WHAT IS THE SABBATH? by Charles P. Whitford

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 19, 1881

WHAT IS THE SABBATH?

By Charles P. Whitford

BY CHARLES P. WHITFORD.

A PRIVATE letter from a friend contains the following: "I for one never thought it mattered so much which one of the days we keep for the Sabbath, as how we keep them." Query.—If we keep a day for the Sabbath, which is not the Sabbath, will the keeping of the day make it the Sabbath? Sabbath means rest, and the only Sabbath of the Lord; the only Sabbath having any claims on mankind, is the rest-day of the Lord; and that is the day of the week on which he rested, and no other. But according to the view set forth in the above, it matters not whether we keep the day of God's rest, or some other day, providing we only keep it right, whichever that day may be.

Were we to be governed by the same principle in relation to the other nine commandments, what would be the condition of society and of the world? We should find all classes claiming that it did not matter whether they obeyed those precepts or not. In short, it would be a virtual claim that they could obey God and be saved, or they could disobey him and the result would be the same, provided they were only sincere. To us this seems like a very doubtful piece of sincerity. While we believe that it is a good thing to be truly sincere, we also believe that God will accept of nothing but strict obedience to his commandments. He will accept of none but godly sincerity. To be sincere in actions which are violations of the law of God, is dangerous sincerity.

Says Christ, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17. Again he says: "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14.

God has given commandments, and promises salvation to those who will keep them. Now if men can continue to do things which are violations of these commandments, and yet can be saved, then there are two ways to salvation. We can obey God and be saved, or, if this is not so convenient, we can disobey him and be saved, provided we are only sincere! We believe that such reasoning is a deception of the great enemy of all righteousness, and we wonder how any person can be led to accept such foolish and absurd positions. Let us strive to know the whole will of God and do it; for none but those who keep the truth will enter into the city.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. 'Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.'"