Seventh-day Adventists are called to preach the Sabbath truth. In case we are not sure what this means, please read the following statement from our Prophet:
The days in which we live are times that call for constant vigilance, times in which God's people should be awake to do a great work in presenting the light on the Sabbath question. They should arouse, and warn the inhabitants of the world that Christ is soon coming the second time with power and great glory. RH March 26,1908
Are we preaching a works-based gospel?
How many of us have tried to witness to our non-Adventists friends and family only for them to respond saying Adventists are preaching a works-based gospel? I don't know about you, but I find this to be one of the most frustrating interactions when witnessing to others. As a life long Adventist, I can guarantee that this is not part of our message, nor have I heard any of my Pastors preach a salvation-by-Sabbath sermon. However, as I started thinking about this idea, I began to wonder if our message is not the problem but rather the way we are conveying our message. What if people are hearing how we preach the Sabbath and that is what prompts them to suggest we are preaching salvation by works?
Now, obviously, there are a multitude of individuals who use this reasoning just as an excuse from keeping the Sabbath. However, I believe there may be some souls who truly believe that the Sabbath is a works-based doctrine simply by the way we are preaching it.
I am a member of a few Facebook groups that discuss Bible topics. In these groups I can almost always tell who the Adventists is based on their posts. Every post seems to be about keeping the Sabbath; every rebuke refers back to the Ten Commandments. While, we are called to preach the Sabbath truth, I believe we should be careful about oversaturating the gospel with Sabbath, Sabbath, and more Sabbath. Jesus said, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16. In the context of this discussion, the text is telling us that we have to be wise in preaching this message to the world. Not everyone can bear being hit over the head with this Sabbath truth day in and day out. Some people will only accept this truth simply by seeing us live the Sabbath—meaning, they will see our love for the Sabbath and how we enjoy spending this time with the Lord and that will prompt a change in them. The problem is, many of us are so cranky during Sabbath hours that it becomes a deterrent for those observing us.
Some people may accept an invitation to your church on Sabbath. Another may actually respond better by sitting down and discussing God's Word with you. What I'm saying is that there's not a one-size-fits-all way to spread the gospel; this is why we must be in tune with the Holy Spirit so that we can be led to know how to spread this truth.
So the next time you are witnessing to someone about the Sabbath, ask the Holy Spirit how you should convey this message to the individual. Sometimes, you are only there to plant the seed. God may have someone else prepared to water it and another to reap a harvest.
Ultimately, we must be in tune with God and His Word in order to be the best witnesses, but even then, they may still reject the Sabbath. But if that happens, we want to make sure they are rejecting the Sabbath because of the message...not because of the messenger.