Argument XI
Situational Ethics
Throughout his letter Mr. George makes one excuse after another for not honoring God’s law concerning the Sabbath. In this particular segment he takes aim at Dennis Fischer for failing to understand that the Sabbath cannot be properly kept until God’s Kingdom is restored. In other words, certain conditions, such as universal Sabbath acceptance, must exist in order for the Sabbath to be honored as God intended. According to this stream of logic, because we do not live in such a world the rules have changed.
Mr. George makes this argument because according to Mr. Fischer, God’s people are Ambassadors of a Kingdom that rejects what is done in restaurants every Sabbath. Furthermore, according to Fischer's view, when that Kingdom is established, Mr. George will not be able to engage in his restaurant "worship" because it will be illegal. Additionally, Mr. Fischer asserts that as representatives of the soon coming Kingdom of God, we must live that Kingdom now, even in a world that rejects it. Mr. Georges clearly disagrees.
Mr. George:?
The Sabbath is clearly not today what it will be in the Millennium. However, Mr. Fischer omitted quite a few features of the Millennium while looking ahead to that time for principles for today. People will live conveniently close to church services again, not three hours away, as I do during the tourist season. Sabbath keeping will be universal. Volunteers will be able to go (maybe even walk) to the nearby church on Preparation Day and prepare group meals for warming up on the Sabbath. Others will be able to gather in small groups which won't burden the host or hostess at their homes. Participants in these joyous meals may pay in advance, or donate money on the Sabbath (!) to a collection to defray expenses, or give to pay others' expenses, for these meals. Who wouldn't love delicious family-style meals with their converted neighbors, each week or on special weeks; but that's not yet the world we live in. My church meets in a city where not one member lives, but it is centrally located for members who, like me, drive from one to three hours to get there. Our Sabbath really cannot be the rest it was on the Exodus, and we must intelligently, reasonably "adapt the timeless to the times," with balance. If done in a way which intends to worship, taking advantage of available meals is as reasonable and appropriate as taking advantage of the highways, electricity, water, natural gas, mail delivery, public transport, or newspaper delivery. There isn't a sincere Sabbath diner who wouldn't prefer the Millennium for a thousand holy reasons, but it isn't here yet.
Our Response:
Here is a small test to see if Mr. George is being genuine or hypocritical in this argument. It is a simple test. If he sincerely believes the words above, what is his position on God’s people dining out on a Friday evening?
Additionally, what if four people who live less than a mile from the meeting hall and just a couple of blocks from each other decide to dine out together on a Sabbath afternoon once a month? Should they refrain from this practice? Or, is this just another excuse Mr. George advances that has nothing to do with why he promotes this sin. And that is what is, SIN!
Furthermore, what is the "balance" Mr. George speaks of? Is he suggesting that one shouldn’t dine out on the Sabbath every week? And if so, why not? What has changed in the circumstances listed above? And if God’s people don’t dine out every week, what should they do to ensure appropriate positive Christian fellowship and worship? After all, this is Mr. George's primary argument for dining out on the Sabbath. Is he suggesting that it just be surrendered once in awhile in the name of "balance"?
Let’s now look at what Mr. George is saying here.
“The Sabbath is clearly not today what it will be in the Millennium, therefore I may seek out unbelievers who desecrate this day and buy the fruit of their sin.”
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“In the millennium people will live conveniently close to church services. Therefore, because that isn’t the case today, I may seek out unbelievers who reject God’s Sabbath law and pay them to labor on my behalf. After all they would be working anyway.”
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“In the millennium Sabbath keeping will be universal. At that time no restaurants will be open because God’s Sabbath law will be honored by everyone. But that's not yet the world we live in today. When that day comes, I too, will stand on principle and not dine out on the Sabbath. However, for now I choose to worship God at a place that profanes God’s law—in moderation of course.”
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“Our Sabbath really cannot be the rest it was during the Exodus. They had it so much easier than we do. Anyway, today we must intelligently, reasonably "adapt the timeless to the times," with balance of course. That’s what I choose to do. Therefore, I will worship and praise God by taking advantage of available meals. In other words I will go out into spiritual Egypt where people are profaning God's Sabbath because I would rather do that than prepare a meal on the sixth day according to His command. God couldn’t possibly mean that now. It is just not practical like it was back in the days of ancient Israel.”
A Final Thought
The difference between Mr. George and Messrs. Braidic and Fischer on this issue is the mindset they bring to it. Fischer and Braidic are well aware that this world is very imperfect. But they also realize that one of the lessons God’s people must learn is that if persecution is not a reason for forsaking God’s law, then inconvenience isn’t an excuse either.
Mr. George’s behavior doesn’t represent God’s kingdom. It represents human reasoning disguised as spiritual insight. Furthermore, the argument that "things are different now" just doesn’t cut it. Regardless of how much Mr. George tries to carve up the scriptures, God’s immutable word means the same yesterday, today and forever.
God’s Sabbath is HOLY! Restaurants are NOT. Every Sabbath they engage in SACRILEGE and Mr. George's presence does not alter that fact one bit. Going to a restaurant on the Sabbath does not honor this day, it actually profanes it. It embraces one of the most popular traditions of the secular world. Here is a news flash for Mr. George. There is nothing holy about what he does at the restaurants he “worships” at on God’s Sabbath. The labor they perform and that he purchases goes contrary to God’s law now as well as in the world to come.
Argument XII