Latest / The Family Teams Podcast / Ep. 163 | Is It a Sin to Not Keep the Sabbath

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Ep. 163 | Is It a Sin to Not Keep the Sabbath · The Family Teams Podcast

• 0:00
  Every time you have a question, there's not always a verse that answers the question directly. There's actually a verse that directly answers this question.
• 0:13
  Hey guys, welcome to the 5-Minute Fatherhood Podcast. I'm your co-host, Jeff Beth Key, along with my friend and mentor, Jeremy Pryor. Join us Monday through Friday as we chat about quick tips, skills, and ways to help equip you on your journey as a father to build your multi-generational family team on mission. Stay tuned.
• 0:34
  What's up, guys? Jeff and Jeremy here. Another episode of Five Minute Fatherhood. We're just going to jump right into it. Today is actually from our Facebook group a question, and that is, is it a sin not to keep the Sabbath? Now, this is a fun question, an interesting question, and this answer would depend on if you ask maybe a Jewish person, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish person, a Seventh-day Adventist. There's lots of different answers to this one. I would say, and I think Jeremy, me and you would be on the same page, but I'm interested to hear what you say.
• 0:59
  I think the scripture seems pretty clear, specifically when Jesus is saying that it was made for man, meaning it is a gift to us. It is a blessing to us. Like he was actually answering some of the more stringent parts of the Sabbath by saying, no, it's made for you. But he didn't say do away with it, right? There's this middle ground of like, it's a gift, it's a blessing. And so I like to think, I don't think I would use that language that it's a sin not to. I would, the language I would use, I think it's to your peril.
• 1:26
  I mean, I think not living in that goes against your design. I think, you know, like no one says, is it a sin to not breathe oxygen? You would just be like, no, it's not a sin, but you're going to die. Right. And yeah, I think you might die if you don't ever take a Sabbath. I don't think it's good for you. I think it'll absolutely break you down and burn you down and beat you down. Or another one is like, you know, is it a sin to not have a steak dinner once a week and have a huge like party and celebration? No, it's not a sin. But I think you're ridiculous if you don't want that.
• 1:51
  right? So I put it in those kind of contexts, but I don't know, Jeremy, what you would kind of think about it, because to me, that's really the heart of Sabbath, right? I'm making light of it a little bit in that last part, but it's like, it's a delight and a gift, and that's so clear from the Genesis mandate, right? It is in the Torah, but let's also remind ourselves it's actually woven into the creation narrative. And that's really important, because that means it's almost like this is how it was supposed to be. This is from God's mind, heart, and design,
• 2:17
  And it's a blessing and a gift that we can step into and learn the practice of over 20, 30, 40, 50 years. That's not overnight, but it's a delight. What would you say? Yeah. So anytime people are really wrestling, and sometimes when you're trying to recapture the Sabbath and try to keep the Sabbath, this becomes a really big question. Do I have to do it? Now, there's a verse in the Bible. There's not every time you have a question, there's not a particular, not always a verse that answers the question directly. Yeah.
• 2:42
  There's actually a verse that directly answers this question. It's Colossians 2.16, and Paul specifically says, let no one judge you with regards to a Sabbath day or holy day or festival. And so Paul is being very clear. Sabbath is a no-judgment zone.
• 2:59
  You are not to judge other people in the way that they keep the Sabbath. You are not to be judged by other people, other believers, in the way that you're keeping the Sabbath. I really like this because it really—creating a no-judgment zone completely changes the tenor and makes it into what Jeff was describing. It's a gift. It's something that is woven into creation. And it's also a taste of the kingdom of God. And we want our Sabbath to be the zenith of the week.
• 3:28
  And Isaiah talks about those who speak of the Sabbath as a delight. I would much rather have people speaking about the Sabbath as a delight than as a command, as a rule. And so I think that this is the reason why I think Paul is saying, just stay away from judging. I know this is really hard for people. They're like, it's in the Ten Commandments. If it's in the Ten Commandments, doesn't that make it ascend a break like the rest of the Ten Commandments? And this is the only commandment.
• 3:53
  where you literally have a verse in the New Testament that says you are not to judge other people if they break that commandment. And so I do think that something has shifted. I think the problem is that people tend to go one way or the other. They tend to get very legalistic about this if they begin to keep the Sabbath, or they become very dismissive of it. If they're like, well, we don't have to do it, so why would we ever do it? And like Jeff is saying—
• 4:14
  It is woven into creation. This is not just a Jewish sort of tradition. This comes from Genesis chapter 1, the creation of the world. And so the seven-day rhythm was woven into creation on the very first week, and we keep the Sabbath because we are...
• 4:31
  created beings who are living into the seven-day rhythm that God has sort of put into all of creation. And so for your flourishing, for your enjoyment, and as we talk about in this podcast, especially for the rootedness of your own family, for the relationships in your family—
• 4:47
  for making sure that you're thriving as a family. We just encourage you guys to keep the Sabbath. We're not judging you if you don't. We don't think that you absolutely have to. We think it's such a beautiful gift, and we think that if you try this out, begin to cultivate this, not in a judgmental way, not in a guilty way, but in a way of really wanting to thrive and flourish and enjoy and open up and receive this gift, we think it'll bless you and your family.
• 5:14
  Hey guys, one of our favorite places to hang out on is the family team's Instagram. That is where you will find tips, quotes, tricks, and a bunch of other conversational things to help you build your family team on mission. If you're on Instagram and you want to get encouragement as you do this and build your family team, just head over to Instagram and follow us at family teams.