Transcript

The Mosaic injunctions of Sabbath day observance contain many detailed do's and don'ts. This may have been necessary to teach obedience to those who had been in captivity and had long been denied individual freedom of choice. Thereafter, these Mosaic instructions were carried to many unwarranted extremes, which the Savior condemned. In that day the technicalities of Sabbath day observance outweighed the "weightier matters of the law" such as faith, charity, and the gifts of the Spirit. In our time God has recognized our intelligence by not requiring endless restrictions. Perhaps this was done with a hope that we would catch more of the spirit of Sabbath worship rather than the letter thereof. In our day, however, this pendulum of Sabbath day desecration has swung very far indeed. We stand in jeopardy of losing great blessings promised. After all, it is a test by which the Lord seeks to "prove you in all things" to see if your devotion is complete. Where is the line as to what is acceptable and unacceptable on the Sabbath? Within the guidelines, each of us must ask and answer this question for ourselves. While these guidelines are contained in the scriptures and in the words of the modern prophets, they must also be written in our hearts and governed by our conscience. Brigham Young said of the faithful, "The spirit of their religion leaks out of their hearts." It is quite unlikely that there will be any serious violation of Sabbath worship if we come humbly before the Lord and offer him all our heart, our soul, and our mind. What is worthy or unworthy on the Sabbath day will have to be judged by each of us by trying to be honest with the Lord. On the Sabbath day we should do what we have to do and what we ought to do in an attitude of worshipfulness and then limit our other activities. I wish to testify unequivocally concerning the blessings of Sabbath day worship.

Keep the Sabbath Holy

Description
(Mark 2:27–28) President Faust about the importance of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. An excerpt from “The Lord’s Day,” Ensign, Nov. 1991.
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