The “How” of It by Charles P. Whitford

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 1, 1874

The “How” of It.

By Charles P. Whitford

A PRIVATE letter recently received from a friend contains the following extract: “I never thought it mattered so much which of the days we keep for the Sabbath as how we keep it.” Query. If we keep a day for the Sabbath which is not the Sabbath, will the keeping of that day make it the Sabbath? Sabbath means rest; and the 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.

Sunday is not the Sabbath. The substance of the world was created on that day. The seventh day is the day of God’s rest, significant of the week’s work. God rested on, blessed, and sanctified, that particular day, and not the first.

For these reasons, it was commanded to man. The first day has nothing in common with the Sabbath, except that it is a day; and there is no reason for substituting it for the Sabbath, except that man sets up its claim as a rival institution. God has never blessed, sanctified, or rested on, it, nor called it the Sabbath, nor commanded it to be kept.

Jesus was not his Father’s rival. He did not abolish the institution, nor the day that he was Lord of. He never called any other day his but the Sabbath day, and he did not set up any rival institution, nor rival day. But according to the view set forth in the above extract, it matters not whether we keep the day that God commanded or some other. The essential duty is the manner of its observance rather than the day to be observed. All of this is equivalent to saying that we may do things which are wrong, if we are sincere, and think it is right, and then we will be saved anyhow.

Such is the position taken by a large majority of the professed followers of Jesus Christ at the present time. How such a theory can be made to harmonize with the words of our divine Lord is more than we can understand. The last benediction of the coming One was, “Blessed are they that do his [the Father’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14. Again he says, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17. God has given commandments and ordinances

and promised salvation to those who will keep them. Now if men can continue to do things which are violations of the commandments, and yet can be saved, if they are sincere, why, then, are there 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. To us, this seems like a very doubtful kind of salvation. 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 commandment. He will accept of nothing but godly sincerity. To be sincere in actions which are violations of the law of God is dangerous sincerity. 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 do his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”

CHARLES P. WHITFORD. Berkshire Center, Vt.