The Sabbath was made for man

“The Sabbath was made for man”

Mark 2 v 27

The sabbath, and following on the Lord's day after Christ's resurrection, (Acts 20 v 7, 1 Corinthians 16 v 2, Revelation 1 v 10) are a blessed help for mankind. God instituted the sabbath at the end of His creation of all things (Genesis 2 v 3). God also when giving His moral law which is permanent for all time, commanded that it was a day which is to be set apart unto God (Exodus 20 v 8). To say that this command of God isn't binding today would mean that is true for the other commandments in the 10 commandments.

God continually in His word makes clear His displeasure when people disobey this commandment. On the one hand God makes clear the importance of its observance, and on the other that it's not a day for ordinary unnecessary work or pleasures but a day for worship, works of necessity and acts of mercy (Deuteronomy 5 v 12-14, Isaiah 58 v 13,14, John 7 v 23,24).

In life, the things of this life often take over to the neglect of spiritual things which Jesus makes clear is a big mistake (Matthew 16 v 26, Luke 12 v 15). God has given us one day in seven to turn aside from the things of the world to be set apart unto God. It's not that God says set apart two hours of the day for me but the whole day. We should never forget that spiritually we will not thrive if we don't properly use the Lord's day. It should be set apart unto God because God commands it, but all God's commands are for our good and it is commanded by God because He knows we spiritually need it!