Kootenai Church Sunday School

Do Christians have to take one day off a week, or don't they? Lesson 40 wraps up the fourth commandment series by laying out the two major Christian views on Sabbath observance.

Teacher Dave Rich presents Sabbatarianism and non-Sabbatarianism as summarized by Wayne Grudem, tracing Sabbatarianism through the Westminster Confession's strict rest and worship requirements, and non-Sabbatarianism through Luther and Calvin, both of whom saw the fourth commandment as fulfilled in Christ rather than binding in its Old Testament form. Rich frames the debate around three questions, whether Sabbath rest is a creation ordinance built into Genesis 2, whether the law of Moses still legally binds Christians, and whether New Testament silence on the Sabbath means it was repealed or simply never repeated.

Rich lands on the non-Sabbatarian side, arguing the Sabbath was not a creation ordinance and was specifically addressed and set aside in the New Testament, while noting how much common ground the two views actually share in practice, worship, rest, and works of mercy. He closes with a lighter look at how Christian liberty applies to holidays like Easter, Christmas, Independence Day, Halloween, and even birthdays.

This lesson gives listeners a clear framework for thinking through a commandment that divides sincere, careful readers of Scripture.