Since we are now under the New Covenant (Hebrews 8), we are no longer required to observe the sign of the Mosaic CovenantMosaic covenantThe Mosaic covenant, also known as the Sinaitic covenant, refers to a biblical covenant between God and the biblical Israelites, including their proselytes. The establishment and stipulations of the Mosaic covenant are recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally attribute…en.wikipedia.org. The New TestamentNew TestamentThe New Testament is the second major part of the Christian biblical canon, the first part being the Old Testament, based on the Hebrew Bible. The Greek New Testament discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christianity. Christians regard both the Ol…en.wikipedia.orgnever commands Christians to observe the Sabbath. In our only glimpse of an early church worship service in the New Testament, the church met on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

Do we observe the Sabbath under the New Covenant?

Since we are now under the New Covenant (Hebrews 8 ), we are no longer required to observe the sign of the Mosaic Covenant. The New Testament never commands Christians to observe the Sabbath. In our only glimpse of an early church worship service in the New Testament, the church met on the first day of the week ( Acts 20:7 ).

Do Christians have to keep the Sabbath?

It says a large category of law is no longer required, and it never tells Christians to keep the Sabbath. None of the Sabbatarian arguments proves that the Sabbath is still commanded. If the Sabbath were required, it is surprising that the New Testament never repeats the command.

Does the New Testament say Sunday is the Sabbath?

But surprisingly, no New Testament writer ever refers to Sunday as the Sabbath. When Jewish (and perhaps some Gentile) Christians observed the Sabbath, they would have done so on Saturday, as Israel had done for centuries. But that doesn’t mean Sunday held no special place in the early church.

Are the Old Testament regulations on the Sabbath still in force?

We believe the Old Testament regulations governing Sabbath observances are ceremonial, not moral, aspects of the law. As such, they are no longer in force, but have passed away along with the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and all other aspects of Moses’ law that prefigured Christ. Here are the reasons we hold this view.

What did Jesus break on the Sabbath?

Strictly speaking, the only commandments Jesus broke on the Sabbath belonged to Jewish tradition, not divine law. In their zeal to define exactly what a person could and could not do on the Sabbath, Jewish leaders laid on the people’s backs a spiritual burden heavier than any physical burden ( Matthew 23:4 ).

What day was the Sabbath in the Gospels?

Readers of the Gospels soon discover just how crucial the Sabbath was to the Jews of Jesus’s day. The seventh day marks the setting of so many clashes between Jesus and the Pharisees that when we read something like, “Now it was a Sabbath day . . .”. ( John 9:14 ), we expect trouble.

How do we enter that rest?

And how do we enter that rest? Not mainly by putting aside our weekly labors for one day in seven, but by believing: “We who have believed enter that rest.” Faith in Jesus Christ brings the rest of the seventh day into every day.

Why do we keep the Sabbath?

You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. ( Exodus 31:14) One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ( Romans 14:5)

What did Israel do on the Sabbath?

On the Sabbath, Israel declared total dependence on her covenant Lord, a Lord more than able to uphold his people even though, for one day in seven, they hung up their shovels, laid aside their plows, and rested from their labors.

What did Paul do in Ephesus?

In Ephesus, Paul met with the church “on the first day of the week . . . to break bread” ( Acts 20:7 ). Likewise, Paul instructed the Corinthians to set aside some money “on the first day of every week” ( 1 Corinthians 16:2 ).

What does Paul say about mutual love?

For the sake of Christian freedom and mutual love, Paul says simply and remarkably, “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” ( Romans 14:5 ).

What does Paul say about the Sabbath?

It is clear in Paul’s letters that the Sabbath is not binding upon believers. In Colossians Paul identifies the Sabbath as a shadow along with requirements regarding foods, festivals, and the new moon ( Col. 2:16–17 ). The Sabbath, in other words, points to Christ and is fulfilled in him. The word for “shadow” ( skia) that Paul uses to describe the Sabbath is the same term the author of Hebrews used to describe Old Testament sacrifices. The law is only a “shadow ( skia) of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities” ( Heb. 10:1 ). The argument is remarkably similar to what we see in Colossians: both contrast elements of the law as a shadow with the “substance” ( sōma, Col. 2:17) or the “form” ( eikona, Heb. 10:1) found in Christ. Paul does not denigrate the Sabbath. He salutes its place in salvation history, for, like the Old Testament sacrifices, though not in precisely the same way, it prepared the way for Christ. I know of no one who thinks Old Testament sacrifices should be instituted today; and when we compare what Paul says about the Sabbath with such sacrifices, it seems right to conclude that he thinks the Sabbath is no longer binding.

What does Jubilees 50:6–13 mean?

The author of Jubilees propounds a rigorous view of the Sabbath ( Jubilees 50:6–13). He emphasizes that no work should be done, specifying a number of tasks that are prohibited (50:12–13). Fasting is prohibited since the Sabbath is a day for feasting (50:10, 12).

Why was the Sabbath important?

The Sabbath was certainly a day for social concern, for rest was mandated for all Israelites, including their children, slaves, and even animals ( Deut. 5:14 ). It was also a day to honor and worship the Lord. Special burnt offerings were offered to the Lord on the Sabbath ( Num. 28:9–10 ).

How many types of work are prohibited on the Sabbath?

In the Mishnah thirty-nine different types of work are prohibited on the Sabbath (m. Shabbat 7:2). I do not believe the Sabbath is required for believers now that the new covenant has arrived in the person of Jesus Christ.

What is the Sabbath paradigm?

The paradigm for the Sabbath was God’s rest on the seventh day of creation ( Gen. 2:1–3 ). So, too, Israel was called upon to rest from work on the seventh day ( Exod. 20:8–11; 31:12–17 ).

What is the significance of the Sabbath?

The Sabbath was the sign of the Mosaic covenant, and since the covenant has passed away, so has the covenant sign. Now it does not follow from this that the Sabbath has no significance for believers. It is a shadow, as Paul said, of the substance that is now ours in Christ.

What does Paul say about food?

In Romans 14:1–15:6 Paul mainly discusses food that some—almost certainly those influenced by Old Testament food laws—think is defiled. Paul clearly teaches, in contrast to Leviticus 11:1–44 and Deuteronomy 14:3–21, that all foods are clean ( Rom. 14:14, 20) since a new era of redemptive history has dawned.

What does Hebrews 4:9 mean?

Hebrews 4:9 says that a Sabbath-rest still remains for believers today. Hebrews 4 is talking about a future rest. People did not have this rest in Joshua’s day, nor when Psalm 95 was written (v. 8), so this chapter is not talking about the weekly Sabbath. This rest is entered by faith in Christ (v. 2).

What does Paul say about the commandments?

2:15 ), but Paul says that those commandments do not have any validity for his readers . The word “commandment” does not imply any validity or permanence. Luke is simply using ordinary words to explain why the women rested.

What is the New Covenant?

The new covenant, in contrast, is a ministry that brings life, is much more glorious, and is a ministry that does not fade away. Paul did not praise the Ten Commandments as part of the Christian way of life. Rather, he pointed out ways in which the gospel of Jesus Christ is different from the Ten Commandments.

What is the law code of Moses?

The law-code of Moses, although containing some eternally-valid laws, also contains some temporary laws that became obsolete when Jesus Christ came. All Christians agree that some of these God-given laws became obsolete; the question now is whether the list of obsolete laws happens to include the Sabbath.

What did humans do before they sinned?

Before humans sinned, they lived in a blessed and holy time, in which they were in a state of peace with God, trustful and obedient. They did not need to labor in the way they later did. They did not need to set aside a day for communion with God, for they had it continually.

Why was circumcision made?

Circumcision was made for man, too. All of God’s laws, even the obsolete ones, were made for humans. The Sabbath law was made to benefit humans, to serve them, not become an unpleasant burden. Jesus said this to argue for liberty, not for making requirements.

What does the Bible say about the seventh day of the week?

The Bible says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” ( Exodus 20:8 ). God’s people were told to rest on the seventh day of every week. Nevertheless, most Christians today do not observe the seventh-day Sabbath—they say it is obsolete. This article explains why by briefly examining some key questions and related issues.

Why did the apostles neglect to include the Sabbath?

It is inconceivable that the apostles would neglect to include Sabbath-keeping if it was God’s command for Christians to observe the Sabbath day. A common error in the Sabbath-keeping debate is the concept that the Sabbath was the day of worship. Groups such as the Seventh Day Adventists hold that God requires the church service to be held on …

What day of the week did Christians meet?

If there was a day that Christians met regularly, it was the first day of the week (our Sunday), not the Sabbath day (our Saturday) ( Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2 ). In honor of Christ’s resurrection on Sunday, the early Christians observed Sunday not as the “Christian Sabbath” but as a day to especially worship Jesus Christ.

What is Sabbath keeping?

Sabbath-keeping is a matter about which each Christian needs to be fully convinced in his/her own mind. In the early chapters of the book of Acts, the first Christians were predominantly Jews. When Gentiles began to receive the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Jewish Christians had a dilemma. What aspects of the Mosaic Law and Jewish …

What does Galatians 5:13-15 say?

Galatians 5:13-15 sums up the whole issue: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’.

What does Romans 14:5 mean?

Similarly, Romans 14:5 states, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”. These Scriptures make it clear that, for the Christian, …

Did the Sabbath command work on the Sabbath?

That is not what the Sabbath command was. The Sabbath command was to do no work on the Sabbath day ( Exodus 20:8-11 ). Yes, Jews in Old Testament, New Testament, and modern times use Saturday as the day of worship, but that is not the essence of the Sabbath command. In the book of Acts, whenever a meeting is said to be on the Sabbath, …

What does the Bible say about the Sabbath?

NOTES.-From beginning to end, the Bible recognizes but one weekly Sabbath,- the day upon which God rested in the beginning; which was made known to Israel at Sinai (Neh. 9:13,14); was observed by Christ and His apostles ; and is to be kept by the redeemed in the world to come. Isa. 66:22,23. The terms Sabbath, Sabbaths, and Sabbath days …

What is the only religious meeting held on the first day of the week after the Ascension?

The other two (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16: 2) refer to the only religious meeting held on the first day of the week after the ascension, in apostolic times, recorded in the New Testament and to a systematic accounting and laying by in store at home on that day for the poor saints in Judea and Jerusalem.

How many times is the first day of the week mentioned in the New Testament?

The first day of the week is mentioned but eight times in the New Testament, six of which are found in the four Gospels, and refer to the day on which Christ arose from the dead. See Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2,9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1,19. The other two (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2) refer to the only religious meeting held on the first day …

When did Titus destroy Jerusalem?

NOTE.-The destruction of Jerusalem under Titus occurred in the spring and summer of 70 A.D. The flight of the Christians took place three and one-half years earlier, or late in October, 66 A. D., following the arrival and sudden withdrawal of Cestius and his army. See readings in Chapter 68. of this book.

Is the Sabbath of the New Testament the same as the Sabbath of the Old Testament?

It is evident, therefore, that the Sabbath of the New Testament is the same as the Sabbath of the Old Testament, and that there is nothing in the New Testament setting aside the seventh-day Sabbath, and putting the first day of the week in its place.

What is the Lord’s Day?

Rather the Lord’s Day is a time when believers gather to commemorate His resurrection, which occurred on the first day of the week. Every day to the believer is one of Sabbath rest, since we have ceased from our spiritual labor and are resting in the salvation of the Lord ( Hebrews 4:9-11 ).

What did the early church fathers teach?

The early church fathers, from Ignatius to Augustine, taught that the Old Testament Sabbath had been abolished and that the first day of the week (Sunday) was the day when Christians should meet for worship (contrary to the claim of many seventh-day sabbatarians who claim that Sunday worship was not instituted until the fourth century).

Why did Paul rebuke the Galatians?

In Galatians 4:10-11, Paul rebukes the Galatians for thinking God expected them to observe special days (including the Sabbath). In Romans 14:5, Paul forbids those who observe the Sabbath (these were no doubt Jewish believers) to condemn those who do not (Gentile believers).

What does Paul mean by the Sabbath?

In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul explicitly refers to the Sabbath as a shadow of Christ, which is no longer binding since the substance (Christ) has come. It is quite clear in those verses that the weekly Sabbath is in view.

Why do we convene on certain days?

Hence, though the sabbath is abrogated, it so happens among us that we still convene on certain days in order to hear the word of God, to break the [mystic] bread of the Supper, and to offer public prayers; and, moreover, in order that some relaxation from their toil be given to servants and workingmen.

Why did the Lord give the seventh day of rest?

There were three reasons for giving this [fourth] commandment: First, with the seventh day of rest the Lord wished to give to the people of Israel an image of spiritual rest, whereby believers must cease from their own works in order to let the Lord work in them . Secondly, he wished that there be an established day in which believers might assemble in order to hear his Law and worship him. Thirdly, he willed that one day of rest be granted to servants and to those who live under the power of others so that they might have a relaxation from their labor. The latter, however, is rather an inferred than a principal reason.

Is the Sabbath still in force?

As such, they are no longer in force, but have passed away along with the sacrificial system, the Levitical priesthood, and all other aspects of Moses’ law that prefigured Christ. Here are the reasons we hold this view. In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul explicitly refers to the Sabbath as a shadow of Christ, which is no longer binding since …

What does the New Testament say about the celebration of the Lord’s Supper?

The New Testament provides us with a window into the primitive church’s practice in this regard. In Acts 20:7 we find that the Apostle Paul “broke bread” (celebrated the Lord’s Supper) with the believers in Troas “on the first day of the week,” and then proceeded to preach a lengthy sermon. Presumably this reflects customary procedure among the first Christians. In time, as the church became predominantly Gentile, the celebration of the Lord’s Day often took the place of the Jewish Sabbath among Christians altogether. Sunday worship became the norm and remains that way today.

What does Christ mean by "set us free for something better"?

Christ has set us free for something better: namely, the pursuit of holiness and fellowship with the living God as a daily lifestyle. Our highest calling is to glorify God every day of our lives, while also setting aside special times for worship with fellow believers (Hebrews 10:25).

Why do Christians celebrate Sunday?

Although the earliest Christians, themselves Jews, probably did worship on Saturday according to Jewish custom, they also held Sunday to be a day of special significance. They called it “The Lord’s Day” and observed it as a memorial of Christ’s resurrection – a mini-version of Easter, if you will, celebrated on a weekly basis.

What does love require?

Love requires that we exercise patience with one another as we seek God’s truth and attempt to put it into practice. After all, none of us can claim to have a monopoly on correct interpretation of Scripture for, until the Lord returns, we still see many things “through a glass, darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Is Sunday a Jewish Sabbath?

The first thing you need to understand is that Sunday is not simply a Christian version of the Jewish Sabbath or Day of Rest. Far from it. As a matter of fact, the observance of Sunday worship has a unique history and significance within the framework of the church’s liturgical tradition.

Is Sunday worship the norm?

Sunday worship became the norm and remains that way today. This leads us back to the first part of your question. Here at Focus on the Family we believe that observance of a weekly day of worship, whether it be Sunday, Saturday, or any other day, should never be allowed to become a matter of religious legalism.