PICKING AND CHOOSING: WHOSE SABBATH IS IT ANYWAY?

1. June 2008 by Frank.

Because my best friend is a devout Seventh Day Adventist I get exposed to my fair share of SDA preaching and teaching whether I want it or not. While I have found the SDA to be very impressive in their knowledge of the bible, they actually take studying it very seriously, I have also noticed their fanaticism about their dogmas. Particularly in regard to keeping the sabbath.

The frequency which this dogma is preached is rather disturbing. It seems to be brought up constantly whether it has anything to do with the topic or not. You might not hear them claiming to be the one true church but you will hear them claiming that only those who properly keep the sabbath have god’s seal of approval. In fact, keeping the sabbath is god’s seal. So all you people worshiping on Sunday are in active disobedience to god. He will only let you off the hook for so long. Once you hear the truth and fail to convert, well, you’re screwed.

Many mainline denominations consider the SDA church to be a cult because of this dogmatic fanaticism.

The SDA is right about it, however, god never changed the sabbath to Sunday. You can’t find any verse in any bible which says or implies that he did. The preaching I heard Friday night pointed out how people of various denominations want the 10 commandments publicly displayed in schools and government buildings and how they believe they’re the basis of law in this country (which they aren’t) but feel it’s necessary to obey 9 of them but neglect the one that plainly says to remember it.

Good point. But what about the penalty for not keeping the sabbath? Oh yeah, we’re all going to hell but what was the biblical penalty? Even picking up sticks on the sabbath got you stoned to death. Why is it we’re supposed to live by the commandments but somehow don’t have to obey the penalty? Seriously, if churches really want to obey the laws of god they should be killing people all the time. Numbers 15 vs 35, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp..”

Of course, this conflicts with “Thou shalt not kill.” Unless god says to do it. Which he does quite a bit. Look at Exodus and Leviticus. Kill someone? Punishment: death. Hit your father or mother: death. Steal a slave and sell him: death. Curse father or mother: death. Sex with animals: death. Do any work on the sabbath: death. Adultery: both put to death. Sex with your father’s wife: death. Sex with daughter in law: death. Homosexual: death. Witch or wizard: death. Blaspheme the name of the Lord: death. Come near the temple as a stranger: death. You get the idea.

For that matter, how is it that god freed the slaves from bondage in Egypt but by the time he gave them the commandments, especially the 4^th one, these former slaves already had menservants and maidservants? It says they aren’t supposed to work either. How is it that people longing to be free of slavery already have slaves of their own? And god approves of it to such an extent that he gives instructions for how they are to be treated?

The SDA church strongly believes in keeping the sabbath. Yet you don’t see them out and about killing all the heathens who work on the sabbath. They aren’t supposed to do any work and yet they will watch their religious programming on their SDA TV stations which wouldn’t be on the air unless someone was working. And they make exceptions for doctors, nurses, police, firemen, anybody in emergency type work, despite the fact that god doesn’t.

Any denomination you go to does this same pick and choose routine only with different emphasis. We believe in the 10 commandments but Sunday is our sabbath. We go out to dinner with no thought of all those people who deserve to die because they are working. It’s OK as long as they’re waiting on us (which is clearly a violation, servants get to rest, too). I suppose I shouldn’t mention watching football, baseball, soccer, etc., despite the fact all those people are working and not concentrating on god. I mowed my yard yesterday. I’m sure the penalty for that is death or at least it would have been if they had lawn mowers a few thousand years ago. But the question has to be the same. If keeping the sabbath is still required to please god why isn’t killing the violators?

I’m not being facetious. One of the points the SDA preacher was very adamant about was that Jesus said not one jot or tittle of the law would pass away until the very end of time. If you love god you obey his commands. No ifs, ands, or buts. The commands of god are still in effect. All true according to the New Testament.

If the offenders were to be put to death then, why aren’t they now?

Oh, you say, those are ceremonial laws, they have passed away. Here we go with picking and choosing. What’s different about this and declaring that spiritual gifts (particularly tongues) were for then but not for now? How is it women weren’t supposed to wear makeup then but it’s OK now unless you belong to certain churches? As a matter of fact, how is it women are even allowed to speak in church (including the SDA) when I can clearly show you that Paul didn’t allow it and that god would make it clear to you if you felt otherwise?

Picking and choosing. The cornerstone of Christianity.

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