n “Te Sabbath is designed to turn men’s minds toward


the true God and Jesus Christ as the agent in creation and in redemption” (p. 27). In his book Te Saviour of the World, Prescott affirmed: “Te


gospel of the Sabbath is therefore the good news that Jehovah has ‘wrought all our works for us’ (Isa. 26:12) by virtue of the new creation, and that the observance of the original Sabbath is our confession that we are saved by the work of another rather than by our own work. Tis is our constant testimony to the saving power of Christ.”1 In remarks made at the 1893 General Conference Session,


he declared: “Te Sabbath is not founded on the idea that men must stop work or [else] they will wear out. Tat isn’t the Sabbath idea. Te Sabbath is a spiritual institution, and not a physical institution.”2 For all who were claiming the Sabbath as the Seal of God,


Prescott warned, “Only in so far as Christ is seen in the Sabbath is the Sabbath a seal.”3


Beyond Merely Following Rules Other Adventist writers, who looked to the fourth commandment for meaning rather than unthinking observance, tended to stress the experiential aspects of Sabbath keeping but certainly agreed


that it was about more than just following the rules. n A.T. Jones: “Te Sabbath of the Lord is a merciful, and not a


sacrificial, institution; and that whatever contravenes mercy on the Sabbath, and tends to make the Sabbath a burden instead of a joy, a yoke instead of a delight, is contrary to the intent of the Sabbath, and is a violation of the commandment instead of an observance of it, and is the breaking of the Sabbath rather than


the keeping of it.”4 n E.J. Waggoner: “Terefore as the cross of Christ brings joy


and celebration, so the cross of the Sabbath is not a cross hard to be endured, but a cross that liſts up and saves.”5 n R.C. Porter: “Te Sabbath is love; for it has in it the name of


God, and it points to the Creator whose love is felt throughout the universe.”6 n Ellen White: “Te Sabbath is a sign of creative and


redeeming power; it points to God as the source of life and knowledge; it recalls man’s primeval glory, and thus witnesses to God’s purpose to re-create us in His own image.”7 n Ellen White: “When the mind is absorbed with tiresome


rites, the purpose of the Sabbath is defeated. Just observing it outwardly is a mockery.”8 n Le Roy Froom: “Seventh-day Adventists do not rely upon


their Sabbathkeeping as a means of salvation or of winning merit before God. We are saved by grace alone. Hence our Sabbath


observance, as also our loyalty to every other command of God, is an expression of our love for our Creator and Redeemer.”9


Salvation As a faith community, Adventists have long struggled with the concept of whether salvation is rule-dependent.10


It is not my


purpose here to debate this, but simply to reflect that observance of rules does not equate to God’s salvation. As Paul so clearly states, “a person is not justified by the works of the law” (Gal. 2:16, NIV) and “no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law” (Rom. 3:20, NIV). Christian recognition of doing good is important, but it is not the mechanism.


How do we fall into the same kind of trap? By thinking that such requirements—weekly church attendance, tithe paying, avoiding unclean foods, or whatever—are what God demands.


So, “why then the law?” (Gal. 3:19, RSV). To this question, Paul


responds, “It was added because of transgressions.” Te whole point of the law is to reveal what sin really is and to help us see our tragic, fatal situation. It cannot save and heal us, but it points to the One who can. A powerful example of how easy it is for humans to completely


miss the point is that God in the Old Testament gave the Israelites an extensive set of laws and regulations, particularly in the sanctuary services. But by the time of Isaiah, observance of the rules had become mechanistic, actions without thought: “‘Te multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?’ says the Lord.


‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals;


I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.


When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?


Stop bringing meaningless offerings! WWW .A T OD A Y . OR G 11


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