Is it a sin to work on Sundays?  I think it may be Saturdays that are the 7th day of the week.  I am thinking that this is an older requirement before Jesus, but I am not sure.  As always, thanks for the help, and I hope you all are doing well!  God Bless!

Sincerely,
Hard Worker

Dear Hard Worker,

You are thinking of Saturdays, and it is an older requirement.  The Jews were not allowed to work on the Sabbath (Ex 20:10).  This rule was so strict that a man was once stoned for collecting firewood on Saturday (Num 15:32-36).  However, this was a Jewish command, not a Christian one.  In the New Testament, we are not required to keep the Sabbath holy (Col 2:16).  Christians do not have a particular day that they must abstain from work.  It is important that the church congregate on Sundays to take the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), worship, and take up a collection (1 Cor 16:1-2).  We are warned against forsaking the assembly (Heb 10:24-25), but that doesn’t mean that it is a sin for christians to work on Sunday.  Sunday is the Lord's day (Rev 1:10), a day dedicated to worship, but it isn't necessary to forgo all physical labor.

I am not very religious.  I'm a science major, and my mind tends to go with science over religion.  But I enjoy church and the community and family feeling it gives.  I love choir and have been singing forever and would like to sing for a church.  I love how church helps people and makes it easier to get involved.  The problem is that I do not enjoy the sermon part of going to church.  Are there churches out there that have all the qualities I want without the long, drawn-out sermon that I cannot get my head into?  A place that is, essentially, church with all things (God included) but without so much pressure to believe in one thing?  A place where I can still believe in God but let it be okay that I am very skeptical?  I go once in a while but can't continue because I very much dislike the sermon.  I don't like the praying or the feeling that I have to join in.  What should I do?

Sincerely,
Quasi-Christian

Dear Quasi-Christian,

You should decide whether you are going to believe in God or not.  You state that you want to go somewhere where you can “believe in God but let it be okay that I am very skeptical.”  That is a self-contradicting statement.  It is akin to saying, “I’d like to be hot… but still cold” (which in the end, makes you lukewarm – Rev 3:16).  It is unfortunate that we live in a world that teaches us that religion is mostly about how it makes us feel – this is false.  Religion only has meaning when it is based upon conviction; otherwise, we might as well just join a club or other social organization.

We would challenge you that you don’t have to choose religion over science – we certainly didn’t.  The battle isn’t between God and science; it is between evolutionists and preachers.  God, His Bible, and science are in perfect harmony.  There are mountains of scientific evidence that God exists and that evolution is false.  We would highly recommend that you read the posts in our EVIDENCES category of the archives.  We would also recommend that you spend some time reading books like Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell, Case For A Creator by Lee Strobel, and Has God Spoken? by A.O. Schnabel.  We would also recommend the website www.answersingenesis.org and the movie "Expelled" by Ben Stein.  Take the time to make serious inquiry into this subject – it is the most important topic you will ever research!

The reason you don’t like the sermons is because you don’t think they apply to you.  You are skeptical that the Bible is really from God.  If the Bible isn’t from God, you shouldn’t waste your time with the church (1 Cor 15:13-14).  If the Bible is from God, you need the sermons to help mold and teach you.  If God really is, you need to become the person God intends for you to be… if not, forget the “church thing”.

I have a question regarding 1 Cor. 14:34.  Does this instruction for women pertain to the spiritual gifts of that time period, that now no longer exist, or does this scripture apply to women in today's congregations who desire to learn about God's Word?  Also, would you explain verse 1 Cor 14:36?  My Bible says: "Was it from you that the Word of God first went forth?  Or has it come to you only?"  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Corinthian Questioner

Dear Corinthian Questioner,

1 Cor 14:34 deals with the spiritual gifts of that time period – as well as all confusion in the public assembly (1 Cor 14:33).  In the public worship service (this does not include private home studies, children’s classes, etc.), women are to “keep silent”.  This refers specifically to speaking out in an authoritative way – such as leading prayer or preaching a sermon.  God specifically designated men to fulfill that role in the church assembly (1 Tim 2:11-12).  This isn’t politically correct, but it is what the Bible says on the subject.

As for 1 Cor 14:36, Paul is reminding the Corinthians that they need to heed these teachings because they had received the message of Christ – they hadn’t created that message.  Paul was reminding them to obey God’s message, not their own personal preferences (1 Cor 14:37).  There are times when God tells us to do things that we disagree with; that is when we have a choice – will we trust ourselves or will we trust our Maker?  We can either mold our lives to match the pattern our Creator has given us… or we can disregard His teachings and remain ignorant (1 Cor 14:38).

I've heard people say that they don’t take communion because they are still living too worldly, and they either don’t come to church on Sunday… or if they do, they leave before communion is served because they don’t want to cause damnation upon themselves.  When we partake of the Lord's Supper, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes.  I guess my question is: should a person partake even if they know they are still living worldly, engaging in things that are ungodly, but have the understanding of the Lord’s Supper?  I'll be waiting for your response as this is a question, believe it or not, that many are struggling with today.

Sincerely,
In Remembrance

Dear In Remembrance,

The answer is in 1 Cor 11:27-30.  When people take the Lord’s Supper while actively living ungodly lifestyles – they only make things worse.  Paul specifically said that people who do this put themselves into a spiritual coma which eventually leads to spiritual death (1 Cor 11:30) because they pretend to be godly but are not.

The answer isn’t to never take the Lord’s Supper – it is to stop living unfaithfully.  Everyone sins (Rom 3:23), but when we are actively pursuing a lifestyle of sin, it is like we are crucifying Christ all over again (Heb 6:6).  If someone knows the importance of the Lord’s Supper but fails to repent of their old and ungodly ways, they are only making things worse by taking the Lord’s Supper.

What does God's Word say about a woman preaching in the church?

Sincerely,
Chatty Cathy

Dear Chatty Cathy,

It says she can’t do it.  1 Cor 14:34-35 makes it clear that women are not supposed to be in leadership positions during the church assembly.  Women have a zillion different roles within the church, but leading the public assembly isn’t one of them.  Men have the responsibility of preaching, teaching, and leading the worship services (1 Tim 2:12).  In today’s politically correct atmosphere, this can be hard for some to swallow, but as Paul said, “We have no other custom” on this topic (1 Cor 11:16).  There is simply no Biblical precedence for women preachers.