The Sabbath Day

Observing the Sabbath Day is not just for Christians, Jews or just those that are religious. Sabbath Day observance benefits all.

By Tim Frodsham, 10 January 2021

The benefits of obedience to the commandments of God are universal.  Whether or not we believe in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we will enjoy better health if we follow the health recommendations of the Word of Wisdom, a health code outlining guidelines for nutrition and substance abuse.  Whether or not we are Christians, we will reap the benefits of stronger marital relationships if we follow the Lord’s moral codes. Chastity before marriage and fidelity after will help us avoid many of the pitfalls that accompany infidelity or alternate lifestyles.  Honoring parents benefits families and societies whether or not we believe in, or even know of, the Ten Commandments.  A loving Heavenly Father gave us commandments for our benefit, and obeying those commandments will better our lives, even if we do not know of God or His Son, Jesus Christ. 

As a member of the school board, my brother Joseph was being interviewed on a radio talk show about the condition of the local public schools.  School staff and administrators are no longer worried about chewing bubble gum in school. Instead, their concerns are keeping the students safe and affording them, at least, a basic education.  Specifically, they talked about how the role of parents in their children’s lives has changed over the decades.  They also discussed the fact that schools are bearing more and more teaching responsibilities for the basics of civility and moral and ethical behavior that used to be taught in the home.

The radio commentator then asked Joseph what society should encourage, and what parents can do to alleviate the crisis in our schools.  It was only later that he came up with the reply he should have had on the radio.  Honor the Sabbath day.  This is also a universal commandment with universal benefits regardless of our faith.

What are the benefits of honoring the Sabbath?

Honoring the Sabbath has multigenerational benefits. “My sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.” (Exodus 31:13).  Observance of the Sabbath is one of the most effective ways of instilling moral values, civic responsibility, and ethical behavior in our children.  “In this day of increasing access to, and preoccupation with, materialism, there is a sure protection for ourselves and our children against the plagues of our day. The key to that sure protection surprisingly can be found in Sabbath observance” (James E. Faust, “The Lord’s Day,” Oct. 1991 General Conference).  Society in general benefits when Sabbath day observance is encouraged.  Elder Faust went on to quote: “Much of the sorrow and distress that is afflicting … mankind is traceable to the fact that they have ignored his [God’s] admonition to keep the Sabbath day holy.” (George Albert Smith, In Conference Report, Oct. 1935).  Observing the Sabbath is a unique commandment. “As we keep the Sabbath day holy, he will bless us, and we will achieve a quiet power for good as individuals, as families, and as nations, that we cannot obtain in any other way” (John H.  Groberg, “The Power of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy,” Oct 1984).

As we observe the Sabbath, “The fulness of the earth is [ours], … whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul” (D&C 59:16–19).  What unexpected blessings for honoring the Sabbath Day! Observing the Sabbath also enables us to inure our families from the vagrancies of society. “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (D&C 59:9).

How do we honor the sabbath day?

Even for Christians, how to observe the Sabbath day is a perennial question. “When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, ‘What sign do I want to give to God?’ That question made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear” (Russell M. Nelson, The Sabbath Is a Delight, Apr. 2015 General Conference). The Sabbath is a day to rest, a day to worship and revere the Lord. “There appear to be three things that the Lord would require of us in keeping His day holy (see D&C 59:9–13): To keep ourselves unspotted from the world, to go to the house of prayer and partake of the sacrament, to rest from our labors” (L. Tom Perry, “What should we do on the Sabbath?” Oct. 1984 General Conference).

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in particular, and Christians in general, there is no set list of do’s and don’ts for Sabbath Day observance. But “we can keep the Sabbath day holy by attending Church meetings; reading the scriptures and the words of our Church leaders; visiting the sick, the aged, and our loved ones; listening to uplifting music and singing hymns; praying to our Heavenly Father with praise and thanksgiving; performing Church service; preparing family history records and personal histories; telling faith-promoting stories and bearing our testimony to family members and sharing spiritual experiences with them; writing letters to missionaries and loved ones; fasting with a purpose; and sharing time with children and others in the home. . . . In deciding what other activities we could properly engage in on the Sabbath, we could ask ourselves: Will it uplift and inspire me? Does it show respect for the Lord? Does it direct my thoughts to Him?” (Gospel Principles, Ch 24).

What about Sabbath observance for those not of a Christian faith?

How can non-Christians, and non-believers in general, benefit from Sabbath observance? We can rephrase Russell M Nelson’s question to “what signs do I want to give society, my community, and my family?” For the nonbeliever, the spirit of the Sabbath is to redirect our thoughts and actions away from ourselves and the satisfaction of our own basic desires, and towards others.  Contact extended family, write letters, or use other forms of communication to build strong family and community ties.  Get involved in some sort of service, whether it be humanitarian gestures, like working at a homeless shelter, or working on environmental project, like stream cleanup or reforestation.  No matter what our religion or our faith, if we set aside one day a week for thoughts and actions on something other than ourselves, we and our children will feel of the spirit of the Sabbath day and will learn selflessness and empathy, all while rising above the selfish and self-centered foundation of our current society.  In the language of the non-believer, to periodically set aside a day for selfless activities and to focus on others will build character and perspective in well-rounded and resilient members of our communities and society.  Honoring the Sabbath provides a foundation for the observance of all of His commandments.  For the non-believer, observance of a Sabbath day provides perspective for all other aspects of life, be it work, play, self, family, or community.  

Observing the Sabbath in my family

Observing the Sabbath does not need to be elaborate.  We do not need to impose a set of stringent rules or walk in fear of offending the Lord through some Sabbath Day mishap.  As the Savior said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). I taught my children Sabbath day observance in simple ways.  For example, we tried to avoid long distance travel on the Sabbath.  When a long road trip on the Sabbath day was our only option, I would prepare for travel the day before. I made sure the car was full of gas to minimize the purchases we needed to make on Sunday. I packed a cooler full of food for meals while traveling, so we did not have to stop at restaurants. Such purchases could not be avoided entirely, but we minimized what we could on the Sabbath day. My grown children vividly remember those lessons and the principles behind them.  For us, the Sabbath day is not a day for elaborate ritual or strict behavioral guidelines, but a day to follow, as best we can, the three Sabbath day goals, as mentioned in scripture.  To keep ourselves unspotted from the world, by avoiding as many self-centered and worldly activities as possible, and by focusing on service to others. To worship God at church, as well as through study and discussion at home, and to rest from our labors, be it job- or home-related.  For us, sitting at home doing nothing might be considered “resting” but was not proper Sabbath observance if that was all we did. After church, I would (quite literally) line up my young children on the kitchen counter, and we would make bread or bagels or pies.  Once the baking was done, we would decide who, among our friends, neighbors, or acquaintances, would be the recipient of that week’s culinary efforts.  One might argue that baking is not a proper activity for the Sabbath, striking at the heart of “rest from our labors.” We made a clear distinction in our family between labor and service, deciding together what activities would honor our God and  draw us closer to Him.

Using the Sabbath day to honor our Lord’s great Commandments

The two great commandments given to us by Jesus Christ were: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Sabbath day observance is the key to honoring and following these commandments. What better way to love the Lord our God than to set aside a day each week to worship and learn of him? Turning our hearts and actions away from ourselves and towards others by acts of service and heartfelt communication on the Sabbath day defines “love they neighbor.” Fulfilling these two great commandments forms a basis for sustaining and obeying all of God’s commandments because “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). Honoring our Heavenly Father’s two great commandments through Sabbath Day observance will impact all aspects of our lives and our relationships with family, friends, and society, and with our Savior.

Copyright 2021, Tim Frodsham, latterdaysaints.life