Introduction
One of the Ten Commandments reads:
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God…” (Exodus 20:8–10, RSVCE).
Some groups argue that this verse means Christians are still required to worship on Saturday. But is this what the Bible and the early Church actually taught? Or did Christ, through His Resurrection, establish a new covenant day of worship—the Lord’s Day (Sunday)?
Let us examine the evidence.
1. The Old Covenant Sabbath (Saturday)
-
The seventh day Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel (Exodus 31:16–17).
-
It recalled God’s rest at creation (Genesis 2:2–3).
-
It also reminded Israel of their deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).
-
The Sabbath was given specifically to Israel, not universally to all nations.
2. The Fulfillment in Christ
Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath
-
“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)
-
Jesus shows that He has authority over the Sabbath, pointing to a greater reality—the eternal rest in Him (Hebrews 4:9–10).
The Resurrection Changed Everything
-
Jesus rose on the first day of the week (Sunday) (Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1).
-
The Resurrection marks the new creation and fulfillment of the old Sabbath.
3. Apostolic Practice: The Lord’s Day (Sunday)
-
“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them.” (Acts 20:7)
👉 Christians celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday. -
“On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up.” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
👉 Offerings were made on Sunday worship. -
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” (Revelation 1:10)
👉 Already in the 1st century, Sunday was called the Lord’s Day.
4. Testimony of the Early Church Fathers
-
St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD):
“Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the Sabbath, but living in observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death.” (Letter to the Magnesians, 9) -
St. Justin Martyr (c. 150 AD):
“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place… because it is the first day on which God made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead on the same day.” (First Apology, 67)
👉 From the earliest centuries, Christians worshipped on Sunday—not Saturday.
5. Catholic Teaching
-
CCC 2175: “Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians, its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath.”
-
CCC 2177: Sunday is the day the Christian community gathers for the Eucharist.
-
CCC 2190–2191: The Sabbath is fulfilled in Sunday worship, which celebrates the new creation and Christ’s Resurrection.
6. Table of Comparison
| Aspect | Old Covenant Sabbath (Saturday) | New Covenant Lord’s Day (Sunday) |
|---|---|---|
| Day | 7th day of the week | 1st day of the week |
| Basis | God’s rest at creation | Christ’s Resurrection, new creation |
| Covenant | Mosaic (Israel) | New Covenant (all nations) |
| Significance | Rest from labor, remembrance of Exodus | Celebration of Eucharist, victory over sin and death |
| Early Practice | Synagogue observance | Eucharistic celebration on Sunday |
| Church Teaching | Binding for Jews | Binding for Christians (CCC 2175–2191) |
7. Answering the Protestant/Adventist Objection
-
The commandment to keep holy the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8–10) is eternal in principle, but fulfilled in Christ.
-
Christians are not bound to the Old Covenant Saturday law (Colossians 2:16–17).
-
Instead, we are bound to honor the Lord’s Day (Sunday), instituted by the Apostles themselves.
More about this topic:
Sunday is the day of the resurrection which surpasses the sabbath day
in importance in the New Testament. Jesus talked to John in Revelation
chapter one about his resurrection, the day of that event being
described as the "Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10)." The sabbath day is
idolized by some people who erroneously call it the Lord's Day. There
is no commandment to keep either Saturday or Sunday in the New
Testament. But this doesn't matter to Adventists because their prophet
Ellen White told them to keep the sabbath day. The sabbath was mandatory
for old testament Jews, the Lord's Day is voluntary for Christians. The
day of the resurrection surpassed the sabbath day in importance in the
New Testament. There would be no salvation without the resurrection, and
the significance of Christ's Lordly day cancels any paganism associated
with Sunday.
A former Adventist pastor said, "They cling to the law (the ten
commandments) to justify their idolatrous view of the 7th day sabbath."
It is an abrogated Hebrew ritual law that pointed to Christ, that is
associated with ceremonial feasts, and has nothing to do with the moral
law, the gospel or the gentiles (see Leviticus 23; Numbers 28: 9, 10;
Colossians 2: 16, 17). 1
Corinthians 16:2 and Acts 29:7 prove that believers met on the first of
the week - the day of the resurrection, and it's been this way since
the first century except for outlier groups posing as being Christian
trying to keep an old testament holy day. The sabbatical system has been
abolished in Christ who said nothing about sabbath keeping in heaven.
Sabbath keeping is useless, putting oneself under the law, and stepping
on the grace of Christ.
Ellen White their leader demonized the day of the resurrection
(Sunday) in her book, The Great Controversy, and exalted the sabbath
day. It's pounded into their heads that Sunday is pagan, and that
there's going to be a Sunday law mark of the beast, so attending church
on Saturday is a test of loyalty. Unfortunately, they've been waiting
for a Sunday law that never came since the 1800's, many going to the
grave believing a hoax. The
indoctrination and arguments for sabbath keeping and Ellen White's
teachings are a constant thing. They say they go by the Bible, but the
pastors quote Ellen White.
Preaching the sabbath day was never part of the gospel - Jesus and the
apostles never commanded to keep it. As Lord of the sabbath, Jesus
could break it and not sin as noted in John 5:18. In that verse the
gospel says, not the pharisees saying it, that Jesus broke the sabbath
and made himself equal with God. Therefore, both claims are TRUE.
Conclusion
Exodus 20:8–10 does not bind Christians to Saturday worship. The Sabbath commandment was a sign for Israel, pointing forward to the true rest in Christ. With the Resurrection of Jesus on Sunday, the Apostles and the early Church shifted worship to the Lord’s Day, the celebration of the new creation and eternal covenant.
Thus, Christians today fulfill the Sabbath command not by keeping Saturday, but by celebrating the Eucharist on Sunday—the day of victory, new life, and eternal rest in Christ.
Read also: 📜 Do Catholics Violate Exodus 20? | Bible and Early Church Evidence; Is It Wrong to Observe Sunday Instead of Saturday as the Sabbath? Biblical and Historical Truths About Christian Worship
No comments:
Post a Comment