Christian Challenge International

"Ask the Pastor"

We frequently receive questions in email from people about doctrine, practice, etc. From time to time we will post the questions and the answers here on the web page. If you'd like to submit a question, simply email our pastor at Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org or use the form below.

September 4, 2000

Hi Jim,

You asked some good questions. Let's see if we can keep the
baby while we throw out the bath water. : )

> I have a question concerning Isaiah 58:13-14. The verse reads, "If you
> keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath, and from doing as you please
> on my holy day, If you call the Sabbath a delight, and the Lord's holy
> day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not
> doing as you please or speaking idle words, when you will find your joy
> in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land,
> and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob. The mouth of the
> Lord has spoken."
>
> My question is, do these verses proscribe a Christian from
> entertainment, or other things that are not directly tied to God,
> excepting eating and sleeping or other such things?

First we need to contextualize this setting. These verses are not
written to Christians. The Sabbath blessing here is in regard to
what would be enjoyed if the Jewish people learned to keep the
Law of Moses

Notice how chapter 58 begins; "Cry loudly, do not hold back;
raise your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their
transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins." [This is not
to say that we cannot learn some godly principles from this
portion.]

> I know of many Christians who do not change their routine on Sunday,
> except to attend church, and then after that it is back to sports on TV,
> the beach, shopping, etc. I know not all of what is said in the OT
> applies to Christians under the new covenant, but are we still to
> forswear all non-God activities not essential to life on Sunday? (That
> is, we needn't fast, but we shouldn't devote the day, in whole or in
> part, to entertainments of a worldly type, e.g., TV, etc.)

The Sabbath restrictions of the former covenant are not
transferred to the new covenant. Even though we speak of
Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, technically it is not given that
role. This comes to us by way of early Christian tradition.

Paul provides the answer when he says, "One person regards
one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each
person must be fully convinced in his own mind." [Rom14:5]
Paul adds more to this in Romans 14, but his point is that we
ourselves must learn to live by the convictions of our own heart.
[ I recommend that you meditate on this chapter.]

> The reason I ask is that while I normally "use" Sunday as a day of
> special Bible study/prayer/meditation on God, I sometimes have the
> desire, esp. at the end of the day when work on Monday looms large, to
> relax with some TV or a phone call to a friend. Am I disobeying God in
> not leaving this until another day? I both know of the need/command
> to daily worship God and pray, so I am not "using" Sunday as my "God"
> day and forgetting him otherwise.

You aren't disobeying God at all. Certainly we can thank the Lord
that we have Sunday as a day of rest, but how you choose to use
it is up to you. I don't see anything wrong with what you are
doing.

In Christ,

Bro. Buddy