Sabbath rest

One of the books that I have on my shelf is 'From Sabbath to Lord's Day' (edited by Don Carson). I have never been able to get into it, finding it too heavy going. The thesis of this book is that Sunday is not a New Testament Sabbath. I do agree with the basic premise that the Sabbath command is part of the old covenant and that Christians have freedom in this area. I think this is affirmed by Colossians 2:16-17.

However, when I was studying in Edgehill I did believe that Sunday was a New Testament Sabbath and so I did not study on that day. Even if it was the day before exam I would not take up my books. In truth this was a real blessing. It legitimized a good day off, gave me a sense that there is more to life than study (not that I have ever been the most diligent student), and guaranteed that I felt rested.

No longer believing that Sunday is a New Testament Sabbath, but having a positive experience of my time when I did think so, I recommend the following:

(1) We don't need to get all worked up about whether we go to the shops or restaurant on a Sunday, we have freedom to do these things;

(2) for some of us Sunday will not be the best day to take as our rest day, as a minister that is certainly my case, again we have freedom on this;

(3) it is good to take a day off every week, and if our young people are studying seven days a week they need to be told that they have not got life balanced; and,

(4) it helps to be somewhat inflexible about our day off (by that I mean that we should stick to it, even if there is an exam the next day), this guarantees that we are taking a day off and reminds us that there is more to life than our work.