Pastors wife works on Sunday

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

Some excellent material from the great theologian Johnathan Edwards on the importance of sabbath:
The Perpetuity And Change Of The Sabbath -- Jonathan Edwards

Some excerpts:

• "It is the mind and will of God that the first day of the week should be especially set apart among Christians for religious exercises and duties."
• "If men take it only upon trust, and keep the first day of the week because their parents taught them so, or because they see others do it, they will never be likely to keep it so conscientiously and strictly, as if they had been convinced by seeing for themselves that there are good grounds in the Word of God for their practice. Unless they do see thus for themselves, whenever they are negligent in sanctifying the Sabbath or are guilty of profaning it, their consciences will not have that advantage to smite them for it, as otherwise they would. — And those who have a sincere desire to obey God in all things, will keep the Sabbath more carefully and more cheerfully, if they have seen and been convinced that therein they do what is according to the will and command of God, and what is acceptable to him. [They] will also have a great deal more comfort in the reflection upon their having carefully and painfully kept the Sabbath."

Some additional excellent learning material from the London Baptist Confession of 1689:
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith (with Modern Features)

Excerpt:
"he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day: and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished."

 

[DaveXR650]

However, we would regularly have guest preachers come through and lambast persons who “worked on Sunday” from the pulpit, claiming God’s authority for doing so. The result was embittered church members who didn’t have much respect for out-of-touch preachers who were working on Sundays themselves.

This used to really bug my wife who waited tables while going to college. Especially when, literally, sometimes those very preachers would go out to eat after the service! I'm not saying that there is not a possibility that the preachers wife above may have a spiritual aspect involved in her particular case but it still wouldn't be for me to bring it up as a member. But I can tell you, when you all go out to eat after church on Sunday the girls (and guys too) waiting on you are not doing that for self fulfillment.

 

[Silverhair]

Of course I'm all for Church Discipline. The Bible tells us to actively practice it for sanctification and to restore brothers and sisters back into fellowship who have fallen into sin. What Christian wouldn't be for Church Discipline?


I hope so. If I ever got to a place where I was skipping Sunday Worship on the Lord's Day I hope my congregation cares enough about me, and my Christian growth to discipline me and bring me back into the fold just like Jesus with the lost lamb.


Yes, police, fire, ems, farmers and more always have a chore load on Sunday. And sometimes emergencies happen, however, I'm certain God is not trying to apply this verse to working Construction on the Lord's Day and skipping worship service to make a buck. That would be a tall theological argument to make.

Well since she has to work on two Sundays a month then I would venture a guess she is not in construction but rather works at a hospital or some such. I can remember when I was much younger that I had to work every Sunday as I did not have enough seniority to bid for a butter run. But some of us have to work for a living so we can support our families and we have to deal with what we are dealt at the job.

 

[Salty]

. ... But I can tell you, when you all go out to eat after church on Sunday the girls (and guys too) waiting on you are not doing that for self fulfillment.

So not to hijack - new discussion here:

 

[DaveXR650]

Some excellent material from the great theologian Johnathan Edwards on the importance of sabbath:
The Perpetuity And Change Of The Sabbath -- Jonathan Edwards

I'm the last guy on this board to go against Jonathan Edwards but I would be careful unless you understand how powerless and out of control of their schedule most workers are compared to preachers and farmers. I agree with some of your points and I myself try to keep Sunday separated in some ways still. But I was affected by the Sunday Blue Laws mentioned above too and have watched parents constantly being pushed to do more sports and music and everything else with their kids on Sunday. In addition, many churches now change times or even cancel for the Super Bowl or even Christmas like this year. So they don't keep it either. I applaud you for fighting to honor Sunday, just give grace to others also. Speaking of pastors wives, I really do know of one Pastors wife who started working and sometimes on Sunday, to give the church a break because her pastor husband had extremely poor health and her working gave them access to commercial health insurance which saved the church a lot. And yes, she still got some criticism.

 

[Silverhair]

I have known people that were in church every Sunday like clockwork and yet the other six days you could not tell they had a Christian bone in their body. If you are going to judge by attendance on a certain day then you have missed much of the bible. God looks at the heart not your speech or even your being at the correct meeting.
Any group of elders or person that would discipline someone for having to work on Sunday really need to take a serious look in the mirror and at Christ.

 

[Silverhair]

I'm the last guy on this board to go against Jonathan Edwards but I would be careful unless you understand how powerless and out of control of their schedule most workers are compared to preachers and farmers. I agree with some of your points and I myself try to keep Sunday separated in some ways still. But I was affected by the Sunday Blue Laws mentioned above too and have watched parents constantly being pushed to do more sports and music and everything else with their kids on Sunday. In addition, many churches now change times or even cancel for the Super Bowl or even Christmas like this year. So they don't keep it either. I applaud you for fighting to honor Sunday, just give grace to others also. Speaking of pastors wives, I really do know of one Pastors wife who started working and sometimes on Sunday, to give the church a break because her pastor husband had extremely poor health and her working gave them access to commercial health insurance which saved the church a lot. And yes, she still got some criticism.

Dave you mentioned "Sunday blue laws" not familiar with the term. Here in Canada we had Sunday Laws but that meant that everything had to be closed. But now with our progressive liberal government it seems nothing is out of bounds.

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

Well since she has to work on two Sundays a month then I would venture a guess she is not in construction but rather works at a hospital or some such. I can remember when I was much younger that I had to work every Sunday as I did not have enough seniority to bid for a butter run. But some of us have to work for a living so we can support our families and we have to deal with what we are dealt at the job.

There is an excellent quote from S. Truett Cathy (Founder of Chick-Fil-A) on this subject:
"Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and directing our attention to things more important than our business. If it took seven days to make a living with a restaurant, then we needed to be in some other line of work. Through the years, I have never wavered from that position."
- S. Truett Cathy

 

[DaveXR650]

Dave you mentioned "Sunday blue laws" not familiar with the term. Here in Canada we had Sunday Laws but that meant that everything had to be closed. But now with our progressive liberal government it seems nothing is out of bounds.

If I remember right that's what they were here too. I was in pharmacy and what happened was that most retailers had to be closed. But pharmacies were allowed to be open in case someone really needed medicine. So some big stores got the idea that if you put a pharmacy in your K-Mart or Kroger the whole thing could stay open. Soon they were repealed and everything is open.

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

I'm the last guy on this board to go against Jonathan Edwards but I would be careful unless you understand how powerless and out of control of their schedule most workers are compared to preachers and farmers. I agree with some of your points and I myself try to keep Sunday separated in some ways still. But I was affected by the Sunday Blue Laws mentioned above too and have watched parents constantly being pushed to do more sports and music and everything else with their kids on Sunday. In addition, many churches now change times or even cancel for the Super Bowl or even Christmas like this year. So they don't keep it either. I applaud you for fighting to honor Sunday, just give grace to others also. Speaking of pastors wives, I really do know of one Pastors wife who started working and sometimes on Sunday, to give the church a break because her pastor husband had extremely poor health and her working gave them access to commercial health insurance which saved the church a lot. And yes, she still got some criticism.

I agree that society has changed since the Blue Laws, some Blue Laws are still in effect in my state of NC. With all due respect though, a changing society is not an excuse to miss worship service.

In fact, if we look at the Old Testament the Sabbath Commandment is one of the most exhaustively defined commandments. It talks about guests in your house, servants you hire, etc. It's extremely exhaustive and covers just about every loophole a person could think about. I choose to believe that God purposefully wrote it that way and is saying something.

I would be fine with the Pastor's Wife working in the case you gave as I think that falls into the "works of mercy" and "works of necessity" that Jesus said are exceptions to the Sabbath. I sometimes have to run EMS calls and Fire calls on Sunday and from time to time miss service because I'm stopping fires or treating injury, but I don't make sales or do business with my LLC. If a Pastor's wife (or anybody) is working on a Sunday they need to take a long, hard look at if they truly need to, and what their motivations are, because God certainly will be looking.

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

Dave you mentioned "Sunday blue laws" not familiar with the term. Here in Canada we had Sunday Laws but that meant that everything had to be closed. But now with our progressive liberal government it seems nothing is out of bounds.

Some other examples from Modern Day NC:
-Hunting on public land is banned in NC on Sundays from morning until Noon.
-Alcohol sales are only allowed at certain hours during the week, and on Sundays

Blue laws in the United States - Wikipedia

It's also blanket illegal in my county to sell alcohol UNLESS you're in 2 of our 3 towns "city" limits that have more lax laws. Even these "lax" towns ban alcohol sales on Sundays and at certain times.

1 town (the one near me, Pop 130) entirely bans alcohol sales at all times and on all days.

 

[Salty]

Dave you mentioned "Sunday blue laws" not familiar with the term. Here in Canada we had Sunday Laws but that meant that everything had to be closed. But now with our progressive liberal government it seems nothing is out of bounds.

Blue Laws did mean some stores had to be closed - other laws included that certain items could not be sold.
When I first got to Texas (1977) they still had some blue laws. In one dept store about 1/3 of the items were roped off because they could not be sold on Sunday. Some items - it depended -- ie - Cloth diapers could not be sold, but disposable diapers could be sold!
This should give some additional info

 

[DaveXR650]

I agree that society has changed since the Blue Laws, some Blue Laws are still in effect in my state of NC. With all due respect though, a changing society is not an excuse to miss worship service.

You are correct. Church teachings vary as to whether that applies today. I don't know enough to comment on that but I agree that attending church on Sunday should be a very high priority. I am old fashioned enough that I attended my first pro football game this year on a Sunday. Missed church, and felt guilty the whole time. And my team lost. (But the tickets were free so I guess I was showing love by going).

 

[Salty]

In addition, many churches now change times or even cancel for the Super Bowl or even Christmas like this year..

To avoid yet another hijack
Lets talk about Super Bowl Sunday at this thread!

 

[Silverhair]

There is an excellent quote from S. Truett Cathy (Founder of Chick-Fil-A) on this subject:
"Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and directing our attention to things more important than our business. If it took seven days to make a living with a restaurant, then we needed to be in some other line of work. Through the years, I have never wavered from that position."
- S. Truett Cathy

But I notice that he owned the business. I agree that if you do not have to you should not but if you have to then you have to. God does expect us to provide for our families.

 

[Deacon]

Early in life I worked as a hospital nurse.
Every other weekend was the norm.
Also when I worked nights I wouldn’t attend services, (my wife got fed up with nudging me awake during the sermon).
I would leave group meeting during the week early so I could get rest before leaving for night shift hours.

The profession of the pastor’s wife was not mentioned but if anyone came to me with the idea of disciplining me for missing services regularly, I would have chosen not to attend at all and gone somewhere else.

Doubling the pastors salary probably wouldn’t have matched the income of the wife or the satisfaction that comes with a fulfilling profession.

Match her salary and pay her to attend services if it is so important.

Rob

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Some excellent material from the great theologian Johnathan Edwards on the importance of sabbath:
The Perpetuity And Change Of The Sabbath -- Jonathan Edwards

Some excerpts:

• "It is the mind and will of God that the first day of the week should be especially set apart among Christians for religious exercises and duties."
• "If men take it only upon trust, and keep the first day of the week because their parents taught them so, or because they see others do it, they will never be likely to keep it so conscientiously and strictly, as if they had been convinced by seeing for themselves that there are good grounds in the Word of God for their practice. Unless they do see thus for themselves, whenever they are negligent in sanctifying the Sabbath or are guilty of profaning it, their consciences will not have that advantage to smite them for it, as otherwise they would. — And those who have a sincere desire to obey God in all things, will keep the Sabbath more carefully and more cheerfully, if they have seen and been convinced that therein they do what is according to the will and command of God, and what is acceptable to him. [They] will also have a great deal more comfort in the reflection upon their having carefully and painfully kept the Sabbath."

Some additional excellent learning material from the London Baptist Confession of 1689:
The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith (with Modern Features)

Excerpt:
"he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day: and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished."

The sabbath is Saturday not Sunday. and it was given for a day of rest. DO you rest on Saturday?

 

[Eternally Grateful]

I have known people that were in church every Sunday like clockwork and yet the other six days you could not tell they had a Christian bone in their body. If you are going to judge by attendance on a certain day then you have missed much of the bible. God looks at the heart not your speech or even your being at the correct meeting.
Any group of elders or person that would discipline someone for having to work on Sunday really need to take a serious look in the mirror and at Christ.

its interesting. Acts shows that the early church met often. not on Sundays, they probably met all during the week at their individual home churches.

this sunday sabbath thing is just another legalistic thing to try to get people to conform.

 

[robycop3]

Many plant operations are 24/7. Same with other industries. God knows whether or not one is required to work on a worship day or not.

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

The sabbath is Saturday not Sunday. and it was given for a day of rest. DO you rest on Saturday?

Of course I don't rest on a Saturday. I'm not Jewish.

Jews have a Sabbath on the 7th day of the week (Saturday) because they don't believe that Christ rose the following day (SUNDAY, 1st day of the week) so they continue to hold to the old sabbath.

As a Christian I happen to believe that Christ DID rise the following day, which is SUNDAY, which means that my sabbath as a Christian is on the day that my Lord rose from the grave. That's why Paul is breaking bread with the Church in Acts 20:7 on a SUNDAY.

You can pretend the Sabbath is on Saturday just like the 7th day adventists I suppose, but that's sort of a slap in the face to Jesus who rose on a Sunday.