September - October 2000 The Sabbath Sentinel

Help For New Sabbath-Keepers

by Richard Nickels

So, you have recently become a seventh day Sabbath-keeper, have you? Shalom! Welcome to the divine rest, which eternally satisfies! The Sabbath is the pause ... that really refreshes! You probably have many questions going on in your mind-such as, "Why didn't I understand this before? Why can't my friends and relatives all see what I now see? Is there anybody else in my area to talk to? How should I keep the Sabbath? What can I or can't I do on the Sabbath? How should I tell my employer that I cannot work on Saturdays? etc."

Relax.... Take a deep breath.... A few of us "old timers" still wrestle with some of these issues. God will help us understand, in His due time. Here are seven steps to help you in the spiritual journey that you have begun:

First, clear away some cobwebs. Sabbath-keeping Christians come in more than fifty-seven varieties. There are probably five hundred or more Messiah-believing Sabbatarian groups. Worldwide, there are many millions of Sabbath-keepers who believe in Jesus (Yahshua).

There goes a common misconception: ALL Sabbatarians are not just either Jews or Seventh-day Adventists. Our book, Directory of Sabbath-Observing Groups (1996 edition free with a $20 order of other BSA materials, or $10 separately), is an eye-opener to the many varieties of Sabbath-keepers around. You can also learn about more Sabbatarian brethren from our bimonthly magazine, The Sabbath Sentinel, which is free ($10 suggested donation for International subscribers who are able to afford it). Try visiting several Sabbatarian congregations; you are likely to find one that is most compatible to your beliefs.

Next, get personally acquainted with the Lord of the Sabbath. The seventh-day Sabbath is a tool, a gift from God, to help you do just that. Most seventh-day Sabbatarians observe the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. When is that where you live? You will need a local sunset table. We will send you one for $2, or you can print one yourself from the Internet at http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html .

Seek out a mature Sabbath-keeper. This mentor should help you through rough times, help you with your many questions, and be an example for you. When I was still wet behind the ears, Alice and Rodney Pratt took me under their wings. Each week, they drove me to Sabbath services. They spent much time talking with me, and helping me grow in the Lord. Their invaluable, sterling example, and caring concern, made a real difference in my new way of life, which I treasure to this day. (Note to mature Sabbath-keepers: could you find someone to mentor?)

Go to our "Sabbath School" by reading basic Sabbath booklets such as, "Why Do You Observe Sunday?", "Roman Catholic and Protestant Confessions about Sunday", "Why the Seventh-day Sabbath", "Has Time Been Lost?", "The Sabbath on Trial", and "Why the Protestant Reformation Failed". Single copies are free. Bulk copies (100 in a packet) are available for a donation (see our Order Blank).

Then, learn about the exciting history of Sabbath-keepers. The BSA has many great books on this topic, including "Truth Triumphant," by Benjamin Wilkinson ($12.95), "History of the Sabbath," by James N. Andrews ($14), and many more wonderful books which show that we are not alone. God has called many others down through the ages to observe His Holy Day. Their inspiring trials are lessons to us all.

Experience the joy of the Sabbath; become involved in spreading the Good News of the Sabbath. If you are sold on Amway, you will be a good salesman of Amway products to others. The Sabbath is better than Amway! As a jewel of God's Truth, the Sabbath was made for man-made for man's happiness here and now, and is a type of the eternal rest in the Kingdom of God.

The Sabbath is good news for man. You experience great satisfaction by giving away God's Truth to others-which brings me back to the Bible Sabbath Association: there are many ways you can participate through the BSA to help others learn of this joyful Sabbath Truth. Contact us at the BSA office for suggestions on how you can participate.

As you mature, dig deep into critical Sabbath issues. Many folks are like you, who have recently come to understand the validity of the Bible Sabbath-however, there are a few others, who, after having kept the Sabbath for many years, have turned against the Sabbath of the Lord, and present some pretty sophisticated arguments against the Sabbath. Unless you do your homework, you may be a sitting duck for their attacks. Perhaps the best book which successfully answers numerous anti-Sabbath arguments is Dr. Samuel Bacchiocchi's incomparable one, "The Sabbath Under Crossfire" ($12.50 from the BSA). In some cases, it might be a good idea for a new Sabbath-keeper to read this book; for mature Sabbath-keepers, it is a must read.

If you are not totally convicted about the Sabbath, perhaps you are one of the new folks who should read The Sabbath Under Crossfire. You will be confronted with the full force of anti-Sabbath arguments; you may struggle and resist some of Bacchiocchi's clear Bible explanations of the Sabbath Truth; you may not want to continue with the Sabbath; you will have counted the cost, and found it too high, and (for the time being), retire your interest in the Sabbath-however, don't count on forgetting the Sabbath! God has a way of winning out in the end, when every knee shall bow before Him.

God limited Gideon's army to only 300 dedicated men. It is better not to become a halfhearted Sabbath-keeper. A wholehearted (yet misinformed) Sunday-keeper is better than a weak, lukewarm, Sabbath-keeper; yet, the Sabbath is for real: "Sabbath Under Crossfire" will anchor you solidly in the faith.

As a youth, I came into a Sabbath-keeping group that not only believed in the Seventh-day Sabbath, but a host of other non-conventional doctrines. I carefully, methodically, proved these teachings, one by one, before I set foot in the Church congregation. My elder sister, a college professor and Ph.D., actually did me a great favor: she gave me a tract which attacked most of the unique doctrines of the Church into which I was about to be immersed. She meant well. I took her challenge seriously, and to my satisfaction, disproved every one of the attacks on my new faith; this made me stronger spiritually. "Sabbath Under Crossfire" can serve the same purpose.

On a lighter side, read a mature Sabbath book just for fun: "The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man," by Abraham Joshua Heschel ($10). This is a delightful book on the philosophy and the meaning of the Sabbath.

Welcome to the world of the Sabbath! You are not alone! Find a spiritual mentor, learn the basics of the Sabbath, study the history of the Sabbath, experience the joy of the Sabbath by sharing it with others, and dig deep into God's Law and the meaning of the Sabbath; grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord of the Sabbath-our Savior.

We would be glad to help you with other questions as you continue your pursuit of Truth and the Sabbath. Call Richard or Shirley Nickels at the BSA mailing office-307-686-5191, E-mail: biblesabbath@comcast.net , or call the BSA President, Dr. Sidney Davis 1-847-785-0315.

Richard Nickels is Secretary [and diehard cheerleader] of the Bible Sabbath Association, as well as a regular contributor to The Sabbath Sentinel.

TSS

September - October 2000 The Sabbath Sentinel