The Sabbath as Evidence of God’s Grace 2

Don: This is the second part of a two-part series on Sabbath and grace. Of necessity and for context, there’ll be some duplication from last week so that those of you who weren’t here will not be lost. 

The subject of a Sabbath recurs throughout the Bible. From Genesis through Revelation, from the creation of this earth to the creation of a new earth, we see the story of the Sabbath:

“For just as the new heavens and the new earth,
Which I make, will endure before Me,” declares the Lord,
“So will your descendants and your name endure.
And it shall be from new moon to new moon
And from Sabbath to Sabbath,
All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the Lord.” (Isaiah 66:22-23) 

The emphasis throughout, especially the emphasis placed on it by Jesus, is not on the day of the Sabbath, but on the meaning of the Sabbath. The day of the Sabbath was not in dispute as the Jews of Jesus’ time thought. The Sabbath was the seventh day, it was commonly held. By making time sacred instead of the space sacred, God forever removed mankind’s control over the designation of what is sacred. Man, you see, can control space but can I control time. 

Like Grace, Sabbath Rest is a gift of God to all mankind, we cannot hasten the Sabbath, we cannot delay it, we cannot manipulate it, modify it, move it, control it, contain it, advance it, retreat it ,or alter it in any way. All we can do is enter into that sacred rest. Like Grace, it is everywhere, available to all and always free. To enter into it is to enter into God’s presence, to lay down one’s burdens and to “study war no more” as the old spiritual song puts it. Life is a war; a daily contention among and within ourselves, with others and even sometimes with God. It is to change our swords for plowshares and pruning hooks:

And He will judge between many peoples
And render decisions for mighty, distant nations.
Then they will beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation will not lift a sword against nation,
And never again will they train for war. (Micah 4:3) 

But Sabbath Rest is not just physical. Primarily Jesus told us it is a rest for the soul:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” (Mathew 28-30)

Why grace? While we tend to want to control it and use it for our own selfish advantage, we cannot in fact do so. We cannot possess the Sabbath; it can only possess us. When we place ourselves and what we do or what we don’t do at the center of the Sabbath instead of letting the Son of Man who is the Lord of the Sabbath reign than we are in danger making the Sabbath into an idol and worshiping it instead of worshiping God. Make no mistake about this: Our reverence and our keeping of the Sabbath does not make us special in God’s eyes. He is the God of all mankind. If God wanted uniformity of worship or correctness of doctrine, he would have spelled it out more clearly in the details of how we are to relate to him. 

But herein lie two related perils. First, the more that God lays down rules, the more we place emphasis on our own work. to keep those rules, God knows that since we ate of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, we are wired to seek discrimination of our work. Second, if God gave the rules to one group only, that group would use those rules to suppress everyone else. Even now, every religion and every sect claims to speak for God and seeks to subject everyone else to their view of his rules. I believe that God has revealed elements of his truth to all people everywhere and that every great faith and every great denomination has some identifiable insight into the element of truth, which then they rightly emphasize. For us, those of us who call ourselves Seventh-Day Adventists, one of those elements is the Sabbath. 

When we talk and share and teach, we all have something to contribute to a discussion about what it is that God would have us to see in him. By grace, the gift of the Sabbath rest must not be hoarded—it must be shared, but not as a doctrine simply to be justified or proven: It must be shared as a gift as it was given to us. To disconnect from our daily pace and connect with God and enter into physical, emotional and spiritual rest is a very special opportunity to be cherished and shared. It brings us back to the oneness that we lost in the Garden. 

The notion of a Sabbath controlled by man with his rules and prohibitions at the center of it is obsolete, according to Jesus. How we apply the eternal gift of Sabbath rest to ourselves is between us individually and God. Our church, that is our Adventist church must share how, what, and why it means something that is important to us, but we also must share how we use it ourselves individually and demonstrate in terms of our relationship with God. We must do so with great humility and without sanctions or judgment. 

Last week, Donald asked the question”When you’re talking about the Sabbath and grace, is that Sabbath with a capital S or sabbath with a small s?” In other words, is Sabbath simply a concept, or is the day itself important? In the realm of religious observance, the question of which day to set aside for worship has been a topic of debate and divergence across faith traditions for centuries. While some adhere to specific days based on theological interpretation, or cultural practices, others argue that any day is suitable for worship. However, 

The Sabbath emerges, I believe, as a compelling choice for worship not because other days are inherently wrong, but because the Sabbath holds unique significance and symbolism that make it the “right “ day for communal worship.Yet there is no inherently wrong day of worship. God accepts worship whenever and wherever it comes from as long as it’s sincerely given. 

The Sabbath, in Scripture, is a day that is set apart. In both Jewish and Christian traditions, the Sabbath holds the central place as a day of rest and worship, rooted in the creation narrative where God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). The Sabbath was later enshrined as a commandment in the decalog (Exodus 20:8-11). Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Sabbath is depicted as a sacred day for communal worship, reflection and spiritual renewal. 

The Sabbath carries profound symbolism as a day of rest and renewal. By setting aside one day in seven for rest and worship, individuals acknowledge their dependence on God as the sustainer and the creator and the restore of life. The Sabbath offers a sanctuary and a time enabling believers to pause from their worldly pursuits and reorient themselves from the mundane toward the divine. 

Observing the Sabbath as a communal day for worship fosters unity and cohesion within a religious community. Gathering together on a designated day promotes fellowship, mutual support, and shared spiritual experiences. It strengthens the bond of faith and solidarity amongst believers, creating a sense of belonging and connection and indeed a sense of community. 

Across cultures and civilizations, the concept of a designated day for worship has been prevalent, often aligned with astronomical, agricultural or religious calendars. In many societies, the seventh day has been recognized as the time for spiritual reflection and communal worship, reflecting a human longing for transcendence and divine connection. Regular observance of the Sabbath cultivates spiritual discipline and specifying a day lets individuals prioritize their relationship with God and invest in their spiritual growth. The rhythm of Sabbath observance creates space for prayer, study, worship acts of service and nurturing a deeper intimacy with the divine through introspection and personal loss. 

The Sabbath emerges as the right day of worship not because other days are inherently wrong, but because of its unique significance and symbolism in religious tradition. Rooted in biblical precedence, this is the Sabbath for me. By linking the Sabbath to a day, it actualizes the message and the significance of the Sabbath. The concept of a  Sabbath without an acknowledged and actualized day makes the message, in my opinion, less real. A real life day of rest accentuates the message of grace. When the Sabbath shows up on the seventh day, every seven days, it is a reminder of God’s gift of grace. It is what I’ll call a down payment on God’s eternal grace. 

In the tapestry of religious practices, the Sabbath stands out as a profound expression of divine grace rooted in Abrahamic traditions, particularly in Judaism and Christianity. The Sabbath is more than just a day of rest: It is a sacred gift, a manifestation of God’s grace and a downpayment of his blessings. The significance of the Sabbath is as a testament to divine grace, and its observance serves as a foretaste of the abundant blessings bestowed upon humanity. It is in this sense that I refer to it as a downpayment. 

At the heart of the Sabbath lies the notion of cessation, a sensation from worry from labor, and from worldly pursuits. In the biblical narrative, God Himself rested on the seventh day after the work of creation; not of fatigue, but as a divine example for humanity. This act of rest was not imposed as a burden but offered as a gift, a space carved out in time for community communion with the divine. 

In the rhythm of the Sabbath individuals find restoration and renewal for their weary souls. It offers a pause in the frenetic pace of life inviting believers to reconnect with their spiritual selves, with their loved ones and with the natural world. This rejuvenation is a testament to God’s grace, offering solace and strength amid life’s trials. 

The Sabbath also symbolizes freedom from bondage, echoing the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Just as God commanded the Israelites to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Exodus 20) He invites all humanity to experience the freedom that comes from surrendering to his divine rhythm. Sabbath observance fosters communal harmony and solidarity as people gather to worship, share meals and engage in acts of kindness. They experience the interconnectedness of humanity under the shelter of God’s grace. It is a time for reconciliation for forgiveness and for building relationships. All of these are essential aspects of God’s redemptive love. 

In addition, beyond its immediate benefits, the Sabbath also serves as a down payment of God’s blessings, offering a foretaste of the ultimate rest promised to believers. It is a glimpse of the eternal Sabbath, where sorrow and pain will cease and all creation will dwell in perfect harmony with its creator. Jesus Christ proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of God, as Michael so elegantly taught us, where the weary will find rest and the oppressed will be set free. The Sabbath therefore becomes a tangible expression of this end of time hope this eschatological hope, a taste of the kingdom yet to come. 

In the ministry of Jesus, the Sabbath was a time for acts of compassion and healing. He demonstrated that the Sabbath was made for Humanity’s benefit, but not as a legalistic burden. Through His miracles, Jesus revealed God’s grace in the fullest expression, bringing redemption, restoration and healing to a broken world. Ultimately, the Sabbath points to eternal fellowship with believers who enjoy their fellowship with believers who enjoy their relationship with God and the new heaven and the new earth. It is a symbol of the eternal rest promised in Hebrews 4:9-11, where every tear will be wiped away and God will dwell among his people. 

The Sabbath stands is a manifestation of God’s grace and a down payment for his blessings. It is a sacred space and time where believers experience restoration, freedom and communion with the divine. Moreover, the Sabbath anticipates the eternal rest and joy, promised to all who embrace God’s redemptive love. Honoring the Sabbath reminds us of God’s abundant grace and hope for everlasting life in His presence. 

Grace and Sabbath are both predictable and eternal. Both require us to rest, not to work. Both are about God and what He does, not about us and what we do. Just as it is fatal to fail to embrace God’s everlasting grace, a Sabbath rest predicated on my work is also fatal, as it was for the man stoned for breaking it in the Exodus (the story is told in Numbers 15). 

The Sabbath is also a symbol of freedom from bondage for all of God’s creatures, rich and poor, animals as well as humans, which is another way of saying this is an evidence of God’s grace.

“Keep the Sabbath day to treat it as holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.For six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; you shall not do any work that day, you or your son or your daughter, or your male slave or your female slave, or your ox, your donkey, or any of your cattle, or your resident who stays with you, so that your male slave and your female slave may rest as well as you. And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to celebrate the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:12-15)

The Apostle Paul told us to accept this Sabbath gift with great humility: 

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not to have quarrels over opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but the one who is weak eats only vegetables. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person values one day over another, another values every day the same. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and the one who eats, does so with regard to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one who does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat, and he gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do you regard your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. For it is written:

“As I live, says the Lord, to Me every knee will bow,
And every tongue will give praise to God.”

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

Therefore let’s not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this: not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s or sister’s way. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to the one who thinks something is unclean, to that person it is unclean. For if because of food your brother or sister is hurt, you are no longer walking in accordance with love. Do not destroy with your choice of food that person for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by other people. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the person who eats and causes offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother or sister stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. (Romans 14)

Paul re emphasizes this point in his letter to the Colossians:

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments.

… 

Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food and drink, or in respect to a festival or a new moon, or a Sabbath day— things which are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Take care that no one keeps defrauding you of your prize by delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding firmly to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of man? These are matters which do have the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (Colossians 2:1-4,16-23)

To me, this has not in any way reduced the importance of the gift of the Sabbath. Rather, it sheds light on how we should share the gift with others. Just as I should share grace with you, I should share the Sabbath and should do so without judgment, without coercion and without affectation. 

Isaiah stressed the importance of the gift by saying:

“If, because of the Sabbath, you restrain your foot
From doing as you wish on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a pleasure, and the holy day of the Lord honorable,
And honor it, desisting from your own ways,
From seeking your own pleasure
And speaking your own word,
Then you will take delight in the Lord,
And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:13-14)

I think that doing your own pleasure does not just mean doing things that you don’t want to do and shunning things that you want to do on the Sabbath. It means making yourself the focal point of the Sabbath, putting yourself at the center of it and what you do and how you keep it, rather than putting God at the center. We should rather take delight in the Lord. The result is to be wrapped in the robes of righteousness and salvation (Isaiah 61). This is the eternal abiding condition of grace. We know that the heritage of Jacob is nothing less than a new name, signifying God’s glory in His investment of grace in Jacob and forgiveness of his sins. 

Let me draw this together in the rich tapestry of religious observance. The Sabbath stands out as a day of profound significance across various faith traditions. Debates may arise regarding the appropriate day for Sabbath keeping. The essence of Sabbath lies not in what we do but in what God does. Sabbath keeping on the “right” day (“right” because of the Divine actions that occur on Sabbath rather than what human activity) is a guide more than it is a rule. It is an invitation more than it is an injunction. The Sabbath is a day, believe it or not, of divine activity. 

In the creation narrative, the Sabbath is established as a day of rest not because God was fatigued, but as a testament to his completed work and creation. The Sabbath therefore becomes a sacred day marked by God’s presence and pleasure in his handiwork. 

Throughout biblical history, the Sabbath is intimately linked to God’s redemptive Act. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath served as a memorial of God’s deliverance of Israel from bondage (Exodus 5-15.) Likewise, in the New Testament, Jesus performs numerous miracles on the Sabbath, demonstrating God’s compassion and power to heal and to restore. The Sabbath is a day set apart for divine revelation, and encounter, when believers are invited to draw near to God to seek His presence and to listen attentively to his voice. 

In the stillness of the Sabbath, our hearts are open to receive divine guidance, comfort and inspiration. God’s activity on the Sabbath extends beyond physical rest to accomplish spiritual renewal and transformation. As believers enter into a Sabbath rest, they experience God’s grace and empowerment to overcome spiritual weariness, doubt and despair. The Sabbath becomes a catalyst for personal and communal revival. 

The Sabbath also points toward the end of time and eschatological fulfillment of God’s kingdom. It is a foretaste of the eternal Sabbath rest promised in the New Earth to believers. Suffering will cease and God will dwell among his people in perfect harmony. If there is a right day for keeping it, it is because of the divine activity that God undertakes—activity that unfolds on the Sabbath, rather than human actions. The Sabbath is marked by divine revelation, encounter renewal, and anticipatory anticipation of End Time fulfillment. 

As believers honor the Sabbath, they may be drawn into deeper communion with the Divine and experience the transformative power of God’s presence in their life. I believe there is a “right” day of worship, but I also believe that there is no wrong day for worship either. It is a right day because of what God does on the Sabbath, not what we do. God makes the day holy, God that makes the day right, not us.

Joyce: The number seven, representing completeness and fulfillment in the Bible, is exemplified by the Sabbath and even the Year of Jubilee. Instead of simply saying every 50 years, it specifies a cycle of seven times seven years—49 years—and then on the 50th year, actions such as freeing slaves and returning land to its rightful owners are mandated, and the land is allowed to rest completely. 

This demonstrates what completeness and fulfillment look like, mirroring how Grace is meant to be complete, not just for those adhering to specific rules, but for all humanity.

David: The notion of rules is interesting. I wonder if this group discussion can be considered a form of Sabbath worship. It’s intriguing because, as far as I know, Don hasn’t established any rules for this class. Perhaps the absence of rules is feasible because we’re a small group. In larger groups, there’s a natural need for some organization and, consequently, some rules. 

I wonder if engaging with your community on the Sabbath is a requirement, or if Sabbath keeping is on a continuum, ranging from the antisocial or painfully shy loner to the social butterfly who thrives on gatherings. Can one observe the Sabbath alone, or does that by definition focus too much on oneself? If someone chooses to keep the Sabbath in solitude, is it akin to going into the closet to pray, and is that equally valid as going to church to pray?

Donald: As someone who has been a Seventh-day Adventist their entire life, this discussion is meaningful yet somewhat disruptive to the harmony of my beliefs. It was intriguing when Don mentioned using the three words in order but added “but, however, in addition.” 

This conversation challenges some established ideas. For instance, the Sabbath is central to our identity, and our identity is often framed by others’ perspectives. I’ve used the term “Sabbath” with my neighbors, when I could easily say “Saturday” instead. Sometimes I wonder if I should adjust that terminology. I’ve rarely heard anyone who observes Sunday refer to it as their “Sabbath,” though perhaps some do. 

As Seventh-day Adventists, we’ve been encouraged to take pride in being a “peculiar people.” This distinctiveness is apparent when interacting in the community; you can often identify an Adventist by their demeanor and appearance alone. These are aspects I’ve come to understand about being labeled as peculiar. I’ve never liked being called peculiar—is that really a goal? 

Finally, regarding the choice of worship day, Don would probably agree it’s a personal choice. I also recall a friend who wished to create their own church, which I suppose is what a community church essentially does—creating their own doctrines and ways of worship. It makes me wonder, when someone says they want to create their own church, what exactly are they aiming to establish?

Carolyn: I want to revisit the distinction between communal and solitary worship, and the issue of placing ourselves at the center of the Sabbath rather than keeping God as the focal point. If you’ve ever been involved in communal worship, you’ll know that it can be the busiest day of the week. Whether you’re a preacher or fulfilling other roles, you find yourself working throughout the Sabbath. 

Conversely, staying at home allows for a solitude that offers personal time with the Lord. Choosing to go for a walk on the Sabbath, you might share the joys you’ve experienced with others you meet, which can itself be refreshing. 

However, I often feel that how we spend the Sabbath leads to judgment—both us judging others and being judged in return.

Reinhard: I grew up attending Sunday worship with my family, but I became an Adventist just before coming to study at Loma Linda. The phrase “remember the Sabbath day” has always stood out to me, especially since I knew the Sabbath was Saturday, which influenced my decision to embrace Seventh-day Adventist teachings. I believe God called me to be part of this church, and I am grateful and happy for it. 

Looking at the history of Israel, the Sabbath was one of the first signs between God and His people, meant to create a community that worships Him as the Creator. It’s interesting that there was no law to “remember the Sabbath day” until Moses’ time, suggesting that God wanted to establish a close relationship with His people from the start. 

Throughout history, from creation to the flood that spared only eight people, and then to the Law given at Sinai, God has been defining His relationship with humanity. In the New Testament, Jesus corrected some of the existing perceptions by healing on the Sabbath, which to some seemed like a violation of the law. He demonstrated God’s true character, contrasting with the strict and punitive nature some associated with Old Testament laws. 

Paul’s approach, especially to the Gentiles, was somewhat ambivalent about strict observance, emphasizing that the essence of faith is what brings people closer to God. He acknowledged that some consider one day more special than others, but for me, as a Christian who still wants to honor God, remembering the Sabbath is crucial. It’s a day of joy and delight. 

In my previous church, I learned why some observe Sunday, citing Paul’s practices, but I believe in following what God established from the beginning. It doesn’t mean we should condemn those who worship on Sunday; as long as they are sincere in their faith, that’s what matters. I stick to what I know as truth, which is observing Saturday as the Sabbath.

Donald: Reinhard refers to them as “Sunday worshipers” rather than saying they simply worship on Sunday, which they regard as their Sabbath. By phrasing it as “Sunday worshipers,” it differentiates them from us, who worship on Saturday. If you look up “Sabbath,” many will say it means Sunday. So, I guess it does boil down to a matter of perspective—big ‘S’ versus small ‘s.’

Reinhard: Many leaders and people I’ve been associated with acknowledge Saturday as the Sabbath, but they also see Sunday as a valid day for worship. To them, it’s one of the seven days suitable for worshiping God. I believe the original Hebrew term could be interpreted in various ways, but the essence remains the same: a day of rest. It’s good that we discuss and share what we know, ultimately seeking to understand the truth as we know it to please God.

Don: Is it possible to have a discussion on the Sabbath and grace without centering ourselves and our practices? It often boils down to the “right” day— and of course we’re right, you’re wrong! But what does being right really mean? Does it make us more acceptable to God? Certainly not. Worshiping on Sunday does not displease God if it’s sincere. 

We need a new theology of Sabbath keeping and grace. The argument that only one specific day is pleasing to God doesn’t align with Scripture, in my opinion. The question for me is whether there’s a way to understand Sabbath keeping and grace without making it about what I do (or don’t do).

C-J: When someone is adamant about their position and tries to prove why they’re correct, my question is always, “Why is this so important to you? Are you afraid of not being in the right line, whether in politics, religion, or justifying a personal choice that might draw criticism?” 

We’ve talked about how God’s grace is sufficient, and as we grow in God, the Holy Spirit can reveal things previously unconsidered, expanding our spiritual horizons. When we were children, we believed in fantasies that taught us lessons, but as adults, we hold ourselves accountable for our choices. 

What motivates us? What prevents us from doing wrong? When we’re confused or upset, leaning into God and trusting Him in our circumstances reflects a deep relationship with Him. This depth doesn’t arise from any specific condition or place, not even in dramatic circumstances like war. I believe that only the Holy Spirit can truly reveal the essence of what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the Sabbath,” which translates to grace. 

How to live this out is something God will guide you in. If you have to work on Saturday or Sunday, it’s not a sin; God understands our responsibilities to our time, place, and family. There was a time when you could tell your employer about church commitments on Sunday, and they would respect it. Nowadays, they might prioritize work responsibilities instead. 

God’s grace is sufficient. It isn’t about a specific day, place, or time; it’s about our relationship with God.

Donald: For Seventh-day Adventists, is there a cultural aspect? Is it something more than just about the Sabbath? We have to be careful about claiming something as the absolute truth.

David: Based on what Paul says in Colossians about not judging other cultures, I would say that if the SDA community has a culture of worshiping on Saturday, who am I to criticize that? And if someone is a Sunday observer, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that—it’s their culture.

Donald: But once we start saying it is the truth, we are implying that what others do is wrong.

David: When you tell me I should adopt your culture, it becomes challenging. But if you simply describe your Sabbath keeping and the joy it brings you, and if I then see the benefit in it, I might be inclined to adopt your culture. That’s how change should happen—not through coercion or guilt, but by seeing the value in it voluntarily.

C-J: In cultures that value tribal hospitality, inviting someone to your table and breaking bread with them is an expression of respect for their truth, regardless of their background. Hospitality doesn’t question whether someone is a good person; it simply provides water and food to a stranger without asking for their credentials. 

This ties back to the concept of grace. We all live our truths. How often do you hear someone say something is unequivocally wrong? But if you had walked in their shoes, their perspective might seem quite reasonable.

Don: We’re going to continue discussing this topic. I thought it would be provocative to link the Sabbath with grace because I believe that as a church, we need a new theology of the Sabbath and Sabbath Keeping. We need to put God back at the center of the Sabbath, rather than focusing on our actions or our identity in relation to the Sabbath. What makes the Sabbath special, if it is indeed special, is because of what God does, not what we do. There’s much to ponder.

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