SABBATH REFORM by Charles P. Whitford

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 14, 1878

SABBATH REFORM.

By Charles P. Whitford

For many years Seventh-day Adventists have believed and taught that clear prophecies of a Sabbath reform were recorded in the Bible; and acting in harmony with this belief, they are earnestly proclaiming the evidences upon which their faith is based. In Isa. 56:1, 2, we read: “Thus saith the Lord, keep ye judgment, and do justice; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” From this testimony we learn that when the salvation of God is near to come, and his righteousness to be revealed, then a blessing is pronounced upon the man who lays hold of the Sabbath and keeps it.

In order that we may know when this Sabbath reform is due to the world, we must first ascertain when salvation is bestowed upon the people of God. The expression, “For my salvation is near to come,” seems to imply that a definite time is fixed upon when salvation shall be bestowed, and that men have not been receiving it from the days of righteous Abel down to the present time, whenever a good man has died. Matthew says that when “the Son of man shall come, then he shall reward every man according to his works.” This testimony looks forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ as the time when salvation is to be bestowed. Paul says in Romans 13 that when the long, dark night of sin is far spent, the salvation of God is near to come. Peter says, “And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

Other Adventists besides Seventh-day Adventists look for the reward to be given at the second coming of Christ, and with us believe that event is near. But the prophet Isaiah says that when this time fully arrives a blessing is pronounced upon the man that lays hold of the Sabbath. We think that here a Sabbath reform is clearly pointed out, a coming back to the true Bible Sabbath, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; for how else could it be said, “Blessed is the man that layeth hold on it”? Had we always observed the Sabbath, it could not properly be said of us that we had laid hold of it; but having embraced it as the truth of God, as one of the commandments in accordance with which we are trying to shape our lives, it can be very properly and truthfully said that we have laid hold of the Sabbath. We can testify that to us the day Jehovah has sanctified and blessed is a delight, the holy of the Lord, and honorable; and while we have tried to keep it as the Lord’s holy day, the promised blessing has been bestowed upon us. May many more enjoy the blessing which comes as a result of obedience; and when the reward is given, may reader and writer have an abundant entrance into everlasting life.

CHARLES P. WHITFORD.