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The Day of Worship: Reassessing the Christian Life in Light of the Sabbath
Contents:
Introduction
1. The General Importance of Sabbath
2. The Importance of God’s Day of Worship
3. The Presuppositions of Isaiah 58:13–14
4. Revisiting Isaiah 58:13–14
5. Worldliness
6. What Is Missing?
7. The Reformed Application of the Law
8. Some General Practical Observations
9. Legalism?
10. The Eternal Sabbath
Appendix 1: Warfield on Foundations of the Sabbath
Appendix 2: Review of Jay Adams’s Keeping the Sabbath Today?
Introduction
1. The General Importance of Sabbath
2. The Importance of God’s Day of Worship
3. The Presuppositions of Isaiah 58:13–14
4. Revisiting Isaiah 58:13–14
5. Worldliness
6. What Is Missing?
7. The Reformed Application of the Law
8. Some General Practical Observations
9. Legalism?
10. The Eternal Sabbath
Appendix 1: Warfield on Foundations of the Sabbath
Appendix 2: Review of Jay Adams’s Keeping the Sabbath Today?
196 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
18 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Ryan M. McGraw
55 books18 followersRyan M. McGraw is the pastor of First Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Sunnyvale, CA (http://firstopc.org/). He ministered previously to Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Conway, SC. Pastor McGraw is a graduate Cal State Fullerton (B.A.) and of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (MDiv and ThM). He obtained his PhD in historical theology from the University of the Free State (Jonathan Edwards Centre Africa). Ryan is Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and he is a Research Associate for the Jonathan Edwards Centre Africa. He regularly contributes articles and book reviews to numerous publications. He is married to Krista, and they have three sons. You can listen to his sermons at http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_det...
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 31, 2018
A biblical defense of what is now known as the Westminster, or Puritan, view of the Lord's Day, but which was once the view of many Protestant denominations. It highlights the centrality of worship on the Lord's Day. The content is good, but at points it's a bit difficult to follow the stream of thought.
McGraw explains that the Lord's Day (Christian Sabbath) was created as a day for us to focus on worshipping God. That focus determines how we must spend our time on that day. A few quotes that summarize the main idea of the book:
I like McGraw's point that if you use God's ordained means (public and private worship) to get the most out of the Sabbath, you won't have time for worldly employments or recreation. Rather than looking forward to the day being over, it will seem to be over too quickly.
This book is meant to supplement others, so McGraw doesn't make the case for the perpetually binding nature of the Sabbath or the change from the 7th to 1st day of the week. The books McGraw intends his to supplement are
• The Lord's Day by Joseph A. Pipa, Jr.
• Call the Sabbath a Delight by Walter J. Chantry
• On the First Day of the Week by Iain Campbell
Notes
The General Importance of the Sabbath
Jesus addressed the Sabbath 6 times in Gospels. He gave instructions on Sabbath more than any other commandment.
"The principles behind the Ten Commandments are unchangeable, even if God has changed the way some of them should be outwardly observed."
Neh 13:15-18 shows that on Sabbath we're not only to refrain from our own labors but also to not buy and sell. This means we shouldn't be involved in commerce such as shopping, dining out, fueling car, even with non-Christians.
"Nehemiah severely rebuked the people for commerce on the Sabbath. How can we, in good conscience, pay someone else on the Sabbath to do that for which God once demanded the death penalty?"
If you believe purpose of Sabbath is rest, you'll do what makes you feel most rested. If you believe purpose is worship, you'll exclude practices that don't promote worship.
Works of necessity: "works which could not have been done on the preceding day, and cannot be deferred to the next."
Works of mercy: "those which are performed from compassion to our fellow creatures."
The Presuppositions of Isaiah 58:13-14
Is 58:13-14 must be read with biblical presuppositions about purpose of Sabbath: God has sanctified one entire day each week so humans can enjoy communion with Him without distractions of other 6 days.
Revisiting Isaiah 58:13-14
Recreation, whether organized sports or leisurely recreation, is inconsistent with Sabbath because it diverts our minds from worship. Only worship and activities that promote worship support purpose of Lord's day (Is 58:13).
On Lord's Day, avoid unnecessary speech about work (Is 58:13).
Worldliness
Trying to keep each entire Sabbath holy reveals your worldliness; you see how much you love the things of the world.
That we should have live all of life as worship to God (Rom 12:1-2) doesn't negate need for Sabbath; unfallen Adam and Eve needed Sabbath.
What Is Missing?
"It is one thing to say you do not believe that God binds you to keep the Sabbath in this manner [communion with God and His people for an entire day, without the distraction of work or recreation], but when you react against the very idea as strict and legalistic, how can this be anything less than a sign of worldliness and an insult to [God]?"
"On the Sabbath, we are simply called to be consumed with heavenly glories, communion with God, and religious worship more directly than on other days. What person, who genuinely knows what it is to be redeemed by such a glorious Savior and has such hope in Him, could call this duty a burden?"
The Reformed Application of the Law
Hiring/paying others to break Sabbath for you results in your breaking Sabbath. This applies to hiring/paying people who work for restaurants, stores, gas stations, airlines, etc.
Jesus taught that we must keep 6th Commandment in heart, speech, and relation to others (Matt 5:21-22). We must keep 4th Commandment in those same aspects.
Legalism?
"What better way to know more of the glory and the beauty of Christ than to study the law of God! To neglect, ignore, or despise the law therefore is to neglect, ignore, or despise Christ Himself."
Law-keeping is one of the provisions of the covenant of grace (Ezek 11:19-20; 36:26-27; Jer 31:32-33; 1 Pet 1:16; Ps 119:97; Rom 7:22).
The Eternal Sabbath
Sabbath must be day of sacred rest consisting of worship to typify eternal rest and worship in heaven (Heb 4:1-11).
We keep the Christian Sabbath as a pledge of God's eternal rest (Heb 4:9).
Apostles, under divine guidance, worshipped on 1st day (day of Christ's resurrection).
As 7th day was set apart to remember God's completed work of creation, so 1st day was set apart to remember Christ's completed work of redemption.
As Lord's Supper foreshadows wedding feast of the Lamb, Sabbath foreshadows communion with God and church in heaven.
"Virtually the only activity explicitly connected with heaven in Scripture is the worship of God."
Creation ordinances will remain relevant in eternity, but will be expressed very differently. Marriage will give place to marriage supper of the Lamb (Matt 22:30; Rev 19:6-9). Weekly Sabbath will give place to eternal Sabbath (Heb 4:9). Labor will likely have some continuing relevance that only vaguely resembles earthly labor; perhaps our only "labor" will be worship, because we'll be in eternal Sabbath.
The 2 places in the Bible that show humans in a state of perfection, they're keeping Sabbath as day of worship.
Jesus showed that 10 Commandments applied to NT Christians (Luke 18:18ff; Matt 5:18, 22, 37-40), as did disciples (Jas 2:10; Rom 13:8ff).
Appendix 1: "The Foundations of the Sabbath in the Word of God" by B. B. Warfield
Jesus and apostles didn't command that Sabbath be changed to 1st day of week, but they endorsed the change through Jesus' resurrection (Luke 24:1), Jesus' appearing to disciples (John 20:19, 26), assembly of early church (Acts 19:9; 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2), designation of 1st day as "Lord's Day" (Rev 1:10).
Col 2:16 and Gal 4:10 speak of Jesus' doing away with OT types and shadows, not Sabbath itself.
McGraw explains that the Lord's Day (Christian Sabbath) was created as a day for us to focus on worshipping God. That focus determines how we must spend our time on that day. A few quotes that summarize the main idea of the book:
… the emphasis of the Sabbath day is rest from our regular employments for the purpose of worship and communion with God …
The reason why we are not to pursue every lawful pleasure on the Lord's Day is because of the greater pleasures God has intended for the day.
The more you foster a genuine and passionate desire for the worship of God as the goal of your Sabbath-keeping, the more your practical questions will be answered.McGraw says you should ask yourself, "How can I best keep the principles of the day, and pursue the worship of God in the most profitable and undistracted manner?"
I like McGraw's point that if you use God's ordained means (public and private worship) to get the most out of the Sabbath, you won't have time for worldly employments or recreation. Rather than looking forward to the day being over, it will seem to be over too quickly.
This book is meant to supplement others, so McGraw doesn't make the case for the perpetually binding nature of the Sabbath or the change from the 7th to 1st day of the week. The books McGraw intends his to supplement are
• The Lord's Day by Joseph A. Pipa, Jr.
• Call the Sabbath a Delight by Walter J. Chantry
• On the First Day of the Week by Iain Campbell
Notes
The General Importance of the Sabbath
Jesus addressed the Sabbath 6 times in Gospels. He gave instructions on Sabbath more than any other commandment.
"The principles behind the Ten Commandments are unchangeable, even if God has changed the way some of them should be outwardly observed."
Neh 13:15-18 shows that on Sabbath we're not only to refrain from our own labors but also to not buy and sell. This means we shouldn't be involved in commerce such as shopping, dining out, fueling car, even with non-Christians.
"Nehemiah severely rebuked the people for commerce on the Sabbath. How can we, in good conscience, pay someone else on the Sabbath to do that for which God once demanded the death penalty?"
If you believe purpose of Sabbath is rest, you'll do what makes you feel most rested. If you believe purpose is worship, you'll exclude practices that don't promote worship.
Works of necessity: "works which could not have been done on the preceding day, and cannot be deferred to the next."
Works of mercy: "those which are performed from compassion to our fellow creatures."
The Presuppositions of Isaiah 58:13-14
Is 58:13-14 must be read with biblical presuppositions about purpose of Sabbath: God has sanctified one entire day each week so humans can enjoy communion with Him without distractions of other 6 days.
Revisiting Isaiah 58:13-14
Recreation, whether organized sports or leisurely recreation, is inconsistent with Sabbath because it diverts our minds from worship. Only worship and activities that promote worship support purpose of Lord's day (Is 58:13).
On Lord's Day, avoid unnecessary speech about work (Is 58:13).
Worldliness
Trying to keep each entire Sabbath holy reveals your worldliness; you see how much you love the things of the world.
That we should have live all of life as worship to God (Rom 12:1-2) doesn't negate need for Sabbath; unfallen Adam and Eve needed Sabbath.
What Is Missing?
"It is one thing to say you do not believe that God binds you to keep the Sabbath in this manner [communion with God and His people for an entire day, without the distraction of work or recreation], but when you react against the very idea as strict and legalistic, how can this be anything less than a sign of worldliness and an insult to [God]?"
"On the Sabbath, we are simply called to be consumed with heavenly glories, communion with God, and religious worship more directly than on other days. What person, who genuinely knows what it is to be redeemed by such a glorious Savior and has such hope in Him, could call this duty a burden?"
The Reformed Application of the Law
Hiring/paying others to break Sabbath for you results in your breaking Sabbath. This applies to hiring/paying people who work for restaurants, stores, gas stations, airlines, etc.
Jesus taught that we must keep 6th Commandment in heart, speech, and relation to others (Matt 5:21-22). We must keep 4th Commandment in those same aspects.
Legalism?
"What better way to know more of the glory and the beauty of Christ than to study the law of God! To neglect, ignore, or despise the law therefore is to neglect, ignore, or despise Christ Himself."
Law-keeping is one of the provisions of the covenant of grace (Ezek 11:19-20; 36:26-27; Jer 31:32-33; 1 Pet 1:16; Ps 119:97; Rom 7:22).
The Eternal Sabbath
Sabbath must be day of sacred rest consisting of worship to typify eternal rest and worship in heaven (Heb 4:1-11).
We keep the Christian Sabbath as a pledge of God's eternal rest (Heb 4:9).
Apostles, under divine guidance, worshipped on 1st day (day of Christ's resurrection).
As 7th day was set apart to remember God's completed work of creation, so 1st day was set apart to remember Christ's completed work of redemption.
As Lord's Supper foreshadows wedding feast of the Lamb, Sabbath foreshadows communion with God and church in heaven.
"Virtually the only activity explicitly connected with heaven in Scripture is the worship of God."
Creation ordinances will remain relevant in eternity, but will be expressed very differently. Marriage will give place to marriage supper of the Lamb (Matt 22:30; Rev 19:6-9). Weekly Sabbath will give place to eternal Sabbath (Heb 4:9). Labor will likely have some continuing relevance that only vaguely resembles earthly labor; perhaps our only "labor" will be worship, because we'll be in eternal Sabbath.
The 2 places in the Bible that show humans in a state of perfection, they're keeping Sabbath as day of worship.
Jesus showed that 10 Commandments applied to NT Christians (Luke 18:18ff; Matt 5:18, 22, 37-40), as did disciples (Jas 2:10; Rom 13:8ff).
Appendix 1: "The Foundations of the Sabbath in the Word of God" by B. B. Warfield
Jesus and apostles didn't command that Sabbath be changed to 1st day of week, but they endorsed the change through Jesus' resurrection (Luke 24:1), Jesus' appearing to disciples (John 20:19, 26), assembly of early church (Acts 19:9; 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2), designation of 1st day as "Lord's Day" (Rev 1:10).
Col 2:16 and Gal 4:10 speak of Jesus' doing away with OT types and shadows, not Sabbath itself.
May 1, 2025
If you want a good defense of the Lord’s Day as the Christian Sabbath, I would not recommend this be your first book to read. Start with Joseph Pipa's book on the Lord’s Day. But read this one next for instruction on how you ought to treat the Lord’s Day, as well as admonition and encouragement on why you should treat it as a delight.
January 13, 2025
Could wish every Christian would read this book. Our blessing is wrapped up in delighting in the Sabbath. Pastor McGraw offers the clearest explanation of what it means to keep, and delight in, the Sabbath I’ve ever read.
August 17, 2023
Every believer ought to acquire and read a copy of this book! It is the third book on the Sabbath that I’ve read this year and by far the most Christ-honoring, Scripture packed, in depth and convicting one we own. It’s long enough of a book to thoroughly explain things, yet short enough to read in a month or two. I will be probably acquire a few more copies and give them away to other believers and family in Christ…it’s that good.
October 20, 2019
Great reading! A compelling case in favor of the Westminster position on the Lord’s Day. It is an invaluable resource in helping the people of God to think through this glorious, yet neglected doctrine.
August 31, 2012
Rated: G
The Day of Worship is a very convicting and convincing read. It was hard to read because my sinful self does not want to use the Sabbath as it should be used. What stuck out to me was McGraw’s very true point on the 10 Commandments. None of us can keep them perfectly, so it stands to reason that none of us keep the fourth commandment either. I feel like the fourth commandment is the one people glance at and think (though not in so many words), “Oh, I keep that already,” and move on with their life. I certainly do. I never even thought, “You know, Grace, you’re basically saying you’re keeping one of the commandments perfectly even though you’re not perfect. How logical is that?” McGraw, using the Bible, says how we’ve all lost the true meaning of the Sabbath in our “advanced” culture.
Do I recommend it? If you’re a Christian, I do recommend it strongly. It helped me a lot.
Warnings/heads up/what’s in this book - N/A.
The Day of Worship is a very convicting and convincing read. It was hard to read because my sinful self does not want to use the Sabbath as it should be used. What stuck out to me was McGraw’s very true point on the 10 Commandments. None of us can keep them perfectly, so it stands to reason that none of us keep the fourth commandment either. I feel like the fourth commandment is the one people glance at and think (though not in so many words), “Oh, I keep that already,” and move on with their life. I certainly do. I never even thought, “You know, Grace, you’re basically saying you’re keeping one of the commandments perfectly even though you’re not perfect. How logical is that?” McGraw, using the Bible, says how we’ve all lost the true meaning of the Sabbath in our “advanced” culture.
Do I recommend it? If you’re a Christian, I do recommend it strongly. It helped me a lot.
Warnings/heads up/what’s in this book - N/A.
February 6, 2021
In this book, McGraw is primarily defending the Puritan view of the Sabbath, which presupposes that the reader holds to the perpetuity of the 4th commandment in some sense. What I found to be a strength of this book was McGraw's establishment of the underlying principles of the Sabbath command. Whether you agree with the author or not, I think you will find his words thought provoking and his tone charitable.
March 28, 2019
The Heart of the Sabbath
Other books prove the Lord's Day as the Christian Sabbath. This one does also, in brief compass. But it does something much more important. It gets you to the heart of the Sabbath. May God the Spirit use it to get the Sabbath into your heart!
Other books prove the Lord's Day as the Christian Sabbath. This one does also, in brief compass. But it does something much more important. It gets you to the heart of the Sabbath. May God the Spirit use it to get the Sabbath into your heart!
September 12, 2020
This is an excellent book.
McGraw focuses less on polemics and more on our devotion and piety towards God.
It is deeply challenging and probing into our spiritual health and view of the worship of God.
McGraw focuses less on polemics and more on our devotion and piety towards God.
It is deeply challenging and probing into our spiritual health and view of the worship of God.
November 24, 2025
A very practical book on how we should be thinking about the Christian Sabbath. This has expanded my thinking on how I can better lead my family to spend the day in public and private exercises in the worship of God.
November 29, 2017
A very good book, thoughtful and thought-provoking. Useful. The final chapter on the relationship between the Sabbath & our eternal rest in Christ is the crown-jewel of the work.
November 3, 2014
The best book I've read on the practice of "keeping sabbath" to-date. McGraw presents a biblical, articulate, and practical exposition that will get you thinking about this long (but recently abandoned) practice of Christians of all stripes. A thoughtful book well worth reading, regardless of your perspective on the 4th commandment.
December 13, 2014
Very good look at biblical case for Sabbath and what it should look like. I'm a Sabbatarian but sometimes McGraw's strictness about the day made me blush. Still, worth a read if sorting through this issue.
August 17, 2014
I would have given this book more than 5 stars if I could have!
November 10, 2015
This little but powerful book would be great for Sunday Schools or small groups.
October 15, 2015
Clear. Fairly concise (especially considering its homiletical origin and style). Invaluable as a help for thinking through the 4th Commandment in Christian living. I strongly recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews