The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum The importance of going to church

I would hardly conclude that Engelsma's article is "full of opinion, assumption, and downright additions". But be that as it may, this response is anything but a rebuttal. Simply writing something off as you have doesn't make the case in your behalf.

In the section, "Biblical Proof" Engelsma bases his view on the perpetuity of the Fourth Commandment. Now, to disprove his contention, you are going to have to exegetically show how hermeneutically one can extricate the Fourth Commandment from the other nine; no mean task I assure you and one which no one has successfully done as of yet. Perhaps you are up to the challenge?

There are two other resources which IF you are truly interested in studying the doctrine of the Sabbath will surely be of some help. One is a series written by Jonathan Edwards who has been acclaimed as the "greatest American theologian who has ever lived" (quite an accolade to be sure and one I believe as well as countless others he has earned).

See that 3-part series here: The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath.

The second resource is a book written by another recognized theologian who is yet living amongst us; Drs. Francis Nigel Lee. This is the most thorough study on the Sabbath that has ever been written. Surely, if one is to seriously consider this subject this book is indispensable.

The book can be found here: The Covenantal Sabbath

Ah yes, there are more resources available to you in your study:

- The Foundations of the Sabbath in the Word of God, by B.B. Warfield

- The Fourth Commandment:According to the Westminster Standards, by prof. John Murray

- The Sabbath Question, by James MacGregor [Series]

- The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath, by James Dennison

So, you can see that this matter of the Sabbath isn't something that the Church has ignored. Over the centuries this issue has arisen and such men as those above along with myriad more have considered the subject, studied the Scriptures and brought forth their findings. I would be more than remiss to not mention the fact that the Holy Spirit dwelt in these men no less than you would claim. The difference, however, is that all of these men were recognized for possessing particular gifts in the knowledge and wisdom of the inspired written Word. They are a formidable group, to say the least, which one needs to deal with and not simply dismiss as being "off the mark". I for one, and I will presume to say with some measure of confidence, that most others here, look forward to your arguments against the above references.

In His grace,