Argument XIX

Condemning Others

There is a point in Mr. George's letter when frustration clearly takes over. It is here that he accuses the authors of A Sabbath Test of being insidious judgmental liars. Normally we would not address such vitriol, but we felt it appropriate to do so at this time.

The assertions made by Mr. George are reminiscent of those made by people in professing Christianity when speaking of Mr. Armstrong. They branded "his doctrine" as condemning of all others. But this was totally untrue. Mr. Armstrong and the truth he so powerfully proclaimed extended hope to all those who were blinded by a lie. What is spoken of in A Sabbath Test does exactly the same thing. Below is Mr. George's comment and our response:

Mr. George:

Your messages paint this issue as a supreme concern. You have virtually preached everyone who has prayerfully studied, meditated, and concluded other than you -- or accepted the church's ruling in sincere good faith -- into both the Tribulation and the Lake of Fire. You have done so by misrepresenting their motives (which, frankly, you cannot possibly know), their methods, and the scriptures themselves. You rely on human logic and attempt to force the scriptures to fit. As a result, both sermons are open violations of God's ninth commandment. I don't know your motives; I accept that you may be entirely sincere. But if my analysis is sound, then these sermons bear massive false witness against innocent brothers. A terrible error. If your idea that those who fellowship in restaurants are doomed both now and forevermore, that the purpose in the heart of the person seeking to obey God counts for nil, well, how will your sincerity help when you must answer for bearing false witness through condemning those with innocent motives, mocking their logic, and distorting the Bible message? I hope, for your sakes, that you are both sincere and that your sincerity will count for something!

Our Response:

Before we respond to Mr. George's accusation it is important to understand what this debate is really all about. We say this because by understanding the issue it will be easier to see why the advocates of dining out on the Sabbath are so emotional in their condemnation of A Sabbath Test. Although they will adamantly protest to the characterization of their position, they will not point out a specific inaccuracy in it. In reality the issue is not complex at all. Here are the two positions in brief.

Mr. George

Art Braidic & Dennis Fischer

With this said, below is our response to each of Mr. George's accusations in this portion of his letter. We have put our response in the form of a letter to him.

Dear Mr. George,

1. You state that the authors "paint this issue as a supreme concern."

On this point you are correct. However, what you failed to do was to explain why they believe this way. The Sabbath has been at the center of God's judgment on numerous occasions and will be so once again. The Bible even identified profaning it as a capital crime. Just a casual reading of the twentieth chapter of Ezekiel should make all of God's people take pause on this issue.

We at Blow the Trumpet are convinced that those who dine out on the Sabbath are in clear violation of the fourth commandment. We realize you disagree. However, it is our guess based on discussions with various COG groups that the majority of the church's leadership is genuinely concerned about how the Sabbath is kept by God's people today. Almost all feel they have become relaxed in their observance of this holy time. Furthermore, almost all believe that part of this abuse is reflected in their Sabbath dining practices. We realize they do not see this issue as we do, but the attitude is definitely shifting.

2. You contend that the authors of A Sabbath Test "have virtually preached everyone who has prayerfully studied, meditated, and concluded other than they have--or accepted the church's ruling in sincere good faith -- into both the Tribulation and the Lake of Fire."

This statement is categorically false. The authors of A Sabbath Test condemn no one. Their own words bear this out.

"As you proceed through each point, it is important to understand that the authors are not trying to judge God’s people. This booklet is not an attempt to condemn the wonderful community of believers who are called according to His purpose. Instead, it is written with the profound hope that these believers will carefully examine their approach to a day God Himself calls 'HOLY.'”

Mr. George, A Sabbath Test may be many things, but a condemnation of God's people is NOT one of them. This book is a thoughtful work regarding a practice that poses a great threat to the brethren. Therefore, like Nehemiah did to the nobles of Judah, Fischer and Braidic are appealing to this generation of God's people to understand that there is a connection between profaning the Sabbath and captivity. They do so because they love God's people. We at Blow the Trumpet totally concur with both their approach and their motivation.

It would seem to us that the problem you have with their argument is that you are convinced that purchasing the services of those who sell their food stuffs on the Sabbath does not go contrary to God's law (Neh.10:31). You actually think it is an act of righteousness. Well Mr. George, you have your right and they have their responsibility.

3. You contend that the authors of A Sabbath Test have misrepresented the motives and methods of those who disagree with them, as well as misrepresent the scriptures themselves. You claim they rely on human reasoning when making their case. Mr. George, this is not true. Throughout A Sabbath Test, the authors effectively illustrate that it is those who defend going to restaurants on the Sabbath that are employing human reasoning. Although you deny this, it it true none-the-less. Consider what you have presented as proof when arguing your case.

You reason that because the distance you travel to services requires 1 to 3 hours of driving, the applicable rules concerning Sabbath observance have changed and that the Sabbath should now be treated as a pilgrimage feast. By what authority do you make this claim? Who placed you in charge of determining such a thing? We think such a decree is the product of arrogance and is totally arbitrary. Furthermore, it reeks with insincerity. No place in your letter do you suggest that those who travel short distances to services should refrain from this practice. On the contrary, you promote it to all of God's people.

Mr. George, for your information God made no such provision for Sabbath observance in the scriptures. It just isn't there. Nor has He ever conveyed to you the authority to declare it. Furthermore, Has it ever occurred to you that the reason God's people appear so scattered is that in their arrogance, Church leaders have estranged themselves from each other (SEE Jer. 23 and Ezek. 34). As a result there are hundreds of different fellowships refusing to encourage their people to attend services with other like-minded groups much closer to their homes.

You reason that because Jesus' disciples picked grain on the Sabbath, you may now pay for non-believers to prepare your meals for you on this day. This despite the fact that God specifically forbid that such a thing be done (Ex. 16)

You reason that because Jesus ate at a home where the Sabbath was "allegedly" being broken (a claim you make but on which the scriptures are silent), you may now eat at a restaurant where this holy time is undeniably being desecrated.

You reason that great meals will be prepared and served to God's people in the Temple during the millennium on the Sabbath, therefore, you may purchase meals to be served to you today. By the way, what you claim is going to take place on the Sabbath during the millennium is pure unadulterated MYTH. No such thing will take place.

You reason that because the Levites who serve God's people are held blameless for their labor on the Sabbath, the same dispensation applies to those who serve God's people in restaurants.

You reason that dining out on the Sabbath is a way to let your light shine before those who do not know the true God. This despite the fact that God calls this practice polluting His name before the heathen (Ezk. 20:14).

You reason that because those who work in a restaurant are not your slave and that because you do not have total control over them, God somehow permits you to seek them out on His holy Sabbath and pay them for their labor.

You reason that when Nehemiah commanded the Jews in Jerusalem to not buy or sell on the Sabbath (Neh. 10:31, 13:15-21), he was actually commanding them to restrict the volume of buying and selling, not buying from them altogether. This despite the fact that nothing in his words or the action he took suggest such a thing.

4. You contend that the authors of A Sabbath Test have consigned those who dine out on the Sabbath to the Great Tribulation and later the Lake of Fire.

Dennis Fischer and Art Braidic do no such thing. Passing judgment on God's people is not their desire nor their job. Even a cursory examination of their book makes that abundantly clear. What they have done, and very effectively at that, is to present to God's people a compelling argument that cry's out that the Almighty is serious about His law and that there are real consequences for trampling on His Sabbath.

Here are some things you might want to consider concerning the message of A Sabbath Test and how it compares to other messages given to God's people down through the ages. For example, Nehemiah declared that there was a direct link between Sabbath breaking and captivity (Neh. 13 17-18). The great prophet Ezekiel was used by God to explain that one of the reasons the Israelites were prevented from entering the land of promise was their wanton disregard of the Sabbath. (Ezk. 20: 14-16). Furthermore, if you think a good attitude is all that is needed to carry the day, think again. We suggest you read Matthew 7:21-23. Obedience ranks high on God's list of requirements for entrance into His Kingdom.

Mr. George, this is the short list of the contorted logic you and others employ when justifying a behavior that mocks the Sabbath as well as the God who created it. We understand that you totally disagree with our assessment of your position. But your words cry out that you believe God approves of what is being done in a restaurant every Sabbath. The authors of A Sabbath Test rightly believe that God ABHORS what takes place there and that He ABHORS His people patronizing such sacrilege.

Additionally, we realize that you think you can call Sabbath dining God's "gift," but IT IS NOT. What restaurant personnel do on the Sabbath is out-right SACRILEGE! And what you do by paying for it is a slap in God's face. This practice is nothing less than polluting God's Sabbath in front of unbelievers (Ezk. 20:13-14).

Argument XX

King David and Restaurants