Does Earning Airbnb Rental Income on Sabbath Break the Commandment?

That is a very thoughtful and relevant question, especially in modern economic settings where income can be generated passively. It is important to know that generally, receiving income from a business transaction that utilizes the Sabbath for profit, such as a rental hired for the weekend, represents a violation of the sacred principles of the Fourth Commandment, even if the owner performs no physical labor on that dayST May 20, 1886, par. 8+1.

The purpose of the Sabbath is to lay aside our daily occupations and devote those sacred hours to healthful rest, worship, and holy deedsSJ 74.2+1. The law strictly commands that there should be no labor for worldly pleasure or profit on the rest day of the LordSJ 74.2.

Here is a closer look at the principles guiding Sabbath observance in financial matters:

💼 Profiting from Sabbath Transactions

The Fourth Commandment is comprehensive, instructing that on the seventh day, "thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates" Exodus 20:10. This applies not only to personal physical labor but also to profit derived from transactions occurring on that dayST May 20, 1886, par. 8.

• Financial Gain is Prohibited: God views discussing business matters or laying plans on the Sabbath in the same light as engaging in the actual transaction of businessST May 20, 1886, par. 8. If the primary motive behind the rental is worldly gain, and that gain is accrued through the use or occupation of the property specifically during the Sabbath hours, the individual is dishonoring God's holy dayT27 156.1.

• Partnerships and Shared Interests: This principle is made explicit regarding business alliances. If a Sabbath-keeper has an interest in a business, and that business is carried on for the sake of gain on the Sabbath by others (even an unbelieving partner), the Sabbath-keeper is considered equally guilty and must dissolve the relation, regardless of the potential monetary lossST May 20, 1886, par. 8+1. A landlord receiving rent for the use of a facility during the sacred hours falls under this principle of gaining profit from Sabbath transactions.

• The Intent of Convenience and Gain: To arrange one's business matters in a way that necessitates the breaking of the fourth commandment—using convenience or inclination as a justification—is not honoring the Sabbath as a sacred institutionT27 156.1.

🙏 Prioritizing God Over Gain

The overarching caution is against allowing the passion for money-getting to overshadow spiritual lifePH098 1.1+1.

• Sacrifice for Obedience: True loyalty to God often requires personal and financial sacrificeSITI August 31, 1888, page 534.9. When an individual comes to understand the claims of the Fourth Commandment, they should obey it without questioning the feasibility or convenience of such obedienceRH July 6, 1897, par. 14.

• God's Word is Supreme: If obedience to the Fourth Commandment conflicts with temporal circumstances or business affairs, the law of God is paramount, and worldly considerations must be secondary6BC 1075.2+1. Indeed, if we cannot afford to obey God in our business affairs, we simply cannot afford to disobey HimST May 20, 1886, par. 8.

• Stewardship: While it is not a sin to acquire money, and God allows us to use His goods to bless ourselves and others, those who discard God's specifications and grasp all they can obtain of wages or goods—putting the love of gain first—are displeasing to GodCS 141.3+2. We are warned specifically against making worldly gain a primary object of life Luke 12:15ARSH July 21, 1859, page 69.12.

The willingness to obey the command, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," often requires making duty plain, even if it means leaving labor and capital representing many years of work Exodus 20:8PTUK January 11, 1894, page 21.2. The Sabbath must be kept holy if we are to enjoy God’s blessingST May 20, 1886, par. 8.