THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Eleven
This is Part 11 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ*

Sunday has become a holiday instead of a holy day. I recall as a child (and I’m really not that old) that stores were not open on Sunday. Perhaps they still would not be if Christians didn’t shop there on the Lord’s Day. You might not think that is a big deal, but I do every time I invite someone to church and they answer, “I’d love to, but I’ve got to work.”

We are not trying to be legalistic here. Sunday is not the Sabbath Day (despite how many times you have heard someone refer to it that way). The Jewish Sabbath was Saturday—always has been—and Scripture hasn’t changed. So, if you want to mix law with grace (something Paul got quite hot about—see Galatians) then become a Seventh Day Adventist. The fact is that we are no longer under the law, but under grace. That means I can enjoy a ham sandwich and worship on Sunday, among other things.

But even though we are not under bondage to the precepts of the law, we are to submit to the principles of the Word. The day we worship corporately is not the crucial issue; but that we do set aside a day for rest from our work and devotion to the Lord is an unchangeable principle.

When the legalists of Christ’s day tried to put Him in a Sabbatical straightjacket, Christ taught that man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man. The principle established was for our benefit and not our burden.

The first Christians met every day for worship, including the Sabbath. Gradually, however, the first day of the week came to prominence for that was the day Christ emerged from the tomb, victorious over death, hell and the grave. That means Sunday is the Lord’s Day—a day of celebrating His resurrection and worshipping the risen Lord.

What should we do on Sunday? Only that which would honor the Lord! Come to think of it, that would be a good practice every day! See you at the Lord’s House this Lord’s Day!

* Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10. (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)

NOW, FOR SOME SOBERING NEWS

I just read this post on the internet that I believed was too important to let pass by. Read it and weep. No--do more than weep--repent!

By Charley Adams Posted: 03/04/2007
The Atheists are Winning
Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary, hosts a daily radio show. He always begins the show with commentary on current events. On 23 Jan 07, he discussed what a couple of secular people had written about Richard Dawkins' book, The God Delusion. One of those people is confirmed atheist Dr. Steven Weinberg, Nobel Laureate and professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Texas. He writes a critique of Dawkins' book in the The Times of London, stating the book didn't need to be written. Why not? ...because the atheists are already winning. The rationale he uses is that "Americans may look religious, may look like they believe in God, but when you actually peel back the surface and start to scratch underneath, you'll discover they don't know much about any belief in God." He also states, "Americans may claim to be Christians, but they have virtually no idea of what Christianity really is. Although most Americans may be sure of the value of religion, as far as I can tell, they're not very certain about the truth of what their own religion teaches." Mohler asks a question of himself, "What's my response to that?" His answer? "All too true."
As a dad, this is incredibly frightening in its implications, both for the world my children will enter as well as for their own souls. It is especially so since it is an observation from someone "outside the camp."
We have a "Christian" society (hey...some huge percentage identifies themselves that way) that is functionally atheist. They don't know Christian doctrine. They don't read their Bibles. They don't evangelize the lost. They don't live lives conformed to the commands of Scripture. They have a societally-based Christianity that adds the Christian faith to their secular world as one more separate piece. There are no absolutes. Multiculturalism and "diversity" reign in everything from schools to work to the marketplace. Absolute truth is nonexistent. Emotions and feelings rule the day, with a therapeutic worldview governing all our problems. Abortion...no problem. Divorce...hey, I have a right to be happy! Fornication...oh, that's such a judgmental word! Sodomy...it's only another kind of love! Exalting motherhood...that's SO patriarchal! Women in the military and dying on the battlefield...hey, there's no difference! And on and on. Sadly, many of these ideas and thoughts are present even in most evangelical circles.
This is the world into which our children will go...one where the only acceptable intolerance is toward a Bible-believing Christian, which is what we are hoping our children will be. Will they be ready for the onslaught? Will they be able to stand? Will they be a faithful witness to their Lord and Savior? Not unless they have been soundly saved and faithfully discipled before they go....
And what of their own souls? If the statistics are correct, 3 of 4 or 4 of 5 (depending on study) of our children will turn from their faith as young adults. If that happens, what good was all else that was done in childhood? The sports, the recreation, the academics, the vacations, the awards, the accolades... not an iota of any of it matters, because your child's soul is bound for hell. They MUST be discipled. You MUST be in their lives, teaching them the Word and living it before them. Your life MUST NOT show your faith as only a moral code. You MUST show them Christ in you! They MUST see a faith that is REAL, that causes you as the Dad (and the Mom) to form a family that honors and reveres the Word of God, living according to God's principles, precepts, patterns, and commands. They have to see it in action; otherwise, their finely-tuned "hypocrite detectors" will quickly see that your faith is a sham. That will set them up for any other system of thought that comes along once they are out of your home. They, too, will become a "Christian" who doesn't know Christ, and will ultimately hear those horrendous words from Jesus as they perish (see my article here on what it means to "perish"), "Depart from Me for I never knew you."
So now you're asking, "How?"
Dad....Read your Bible in consistent quiet time. Pray Bible verses for your family and for each member by name. Expect God to answer those prayers according to the promises of His Word.Apologize sincerely for not leading in devotions/worship previously. (I heard a statistic recently that Barna said less than 1 in 20 evangelical dads have ever led their family in devotions/worship!)Read the Scriptures with your children, no matter how old...even if they roll their eyes and are sullen. Start with a "practical" book...say James, for example. Discuss what God is saying, (and then live it yourself!)
Have family worship, to include prayer...and maybe singing, if possible.
Don't give up. Do it every day; over the phone if you are traveling. Make it a priority in the day. Make it a family habit that is missed by all if skipped.
Do you want to help turn back the functional atheist tide? Do you want to start to lead your family? This is the place to start....
My prayer is for myself and for all dads who read this, that we will take up this challenge for the sake of our families and for the sake of the Gospel....
Distributed by www.ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com

May God help me--may God help us all to get to work before it is too late. It's already getting very dark outside.