5 Reasons to Keep the Sabbath
The Bible designates a day for Christians to rest and worship. But the majority of Christians completely ignore it. Here are five reasons to stop ignoring it!
How much do you know about the Sabbath? If your answer is “very little” or “what’s that?”—please, continue reading!
We here at Life, Hope & Truth believe it is a part of our mission to proclaim and teach the truth of the Sabbath to all who will listen. We believe that most people are missing out on one of the greatest gifts God has given to humanity.
This blog post will begin a two-part series on this important topic. In it, I’ll present 10 compelling reasons you should look into the Sabbath and make it a part of your life.
1. The Sabbath is commanded by God.
God commanded His people to keep the Sabbath, and He even considers it to be an identifying sign of who His people are (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:13-17). This is the most important point. Christians should be characterized by obeying God (Acts 5:32).
Those who observe Sunday (or no day at all) are obeying ideas of men—not God (read Acts 5:29).
The Sabbath is a special day that is found throughout the pages of the Bible (both Old and New Testaments); but amazingly, the majority of those who profess to be Bible believers know very little about it.
To learn the history of how man changed the Sabbath to Sunday, read “When and How Did the Change in Worship From Saturday to Sunday Occur?”
2. The Sabbath is the most relaxing 24 hours of the week.
In Genesis God instituted the Sabbath day by resting on the seventh day of the week (Genesis 2:2-3). He did this not because He was tired—God does not physically tire because He is spirit—but to set an example for human beings!
For some unbelievable reason, it’s as if humanity has countered with, “Nah, I like working nonstop and not having time to stop and think”! But really, wouldn’t you like to have a day each week to rest and contemplate the most important things in life?
3. The Sabbath pictures a time of complete peace on this earth.
The book of Hebrews tells us that “there remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). Behind the English word rest is a very interesting Greek word: Sabbatismos. This word literally means “a keeping of the Sabbath.” This chapter connects the weekly Sabbath with the Kingdom of God—a prophesied time of peace in which the whole world will rest from evil and suffering.
The Sabbath is to remind us every week of the coming rest of the Kingdom of God.
To learn more about the message of Hebrews 4, read “Sabbatismos: Does Hebrews 4:9 Teach Rest on the Sabbath?”
4. The Sabbath was meant for all mankind, not just the Jews.
When many hear the word Sabbath, they automatically think “Jewish.” However, Jesus the Christ called Himself “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). He also said that the Sabbath was made for man—meaning mankind—not just Jews (verse 27)!
God wants Christians—and indeed everyone in the world—to enjoy this amazing blessing.
5. The Sabbath forces us to prioritize what really matters.
Throughout a hectic week, spending time with God and our loved ones can easily fall to the bottom of our “to do” list. But the Sabbath is a day that literally tells us: “Okay, for the next 24 hours you will be focusing on God and your relationships with your family and friends. No work is allowed.” Is it time to examine the priorities in your life?
Read Part 2 of this series for five more reasons to keep the Sabbath!
Date Posted: November 4, 2014
About the Author
Eddie Foster
Eddie Foster was born in Ohio, and after living in several parts of the northeastern United States, he once again lives in the Buckeye State, most likely for good this time. He lives in the Dayton area with his wife, Shannon, and two daughters, Isabella and Marley. They attend the Cincinnati/Dayton congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.
