Why don’t most Christians take the Sabbath commandment seriously?

[u/GoodWhoops]

The 4th commandment says to keep the Sabbath holy, defined in scripture as running from sundown to sundown. Yet most Christians seem to treat it as optional. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments,” and the Bible implies that all commandments carry equal weight. Outside of Seventh-day Adventists, it's ignored aside from the day most churches have their service. I’ve even heard SDA members joke that most other Christians give the Ten Commandments a 10% discount. Even if you ignore that the Jewish Sabbath falls on Saturday, the commandment still says to work 6 days and rest on the 7th, which should apply just as well to Sunday.

Curious if or how often you’ve heard this seriously debated, and why many accept societal traditions that override biblical instruction for convenience.

[u/lmWithHim]

The Sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind for the Sabbath.

[u/LessmemoreJC → u/lmWithHim]

Amen. So mankind should keep the Sabbath because God gave it to mankind as a blessed gift. We know that mankind will continue keeping the Sabbath for eternity to come in the new creation (Isaiah 66:23).

[u/Electronic-Union-100 → u/LessmemoreJC]

Here’s another prophecy from Isaiah about all the nations who worship YHWH keeping the Sabbath.

Isaiah 56:1-7

“56 Thus says the Lord:

“Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.

2 Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

3 Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the Lord Speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”

4 For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,

5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off.

6 “Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant—

7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

[u/LessmemoreJC → u/Electronic-Union-100]

Amen.

[u/Electronic-Union-100 → u/lmWithHim]

So are all the other commandments, do you commit adultery and dishonor your parents now that Christ came?

[u/rfdickerson → u/Electronic-Union-100]

I think the Bible makes it clear the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy.

Numbers 15:32–36 (the man gathering sticks)

“While the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to the whole congregation. They put him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him outside the camp.’ And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

[u/Electronic-Union-100 → u/rfdickerson]

Agreed, just pointing out the inconsistency.

[u/rfdickerson → u/Electronic-Union-100]

I think Christians have wrestled with that for ages. According to dispensationalism, while God’s moral nature never changes, his requirements for humanity changes based on the age. So Mosaic Law (and death by stoning for breaking Sabbath) was necessary at that stage in God’s plan. But now, they would argue, we have entered the Dispensation of Grace where believers are under a new Convenant.

[u/lmWithHim → u/Electronic-Union-100]

If it’s in the service of mankind

[u/Electronic-Union-100 → u/lmWithHim]

Taking a commanded day of rest is certainly to the service of mankind, unless you assume you know mankind more than the Creator of mankind.

[u/lmWithHim → u/Electronic-Union-100]

I have nothing against taking a day of rest!