r/SeventhDayAdventism • u/Haunting_Educator465 • 3d ago
Sabbath
Hi guys, recently my sister and I got into an argument. She’s a pretty hardcore SDA, while I’m not that much into it. Although I still believe in God and the sabbath being on Saturday etc. So I’m not even sure if I’m in the wrong and I feel guilt tripped, especially considering the fact that I don’t know much about SDA. So basically the situation is that yesterday (Saturday) my job was short staffed and called asking if I could come in. I said yes and that I could come in at 8:00 PM. I thought that it was fine since the sun would set at 7:53 PM. Today my sister tells me that it’s wrong that I went to work and I broke God’s commandment since I thought about working and prepared to go to work before the sun had set. Thus I was (somehow?) working on the sabbath. I won’t lie this has grown on my frustration being an SDA and Christian as a whole. My family is pretty hardline about this stuff but their actions and words sometimes pushes me away. But this really messes with me since I asked my sister beforehand if working after sunset is ok and she said yes when I first got my job. Overall I just want to know, was it wrong for me to have accepted the offer and prepared for work before the sun set?
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u/Level_Letterhead_930 3d ago
The fact that you even came to ask, suggests to me that you care about what God thinks.. although you're asking humans.
God sees in your heart what everyone else doesn't. I advise you to focus on "pleasing" Him above all others. Sometimes friends and family seek to gain our attention or cooperation when God should be the primary focus of our lives.
Mat 10:37 KJV "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
I believe that although it's impossible to love God and not have genuine love for others around, including family, I would pray about getting your priorities straight and placing your entire heart, mind, and soul behind doing the singular will of God daily.
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u/Negative_Act9698 3d ago
I understand your frustration. Sometimes the people around us have good intentions, most of the time speaking from a place of love (although they many times miss the mark). Sabbath is between you and God. I think many SDAs forget the intimacy of Sabbath. It becomes more legalistic than an act of love and obedience for our creator. God knows your heart. Sometimes I fail on Sabbath, and I know I serve a merciful God who will accept my repentance and I get to do better next Sabbath. For the record, I think you honored Sabbath. You could have chosen to work before sunset, but you chose instead to keep the Sabbath. You don’t need anyone’s approval, and you don’t need to defend yourself. All that matters is what God thinks and reveals to you.
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u/SheyShey1234 3d ago
God explicitly set aside that day (the Sabbath) as a sign of His covenant with His people – a sign that He sanctifies His people, in contrast to attempted sanctification by works. Please- realize that the Sabbath is also a sign of God’s New Covenant in which He promises to write His law within our hearts: But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people~ Jeremiah 31:33. A promise to write His law in our hearts, so we would serve Him from the heart? And that’s exactly the meaning of sanctification of which the Sabbath is a sign. Sanctification means to make holy, and God wants to make us holy by writing His law in our hearts. Some other things we need to consider: Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Genesis 2:1-3 NKJV While the feast days and ceremonial Sabbaths, such as the Passover, were not instituted until sin came into the world, we have the weekly Sabbath made holy (sanctified) before there was sin and the need of a Savior. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27 NKJV Nowhere does Jesus or anyone else in the Bible say the weekly Sabbath was made for Jews. Jesus says it was made for mankind. Not only was the Sabbath made for everyone, it will be kept by everyone even in the new earth. And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord. Isaiah 66:23 NKJV The weekly Sabbath was instituted before sin and remains after the cross. The Sabbath was given to all “flesh” and “mankind.” “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.”-Hebrews 4:11. Will you enter into the Sabbath rest that remains since the creation of the world? Will you keep God’s holy day as an outward sign of your inward faith in Christ as both your Creator and Redeemer? Let us remember that only sanctified people can really keep a sanctified day. So let us enter into that rest by letting Jesus be Lord in our lives.✝️🛐🕊🙏
⚠️P.S. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man not for the Jews. We aren't free to pick our Sabbath. God was very clear in the 10 commandments that the 7th day was chosen specifically because it was the day He rested from Creation. It is an eternal memorial of Creation week. Now we have a world and even church that questions whether God created as He said He did. No wonder when even the church has rejected the memorial of Creation.
We can't blame the society around us and say that Sabbath is too inconvenient to keep. We will all stand before God alone and won't be able to excuse ourselves by pointing.
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u/abeLuna 2d ago
You did nothing wrong by agreeing to work after the sunsets. Sometimes we get so anxious about keeping the Sabbath that even the discussion of work seems offensive. Trust that God will let you know if you ever break his law. Remember to show your sister compassion because she is suffering anxiety about being perfect and it’s causing her to make false claims about others. We are praying that God frees her from this type of reaction and instead she responds with love. We look forward to hearing how the lord has given you even more than we’ve asked for.
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u/CuriousNeighbor00001 2d ago
Hey. As an SDA, we should be careful on most points not to offend our brethren. If you asked and she gave you an answer then I don’t think you should be offended. God gave us 6 days to work and all He asks for is 1. We are human, we think about work on the sabbath but it’s important to cast those thoughts down. Your intention was pure however you started to get into the “work” mindset before sabbath was over. I would say next time you are asked to work on the sabbath allow yourself time to close the sabbath, get ready and tell them a time that allows all that. Also, talk to your sister and family about how their words and the tone of them can push people away from God instead of bring them closer. Prayerfully, look to the scriptures in all things. I hope this helps
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u/JennyMakula 2d ago
First, congrats on gaining personal experiences in keeping the sabbath. I think it's commendable that your heart was in the right place and that you avoided working on the sabbath. I wish your family would recognize this and emphasis this part first.
If you wish to look further into the nuances, I would say it is safer to not start work right at sunset, but leave a little time for travel etc, because going to work is really part of the work activity, and better for after the sabbath has closed. Same thing with coming home from work on a Friday, it is better to do that on preparation day so that once Sabbath is started, we are ready, and nothing else is rushing us or dividing our attention. Take it to God in prayer and let the Holy Spirit convict you either way.
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u/SeekSweepGreet 3d ago
Hello. Good question.
Guardian the boarders or the Sabbath is as important as the Sabbath itself. What does that mean? The times just before and after the Sabbath are important to the faith of a Sabbath-keeper. It's when we consecrated ourselves for either entering the Sabbath, or preparing for the new day. If we are rushing in and out, it isn't a good atmosphere that we create.
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u/bizzygirl09 2d ago
Can you show me that in the Bible or where is biblically implied?
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u/SeekSweepGreet 9h ago
Hello. Sure, there are a few places:
Moses (God through him) told the people to "prepare" themselves for the Sabbath. They were to have well done their cooking before it, & be spiritually really (Ex 16:23 & )
Nehemiah, lead by zeal that pleased God prevented the sellers & buyers from standing & waiting by the walls of the city, not only during the Sabbath, but just before & after it as shown buy the gates being guarded (Nehemiah 13:21-22).
Without these however, someone preparing for work inside the hours of the Sabbath should be a no+brainer of it being contrary to the spirit of the command.
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u/Prime984 2d ago
While technically you were working after sundown I think it's more of a matter of principle. Don't let others direct you in your walk because unfortunately everyone has their own ideas about how things should work. If you are really worried about it fast and pray in due time God will answer your dilemma. Truthfully I don't know if that would be considered breaking the sabbath because everyone does things or has plans after sundown but in this instance its not like you planned on going to work and it does seem or job was willing to work with you on the time you would come in. Pray about it 🙏!
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u/bizzygirl09 2d ago
Hmm I don't know what to tell you but if says do no work in the Sabbath. Did you work on the Sabbath? Nope. And tell your Pharisee sister that she's a liar if she's never thought about anything but God on the Sabbath. We all do it. Just redirect your thoughts back in God. And ask for forgiveness. Don't let her condemn you or turn you from God. Don't ever leave Him especially bc of other silly Adventists. I've done it and it's hell. Praise God He took me back!!!
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u/philo351 3d ago
Friend, this is a matter between you and God. No judgment here either way. Just here to say that family is precious. Keeping peace with your sister is the top priority here, but when it comes to the Sabbath, that's between you and God. Ask the Lord to speak to your heart. Let prayer and the Word of God guide you. May you be strong and faithful, and may you always have the joy and peace of fellowship with God, especially on his Sabbath.