How to Keep the Sabbath

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Christian scripture states, "Remember the Sabbath day [and] keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). [1] This practice is not often followed, though, so it can be difficult to figure out what you should do to keep the Sabbath if you are not already accustomed to doing so.

Part 1
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What to Do

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  1. Attending a religious service is one of the most important things you can do to remember and keep the Sabbath. While you can and should worship God personally in your day-to-day life, the Sabbath should be a time during which you worship God alongside fellow believers. [2]
    • Worship with other believers helps to fulfill one's spiritual needs. Partaking in the unity of faith can enrich one's relationship with God and his or her fellow Christians.
    • Church also allows the average Christian to learn and discover more about God from the pastor, the parish, and the other leaders and lay-persons of the church.
    • For some denominations, like Catholicism, attending public worship provides the individual with the opportunity to take part in holy sacraments, as well.
  2. Just as God rested on the seventh day in the story of creation, you, too, should rest on the Sabbath. Take time to relax and heal after the stress and hard work of the proceeding week.
    • In rest, the Christian has quiet time to turn to God without being distracted by the tasks of everyday life. Ideally, the rest you indulge in on the Sabbath should help you turn to God. [3]
    • The concept of “rest” can vary by person. For some, a long hike in the woods would seem restful, while others would find it to be difficult work. For others, a long bubble bath is a good way to be at rest, but some may find such activities dull, tedious, and distracting. Figure out what puts your spirit in a state of rest and seek to do those types of activities.
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  3. The Sabbath is primarily a time to worship God, but another important aspect of the day is the cultivation of close relationships. Activities that are not focused directly on worshiping God should be centered on nurturing the relationships you have with loved ones.
    • This is a good time to go on picnics with family and friends or to otherwise sit down and enjoy a good meal together. You can also play games with one another, watch movies together, or do just about any activity that promotes the bond between you.
  4. The elderly, ill, and poor are among those who are most in need of assistance and service. An excellent way to keep the Sabbath is to mind and attend to the needs of those in your community.
    • Service does not necessarily need to be hard or stressful work. For instance, you could be a servant to an elderly neighbor who lives alone simply by dropping by, spending time with that person, and easing his or her loneliness. Alternatively, if you know of a friend who has had a hard time lately, you can serve that person by making a phone call or meeting up and listening to his or her woes.
  5. Even though group worship is important on the Sabbath, you should also try to spend one-on-one time with God that day, too. The exact amount of time you spend is not as important as the quality of time.
    • Pray, meditate, sing hymns or worship songs, and read the bible. Regardless of what you do, you should try to connect with God in ways that are meaningful to you.
  6. A general guideline you can use when determining if something should or should not be done on the Sabbath is to ask yourself if the activity glorifies God or otherwise enriches your life or spiritual being. If it does, then the activity is probably fine to include.
  7. Nowadays, it can be excruciatingly difficult to avoid all the work and activities one would traditionally be expected to avoid on the Sabbath. If there is a task that you must do and it happens to fall on the Sabbath, you can still perform that task.
    • For example, if a loved one falls ill on the Sabbath, you should run to the store to get medicine or otherwise run to his or her side to care for that individual. Even though this may not be an activity that promotes “rest,” it is important, and the love you show for that individual reflects the love of God.
    • Similarly, if the only job you can find requires you to work on the Sabbath, you do not need to feel guilty about doing so. Providing for your family is an act of love that, again, reflects the love of God.
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Part 2
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What Not to Do

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  1. The Sabbath is supposed to be a day of rest. As such, you should try to arrange your work schedule so that you do not need to put any hours in on the Sabbath.
    • If you are a student, work includes homework as well as any part-time job you might have.
    • When you are scheduled to work and you have no control over the matter, you can do so. When you do have some control, though, you should do everything in your power to avoid working on the Sabbath. For example, do your homework Friday night instead of waiting until Sunday.
  2. Large meals should be prepared the day before. Cleaning or household repairs should also be saved for another day.
    • You can do light cooking or food preparation on the Sabbath, but avoid cooking that keeps you in the kitchen all day. The same applies to other household chores.
  3. The Sabbath should be a day of healing. [4] Even justified arguments or confrontations can cause pain to all parties involved, so you should work even harder at minding your temper on the Sabbath than you do on the other six days of the week.
  4. Since life can be so busy, many Christians fall into the trap of using the Sabbath as a day to catch up on tasks that they had no time to complete earlier in the week. Focus on gradually getting more of these activities done before the Sabbath so that the day itself can be left open as a time of joy, worship, and rest.
  5. Activities that encourage vice are usually discouraged, especially on the Sabbath, even if those activities are not necessarily sinful by themselves.
    • For example, if shopping often leads you to have greedy or jealous thoughts, you might want to skip doing it on the Sabbath. If, however, it does not promote such attitudes in you, shopping itself is not necessarily a bad thing to do.
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Part 3
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Controversies and Considerations

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  1. While most of Christianity celebrates the Sabbath on Sunday, the Jewish tradition from which Christianity came celebrated the Sabbath on Saturday, or the seventh day of the week. There are arguments for and against both days. [5]
    • Originally, the Sabbath was issued as a day to remember the blessings of creation as well as the original covenant between God and man during the time of Moses.
    • Scripture indicates that God rested on the seventh day, which would be Saturday, and that the day itself is holy for that reason: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it" (Exodus 20:11).
    • Scripture also explains that the Sabbath should be kept holy as a sign of the covenant God made with His people when they were led out of Egyptian captivity: "And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day" (Deuteronomy 5:15). [6]
    • Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday, which is the main reason Christians have for switching the Sabbath day to Sunday. When Christ rose from the dead, a "new covenant" was made, and the day marking that covenant's significance is Sunday.
  2. Another major controversy surrounding the Sabbath is whether or not Christians are still required to keep it. While some view it as a necessity, others insist that the need has been abolished.
    • While there are many arguments for and against keeping the Sabbath, the underlying controversy seems to be the issue of whether or not that part of the "old covenant" was abolished when Christ fulfilled the law and became the "new covenant." [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
    • Those against the Sabbath argue that the command for a Sabbath was part of Mosaic law and the "old covenant." Since many other rules of the "old covenant" are no longer deemed necessary by Christianity, as evidenced by Paul's argument in Galatians 5 than circumcision is no longer necessary, some Christians also believe that the entire sum of Mosaic law was also negated.
    • Those in favor of the Sabbath tend to argue that, as one of the Ten Commandments, the need for a Sabbath day remains. This belief holds that the Ten Commandments are laws that must be kept, while other laws that have since fallen to the wayside are those issued as interpretations of the main law rather than the law themselves.
  3. Within the United States, there was once a time when just about every restaurant and store shut down on Sunday. That certainly is not the case nowadays, but some Christians still believe that things should be that way and may choose to avoid spending money at institutions that are open on Sunday.
    • Those who choose to support institutions that allow employees to work on Sunday generally argue that the choice to keep the Sabbath is personal, and that one should not shun an institution that makes the choice to remain open.
    • Those who do not support institutions that are open on Sunday usually argue that keeping the Sabbath is law, and as such, it applies to all mankind even if they do not believe.
  4. Remember that every denomination can take its own official stance concerning the Sabbath and how to keep it. If you want to avoid breaking the rules or regulations set down by the denomination you have membership with, you should check with a pastor or other religious authority to find out more about your denomination's official stance.
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  • Question
    Can I play games for money on the Sabbath?
    Katie Arledge Rutan
    Community Answer
    This would not be keeping the Sabbath holy. You should refrain from work or shopping on the Sabbath and use it as a day to focus on God and family.
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  • Question
    What do I do if I have a school exam on Sabbath, but I want to keep the Sabbath holy?
    Community Answer
    Because this is part of your religious routine, inform your school and have them move your exam to another day.
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  • Question
    Is it ok to help at nursing homes with activities, such as bingo or arts and crafts on Saturday?
    Community Answer
    Yes, doing service is fine. If you are still unsure, talk to your rabbi.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A8-11&version=KJV
      2. ↑ http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/SABBATH.HTM
      3. ↑ http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2004/january/lauren-winner-sabbath-holy.html
      4. ↑ http://www.sabbathtruth.com/faq/advanced-topics/rest-in-god-keeping-the-sabbath-holy.aspx
      5. ↑ http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2008/jan-feb/should-christians-keep-the-sabbath
      6. ↑ http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%205:15&version=KJV
      7. ↑ http://www.bible.org.nz/articles/keeping-the-sabbath.html
      8. ↑ http://www.gci.org/law/sabbath
      9. ↑ https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/314-should-christians-keep-the-sabbath
      1. ↑ http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Shabbat/Addendum/addendum.html
      2. ↑ http://www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/inside-report/id/732/seize-the-day-keeping-the-sabbath-holypart-1.aspx

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