3876—The Right to Keep Sunday
Have I not a right to keep Sunday, according to Rom. 14:5, 6? Am I not justified in keeping Sunday if I keep it unto the Lord, being fully persuaded in my own mind? G. A. J. We quote all the text which pertains to days from the American Revised Version: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord." Let it be noted: (1) That this chapter, and the whole epistle for that matter, is addressed to Christians, to whom the apostle had emphatically taught the perpetuity and immutability of the law of which the Sabbath precept is a part. The Jews held the true "form of knowledge and of the truth" in that law, and in this they knew God's will (see chapter 2:17-23); by that law men will be judged (2:12); by that law is the knowledge of sin, and all mankind stand condemned by it (3:19, 20; 4:15; 7:7); that law witnesses to the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (3:21, 22); faith establishes that law in the heart (3:31); grace saves from its transgression (6:1, 2, 15, 16); the demands of the law are met by those in Christ (8:4); and only the carnal heart is at enmity with its righteous requirements (8:4). Therefore the ones who heeded this epistle were Sabbath-keepers. 2. Chapter 14 can not therefore refer to the Sabbath day, but to the immaterial days, such as the Passover, Day of Atonement, etc. The expression "every day" refers to the six working-days of the week, as in Ex. 16:4, and does not include the Sabbath. 3. Romans 14 has for its specific purpose instructions to Christians that they should not judge one another; that all judgment rests with God, to whom each and all must give account. Verses 10-12. 4. So far as man is concerned, one has the right to keep any day or no day. One is not, can not be, justified before God in the observance of a day contrary to God's law. God can not justify transgression of His law. He will justify the ignorant and perfect heart despite the transgression, but not because of it. 5. It would seem that no day would be acceptable "to the Lord" that He Himself had not given. And no one could keep any day acceptable to God who was not fully persuaded in his own mind. There is no coercion in God's service; there must be the willing heart. The thought of the apostle seems to be that in immaterial things there should be liberty. A transgression of God's law would take one out of God's church entirely. Let us not use equivocal expressions to evade the plainest, clearest duty, emphasized by the example of our blessed Lord.