Will You Pass The Text
United Church Of God
Vs
A Sabbath Test
Dear Brethren
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. 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, 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 do just that and genuinely weigh each point and counter point in the context of scripture, we don't think their verdict would even 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, contrary to what these Church leaders assert, 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.
Finally, the Sabbath is a test. 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 willfully 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 the children of Israel when they attempted to gather manna on the Sabbath. God was absolutely FURIOUS with them.
And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the LORD said unto Moses, How long REFUSE ye to keep my commandments and my laws? (Ex. 16:27-28)
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 (Verse 4). The question is:
Will you pass it?
Respectfully,
Blow the Trumpet
Counter Argument
United Church of God
Advisory Committee for Doctrine
April 16,2007
Dear Mr. Fischer,
Blow the Trumpet states:
"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."
This is a broad assertion-going to movies, sporting events and doing family errands are outside the realm of eating a meal in a restaurant. The United Church of God has never equated such activities on the Sabbath with eating a meal in a restaurant.
Sincerely,
Advisory Committee for Doctrine
Response from Dennis Fischer
Dear Friends,
A few years ago I was invited to the home of a UCG member who was hosting a reception for a visiting elder. The reception was to take place Sabbath afternoon. I was very honored to receive the invitation and looked forward to fellowshipping with people I genuinely loved. I also looked forward to discussing God's word in a more informal way. Those who know me would testify to my passion for talking about the Bible. It is such a wonderful book.
About an hour after I arrived, the UCG elder suggested that we all play a parlor game. I don't recall the name of the game, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the Sabbath. It was a nice family game to be sure, but clearly not appropriate for the day, in my view. After about twenty minutes I decided to excuse my family by informing our hosts that we had a long drive home and needed to go. I didn't want to offend them or their guests and thought this was a discrete way to withdraw from this activity.
As we were gathering our things and saying "good bye," the elder asked if I was offended by the game. I responded by saying something to the effect of, "It is not what I would do, but I am not judging you." I then repeated that we had a long ride home in an attempt to deflect any potential debate on this. The elder then said, "You know Dennis, the Sabbath is about family and there is nothing wrong with doing family things on this day. I suppose you're one of those people that think it is wrong to eat in restaurants on the Sabbath too." I concluded the dialogue by wishing him and the guests a pleasant day without commenting on his last statement. At no time did I think that this would be a good time to engage this UCG elder in this issue.
The point I am making here is that this UCG minister immediately linked my opposition to playing generic parlor games on the Sabbath to not going to restaurants. Furthermore, it was clear he felt disapproval by my answer—although there was nothing in it that showed any disrespect. By the way, every guest who later spoke to me about this incident, mentioned that they were thoroughly embarrassed by the elder's comments.
In closing, I realize that the intent of the UCG doctrinal group is not to encourage a more casual approach toward Sabbath observance, but that is exactly what their teaching on dining out fosters. Scores of their members apply the same self-serving logic to defend a host of practices that go totally contrary to God's law.
I do agree with the UCG that the Sabbath is HOLY. However, their belief that God's people may somehow seek out those who profane this day and pay them for their sin, with God's blessing, is nothing but wishful thinking.
Respectfully,
Dennis Fischer