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Spurgeon's Forgotten Sabbatarianism: Examining the Role of the 4th Commandment in His Life and Theology
- GenresTheology
326 pages, Paperback
Published April 10, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 15, 2024
Dr. Rhea shows in this adaptation of his doctoral thesis that Spurgeon was a 1689 Sabbatarian in doctrine and practice. He held to the tripartite division of the Law, the continuity of the Moral Law summarized in the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Day Sabbath in the New Covenant, and the ongoing need to set the first day apart for joyful worship and labor for the Lord, resting from worldly labors and entertainments.
December 28, 2024
I highly recommend this historical work on Spurgeon's theology of the Lord's day. This book presents Spurgeon's theology as consistent with the teaching of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith on the law of God and the Lord's Day. Dr. Rhea helps readers by providing valuable resources and a study that has been neglected in Spurgeon's theology.
"The Christian Sabbath is a major motif and an under-researched field in Spurgeon's corpus. He did not simply accept the teaching of 2LCF on the subject and leave it as a tertiary issue. On the contrary, he embedded the ethos of the Sabbath into his practice and doctrine. The Prince of Preachers became the Prince of Keeping the Sabbath" (pg. 257).
Spurgeon's example gives many practical applications because during his time in the Victorian Era, the Industrial Revolution was already challenging and shaping culture and society's perception of the Lord's Day. Spurgeon held to his convictions throughout his ministry and saw the Lord's day as a delight that points to the eternal sabbath and serves an evangelistic role by proclaiming Christ to lost sinners. Spurgeon changed the location where services were held when they violated the 4th commandment by having theatre events on Sunday evenings.
"After the Surrey Music Hall owners opened their facility to entertainment on Sunday evenings, Spurgeon acted on his Sabbath convictions by terminating his lease and moving his meetings to Exeter Hall. Despite being one-third the size and inaccessible to many in the congregation, Spurgeon acted on principle and not pragmatism. The chapter also presented a methodology of examining Spurgeon's writings and comparing them to chapter 19 and paragraphs 2.7 and 22.8 in 2LCF" (pg. 253; 2LCF refers to the Second Baptist London Confession of faith of 1677).
Here are a few highlights from the book to share some of the key elements of Spurgeon's robust theology of the Lord's Day.
"In the same manner as 2LCF, Spurgeon acknowledged three broad categories of labor-the works of piety, necessity, and mercy-as permissible for the Sabbath. By looking to Jesus' actions on the Sabbath, Spurgeon exhorted Christians to serve the Lord on the Lord's Day through worship, preaching, teaching Sunday school, evangelism, and teaching one's children" (pg. 256).
Spurgeon's theology of the Lord's Day is reflected in his robust theology of the means of grace such as his advocacy for the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper.
"He looked to the example found in the early church, whose "custom was to break bread in memory of Christ's passion on the first day of every week, and it was always part of the Sabbath's service when they came together to remember their Lord in this way" (pg. 214).
Spurgeon's emphasis on the means of grace also guarded his theology of the Lord's day from charges of legalism providing a robust Christ-centered theology and an emphasis on the corporate gathering of believers,
"Consequently, the reason for a Sabbath day-"for his worship and for our spiritual benefit"- never left Spurgeon's mind and never was a result of having created a meticulous list of prohibitions as with the Pharisees. On the contrary, he focused on the positive ways to keep the Sabbath-prayer, praise, preaching, and the observing of the ordinances. In keeping with chapter 22, paragraphs 2-5 of 2LCF, the Metropolitan Tabernacle provided the occasion for Christians to perform works of piety. Besides the prayers offered by Spurgeon in the services, the church held three prayer meetings on the Sabbath: at seven in the morning, three in the afternoon, and at eight in the evening. By offering three meetings, Spurgeon demonstrated that the Sabbath should be bathed in prayer" (pg. 211-212).
"The Christian Sabbath is a major motif and an under-researched field in Spurgeon's corpus. He did not simply accept the teaching of 2LCF on the subject and leave it as a tertiary issue. On the contrary, he embedded the ethos of the Sabbath into his practice and doctrine. The Prince of Preachers became the Prince of Keeping the Sabbath" (pg. 257).
Spurgeon's example gives many practical applications because during his time in the Victorian Era, the Industrial Revolution was already challenging and shaping culture and society's perception of the Lord's Day. Spurgeon held to his convictions throughout his ministry and saw the Lord's day as a delight that points to the eternal sabbath and serves an evangelistic role by proclaiming Christ to lost sinners. Spurgeon changed the location where services were held when they violated the 4th commandment by having theatre events on Sunday evenings.
"After the Surrey Music Hall owners opened their facility to entertainment on Sunday evenings, Spurgeon acted on his Sabbath convictions by terminating his lease and moving his meetings to Exeter Hall. Despite being one-third the size and inaccessible to many in the congregation, Spurgeon acted on principle and not pragmatism. The chapter also presented a methodology of examining Spurgeon's writings and comparing them to chapter 19 and paragraphs 2.7 and 22.8 in 2LCF" (pg. 253; 2LCF refers to the Second Baptist London Confession of faith of 1677).
Here are a few highlights from the book to share some of the key elements of Spurgeon's robust theology of the Lord's Day.
"In the same manner as 2LCF, Spurgeon acknowledged three broad categories of labor-the works of piety, necessity, and mercy-as permissible for the Sabbath. By looking to Jesus' actions on the Sabbath, Spurgeon exhorted Christians to serve the Lord on the Lord's Day through worship, preaching, teaching Sunday school, evangelism, and teaching one's children" (pg. 256).
Spurgeon's theology of the Lord's Day is reflected in his robust theology of the means of grace such as his advocacy for the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper.
"He looked to the example found in the early church, whose "custom was to break bread in memory of Christ's passion on the first day of every week, and it was always part of the Sabbath's service when they came together to remember their Lord in this way" (pg. 214).
Spurgeon's emphasis on the means of grace also guarded his theology of the Lord's day from charges of legalism providing a robust Christ-centered theology and an emphasis on the corporate gathering of believers,
"Consequently, the reason for a Sabbath day-"for his worship and for our spiritual benefit"- never left Spurgeon's mind and never was a result of having created a meticulous list of prohibitions as with the Pharisees. On the contrary, he focused on the positive ways to keep the Sabbath-prayer, praise, preaching, and the observing of the ordinances. In keeping with chapter 22, paragraphs 2-5 of 2LCF, the Metropolitan Tabernacle provided the occasion for Christians to perform works of piety. Besides the prayers offered by Spurgeon in the services, the church held three prayer meetings on the Sabbath: at seven in the morning, three in the afternoon, and at eight in the evening. By offering three meetings, Spurgeon demonstrated that the Sabbath should be bathed in prayer" (pg. 211-212).
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews