Working on Sunday

[Man without a country]

My former preacher used to go on about working on Sunday. Discouraged the young people from pursuing a career that would have them work on Sunday or Wednesday evening. He said "let the unsaved people do those jobs". He also preached that we should go out door to door soul winning because everybody needed to be saved. At the time I was a deputy sheriff and my wife is an RN.  Naturally it rubbed me the wrong way. He preached in a climate controlled building with electric lights. Somebody was working to generate the electricity. He finished preaching and took his family to the caf? for Sunday dinner. Somebody had to prepare and serve that. When his wife or kids are sick, it is nice to know the hospital is open on Sunday.  This is another of the IFB double standards. ( While I am whining, his wife also forbid the women to wear denim in the choir. Not jeans, denim skirts or vests. Their daughters regularly wore denim vests or jackets in the choir.  I know, off topic.) So, if you work on Sunday it is wrong. Would it not be just as wrong to make someone work on Sunday for your benefit?

 

[Twisted]

Nobody's perfect.

 

[Anon1379]

My former preacher used to go on about working on Sunday. Discouraged the young people from pursuing a career that would have them work on Sunday or Wednesday evening. He said "let the unsaved people do those jobs". He also preached that we should go out door to door soul winning because everybody needed to be saved. At the time I was a deputy sheriff and my wife is an RN.  Naturally it rubbed me the wrong way. He preached in a climate controlled building with electric lights. Somebody was working to generate the electricity. He finished preaching and took his family to the caf? for Sunday dinner. Somebody had to prepare and serve that. When his wife or kids are sick, it is nice to know the hospital is open on Sunday.  This is another of the IFB double standards. ( While I am whining, his wife also forbid the women to wear denim in the choir. Not jeans, denim skirts or vests. Their daughters regularly wore denim vests or jackets in the choir.  I know, off topic.) So, if you work on Sunday it is wrong. Would it not be just as wrong to make someone work on Sunday for your benefit?

Well Hebrews 10:25 says"Not abandoning our meeting together" which obviously refers to church. So as a general rule you should do your best not to miss when your church has services and working a job obviously would prevent you from that. This does not mean you can never ever work on a Sunday, but missing church for work should not be a habit. The commandments said remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy. God was not saying don't work, but to be holy. It is kind hard to be holy when you are working a secular job. But when Christ died, he made us holy and Christ is our rest now. Christ did not do away with the Sabbath he fulfilled the Sabbath. In Hebrews 3, Israel had unbelief and God said they would not enter into my Sabbath" the Sabbath was now a land. It was a fulfillment of rest. Then in chapter 4  you read how we enter into Christ the same was Israel went into the land, through belief. Christ today is our Sabbath. Christ is our rest.  The point of the OT law was not not working, but having a day to worship God and be holy, and through Christ we can worship him any day. We do not need Sunday to worship God, we can worship him the same way on any other day. The issue then is still Hebrews 10:25. Not abandoning the meeting together. The ot made us not work to focus on God, on one day out of the week. Today we do not need that day as we can worship God anyday as Christ is in our hearts. But we still cannot abandon our meeting together. Also an issue to bring up with the pastor would be the fact that he also works on Sunday along with anyone who has a ministry on Sunday.

 

[Ransom]

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him,28 which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. (London Baptist Confession of Faith 22.7)

I would not personally refer to Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, but that's basically the only place I would disagree with the LBCF on this issue. God set aside the seventh day for the people of Israel to rest; while there's no positive commandment in the New Testament to rest on the first day, we see by the example of the apostles and the early church that they met to break bread and worship together on the first day of the week (e.g. Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2).

Hebrews 10:25 also says not to give up meeting together, but it's important to keep in mind the context: the letter is written to Christians who are under pressure to give the faith up entirely, not merely to Christians who might, on occasion, skip church. Still, there's a principle there and in the aforementioned verses that the church meets together regularly on the first day of the week, and barring necessity, we should make an effort to be there as well. This isn't a law, so if missing out on church is unavoidable, you shouldn't feel guilty about missing it. The classic confessions of the faith have usually made accommodations for "works of necessity"--things like tending to farm animals, emergency work, and so forth, that don't take a break on Sundays. Even Jesus said it was lawful to break Sabbath to rescue an animal (and unlike Sunday worship, Sabbath-keeping was a law).

So if your job takes you away from Sunday services periodically, don't beat yourself up over it, and strive to be there when you're able. Of course, it's better to attend than not--and if your work takes you away from church an inordinate amount of time, it might actually be wise to seek other work if you're able. Just don't be legalistic about it.

 

[Twisted]

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him,28 which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. (London Baptist Confession of Faith 22.7)

I would not personally refer to Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, but that's basically the only place I would disagree with the LBCF on this issue. God set aside the seventh day for the people of Israel to rest; while there's no positive commandment in the New Testament to rest on the first day, we see by the example of the apostles and the early church that they met to break bread and worship together on the first day of the week (e.g. Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2).

Hebrews 10:25 also says not to give up meeting together, but it's important to keep in mind the context: the letter is written to Christians who are under pressure to give the faith up entirely, not merely to Christians who might, on occasion, skip church. Still, there's a principle there and in the aforementioned verses that the church meets together regularly on the first day of the week, and barring necessity, we should make an effort to be there as well. This isn't a law, so if missing out on church is unavoidable, you shouldn't feel guilty about missing it. The classic confessions of the faith have usually made accommodations for "works of necessity"--things like tending to farm animals, emergency work, and so forth, that don't take a break on Sundays. Even Jesus said it was lawful to break Sabbath to rescue an animal (and unlike Sunday worship, Sabbath-keeping was a law).

So if your job takes you away from Sunday services periodically, don't beat yourself up over it, and strive to be there when you're able. Of course, it's better to attend than not--and if your work takes you away from church an inordinate amount of time, it might actually be wise to seek other work if you're able. Just don't be legalistic about it.

I must be getting soft.  That's twice in the last 15-20 years that I agree with Ransom.

 

[Sherryh]

I worked on Sunday there is nothing wrong with feeding your family . Why do men say that it just shows a level of no brain activity.

 

[cpizzle]

If my ox was in the ditch every Sunday.....I'd get a new ox

 

[cpizzle]

I agree 100% with Ransom...there are situations and exclusions.

Romans says that some take a special day for God and others give God every day.  God is pleased with both of them.  Working on Sunday is not a sin as long as we are faithful to the regular meetings of the Church.  Truthfully, a church could hold their weekly services on Tuesday and it wouldn't go against scripture.  It would be lawful...but not necessarily expedient to do so, of course. 

Is it better to work on Sunday than let your family starve to death and lose your home....yes!  Is it better to work on Sunday so that you can make more money for luxeries and "loose change".....probably not.  I would work a job that paid less but gave me the ability to worship with the Church over a job that paid more but took me away from the assembly. 

It comes down to this.  Are their other viable options that give someone Sunday off?  If so, then pursue those with a willing hear.  It not, do what you need to do but find other ways to give of your time to God and God's people.

 

[Ransom]

Truthfully, a church could hold their weekly services on Tuesday and it wouldn't go against scripture.  It would be lawful...but not necessarily expedient to do so, of course.

The mainline church parish I grew up in had an evangelical pastor in the 1990s and early 2000s who actually did hold Tuesday night services. It wasn't a mid-week worship service in the same sense as a fundamentalist would understand it, but an alternative to Sunday morning. The shift schedule at the local paper mill was such that if you couldn't make it Sunday morning, you could be there Tuesday night (and vice versa).

Was something like that not the historic reason for evangelical churches instituting evening services in the first place? I.e. to allow farmers and other people who had to work Sunday mornings another chance to worship. (I mean, beyond the really historic reason of early Christianity closing the Lord's day with Vespers.)

 

[16KJV11]

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him,28 which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. (London Baptist Confession of Faith 22.7)

I would not personally refer to Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, but that's basically the only place I would disagree with the LBCF on this issue. God set aside the seventh day for the people of Israel to rest; while there's no positive commandment in the New Testament to rest on the first day, we see by the example of the apostles and the early church that they met to break bread and worship together on the first day of the week (e.g. Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2).

Hebrews 10:25 also says not to give up meeting together, but it's important to keep in mind the context: the letter is written to Christians who are under pressure to give the faith up entirely, not merely to Christians who might, on occasion, skip church. Still, there's a principle there and in the aforementioned verses that the church meets together regularly on the first day of the week, and barring necessity, we should make an effort to be there as well. This isn't a law, so if missing out on church is unavoidable, you shouldn't feel guilty about missing it. The classic confessions of the faith have usually made accommodations for "works of necessity"--things like tending to farm animals, emergency work, and so forth, that don't take a break on Sundays. Even Jesus said it was lawful to break Sabbath to rescue an animal (and unlike Sunday worship, Sabbath-keeping was a law).

So if your job takes you away from Sunday services periodically, don't beat yourself up over it, and strive to be there when you're able. Of course, it's better to attend than not--and if your work takes you away from church an inordinate amount of time, it might actually be wise to seek other work if you're able. Just don't be legalistic about it.

Agree. 

 

[ALAYMAN]

Inconsistent and hypocritical morals/ethics are nothing new under the sun, whether IFB, Catholic, atheist, or any other belief system.  If a person witnesses/experiences this sort of thing with any significant frequency and is unable to reason with the offender/leader to affect change then it seems pretty obvious to me that there are plenty of other churches  that are indeed conscientious and sincerely following Biblical Christianity.  Rather than hang around and subject ourselves and loved ones to such superficiality it seems it should be an easy choice to let your feet do the talkin'.

 

[Walt]

My former preacher used to go on about working on Sunday. Discouraged the young people from pursuing a career that would have them work on Sunday or Wednesday evening. He said "let the unsaved people do those jobs". He also preached that we should go out door to door soul winning because everybody needed to be saved. At the time I was a deputy sheriff and my wife is an RN.  Naturally it rubbed me the wrong way. He preached in a climate controlled building with electric lights. Somebody was working to generate the electricity. He finished preaching and took his family to the caf? for Sunday dinner. Somebody had to prepare and serve that. When his wife or kids are sick, it is nice to know the hospital is open on Sunday.  This is another of the IFB double standards. ( While I am whining, his wife also forbid the women to wear denim in the choir. Not jeans, denim skirts or vests. Their daughters regularly wore denim vests or jackets in the choir.  I know, off topic.) So, if you work on Sunday it is wrong. Would it not be just as wrong to make someone work on Sunday for your benefit?

I've heard many similar messages over the years.  I've given this matter some thought.

First of all, I have no problem with encouraging young people to make career choices that would allow them to be in church; fellowship is highly important.

At the same time, many of the early Christians were slaves or servants, and were limited (I assume severely) in their time.

The  real issue is one of the  heart -- are we looking for excuses to stay away from church?  Or do we regret the times that work or other duties have to keep us away?

Preachers of the last generation (or maybe the generation before) used to preach against going out on Sundays (making others work), but I haven't heard anything like this that I can recall.

I'm glad that hospitals are open all the time, and the fireman, policeman, and others are available when they are needed.

As our society becomes more secular, it's harder to find jobs that allow Christians to attend church on Sunday.  At the same time, I believe that it is the law of the land that employers must attempt to accommodate the religious beliefs of the employees. A Jewish man could have the Christian cover Fri PM or Sat AM, while the Jew could cover Sunday.

 

[Walt]

Well Hebrews 10:25 says"Not abandoning our meeting together" which obviously refers to church. So as a general rule you should do your best not to miss when your church has services and working a job obviously would prevent you from that. This does not mean you can never ever work on a Sunday, but missing church for work should not be a habit. The commandments said remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy. God was not saying don't work, but to be holy. It is kind hard to be holy when you are working a secular job. But when Christ died, he made us holy and Christ is our rest now. Christ did not do away with the Sabbath he fulfilled the Sabbath. In Hebrews 3, Israel had unbelief and God said they would not enter into my Sabbath" the Sabbath was now a land. It was a fulfillment of rest. Then in chapter 4  you read how we enter into Christ the same was Israel went into the land, through belief. Christ today is our Sabbath. Christ is our rest.  The point of the OT law was not not working, but having a day to worship God and be holy, and through Christ we can worship him any day. We do not need Sunday to worship God, we can worship him the same way on any other day. The issue then is still Hebrews 10:25. Not abandoning the meeting together. The ot made us not work to focus on God, on one day out of the week. Today we do not need that day as we can worship God anyday as Christ is in our hearts. But we still cannot abandon our meeting together. Also an issue to bring up with the pastor would be the fact that he also works on Sunday along with anyone who has a ministry on Sunday.

Sunday is not the Sabbath.  Heb 10:25, in context, tells us to to "forsake" the assembling of ourselves together, with an eye to encouraging one another to love and to good works.  I've heard "forsake" defined as "giving up with no intention of returning" - the Scriptures don't tell us to be at every meeting (the early Christians certainly could not all meet every time -- but they looked forward to being with other believers) - we are not to "forsake" the gathering of believers.  As I wrote in the other post -- are you trying to find excuses to avoid church?  Many people gladly take shifts or volunteer for work on church nights just so that they have an excuse to skip.  The spiritual person will do his best to attend services.

 

[Walt]

As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him,28 which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day:29 and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. (London Baptist Confession of Faith 22.7)

I would not personally refer to Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, but that's basically the only place I would disagree with the LBCF on this issue. God set aside the seventh day for the people of Israel to rest; while there's no positive commandment in the New Testament to rest on the first day, we see by the example of the apostles and the early church that they met to break bread and worship together on the first day of the week (e.g. Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2).

Hebrews 10:25 also says not to give up meeting together, but it's important to keep in mind the context: the letter is written to Christians who are under pressure to give the faith up entirely, not merely to Christians who might, on occasion, skip church. Still, there's a principle there and in the aforementioned verses that the church meets together regularly on the first day of the week, and barring necessity, we should make an effort to be there as well. This isn't a law, so if missing out on church is unavoidable, you shouldn't feel guilty about missing it. The classic confessions of the faith have usually made accommodations for "works of necessity"--things like tending to farm animals, emergency work, and so forth, that don't take a break on Sundays. Even Jesus said it was lawful to break Sabbath to rescue an animal (and unlike Sunday worship, Sabbath-keeping was a law).

So if your job takes you away from Sunday services periodically, don't beat yourself up over it, and strive to be there when you're able. Of course, it's better to attend than not--and if your work takes you away from church an inordinate amount of time, it might actually be wise to seek other work if you're able. Just don't be legalistic about it.

Since the "like" button doesn't work... LIKE!

 

[Walt]

If my ox was in the ditch every Sunday.....I'd get a new ox

Heh -- or fix my fences!