Basic HTML Version
'NHY
NOT
THE
SABBATH
Editorial propasa/ provokes
increasing examination
of the validity
of Sunday observance
D
r. Harold Lindsell , the editor
of the well-known evangeli–
cal magazine
Christianity
Today,
publ ished in Washington,
D.C., recentl y proposed "that Sat–
urday be set aside as the day of
rest " for all Americans. "Even
though the world has vast under–
developed sources of energy," he
said, " there is a shortage of the
kind of fuel that keeps buildings
warm, provides electric power,
and makes possible the operation
The
PLAIN TRUTH April 1977
of industry. To close down vir–
tually all energy-consuming busi–
ness operations one day a week
would be a useful step "
(Chris–
tianity Today,
November S, 1976,
p.
42).
Severa! months previously Edi–
tor Lindsell had argued in a similar
vein for prompt action to conserve
our dwindling natural resources,
then citing Sunday as the logical
day. This, however, raised a storm
of protest from Sabbatarians, both
Christians and Jews.
lt
was dis–
criminatory and an infringement of
the First Amendment to the Con–
stitution, they declared·. In addi–
t io n , many see compulso ry
religious observance of Sunday as
the mark of the beast prophesied
to prevail in the closing days of
this era of man, jusi before the
return to earth of Jesus Christ.
Lindsell's suggestion was based
on "natural law and the common
good of humanity" -mankind's
built-i n need for a periodic rest at
weekly intervals-not on the idea
that government should decree
anything regarding religious activ–
ity. His curren! proposal for Satur–
day rest likewise intends no
religious coercion . Those who
wished could observe the day to
God; others could spend itas they
pleased.
" lt
should prove no theological
hardship: apart from the fact that
our Lord rose from the dead on
the first day of the week," Lindsell
wrote, ' 'there is nothing in
Scripture that requires us to keep
Sunday rather than Saturday as a
holy day. In the interest of the na–
tion , Protestan! and Catholic
churches could change their wor–
sh ip services from Sunday to Sat–
urday. Or we could keep Sunday
as our sabbath; whatever incon–
venience we suffered would be a
token of our good will toward a
minority whose sensitivities we re–
spect. "
He concludes: " Saturday clos–
ing could not possibly be con–
strued as a religious ploy.
1t
would
provide no church-state problem.
lt
would serve the larger interests
of humanity. Responsible leaders
should discuss the possibility.' '
Dare we see in his editorial an–
other sign of a trend of our times?
Considerable attention is being
paid in many quarters to the ques–
tion of the biblical Sabbath. Many
are seriously wondering by what
right and authority Christians ever
turned from the day God ordained
to another day which was hal–
lowed chiefly, if not solely, by its
dedication to the sun-god by the
pagans.
During a time when, in Lind–
sel l 's wo rds, "Sunday obser–
vance is rapid ly losi ng , not
gaining, ground," severa! small
denominations, evangelistic orga–
nizations and other religious en–
terprises have
recently
reestablished the Sabbath, and
actively emphasize it.
Contrary to the misleading us–
age of sorne of the older denomi–
nat ions, Sunday was never
"Sabbath." God's Sabbath was
never changed to Sunday. Honest
scholars all admit the two were,
and always have been, two sepa–
rate and distinct institutions. Sab–
bath is Saturday.
Today a small , but discernible
ground swell of thinking people are
raising and facing the implications
of the uncertain foundations of the
tradi tional Sunday observance.
Were social, political and pagan
reasons ever a sufficient basis for
leaving the Sabbath of the fourth
commandment? lndeed, should
we not all return to the practice of
Sabbath observance of Jesus and
the apostles?
lf you would like to start your
own unbiased investigation, unfet–
tered by the firmly believed but
often erroneous personal opinions
usually taught in the name of
Christ, write for our free booklet
Which Day ls the Christian
Sab–
bath?
And watch for future articles
in this magazine further explaining
and clarifying this and other im–
portan! issues.
Lawson
C.
B_riggs
1=
27