Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good?

“Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?” Luke 6:9

When a person decides to keep God’s Sabbath Day, seemingly out of the woodwork comes everyone to offer opinion, criticize, scrutinize, or in some cases, open their denomination to you for membership. If the subject of Sabbath comes up in discussions, we are apt to hear stories about how impossible it is to keep the Sabbath and how “Jesus changed all that Sabbath keeping stuff.” It is not a subject for the unprepared as the passions are deep and various.

Some have chosen to avoid the subject altogether. I cannot blame them. It is unfortunate that such a pleasant thing as Jehovah’s ordained rest should be so tiresome. It is equally unfortunate that God’s gift of the Sabbath Day should become a matter of debate and division. But so it is when men confuse and convolute the simplicity that is to be found in Christ.[1]

Let us begin with the apostle’s words in 1 John 5:2-3, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” How sad that the Commandments of God are grievous to many who claim to be Christ’s.

To some, giving God one day of their seven is as though they are being asked to give up something to which they are entitled, something that they own, or something that is owed them. How can those who seek communion with Christ neglect the time He has set aside for that communion? How can we consider it a grievous task to come aside and rest awhile? It is because man has added to the Commandment and made it into a chore of duty and drudgery. He has done this OUTSIDE of the Scriptures, yet we still consider man’s words over the Scriptures of truth.

The Jews created documents that, with the intention of keeping the Commandments, made them more difficult to keep. The “Sabbath day’s journey” is a good example. The Sabbath day’s journey was intended to place an explanatory, or definitive framework around the Scripture. The Law they refer to only says, “See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath… abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:29) Somehow, Jewish leadership decided how far it should be that a man can wander “from his place” without breaking the Commandment. They came up with 2000 paces or yards, how they arrived at this distance is unclear.

Nevertheless, we find that many think to travel farther than “a Sabbath day’s journey” on the Sabbath is a violation of the Commandment and therefore, sin. But, the Scriptures make no such assertion. When we read the Scriptures pertaining to Sabbath we will find that Sabbath is not a grievous restriction, nor a calculated observance, but a day set aside, sanctified, and made holy by voluntarily ceasing from our labor and honoring God’s request to remember Him.

The Sabbath Is a Gift

When you read, for yourself, the Scriptures that pertain to Sabbath, you will find that the Commandment is not a grievous one, nor one that requires more than you can do, but a Commandment of love and promise. It is a Commandment that bears a gift from God.

In the days of old, the Bible records an execution associated with the breaking of this Law. A man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath and for that, he lost his life. Without understanding, we may find it hard to take comfort in a gift that we are forced to receive. But it was not the lack of acceptance of this gift that caused his death; it was his despite of God’s Commandment.

The gift is not the Commandment and the Commandment is not the gift. The gift is to be found in obedience to the Commandment. When we place our own interests above the Commandment, are we not placing ourselves above our Lord? As says the Lord Jesus, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:16-17) The operational phrase is, “Happy are ye if ye do them.” The happiness, blessedness, and the gift are to be found in the doing.

When we submit to God’s Law we will find, in our obedience, that the Law is not grievous. When we go only to the Scriptures, we will find that the Commandments are not difficult either. The Jews of Jesus’ day (and the naysayers in our day) made the walk of faith into difficulty and impossibility. “We can’t do this on Sabbath day and we can’t do that” say they, while the blessed Scriptures may be completely silent on that particular subject.

We need to take our cues from the words God has spoken in our heart, and our conscience, and forget the traditions of men. We make living by our faith impossible when we add to or take away from what God has plainly said. When you ignore the Word of God within you, your conscience and Guide, and hold to traditions of men, you make “the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” (Mark 7:13) When you ignore the Commandment and hold to tradition you bring to life the word of warning Jesus gave to the Pharisees, “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6)

Jesus was astounded that these well-learned men, these scribes and Pharisees, could not see the clear intent of Sabbath day. These men, along with everyone in their tow, had ceased to worship ON the Sabbath and had begun to worship the Sabbath itself! They were accusing Him of violating and desecrating their “god sabbath” by healing a blind man!

There are those who struggle with Sabbath worship even today. Mankind always seems to teeter and totter back and forth across lines and boundaries, words and laws, definitions and excuses. He never seems to get it right; he never seems to be able to balance himself. Should we go for a walk? Should we make a sandwich, should we feed the homeless on Sabbath? Should we use electricity, city water or phone service? Because, by using these services we are causing others to work on our behalf on Sabbath day (neither thy manservant nor maidservant). The arguments and explanations are seemingly endless.

The sad fact is that this Commandment can be easily kept and held in reverence, perfectly and completely by anyone wishing to simply honor God’s will over their own. There is no need to wonder if you are breaking the Commandment if you are getting your information from the Scriptures and living in such a way as not to grieve the Holy Spirit or violate your conscience. The Holy Spirit will guide you; He will not allow you to break God’s Commandment, even in ignorance. No one is better equipped to keep God’s Commandments better than the “New Testament” believer.

There is no need to create rules, set up boundaries, write down lists of acceptable unacceptable behavior; you have within you the Author of the Commandment, promising to lead you and guide you into all Truth. He will not let you violate the Scriptures, He will not let you sin against God, but you must obey Him.

I recently met someone who felt there was a conflict with the Sabbath when they worked in a homeless shelter feeding the indigent. They spoke of all the work they had to do, cooking, cleaning, washing up, and wondered why God would hold them accountable for breaking His Commandment. I submit that they were letting the commandments of men take the place of the Commandment of God. No Commandment forbids doing good on Sabbath. Contrarily, it is a wonderful day for it, a wonderful day indeed!

“Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?”

[1] The observance of Sabbath is not a part of traditional Quaker faith and practice, neither on the first day (their day of worship) nor on the true Sabbath. Your author departs from Quaker tradition at this point, compelled to esteem the fourth Commandment, the life and practice of Jesus, the life and practice of the Apostles, and recorded early church history above Quaker understanding as examples of proper Christian behavior and righteous living.

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