Christians in Uganda do not keep Sunday holy: who is responsible?

trueBy Dr. Okoth Josue

In the Old Testament (Exodus 20:8-10) God ordered the Israelis to “observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me…..In six days  I, the Lord made the earth….and every thing in them, but on the seventh day I rested…”.

This is known as the Third Commandment of God. He told the Israelis to keep it as an everlasting covenant.    In Deuteronomy 5:15, God added, “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and I, the Lord your God, rescued you by my great power and strength. That is why I command you to observe Sabbath”. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad”.

This piece of Scripture recalls Creation and the Lord’s Day as memorial of Israel’s liberation from bondage in Egypt.  I the New Testament Jesus said in Mark 2:27-28 “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath”.

The day of the Resurrection, “the first day of the week” (Mk 16:2) symbolizes the new Creation. For Christians it has become the first of all days, the Lord’s Day. Christ’s death and Resurrection now becomes New and Everlasting Covenant (Mk 14:24).

The practice of Christian assembly dates from the beginning of the apostolic age. “With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great favour was accorded them all (Acts 4:33). They would meet for the “breaking of the bread” (Acts 2:42). Today the precept of participating in the “breaking of bread” is by attending Sunday service and it is a day of obligation for Christians. Those who deliberately fail to attend Sunday Service of Mass commit a grave sin. It is a day of solemn rest, holy to the Lord.

Sabbath is to the Jewish religion (Judaism) as Sunday is to the Christian religion: these are two different religions. Jesus referred to the fulfillment of Old Covenant, “Amen, I say to you…..  not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the Law, until all things have taken place” (Mt 5:18). What things? He was referring to the final perfection and renewal of the same Law which was completed in the Resurrection. St. Paul said,“And If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty ,too, your faith”( 1Cor 15:14)

It is unfortunate that Sunday is not listed among public holidays in Uganda, according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A public holiday is a day set up by Government to be a non-working day. It is generally intended for celebrations to mark the important occasion.

Sunday is a day of grace and rest from work. God Himself “rested on the seventh day from His work; human life too has a rhythm of work and rest. The Institution of Sunday helps everyone enjoy and gives adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social and religious lives.

As Christians we are expected to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social services can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. Jesus healed on Sabbath (Mt 12:9-14; Jn 5:7-9) and he said “the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Mt 12:8).

Government and other stakeholders should endeavor to avoid making unnecessary demands on employees that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. They should give everyone a public example of prayer, respect and joy, and defend Christian tradition as a precious contribution to the spiritual life of society.

Christians need to be protected by Government from scrupulous investors who want maximum from their employees. They should respect religious liberty and to take Christian holy days as legal holidays. Poor Christians are given ultimatum to either work or stand the risk of losing the job which they badly need. Although they are given extra pay, I thing it is wrong: both the employer and the employee sin against this Commandment but the employer gets more strokes of the cane.  It is common to find road construction, among others being carried out on Sundays.

We need to speak openly about this; this is a Christian country with over 80 per cent adherents.  We need protection from greedy investors: concealing or denying is like allowing a would to keep bleeding without bandaging it. Eliminating God from society means there is no ultimate authority.

Today Sunday has become a working day. Christians hurry from Churches to go and open up shops, etc. Government that should give the lead in this matter has their programmes on Sundays!  In most European countries only corner shops open on Sundays and these are the countries we took our Christian culture from.  Although Uganda is a Christian country, there is not much to show; faith is reducing.

When a sin is repeatedly committed, the mind, with the aid of the devil, begins to wonder whether in fact it is a sin. Slowly this grows in the mind, and then the heart becomes the workshop of the devil to convince you that indeed your mind and heart are correct – it is not a sin.

This is a dangerous phenomenon; it spreads into the community, society and grows into the situation we have now in Uganda: we see senseless justified murders, rapes, witchcraft practices, corruption, etc. For example people steal Government money, use the money in lavish weddings, and with clear conscious move on as if nothing has happened.  The state must avail enabling laws and environment for the citizens to keep God’s Commandment.

The writer is a concerned citizen