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I am a christian. I attend church. I know that our Father in Heaven says," Remember the sabbath , to keep it holy." I have to work every other sunday. I don't believe it is right to work on sunday but there are some things that need to be done on sunday, as well as every other day. I work in a retirement home, the elderly have to be taken care of every day. What are your thoughts on this as a christian person?

2007-02-07 03:02:58 · 34 answers · asked by Godlover 3 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

34 answers

The Sabbath Day is a topic of controversy.
From their earliest inception, the Ten Commandments were given to the Jews (Israel). Sabbath is always identified as the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Regardless of when you worship in church, Saturday was, is, and always will be Sabbath, by definition in the Bible. Perhaps what's more important is that Sabbath is part of God's covenant with Israel.
Ex 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
It was clearly a sign unto the Jews.
The Pharisees criticized and rebuked Jesus for healing the sick on the Sabbath.
Jesus showed them two things:
1) There are always exceptions
2) If we can do a good work, what better day to do it?

Pay close attention to verse 12 below:

2007-02-07 03:15:45 · answer #1 · answered by Bob L 7 · 3 0

Sunday is NOT the Sabbath. It is the LORD's DAY. HE expects Christians to worship HIM then. The Sabbath was for our Jewish Forefathers to worship on. I would suggest that you work as you have been. I have instigated our members to sing at a local nursing home once every month and have done so for the last two years. There are a number of our members that come each and every month to do so. This is very encouraging to those who are not able to attend services outside of the facility and the workers are also encouraged. We read scripture, sing with them, and pray with those who attend. We leave an old set of hymnals so that we have them there to pass out and sing from. We also visit and talk with them before we leave. It has been as good for our members as it has for the residents and workers. The singing is said to permeate the hallways of the facility. I would attempt to do something like this if you feel bad about not attending. Even a small group can encourage the residents there in a way that nothing else could. It is also possible that the facility could allow you a little time off to attend the service if you requested just that amount of time. Have a great day.
Eds

2007-02-07 03:19:42 · answer #2 · answered by Eds 7 · 0 0

First, the Sabbath is Saturday. Nowhere in the new testament does it say God changed it to Sunday. Second, that is part of the Mosaic law, the ten commandments, and they were given to a rebellious nation to turn their hearts back to God, and Third, in 1 Timothy it states that the "law" is not made for a rightious man but for the ungodly. So, why do you have a problem working on Sunday? Believe me, I grew up in a religious home that went to church every time the doors were open and held to the belief that the ten commandments were good guidelines for christians to follow. Gee, one of the APOTLES even wrote that he would not have known to covet except the law said not to. So, as a believer and Christian, don't do it if you think it is sin, it is for you. Stop thinking that it is sin, it is not! Even Jesus broke the sabbath day to heal people and many other things. King David himself, a man after God's own heart (according to God), broke the law by eating what was not lawful for him to eat and let his companions eat also. King David ate of the bread strickly saved for the ministers of the temple. So, again, change your mind to another way. Don't be down about working on Sunday, it is NOT the Sabbath. If you think about it, because of that fact, you sin every Saturday you work and travel more than is allowed for the Sabbath. It also says that if you break one of the laws, you are guilty of ALL. Pray and let God help you with this. Read your new testament daily and read the Psalms out loud to make those prayers your own, they worked for King David and others, they'll work for you! God Bless

2007-02-07 03:31:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I think it really depends on where your heart is. Helping the elderly is not dishonoring the Sabbath. When I had to work Sundays I tried to remember focus on God as much as I could anyway and I dressed in the clothes I would have worn to church (still professional but a physical reminder to myself so I could remember the day was different than every other work day). I still try not to buy anything, go out to eat, or do anything that would encourage ordinary businesses to make people work on the Sabbath.

2007-02-07 03:17:51 · answer #4 · answered by Shanna J 4 · 0 0

The sabbath is Friday evening until Saturday eve, literally. Western culture defines a day as midnight to midnight. While I prefer not to work on Sunday, and attend church; I once had a job where I worked every Sun. for several years. Many of my friends have to work whenever as they work in hospitals, restaurants and the like. All things are lawful for us but not everything is necessary Paul wrote. We live under grace now and not the Law. The 10 commandments are a good guideline though. If you love the lord with all your heart mind and soul then you will do what is right, following the leading of the spirit within. Don't let the devil condemn you. Jesus said,"if you love me you will keep my words".-by Loving Him with all your heart mind and soul.

2007-02-07 03:14:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

There are several ways of looking at this.

The first is, Sunday is not the Sabbath, Saturday is. Jesus is also our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:10).

Paul tells us: "One person decides that one day is better than another, while another person decides that all days are the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes a special day, observes it to honor the Lord. The one who eats, eats to honor the Lord, since he gives thanks to God. And the one who does not eat, refrains from eating to honor the Lord; yet he, too, gives thanks to God." (Romans 14:5-6)

So, you have freedom in working on Sunday, if your conscience allows it. As long as you take a day for rest and worship, you are free to do so biblically. The problem is that most churches probably do not offer alternative days for that purpose, so Sunday becomes more important.

Under US law, employees who have a strong religious conviction to attend worship services must be accommodated, if it doesn't put an undue burden on the employer (such as when there are very few employees to begin with). If an employee makes a request to attend their worship services, the employer is required to make a reasonable accommodation of that.

If you request such time, and the employer refuses to try, you have legal recourse. You can contact the Alliance Defense Fund (or other similar group) who will work at no cost to you, to secure your right to worship. I have provided a link below, so that you can contact them if necessary.

2007-02-07 03:12:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

First of all let me state that aside from the fact that Sunday is not nor ever has been the Sabbath day, that the Sabbath observance requirement was ended with the death of Jesus, but even if it had continued, there are circumstances where certain work was allowed: Consider this from Matthew 12:9-12 --

After departing from that place he went into their synagogue; and, look! a man with a withered hand! So they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?” that they might get an accusation against him. He said to them: “Who will be the man among YOU that has one sheep and, if this falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not get hold of it and lift it out? All considered, of how much more worth is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do a fine thing on the sabbath.”

2007-02-07 03:09:31 · answer #7 · answered by Abdijah 7 · 3 1

There was a time that Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath, and all the respected men of the community said that He should be put to death because of it.

There was another instance that Jesus sent His disciples to purchase the items needed to make unleavened bread on the Sabbath and people were mortified by what Jesus had asked of His disciples.

I for one am glad that we have doctors who work on Sundays, and though I cannot think of anything else right now, there is a multitude of people who must work on Sundays for which I am grateful.

God wanted us to remember Him and learn about Him on the Sabbath (Sunday has become our Sabbath). It did not mean that we can not participate in certain, necessary, worldly duties. It meant that of that time, we should also set time aside to learn about God, pray to God, worship God, and if possible, fellowship with other Christians.

Does the retirement home have a preacher come in on Sundays? Maybe you could check with your supervisor and see if you could take a few minutes to join them in prayer (5 or 10 minutes). If not, read your Bible at break time or take a few moments to pray.

If you continue to feel convicted for working on Sundays, speak with God about your concern and ask Him to lead you to a job where you do not have to work on Sundays. I think that as long as you follow the guidelines above, you are fine.

2007-02-07 03:12:33 · answer #8 · answered by Christian93 5 · 2 0

I had to do the same thing one year. I think it is ok to work on Sunday as long as you still set aside time to honor God. I think the problems arises when you don't honor God on any day and put other things like a job as a higher priority. For myself, when I had to do the same I made sure that I set aside plenty of time on a different day. Also, I would still go to church whenever I could. Sunday morning isn't the only day the church doors are open. I hope that helps!

2007-02-07 03:17:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Take care of the Elderly!
You have a very Honorable Job - keep it up!

The Shabbot was made for man--not the other way around!

Did you ever notice how many of the people who frown on people who work on Sundays RUSH TO a restaurant immediately after Sunday Church Service !

PS= Jewish People are to keep the Shabbot.Jesus freed us from ALL of the Levitical Laws!

2007-02-07 03:16:16 · answer #10 · answered by whynotaskdon 7 · 1 0

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