5 More Reasons to Keep the Sabbath

Part 1 of this series presented five reasons to keep the Sabbath.

But, despite all these reasons, some may not yet be convinced to keep the Sabbath.

If you are one of those people, perhaps five more reasons will help.

1. The Sabbath tests our resolve to put God first in our lives.

The Sabbath is a part of the first four of the 10 Commandments—a grouping that teaches human beings how to show love toward God. These four commandments are summarized by the first: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

The essence of this commandment is to put God first in our lives.

The Sabbath is a practical way God has given us to do this. He gives us the opportunity to dedicate an entire day to strengthening our relationship with Him.

The Sabbath is a practical way to put God first in our lives. He gives us the opportunity to dedicate an entire day to strengthening our relationship with Him. Some believe the Sabbath is a burden and worry that it could take time away from other pursuits—jobs, friends, activities, etc. But here’s the real question: Isn’t doing what God commanded—to put Him first in our lives—more important than other physical pursuits?

2. The Sabbath is a delight.

Ask any Christian who keeps the Sabbath to describe what he or she thinks of it. The words you might hear include: “It’s a joy. I need it. I can’t imagine my week without it. I look forward to it the entire week. It’s the Sabbath that really allows me to recharge and relax.”

The words you will not hear are: “I can’t stand not working, even for a day. I hate spending extra time with my wife and kids. I believe in God, but I don’t like devoting a whole day to Him. It is such a burden to relax, study the Bible, go to church, and talk with my friends!”

Read “How to Keep the Sabbath as a Christian” to learn more about how to make the seventh day of the week a delight to you and your family.

3. The Sabbath was kept by Jesus Christ.

People who do not keep the Sabbath sometimes counter with the many episodes in the Gospels of the Pharisees’ accusing Jesus of Sabbath-breaking.

However, the fact hidden behind those arguments is that Jesus Christ was a Sabbath-keeper (Luke 4:16)! If we desire to imitate Christ, then this reason alone should persuade us to keep the Sabbath.

To learn more about the false accusations of Jesus Christ breaking the Sabbath, read “Lord of the Sabbath: Did Jesus Christ Break the Sabbath?”

4. The Sabbath was kept by the apostles.

Another reason given for not keeping the Sabbath is that once Christ died, His followers no longer were required to do anything “Jewish.” Well, the evidence in the New Testament, especially in the book of Acts, shows this reason to be in error.

The apostles, including the apostle Paul, faithfully kept the Sabbath!

To see the evidence that the apostle Paul did not abolish the Sabbath, read “Did Paul Change the Sabbath Command?”

5. The Sabbath sets God’s people apart from the world.

The vast majority of our world does not see any value in keeping the Sabbath. Most people see it as a burden, an outdated Jewish observance. Or they don’t think anything about it at all. But the Bible actually reveals that the Sabbath is a sign identifying God’s people (Exodus 31:13). Right now the Sabbath is a blessing enjoyed by only a small minority.

The Bible reveals that there will be a time when the whole world will keep the Sabbath together (Isaiah 66:23)!

How about you?

We hope you will consider these important reasons for keeping the Sabbath and join the thousands of Christians around the world who faithfully (and happily) observe it every week on the seventh day of the week—from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday.

Date Posted: November 10, 2014