The Fourth Commandment

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

The Jews’ sabbath and the Christians’ Sunday are a divine institution. The fourth commandment, to set one day in seven apart, is not just a human arrangement or a social convenience.

It is God’s plan.

He made the sabbath for man, Jesus emphasized, and since he also made the man for whom he made the sabbath, he adapted it to man’s need.

Man’s body and mind need rest, and man’s spirit needs the opportunity for worship.

The sabbath is therefore a day of rest and a day of worship.

Not only are we to keep it as such ourselves, for our own good, but we are to do all we can for the common good to ensure that others do not have to work unnecessarily on this day.

So Sunday is a ‘holy’ day, set apart for God. It is the Lord’s day, not our day. It is therefore to be spent in his way, not in ours, for his worship and service and not just for our selfish pleasure.

To read samples of the content of John Stott's book (from which this material originates), please click this... fourth commandment link ... then click on the title "Basic Christianity".