“Why aren’t you coming to the game Friday night?” your friends ask.

How do you respond? Think about it for a moment.

The Sabbath, which pictures the millennial rest in the coming Kingdom of God, is often referred to as the test commandment. It can cause individuals to make more decisions about obeying God than any other commandment. This sometimes “hangs over” young people as they reach their teen years.

Schools often schedule most of their athletic events on Friday night and Saturday. They schedule the “fun” stuff—the clubs, dances and other events—on the Sabbath. And when you don’t go out for the team, the club or the dance, your classmates tend to ask you why.

So many times we hear—and I heard this quite often from Church friends when I was growing up—this answer: “Well, I can’t because of my church.” Or, “I can’t—our church won’t allow it.”

Is that your response?

I have had the opportunity and the blessing of being in God’s Church since I was 9 years old. I learned an important lesson growing up that helped me handle such situations—especially as a young person. I believe it has also helped in the lives of my sons.

Why Can’t You?

Think about this situation in a different context. If you were offered a cigarette, what would be your response? “No thanks, I don’t smoke.” Not, “I can’t smoke.” You would say, “I’ve educated myself, and I choose not to smoke—I don’t do it!”

Young people, you can play ball on the Sabbath. Perhaps some of your friends who left the Church are doing that right now. It’s possible; it can be done!

You have to educate yourselves about God’s law. And you have to have a response ready for when you are asked to participate in an activity your school or friends have scheduled on the Sabbath.

Your response should be, “I don’t.” Not, “I can’t.” The proper attitude is vital. “I don’t participate in sports and parties on Friday nights and Saturdays. I don’t break God’s law! It’s my decision. I choose not to.”

‘My Church Won’t Let Me’

Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”About 6,000 years ago, Jesus Christ created the Sabbath for mankind (Mark 2:27; Genesis 2:1-2). But school officials disregard God’s Sabbath, and they schedule activities for their students on God’s holy Sabbath! Basically they are saying, “If you want to be involved in this at our school, the Sabbath is the only time we will allow you to do it.”

The reason you aren’t able to participate in most activities at your school is because your SCHOOL WON’T LET YOU!

Can you see who is really stopping you? The Church is not stopping you. God is not stopping you. If you have been to Philadelphia Youth Camp (or know someone who has), how many games, dances and other activities did you miss out on because you kept the Sabbath? You aren’t given the opportunity to enjoy these things year-round because your school and this society are stopping you. Put the blame where it belongs—on this society.

Rules of the Road

The South Carolina legislature, back in the 1930s, created a new law. It said that if there is a solid yellow line to the left of your lane on a South Carolina State Highway, then passing another vehicle is prohibited. As long as that line is there, you cannot cross it. They printed that in their law and painted it on their signs.

So imagine if your Driver’s Ed teacher says, “You can only pass another car when there IS a yellow line in your lane.” The instructor does it and says he’s always done it that way.

Now you know what the state law is, but the Driver’s Ed teacher will not allow you to pass unless there’s a yellow line on your side, which would be breaking the law. So, while you are in the Driver’s Ed class, you don’t get to pass anyone because you’re surely not going to do it when the instructor says you can; you aren’t going to disobey the state law.

In this situation, would you say, “I can’t pass, I can’t enjoy driving, because the state of South Carolina won’t let me”? No—you would be angry and blame the instructor, and you would wait for the day when he will be out of the picture.

Right now, you may be thinking to yourself, This is a silly analogy because a Driver’s Ed teacher doesn’t have the authority to change the laws of the State Legislature of South Carolina.

Well, guess what! Neither does your school!Your school, this society, does not have the authority to disregard or disobey the laws of their Creator. They do not have the authority to trample on God’s law and to schedule activities only on His holy Sabbath.

Satan and his society, including your school, are preventing you from enjoying your youth. Be angry at Satan for that, and put the blame squarely on him! God and His Church are not the culprits. If you are missing out on some good times, Satan and his society are the culprits!

Young people today are often concerned about fairness. Well, let’s be fair! Don’t blame God or the Church when school and society prevent you from participating in an activity. Be fair. Place the blame on the responsible parties. You don’t have to verbalize it to your peers; but you do have to know it and believe it in your heart.

The proper response for a young person who grasps the vision of how things really are is “I don’t!” Not, “I can’t.” And the proper response from that young person who grasps the vision is, “Because Satan’s society won’t let me.” Not, “Because my church says I can’t.”

Young people, this is reality. This is the bottom line. Have the right attitude. Satan’s world is on the way out! And the God Family government, which holds freedom and fairness for everyone, is on the way in! Hold fast.