Seventh Day Adventist and working on Sabbath???

Nurses Spirituality

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I was curious, I am a Seventh-Day Adventist and am struggling with the concept of working on Sabbath when your job, whether it be being a cop, firefighter, or someone else who is saving a life. The Bible is not always black and white and even though the Ten Commandments DO say to rest on the seventh day from all your labors, there are other instances in the Bible where helping others during time of rest are the right thing to do. What about those Nicu babies??? What about those who need constant care??? I would like input from a spiritual standpoint on how you all respect your Sabbaths and do it as a nurse.

Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
Well you can lose the legalistic approach or go live in a convant. God looks at the heart and is more interested in a personal intimate relationship with you....than if you keep rituals....our works are as filthy rags. Only by the blood and accepting Christ are we put in right standing. I am not meaning to be rude or disrespectful as I too live for Christ. I hope you find peace over your concerns.

So now you know what is in god's mind?

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Yes I have the mind of Christ. I can do all things thru Him who strengthens me.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

This is a reminder that this thread is about working on the Sabbath according to the OP beliefs and religion which is posted in the Nursing and Spirituality forum. Lets stick to topic.

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HappyWife,

Im not at all feeling the least disrespected. Sometimes all you can say is something that in simple text can appear blunt and/or rude. I agree with you. I am to this day not following the Sabbath observance how I know I should be. I am trying to become better and owe everything I have to God. I promised God in many prayers that I would change if He got me far enough to make it into my program, which by the way, I just got accepted into this past week. I feel so blessed and it is time that I take responsibility for my interest in loving God and teaching my son about Him. Thank you for your honesty. If I can't handle what people have to say, then I clearly wouldn't make it in this world lol. God Bless you.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Years ago I worked for a SDA hospital with many co-workers who were practicing SDA, the church was also on campus.

We were required to work every other weekend. Even those who practice SDA. The mission of the hospital was healing those through the power of JC. So they were open on Saturdays. I remember working in the ED and the chaplains didn't want football games on in the waiting room on Saturdays....one of the more devote SDA employees fought that rule....better try and keep people occupied in the waiting room with football during playoffs than to enforce the SDA beliefs on others.

Here's a thought, pastors are technically "working" when they preach on Saturdays, but they are doing the Lords work. The same could be said for nursing. Caring for the sick and injured, which should be permissible on the Sabbath.

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Years ago I worked for a SDA hospital with many co-workers who were practicing SDA, the church was also on campus.

We were required to work every other weekend. Even those who practice SDA. The mission of the hospital was healing those through the power of JC. So they were open on Saturdays. I remember working in the ED and the chaplains didn't want football games on in the waiting room on Saturdays....one of the more devote SDA employees fought that rule....better try and keep people occupied in the waiting room with football during playoffs than to enforce the SDA beliefs on others.

Here's a thought, pastors are technically "working" when they preach on Saturdays, but they are doing the Lords work. The same could be said for nursing. Caring for the sick and injured, which should be permissible on the Sabbath.

Hello,

this is something else that confuses me a tad bit; I have done CNA training in the past and they told me in training that were are prohibited from speaking or expressing religious backgrounds from our standpoint. How does that work in an Adventist Hospital?

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
Yes I have the mind of Christ. I can do all things thru Him who strengthens me.

Ooooookayyyyyyyy walking away now....back on topic, to the OP, think about it, there are Seventh Day Adventist Hospitals, who do you think works there on the Sabbath?

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

I am sure you have many blessings in store for even seeking and wanting to please the Lord.

God is good. God bless.

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Ooooookayyyyyyyy walking away now....back on topic, to the OP, think about it, there are Seventh Day Adventist Hospitals, who do you think works there on the Sabbath?

Hello,

That is the part that is obvious, but I am still trying to make an effort to know with my heart how to do the right thing. Some things are just so foggy so getting input and opinions from what others do helps broaden my mind and help me to make this decision now that Nursing school is a reality for me.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I don't think the Bible is really that clear that not working on the sabbath is an absolute. After all, it was Jesus who argued it's a silly rule in Luke 13 and 14, one of a few places in the Bible where the Sabbath rule is questioned:

14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satanhas kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”

And;

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. 2 There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.

5 Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child[c] or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” 6 And they had nothing to say.

Jesus himself certainly seemed to argue that there was a place for work on the sabbath, particularly if it involved healing.

It's a very personal choice as to how literally you take the words of the Bible, which you must remember are almost entirely the words of man and are therefore not infallible.

You strike me as someone who as probably never stoned anyone to death, yet it's very unlikely you've never come across a situation in your life where the bible compelled you to stone someone to death. Maybe as it turns out you do actually follow the lessons of the bible more than the specific words?

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
I am sure you have many blessings in store for even seeking and wanting to please the Lord. God is good. God bless.

I agree, we all better do what god says or:

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”

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Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.
I am sure you have many blessings in store for even seeking and wanting to please the Lord. God is good. God bless.

I agree, we all better please The Lord or else... I'll let The Lord explain:

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”

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