The Adventist Practice

of Sabbath Observance
Doctrine and History of the Sabbath
Wednesday, J uly 23, 2014
Adventist International Institute of Advanced
Studies
Seventh Day Baptists were a branch of the
puritan separatism.
Both seventh day and first day sabbatarians
adopted the puritan view of the Sabbath.
The main documents of the way of Sabbath
observance in this period of the Adventism
came from Ellen White
Sabbath Influences in Adventism
How Shall We Keep the Sabbath
Testimonies for the Church,
Volume 2, 1871.
1. The Sabbath was set to rest from labor, including
business and transactions;
2. It is not allow to reflect upon things of a worldly character;
3. Sabbath is not celebrated if the person enclose within
walls, listening long sermons and tedious formal prayers
should be avoided;
4. It is a day to contemplate the goodness and glory of God;
5. To assemble is with the purpose to talk of God, of His
Word, and praying; and
6. Parents should spend time with children outdoor, not in
play, but in company
The Observance of the Sabbath,
Testimonies for the Church,
Volume 6, 1890.
1. Preparation for Sabbath should be made all through the week,
Friday is to be the special preparation day, including boots,
baths, and clothes;
2. All family members should have a special Sabbath suit;
3. The keepers of the Sabbath are to be neat and trim, though
without adornment;
4. All the cooking prepared in advance;
5. Sabbath is not for pleasure seeking;
6. All secular papers be put out of sight;
7. Employers should give their workers the hours from Friday noon
until the beginning of the Sabbath;
8. On Friday evening the family should have a sundown worship
and on Sabbath morning the family should be astir early;
The Observance of the Sabbath,
Testimonies for the Church,
Volume 6, 1990 (cont.)
9. With reference to the food, on this day should not be provided a
greater variety of it, should be simple, in order the mind may be
clear;
10. Concerning traveling on the boats or cars, she advices to plan
more carefully and make every possible effort to plan so as to
avoid reaching destination on the Sabbath;
11. The preaching on Sabbath meeting should generally be short;
12. Meetings should be more focused on prayer and testimony;
13. There should be no sleeping in the house of God;
14. Medical institutions shall stand as witnesses of God on this day;
15. Ministers should save physical and mental strength for Sabbath
in order to bring vivifying messages to their congregations; and
16. It should be the most joyful day
Coincidences
Ellen White - Puritans
Sabbath is a day of
J oy
Previous day
preparation: Cooking,
bath, boots, clothes,
Family meeting.
Rise early
Prepare hearts for
worship
Eat sparingly
Eat sparingly a simple
meal, but a treat.
Not spending
afternoon in useless
idleness, but promote
the interaction of
parents and children.
Be careful with light
and trifling
conversation.
Differences
Ellen White - Puritans
She was in favor of
heating food.
Puritans opposed
recreational walking.
Ellen White
encouraged it.
Ellen White was less
strict about traveling
in Sabbath.
SDB-SDA Comparison
Seventh Day Baptists Seventh-day Adventists
Public Worship Public Worship, Including testimonies, and
prayer.
Charities Helpthe needed
Physicians and Surgeons can assist Medical Institutions shall stand as witnesses of
God (T9, 234)
Minister may and must labor Save physical and mental strength for Sabbath
to bring vivifying messages (T6, 361)
Selected Conversations Selected Conversations
Reading Reading of the Scripture.
Meditation Meditation on God deeds and in contact with
nature.
Seventh Day Baptists Seventh-day Adventists
J ourney on Sabbath is up to
conscience
Avoid to arrive to destination on
Sabbath, plan ahead
Soldiers can work No use of armament
Not to sacrifice Sabbath in marriage Silence
No celebration of marriage on
Sabbath
Silence
Sabbath begin at sunset Sabbath begins at 6:00 PM (until
1855)
Silence Cook prepare in advance
Silence Preparation with the family,
spending special time with children
Holy Day Part of the Preaching of the three
angels messages
Sabbath is the Day of the Lord Observance will be a climatic issue
in the final controversy.
New outlooks in Adventism
In Adventism Sabbath took a new eschatological
perspective.
Seventh-day Adventists emphasized the doctrine of the
seventh-day Sabbath in a comprehensive manner, not
only focusing on the seventh-day as such, but in living
the week with Sabbath as center; the Sabbath was not
an appendix of the week, rather the hub of a sanctified
live
Due to its growth, Adventist have face new challenges
about this topic, which have allowed the development of
principles that have been set in official documents.
Official Document about Sabbath
Observance
In 1983, an ad hoc committee was formed to trace
some guidelines about Sabbath observance.
The report of this committee was voted in the
General Conference Annual Council in 1984, and
then presented in the 54
th
General Conference
Session at New Orleans the next year, but without
a vote.
The same document, slightly edited, was
eventually voted in the next 1990 Session at
Indianapolis, which is still the official declaration
about the topic.
Official Document in
http://www.adventist.org/information/official-
statements/documents/article/go/0/sabbath-observance/
The document
The document briefly presents a theological basis for
the principles involved, then gives some general
guidelines about work, recreational activities, taking
care of matters such as the cultural aspects and the
problems of health workers.
This document follows in essence the Adventist
traditional view of the Sabbath observance, but avoid
being too specific in what to do or not to do on Sabbath.
In this sense, it shows a clear difference from Puritan
antecedents, which lead to a more balanced new
approach of the topic.
Comparing Puritan, SDB and Adventist observance of Sabbath, it
is undeniable that there is many coincidences. This is due to both
theological as historical reasons.
Theologically, all of them identify Sabbath with the biblical day of
rest. Therefore, both look for biblical ordinances to keep it.
Historically, it is to say that Adventists embraced the Puritan
heritage of their times about Sabbath through SDBs.
However, Seventh-day Adventist view is slightly less strict than
puritan one.
The development of Adventism have bring it to enrich and deepen
its understanding about Sabbath observance, but now is its new
eschatological perspective about it.
Conclusions