This article comes by way of request from a young Christian, wishing to see what the Bible says about the Sabbath day and if it should be observed by Christians today.
God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and rested (ceased from work) on the 7th day. God later told the ancient Israelites that they too should cease from their labors on the 7th day of the week, calling it the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:11). This day, the 7th day of the week, is Saturday.
The command to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” is part of The Ten Commandments we find in Exodus 20:8. We often hear we must keep and follow the Ten Commandments but as Christians, we need to understand the Ten Commandments are part of the (Old Testament) Law of Moses, which was a system of laws specified for a single nation, the Hebrews of ancient Israel. God gave this law specifically to them at Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb) after they were rescued from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:1-5).
Christians today are God’s chosen people (1 Peter 2:9), the new Israel (Romans 2:28-29, Galatians 6:16). Why wouldn’t they be subject to the laws we find in the Old Testament, like keeping the Sabbath? The Bible clearly states that as Christians we belong to a new covenant and are not subject to the Law of Moses in any way. It is not only wise but necessary to learn and understand as much as we can from the Old Testament teachings to help us learn about God’s character, sin, justice, punishment, forgiveness, fulfillment of prophecies, etc. These things validate and factualize our faith in God and His promises, however, the laws given to the ancient Hebrews are not for us today. In Jeremiah 31:31-35, from the Old Testament, we read that God planned for a new covenant to come. In Hebrews 7:12, in the New Testament, we read that in this new covenant we have new laws. One of the great things Jesus Christ did with His sacrifice was abolish the old covenant with all its laws and ordinances, and enable Gentiles and Jewish people together to be fellow citizens in God’s house (Ephesians 2:11-22). We are those Gentiles, and with the Old Law completed Jesus gifts us an opening to be the chosen of God and the hope that comes with that.
In the first century A.D., one big problem the church at large was dealing with was Christians of Jewish background expecting Gentiles who obeyed the Gospel to continue observing the discontinued laws from the old covenant. The Apostle Paul wrote extensively denouncing these practices. In Colossians 2:13-16 he clearly points out the Sabbath day observances (part of the Law of Moses) were not applicable to Christians. Jesus had effectively nailed these laws to the cross, cancelling the debt that stood against everyone. We might think of this as a “PAID IN FULL” stamp placed across an invoice. The point here is that Christ’s sacrifice gave us a new covenant, established by the blood He spilled on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:25), and the old covenant (including the Ten Commandments within it) has been fulfilled and has passed away.
Further, we can read in the New Testament (which contains our new covenant with God through Jesus) of many laws for Christians concerning worship, daily living, how to treat God and our fellow man, etc. None of those laws include examples or direction to revere the Sabbath day in any way, just like we don’t have to offer animal sacrifices or comply with the myriad of other old law requirements. These have been replaced with a new set of laws meant for the Christian. This change was predicted throughout the Old Testament and gives us a glimpse of our all-knowing God.
So, under this new covenant we are directed to assemble and worship God on Sunday, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2), not on Saturday as practiced under the old covenant.
Ok, but should the first day of the week then become the “Christian Sabbath” with no work being done? For a number of reasons, the answer is no. We have already covered the fact that the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses were given to a different nation, and that Law was abolished by Jesus Christ. Further, the first day of the week was a normal workday for everyone in the 1st century and continued as such until Emperor Constantine’s edict in 321 A.D., where he declared it a day of no labor. While the sentiment behind the edict may have been honorable, it didn’t come from God and isn’t found anywhere in the Bible, so for hundreds of years faithful Christians worked and worshipped on Sundays. Also, early writings about Christians from the 2nd - 4th centuries (Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Justin Martyr, Eusebius, etc.) show that Christians worshipped on Sundays, and Eusebius specifically points out that Christians didn’t observe the Sabbath day (Church History 1:4:8). Of course this information comes from secular history, but it is still important as these people where very close in the timeline to the writers of the New Testament.
We must be extremely careful not to create edicts or doctrines made from man’s traditions and not approved of by God (Matthew 15:9). He specifies how and when to worship Him and teaches us through His word. Approaching God in worship on Sunday is approved and required by Him. All other days are yours to use as you will in walking in His light and sharing the Gospel with others.
Jeff Mullen
Minister, Blanco Hills Church of Christ
blancohillschurch@gmail.com
830-554-0701