The Fourth Commandment

by C.R. Stoner, Hayes, Kent | Category: General | Feb 1971

What is often called the Mosaic Law had two parts-the moral law and the ritual law. The moral law centred in the ten commandments which were written by the finger of God upon the tables of stone: the ritual law governed the services of God's house and Israel's approach to Him.

Jewish Christians had to learn that the ritual law had been set aside when the "one sacrifice for sins for ever" rendered all further sacrifices unnecessary and Out of place. The momentous conference in Jerusalem (Acts, chapter 15) made it clear that Gentile Christians were free from any obligation to keep the ritual law. As Gentiles living in the twentieth century we have no difficulty in understanding this. It does not mean that the ritual law should not be studied, for in it we have wonderful pictures of the sacrificial work of the Lord Jesus Christ in many facets of its fulness.

But what of the moral law? The Lord Jesus combined two commandments found in different parts of the Mosaic writings and made them the basis upon which all the 9ther commandments rest:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and

with all thy soul, and with all thy mind

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:37,39). It is also true that commandments and exhortations are found in the New Testament to match up with the first, second, third, fifth and tenth commandments. But what of the fourth "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy"? Is this part of the ritual law which faded after the Cross or is it one of the abiding moral principles?

Although the sabbath rest was a remembrance of God's rest when creation was complete yet there is no record that the Patriarchs were enjoined to keep it. Nevertheless, it would seem from Exodus chapter 16 that the sabbath was an institution before the ten commandments were given: the fourth commandment begins with the word "Remember".

One feels that there has been much confused thinking amongst Christians on this matter. The name Sabbath is often applied to the first day of the week and this, in itself, shows the confusion.

There is evidence that Jews, when they believed the gospel, often continued to visit the synagogue on the sabbath to hear the Scriptures read. We know that Paul did this, in order to proclaim to the Jews that the prophecies concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 9:20; 13:14; 17:2). There is no evidence, however, that Gentile Christians kept the sabbath.

We know from Acts 20:7 that the believers gathered on the first day of the week to remember the Lord in the Breaking of the Bread. Although there is only this one reference in Scripture we know from very early Christian writings that this was the practice of the Christians from the first. We assume that the Lord's day of Revelation 1:10 is the first day of the week. There seems no justification for thinking that the prohibitions of the fourth commandment were transferred from the seventh day to the first and are legally binding on Christians today. We are not under law but under grace.

This is a negative view of the first day of the week: what about a positive view? Firstly, we have a clear command from the Lord that we should remember Him in the Breaking of the Bread. If we love the Lord we will keep His commandments (John 14:15). We will order our lives to make our attendance as regular as possible. What of the rest of the day? Sunday is a free day for most people, due to Christian influence in the past. In many countries this provides the opportunity for believers to serve the Lord in various ways and to study the Word. It also provides the opportunity to enjoy social fellowship with each other. We need to keep a balance between these desirable things.

There is no doubt that we shall profit greatly from a day spent quietly, with a routine quite different from that of other days. One feels that a student will make greater progress in the long run if he or she is prepared to leave studies on the Lord's day. The Lord Jesus said that "the Sabbath was made for man" (Mark 2:27), and the principle of a day of rest from ordinary work still holds good. If we have the positive view, that the day is the Lord's day, then we shall be less concerned to discover what is, or is not, legitimate for that day and will be seeking to use as much of it as possible for His glory.

Much will be a matter for the individual conscience and this should be instructed and tender. We can be sure that if a believer has a conscience about a certain matter, and holds to it at some sacrifice, God will honour him for it. The keeping of the Lord's day free for Him will require consideration when choosing a career. It is very undesirable that a believer should be kept from remembering the Lord because he is doing some quite unnecessary job. Our complex world makes it necessary that certain jobs should be done on Lord's days as at all other times. Medical services are an important example. The individual will need to seek the Lord's guidance in balancing for himself, or herself, the opportunities for witness and service which the medical or nursing professions may offer, against the hindrances which may arise to prevent attendance regularly at the Breaking of the Bread and other gatherings of the Lord's people.

It is good for us to remember that the early disciples did not have the privileges which so many of us enjoy. The first day of the week was not a day of freedom from work and it would appear that the Breaking of the Bread was in the late evening, so that workers could attend. Some of the disciples were slaves and could only attend at the whim of the masters. There are disciples in our day, belonging to nations where false faiths predominate, who are not necessarily free on Sunday. Let us be thankful for the privileges that we have and use them to the glory of God.

We can sum up our discussion under the following headings:

(a)The legislation given to Israel concerning the seventh day has not been transferred to the first day.

(b)We have a clear command to remember the Lord on the first day.

(c)The best use should be made of the freedom from work that most of us enjoy and we should spend the day as the Lord's day

(d)The scruples of others should be respected, as far as possible, without placing ourselves under bondage to traditions.

C.R. Stoner, Hayes, Kent | Feb 1971
General