Hey Church!
Following Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses against the Roman Catholic Church’s corruption, different factions quickly formed. The Church eventually did discontinue some of its scandalous practices, but they deemed Luther a heretic and his reforms as overreaching. Still others believed that he had not gone far enough and separated themselves from society–even from the Church establishment–in the name of higher devotion. They would come to be called Separatists, of which the Puritans and Pilgrims were noteworthy members.
What you may not know is that the term “Puritan” was a derogatory term given to them by the critics of their lifestyle (i.e. perhaps something like labeling a group as “holier-than-thou” might be today). They sought to purify the Church of all residual Catholic features and, in many ways, we are deeply indebted to them. Without the Puritans, we would not know John Bunyan, Thomas Watson, Jonathan Edwards, Anne Hutchinson, John Milton, Cotton Mather, or John Owen, to say nothing of the countless pastors, theologians, politicians, and laymen they influenced.
Of course, the Puritans didn’t get everything right
According to Puritan law, “Profanation of the Lord’s Day (i.e. Sunday) shall be punished by fine, imprisonment, or corporeal punishment (such as the “whipping post” pictured above); and if proudly, and with a high hand against the authority of God–with death.” Activities that were deemed profane on Sundays included recreation, unnecessary walking/running/riding, cooking, sweeping, making the bed, shaving, and failing to attend church services. Even The Westminster Shorter Catechism, as part of our Presbyterian constitution, uses fairly strong language regarding Sabbath observance:
“The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy rest all that day from worldly employments and recreations that are lawful on other days, spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except what is taken up by works of necessity and mercy.” (WSC Q.60, emphasis mine)
The point I want to make is that we could all afford to take the Lord’s Day more seriously. It is, after all, one of the Ten Commandments, to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.” We are told in the New Testament, and see modeled by the early Church, that since Jesus’ resurrection, the Christian Sabbath is now and forevermore the first day of the week. The fact that it changed from Saturday to Sunday, or from under the law of works to the law of grace, does not invalidate its necessity to a growing relationship with Jesus.
Prayerfully consider ways that you can better “sanctify” the Lord’s Day and set it apart more fully to God’s worship. Any change in routine will require forethought, and possibly some inconvenience. Can you refrain from all professional work on Sundays? If Sundays are typically the day you catch up on laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, the lawn, homework, etc., what would it take to do it all on Saturday instead?
Finally, let me just say for the record: none of us get this perfectly right! And even if you do have a near-perfect Sabbath routine, life happens. None of this is meant to feel like bondage. In fact, the Sabbath was given for you and for your freedom. If you choose to step out in faith and observe it more carefully, nothing will be taken from you that will not be returned tenfold.
The following is from a collection of Puritan prayers called The Valley of Vision. Make it your own this Sunday morning before coming to church.
The Lord’s Day
O LORD MY LORD,
this is thy day,
the heavenly ordinance of rest,
the open door of worship,
the record of Jesus’ resurrection,
the seal of the sabbath to come,
the day when saints militant and triumphant unite in endless song.
I bless thee for the throne of grace,
that here free favour reigns;
that open access to it is through the blood of Jesus;
that the veil is torn aside and I can enter the holiest
and find thee ready to hear,
waiting to be gracious,
inviting me to pour out my needs,
encouraging my desires,
promising to give more than I ask or think.
But while I bless thee, shame and confusion are mine:
I remember my past misuse of sacred things,
my irreverent worship,
my base ingratitude,
my cold, dull praise.
Sprinkle all my past sabbaths with the cleansing blood of Jesus,
and may this day witness deep improvement in me.
Give me in rich abundance
the blessings the Lord’s Day was designed to impart;
May my heart be fast bound against worldly thoughts or cares;
Flood my mind with peace beyond understanding;
may my meditations be sweet,
my acts of worship life, liberty, joy,
my drink the streams that flow from thy throne,
my food the precious Word,
my defence the shield of faith,
and may my heart be more knit to Jesus.
Amen.
Your brother,
Ryan
* All Spurgeon quotes came from Laid Aside – Why? in Spurgeon’s monthly publication, The Sword and the Trowel, May 1876, as edited by Hannah Wyncoll in the collection The Suffering Letters of C.H. Spurgeon (London: Wakeman Trust, 2007).