|
For the past two years, Blow the Trumpet has attempted to honestly address one of the most significant issues facing God's end-time Church -- the way it keeps the Sabbath. Today, our approach to the fourth commandment has changed radically and scarcely resembles what it was just a few decades ago. It is now commonplace for God's people to engage in a variety of Sabbath activities that have nothing whatsoever to do with holy time. These activities include such things as going to movies, participating in sporting events, doing family errands and the most popular one, dining out at restaurants on the Sabbath and holy days. The latter activity is arguably the catalyst for all the others, but even if it stood alone, God's word makes it abundantly clear that it has no place in respectful Sabbath observance.
Despite this truth, many of God's servants defend their endorsement of this practice by using the flimsiest of arguments. Throughout this wing of our website we have addressed every one of them offered by the United Church of God and exposed them as nothing more than human reasoning disguised as Biblical scholarship. These words may sound severe, but any objective examination of the UCG points, and our response, will make this truth abundantly clear. We challenge all of God's people to honestly compare both sides of this issue and judge them on their own merits. If they would genuinely weigh each point and counter point in the context of scripture, we don't think their verdict would be close. Contradicting the Kingdom Whether the UCG realizes it or not, their advocacy of dining out on the Sabbath is promoting a practice that contradicts every part of God’s Kingdom -- a Kingdom where nothing close to such a sin will exist. When that great government is established on earth, this debate will finally come to an end, and a practice that insults God's law will be rightfully terminated forever. Furthermore, whether the UCG wants to accept it or not, God HATES what takes place in restaurants on His Sabbath and holy days. This time is sacred and there is NOTHING a restaurant can do that will aid His people in honoring it. Those who labor on holy time do so in defiance of God Almighty Himself. To think that He has no qualm with His people patronizing this sacrilege is simply not true. It is borne out of a desire to justify a behavior that trivializes God's law. This is NOT to suggest that we think the United Church of God's doctrinal committee doesn't sincerely want to obey their Creator, for indeed they do. It is just that they, like all of us, have gaps in their understanding. Tragically, this particular gap comes with enormous consequences. This is why we engage in this fight. Simply put, we at Blow the Trumpet love these servants and desire with all our heart for them to turn from this sin. Something to Think About When God first introduced the children of Israel to His Sabbath, He gave them very specific instructions concerning food on this day. In short, God commanded them to not acquire or prepare their Sabbath meals on the seventh day. He indicated that this was done to prove whether they would walk in His law or not (Ex. 16:4-5). Those words should cause all believers today to seriously consider what is being suggested by groups like the UCG, whose position promotes going back into spiritual Egypt where God's law is being trampled on by slaves to sin and actually paying them to do so. We realize they would not characterize their position this way, but this is exactly what dining out on the Sabbath requires. Furthermore, they have total control over this behavior. There is no ox in a ditch here.
Additionally, God’s Sabbath and holy days represent the blueprint of a plan that was inspired by the greatest Being in existence. The All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Loving and HOLY God wants His people to trust His wisdom regarding this day and how it is to be honored. He is NOT the slightest bit interested in man's wisdom on this issue (Pro. 3:5). Furthermore, He has provided His moral guidance in this area. With that said, His people should reject anything that does not reflect that guidance. Will You Pass the Test?
The Sabbath is a sign from God directing man toward Him and His Kingdom (Heb. 4:4-9). However, that sign points both ways. While it is a sign to us identifying who the Creator is, it is also a sign to God that identifies who His people are. Through it, the Great Architect of heaven and earth not only sees WHO keeps His Sabbath, He sees the WAY and deference in which it is kept. Our conduct on holy time is a sign to Him. It reveals the degree of our love and dedication to His way. To see it as anything else is a great mistake. The Sabbath is a sign--a test, if you will. It is God’s indicator of whether we will walk under His authority or not (Ex. 16:4). For any COG group to think that a Holy God can be worshipped by patronizing labor that defies Him, is making a mistake of immense proportions. It is one borne out of arrogance, and those who teach such things are guilty of promoting an act that is just as defiant as the one engaged in by those who labor in restaurants on holy time.
The bottom line is this. The way we honor the Sabbath is our declaration to God of how we will yield to His authority. God said as much when He prohibited His people from acquiring their food on the Sabbath, preparing their food on the Sabbath, and going outside their place (spiritual camp) on the Sabbath (Ex. 16). He likened these instructions to a GREAT TEST. The question is:
Will you pass It?
Respectfully,
Blow the Trumpet
Counter Argument
United Church of God Advisory Committee for Doctrine
The United Church of God offered no counter argument to this page
|
