Question:

I’ve been studying out the Sabbath day and I’ve been convicted about how God has made this day holy. I also notice that there was 3 things he did on this specific day he made it holy, sanctified it and he bless it. Why? We worship on Sunday and I studied out where this day came from (catholic tradition) Can you help me understand these 2 days according to scriptures? I don’t see anything in the Bible about the first day of the week I do see that Jesus was resurrected however God has made the 7th day holy. Please help based on scripture.

Answer:

I have already answered this question in various forms at the web site.  I am copying one such Q & A below.

Let me make a couple comments before referring you to the answer below.  The Catholic Church (ie the one in Rome which accepts the authority of the pope) did not invent Sunday worship.  All we know from church history tells us that from the very beginning the church met on Sunday.  It was known as the eighth day.  This Sunday worship is referred to in Revelation 1:10 in which John calls Sunday “the Lord’s Day.”  Christian literature is unanimous in assigning Sunday as the Lord’s day.  Acts 20:7 provides more biblical evidence.  Paul was worshiping with the church on the first day of the week.  This is not hard and fast proof that the chief day of worship was Sunday, but it certainly suggests this.

God made the 7th day holy for the children of Abraham.  He also prescribed animal sacrifice and made it holy.  Jesus did not abolish the Law of Moses, but he did fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).  We are no longer bound to observe a Sabbath, including Sunday, for that matter.  (Colossians 2:16-19).

See the Q & A below.  I hope it will answer your question.

Question:

I’ve read somewhere that the Lord’s Sabbath is on a Saturday. Yet I am attending Sunday services. Am I violating the Lord’s Sabbath? The article I read also states that worshipping on Sunday is a false Sabbath and is actually the doing of the devil, so am I doing anything wrong?

Answer:

Actually, from the Christian perspective, this is a fairly simple question to answer. Through his righteous life and through his sacrifice for us, Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Law (Matthew 5:17-18). Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law so that we are free of the Law. We are not required to fulfill the Law of Moses. We are not subject to the Law of Moses. Neither are we subject to the Jewish Sabbath. This is a clear teaching throughout the New Testament. For example there is Mark 7:14-19 Jesus specifically said that his followers will not be subject to the dietary laws from the Mosaic Covenant. Acts 15:19-21 the Jewish church leaders concluded that the Gentiles are not subject to the Old Testament Covenant laws. The entire book of Galatians is a testament to the fact that followers of Jesus are not subject to adherance to the Law of Moses. In fact, those who seek righteousness through circumcision are fallen away from God! (Galatians 2:21, 3:21-29, 4:21-31, 5:1-12 and so forth). To top it off, Paul says specifically in Colossians 2:13-19 that Christians are not required to observe the Sabbath, or any of the OT law. ,Notice in the Colossians passage that Paul outlaws requiring people to observe the Sabbath, but he also says that if someone wants to observe a Sabbath for their own reasons, there is nothing wrong with that. The person who tells you that worshipping on Sunday is a false Sabbath is clearly very confused about the New Testament. Sunday worship is not a Sabbath. The scriptures never imply that the Christian worship on Sunday is a Sabbath. We know, both from the clear testimony of early Christian history and from the New Testament passages that the early church worshipped on Sunday. The worship day was known as the first day and sometimes as the eighth day or the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10). Those who say Saturday is a Christian Sabbath are ignorant both of church history and the New Testament teaching.,Be aware that this is not a salvation issue. If Christians falsely believe that they must worship on Saturday, their salvation is not dependent on the day we worship. However, do not be intimidated by this false teaching.,John Oakes, PhD