Sanctification of the Sabbath: The Permanent Obligation to Observe the Sabbath or Lord’s Day

by Robert Haldane

Haldane proves the Lord’s Day is a permanent obligation, afterward embodied in the Ten Commandments and recognized by Jesus and His apostles, and that the change of day does not void the fourth commandment. He sets forth how beautifully the Sabbath day depicts the patience, goodness, and mercy of Jehovah. Most divine institutions point out the consequences of sin, but the Sabbath traces its origin to the time when man walked in innocence in the immediate presence of the Lord. We are to remember an institution forgotten in the bondage of Egypt―to keep holy a day God claims as His inalienable property, a claim restated by Jesus Christ for us.
Table of
1. The Sabbath Anterior to the Mosaic Dispensation
2. The Sabbath Binding Alike under the Jewish and Christian Dispensations
3. The Manner of the Promulgation of the Decalogue
4. The Manner of the Preservation of the Decalogue and the Lessons Thereby Taught
5. Proof of the Permanence of the Fourth Commandment Derived from the Foregoing Statements
6. Internal Evidence Shows that the Fourth Commandment Is of Universal Obligation
7. Objections to the Permanent Obligation of the Sabbath Considered
8. The Observance of the Sabbath under the Christian Dispensation Is Fully Recognized by the Prophets
9. The Change from the Last to the First Day of the Week Has Not Invalidated the Obligation of the Sabbath

Genres: Theology

96 pages, Paperback

Published January 13, 2022

About the author

1764-1842

Reviews

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but demanding read on the biblical theological basis for the continuing observance of the Lord’s Day Christian Sabbath. This is perhaps the very best biblical treatment of the subject under 100 pages you will find. The chapter on the move of the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week is absolutely enthralling.

[Nick Carrico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and to the point. Brought up arguments I haven’t heard before that I thought were quite compelling…keep the sabbath you heathens

[Joshua Schwisow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best and most persuasive arguments for the Reformed view of the Fourth Commandment available while also being quite short. This was originally part of Haldane’s classic commentary on Romans as an appendix. It is worth printing on its own.

[Jessica Lyons]

Farris read this to us during family worship every night which was quite enjoyable. Being able to ask him questions and discuss as a family is something I will always treasure.

[Sean McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good.

[Eddie Kaiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gold. Not sure I’ve ever read anything so short and yet so persuasive. Make booklets great again.

[Zak Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent booklet for exegetical and Biblical Theological observance of the Sabbath and the foreshadow of its transition to the “Eighth Day” of the week. Other books are better for the pragmatics of the Christian Sabbath. But that’s not the scope of this book.

[Casey Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for the Christian. Haldane articulates well the purpose, defense and blessings of the Christian Sabbath.

[Ben Hegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I spotted this little book at my local Christian bookshop while discussing this subject with the manager and a fellow customer. I have the Romans commentary of Haldane so knew that he is a reliable author. I have since read this book. I am already convinced of the Sabbath position of the Westminster Standards so in reading this he is preaching to the converted as it were. However, I still greatly enjoyed it. He presents a very clear argument from Scripture, from both Old and New Testament. We are whole Bible Christians, not merely New Testament Christians. He clearly lays it out in the several short chapters of this book. A quote from the last page will entice you to read, I believe! "Amid the cares and trials of a troubled and sinful world, the Christian, too, delights to hallow the Lord's Day and thus to participate in its present benefits and its emblematic happiness." Regardless of your view on this topic, I highly recommend this excellent yet short book. Very accessible yet also rewards a slow and careful read. Very highly recommend!

[Farris Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise and helpful Puritan work on the doctrine of the Sabbath.

I think some of Haldane’s theological and hermeneutical premises were more obvious to Christians of his day than they are to us, so sometimes he just flatly and briefly asserts something that may seem to modern readers to require more of a case to be made. Haldane can hardly be blamed for this, but it’s worth noting. I think it would be helpful to read something like Richard Barcellos’ Getting the Garden Right along with older writers like Haldane. Barcellos, writing for Christians in our time, knows the hermeneutical and theological categories that he has to help his readers recover if they’re going to be able to follow the old theologians. All told, though, this little book is a great entryway to the confessional doctrine of the Sabbath.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. The conclusion was my favorite part.

[Jason Garwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but outstanding. Highly recommend.

[Timothy Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book on the Christian Sabbath!

[Pierce Presley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is the Sabbath to be kept by the modern Christian? The answer is plain in God’s Word. Yes, we are to keep the Sabbath Day unto the Lord!

But where is your proof that I am to keep the Sabbath? How do I know for certain that Sunday truly is the Christian Sabbath? Isn’t that just an Old Testament command? Have not those commands of the Old Testament passed away?

These are all good and honest questions that Christians MUST wrestle with regarding the sanctification of the Lord’s Day. Therefore, I recommend to each and every one of you that you read this short 80-page book by Robert Haldane. Throughout this book, Haldane demonstrates how the Bible testifies that the command of the Sabbath still applies, that it has transferred from the 7th day (Saturday) to the 8th/1st day (Sunday), and he even has a short section on the practical of how God blesses those who keep His Sabbath.

In all honesty, I used to be neutral on the matter of the Sabbath. I merely thought Sunday was the Lord’s Day. That one goes to church and then goes home. That’s it. But the Lord’s Day is so so so much more than simply that, and Scripture repeatedly testifies the greatness of the Sabbath and our keeping it. It is the command of the Sabbath that is the hinge between the first table of the Decalogue and the second table of the Decalogue. That alone demonstrates it is no small command to “skip over” or say has “passed away.”

Go! Pick up a copy of this book. Read it! You will not regret it. Become a Sabbatarian.

[Samuel Kropp · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a short read, it still had quite a bit of fluff.

Many of the arguments non-Sabbatarians would not find compelling since they rely on Old Testament argumentation which can be superseded.

That being said, the final chapter on the transferral of the day from the 7th from the 1st brings this up from a three star to a four star despite the fluff. Lots of rabbit trails to chase down, particularly regarding usage of the 8th day, 50 day/year, and the parallels between Sinai and Pentecost as it relates to the day of worship.

“If, even in a state of innocence, the Sabbath was a blessing to man, how much more is it necessary for him in a state of sin, degradation, and toil?”

-pg. 13

[Peter Kiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping to find more of an expostion on how to honor the sabbath, instead of simply arguing for the fact that Christians ought to. I already agreed that we ought to! Much of the argumentation is pretty standard, but the argument for the changing of the day of the rest was very well done, if not just a bit of an exegetical stretch since a lot of the conclusions he made were far from explicit in the text. The conclusion is very valuable, and this is a good resource for anyone unconvinced of the eternality of God's commandments. I just wish it was more practical.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book. My only complaint is not for the author but for the publisher. This book was originally written in 1842 but is repackaged to look like a modern book without making it known that it is an older book or updating the language. The author had a particular love for a few words used over and over that are not common today and I think it's a bit off putting for those who may be new to the faith and reading this for basic instruction. That said, the arguments by the author are great and there is plenty of Scripture usage!

[Phil Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and sound explanation of why the first Sabbath (Jewish) has been transfered from the seventh day to the eighth day (first day or Lord's Day) for Christians to observe. Haldane also argues that the observance of a Sabbath rest is perpetual and was not done away with under the new covenant. This is a very compelling book.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise explanation of the maximalist Sabbatarian position, showing both how the Sabbath was established at creation, how it was prophesied to be kept by the Gentiles, how its move from Saturday to Sunday was foreshadowed in the OT, and how it was observed on the Lord's Day in the New Testament.

[Josiah Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great concise, readable, and timeless defense of the Christian Sabbath. May God’s people delight in this ordinance for His glory and for the good of their souls. May God be patient with our Sabbath-defiling generation.

[Cody Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not fully convinced of his argument, but I think it is one of the better arguments for Sabbatarianism. Since it's only about 70 pages, it's worth a read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 80 pages, it's a quick and persuasive read, and brought some new (to me) insight into God's moral law. Highly recommend for personal use and sharing with others!

[Johann Xie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb Lord's Day reading. Rarely can you find works that defends a position succintly and comprehensively at the same time!

[Evan Cruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great "small" book on the Sabbath! Incredibly insightful to not only the way Christians today are to treat the Lord's day, but the way it was foreshadowed by 8th day language in the old testament.

[Terence Schlaefli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth the read. Short and forceful. I am even more of a sabbatarian because of this book.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Will read more of him. Clarified many things for me. What a gift the Sabbath is.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

In ten short chapters, Haldane gives a concise scriptural argument for both the continuation of Sabbath command and the change of the specific day of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first/eighth. Writing just prior to the rise of the Dispensational views, Haldane's arguments are nevertheless quite relevant to today. He shows that the Sabbath predates "the Jewish dispensation," going all the way back to the creation week. He argues that the prophets foreshadowed both the continuation of the Sabbath after the coming of Messiah and the change from the end of the week to the beginning. Though he does not address every specific argument put forth today against the Sabbath, he still manages to answer the gist of the modern argument and to show that the current anti-sabitarian position is based on a faulty reading of Scripture.

The book's biggest shortcoming is its lack of a discussion of what it means to observe the Sabbath. Though it was not Haldane's purpose to address this, for the modern reader, the question of what biblical Sabbath observance looks like is a difficult one to answer. Haldane seems to hold to a fairly strict Sabbatarian position but he never specifically addresses it. Nevertheless, he does, in passing, address one view that holds the obligation of Sabbath rest is fulfilled in Sunday worship service attendance and then the rest of the day is ours to do with as we please; Haldane points out that Sunday is the Lord's Day, not the Lord's morning or afternoon.

This little book is an excellent resource because it manages to pack so much into such a short space. I will likely purchase more copies to give away and will certainly revisit the book later.

[Lee Irons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reprinting of an excursus in Haldane’s commentary on Romans. Haldane argues for the standard Puritan doctrine of the Sabbath, but with a bit more emphasis on the intriguing “eighth day” pattern in the OT. I can appreciate this biblical theological motif as supporting the notion that the first day of the week (the Lord’s Day) is the appropriate new covenant day for God’s people to assemble at the heavenly Mount Zion where the ascended Christ is. However, when the eighth day motif is used to justify the Puritan view that the Sabbath itself remains unchanged, and has merely been shifted from Saturday to Sunday, then it is not so convincing.