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Why the Christian's Sabbath is Sunday.
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Why do most Christians "go to church" On Sunday
instead of Saturday, as God says to do in the Ten Commandments?
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"Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do
all your work,but the seventh day is a Sabbath to to the Lord your God. On it
you shall not do any work. . . ." Exodus 20:8-10 NIV
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The fourth commandment is about resting from labor on the seventh day
(Saturday), not about corporate worship. Jewish worship was
conducted in the Temple every day of the week. The custom of meeting on the
Sabbath for prayer and the teaching of Scripture began when the Jews were exiled
in Babylon and the synagogue developed as an institution in the vacuum left by
the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
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The fourth commandment is not reaffirmed for Christians in the New Testament,
although the other nine are.
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The New Testament expressly forbids Christians to judge each other over the
issue of Sabbath observance & tells us we may worship on any day we choose:
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"Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or
falls. . . . One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man
considers every day alike. Each one should be convinced in his own mind. He who
regards one day as special does so to the Lord. . . . Therefore stop passing
judgment on one another."
Romans 14:4-6, 13 NIV (also see Col. 2:16-17)
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The first Christians, who were Jews, began
meeting as they had done in the synagogue, but on the first day of the week
(Sunday) in memory of the Lord's resurrection and the coming of the Spirit at
Pentecost (Acts 2; Leviticus 23:16). They called Sunday "the Lord's Day"
(Revelation 1:10).
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"On the first Day of the week we came together to break bread (celebrate the
Lord's Supper).
Paul spoke to (taught) the people . . . ." Acts 20:7 NIV
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The change in the day of corporate worship
was not made by decree of a Pope or church council. Rather, the practice of
Christians in the New Testament was followed by those who came after. References
to first day worship are found in the writings of many leading Christians in the
2nd & 3rd centuries. Including (all dates are approximate and A.D.)
Ignatius-110, Justin Martyr-150, Irenaeus-178, Tertullian-200.
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The Old Covenant was an agreement between God
and a single nation--Israel. The new Covenant is open to all people in every
nation who put their faith in Christ. So while Christians should obey the moral
laws in the Old Testament, God does not require them to follow the old laws
regarding the worship and governance of ancient Israel. (Hebrews chapter 8).
Christians are free to worship on any day they choose. What matters is that we
do encourage each other to worship the risen Christ who died for your sins &
mine--any day is a good day for that! |
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Pastor Charlie Scott
c. 2007 |
