 told the Israelites to stay in their tents. In Exodus 20 they were forbidden to work. ANY sort of work. And further instructions are found in the Bible on how to achieve this. They were forbidden from getting their slaves, or any foreigners staying in their towns/cities, to do the work for them. They were to rest. Their animals were also to rest.
But SDAs seem to think it’s about worship. And a day off work. They can turn on heaters, use phones, computers, even tvs if the “right” sort of thing is watched. You can’t do the washing, but you can undertake an “appropriate” activity. I mean really. Where is this in the Bible?
It’s all about the day isn’t it? It isn’t REALLY about worshiping God. It’s about being SEEN to worship on “His” day. I don’t know how many times I have asked for proof that Jesus wanted worship on a particular day, and time and again I am told about the 4th commandment…which was given to the Children of Israel! Well I can’t say I know anyone at the present time that would fall into that category. We have had the odd Jewish family in this community, but they moved on with their work. None here right now. Some of those families were secular Jews, but there have been a couple of “religious” Jewish families, and Sabbath was very special to them. Full of ritual and meaning. All their various celebrations were.
The various church communities around here have differing traditions, but ALL of their church services are about worshipping God. They do it with great joy and fervour. Then adjourn to their various church halls (or maybe someone’s house…there are a couple of churches that don’t have halls) for refreshment of some sort and LOTS of fellowship. It is really still worship, just in a different way. Depending on the occasion, it’s noisy or prayerful. Sometimes in turn.
And this isn’t always on Sunday. It can be any time of the week.
That is the big difference. It is about God. It is not about a day. These people worship EVERY day. Their whole lives are an act of worship. It is not saved up for one day.
The only day I have heard mentioned for a day of worship is TODAY. So let’s do that. Worship Him today. At home on your own or with your family, corporately with your CHURCH family. TODAY.
Light of Christ 