Shorter Catechism Q. 62. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment? A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath day.
Commentary: There are several reasons to keep the fourth commandment. WSC 62 mentions four of them. First, God gives us most of the week (six days out of seven) “for our own employments.” He is not asking too much of us to set aside one day for rest and worship.
Second, there is a “special propriety in the seventh.” It “is a Sabbath to the LORD your God (Ex. 20:10).” The day, therefore, is not ours like the other six because God has set it apart for special purposes. Consequently, we honor God when we use his day properly.
Third, we are to imitate God with the use of our time. God created all things in six days and rested on the seventh day (Ex. 20:11). And he calls us to follow suit by working on six days: “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work (Ex. 20:9);” and by resting from our work on the seventh day: “on it you shall not do any work Ex. 20:10).”
Fourth, the day is a special day. “Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Ex. 20:11).” God has set this day apart for our good and has ordained it “to be a means of blessing to us in our sanctifying it (WLC 120).”