Introduction:
Let us not judge one another regarding ordinances (when, where, and how) of such thing as Sabbaths.
Yet let us keep the Sabbath in the spirit of the law not the oldness of the letter of it (2 Corinthians 3:6; Romans 7:6) for it is a demonstration of faith to trust God not to engage in natural work seven days a week. Instead, let us all seek to have one day set aside regularly each week to focus on him and spiritual work though sometimes events may interrupt that focus as it did for the disciples of Christ in Matthew 12:1-8 as they plucked the corn due to hunger. As Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath.
This article shows that at least as early as the 4th century AD some major church leaders as part of the Synod or Council of Laodicea considered the day we know as Saturday to be the biblical Sabbath.
It is still good and best to have holy convocation and rest on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, the day we know as Saturday.
However, because the ordinances of the Sabbath are no longer binding per Colossians 2:14-17, people may choose a different day. Consequently, the second best practice would be Sunday for holy convocation and rest.
I hold that a person should choose at least one day out of the seven days, preferably Saturday or Sunday, as a day of individual, family and community worship and rest.
Details:
In God’s reckoning of time as introduced in Genesis 1, days began in the evening. Therefore, biblically the Sabbath runs from Friday at sunset to Saturday just before sunset. In short, we call the weekly Sabbath Day Saturday in referring to the daylight part of the Sabbath.
It was at least as early as the 4th century AD that major church leaders as part of the Synod or Council of Laodicea decided that scriptures such as Colossians 2:14-17 permit the church to transfer the functionality of Sabbath worship and Sabbath rest but not the name from Saturday to Sunday. Thus, Saturday was still to be labeled the Sabbath but Sunday was assigned the name of Lord’s Day. Although Saturday retained the name Sabbath, it did not retain the functionality of a Sabbath Day. In essence, this is the view held by most Christian churches today. Seventh Day Baptist and Seventh Day Adventist are example exceptions.
Whether or not Colossians 2 and/or other scriptures permit such is controversial. Romans 2:27-29; Romans 14:5; and Galatians 4:9-10 provide some insight into dealing with such matters as the Sabbath and Lord’s Day.
Even though church leaders identified Saturday as the Sabbath that does not mean they were correct. There is a possibility that the Sabbath under Moses was based on the New Moon. The New Moon started each month and such starts were on different days of the week in some months. So that would mean the Sabbath would not be on a fixed day each month.
It is unclear as to why the early church leaders used the phrase Lord’s Day to designate Sunday. The phrase occurs in the KJV in Revelation 1:10. However, one cannot conclusively determine Revelation 1:10 to be using the term generically or to be referring to the Sabbath (Saturday) or to the first day of the week (Sunday).
Colossians 2:14-17 says handwriting of ordinances are nailed to the cross being against us and a shadow of things to come. In brief, this does not mean things like the sabbath are completely done away with. It means the ceremonial or legalistic rules concerning them are no longer binding.
It is notable that all of the Ten Commandments except for the Sabbath, the New Testament writers explicitly prescribe obedience to them. The Sabbath is only referred to by example as something the New Testament people did; but that may have been a cultural matter rather than a matter of commandment. Hence, the significance of Colossians 2:16 warning against judging one another on such matters. Instead, we are to allow every person to be fully persuaded in his or her own mind regarding such matters.
Based on the historical record that Saturday was considered the Sabbath at least as early as the 4th Century AD, I personally hold that Saturday is the day I recognize as the Sabbath for purpose of Sabbath keeping in the spirit of Leviticus 23:3. I say in the spirit of because under Christ we are called to be able ministers of the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law per 2 Corinthians 3:6; and Romans 7:6.
For convenience and due to uncertainty I primarily choose Saturday because it is on our fixed calendar designated as the seventh day of the week. This is also true of modern day Hebrew calendars most of which do not follow the New Moon formula completely. This uncertainty is also the reason why some might choose Sunday as a stand in for the Sabbath. Indeed, at times I choose Sunday as my day of worship and rest. I advise everyone to have at least one day, preferably Saturday, and secondarily Sunday, or both, though another day is also possible under the provisions of Colossians 2:14-17.
I hold that a person should choose at least one day out of the seven days, preferably Saturday or Sunday, as a day of family and community worship and rest.
But I hold that whether one chooses Saturday or Sunday for one’s day of family and community worship and rest is a personal choice per Colossians 2:14-17 to be agreed to by family and the local community of faith to which one belongs/associates with. Thus, some choose Saturdays and some choose Sundays. One should not judge another or allow oneself to be judged by others concerning such a matter. Let each be fully persuaded in his or her own mind to the satisfaction of God by sincere faith.
A person who works six days a week can do household chores before or after work on those six days. A person who works less than six days a week can do household chores on an off day other than the Sabbath.
For example, a person off the weekend could have a Saturday Sabbath and do household chores on Sunday as best practice.
Second best practice would be to have holy convocation and rest on Sunday treating it not as the Sabbath but as a day that serves the functionality of the Sabbath and do household chores on Saturday.
It is clear that the Jews of New Testament day saw the Sabbath the same as or close to the same as those of Moses day. This includes Christian Jews.
It also seems that the Gentiles (non-Jews/non-Israelites) of New Testament days saw the Sabbath the same way as the Jews did. This should not be surprising given the synagogue was where the Gentiles largely received their teaching and the synagogue met on the sabbath.
Christianity rose up as the gospel spread to nations in which the population of Gentiles significantly outnumbered the population of Jews.
A different understanding and application of scriptural requirements begin to arise.
The rise of Christianity eventually rightly or wrongly led to the official designation and sanctioning of Sunday as what is termed the Lord’s Day as the primary day of worship and rest. Sunday is designated the Lord’s Day because it is considered the first day of the week. The first day of the week is considered by many to be the day in which Jesus rose from the dead. However, there are some who hold that Jesus rose on the seventh day but his resurrection was not discovered until the first day of the week. In any case, the Lord’s Day is in honor of Jesus resurrection.
This is in contrast to Saturday being designated as the Sabbath Day and as the primary day of worship and rest.
Christianity largely considers Sabbath Day as Old Covenant and Lord’s Day as New Covenant.
Many but not all churches associated with Christianity consider Sunday as the primary day or worship and rest. Indeed, churches such as Seventh Day Baptist and Seventh Day Adventist are exceptions for these consider Saturday as their primary day of worship and rest. Also, there are individual churches within other Christian denominations such as Baptist who independently convert from Sunday Lord’s Day to Saturday Sabbath Day as their primary day of worship and rest.
In my view given the recognition of Saturday as the Sabbath at least as early as the 4th Century AD, it would have been better if all the church had kept Saturday as the primary day of worship and rest for the church world could have still honored Jesus resurrection on Saturday Sabbath regardless of the actual day of resurrection. After all, Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5).
However, Colossians 2:14-17 (especially Colossians 2:16) does seem to give liberty and right to not so do on Saturday but do so do on Sunday.
Colossians 2:16 certainly forbids us from judging or requiring others to choose the day we choose.
This is supported by scriptures such as 2 Corinthians 3:6 where the spirit rather than the letter is seen as more important.
So though I think the better way was to choose Saturday in the early days of Christianity, I do hold the Bible gives the church the liberty and right to choose either Saturday of Sunday as the preferred day of rest and holy convocation.
Therefore, it is good to take at least one day to rest by faith from the hustle and bustle of life chasing money and materialism and making and acquiring things.
To focus on spiritual work of faith, and family and friends, and community.
And to do so whether that day be Saturday or Sunday as a family and community of believers, however large or small that family and community of believers might be. For Matthew 18:20 says For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
I am talking about physical rest not spiritual rest.
I am also talking about the value of regular holy convocation with fellow believers as a group outside the household, however, small or large the group might be.
I am talking about not working seven days a week. I am talking about employers not expecting their employees to work seven days a week.
I am talking about having faith that God will provide enough if one works six or less days a week. I believe this act of faith is at least similar to if not an aspect of the admonition in Hebrews 4:4 where it speaks of God resting on the seventh day from all his works. Of course, we know God is a spirit and he did not rest from physical work but rather spirit work. Similarly, Hebrews 4:1-11 admonishes us to maintain faith in what Jesus has done on our behalf and enter into spiritual rest in Christ Jesus rather than fall into unbelief. So then having faith in God to provide for us based on up to six days of work is avoiding unbelief whereas thinking we must work seven days a week to make it in this world amounts to unbelief.
We now have some measure of spiritual rest in Christ Jesus. Yet, that spiritual rest is incomplete. For we must still strive against sin within us and in others ass Hebrews 12:4 says. For we still face troubles and tragedies, tests and temptations that weigh on us.
We certainly need physical rest just as humans have always done at least after Adam and Eve were put out the garden to enter a space where the ground would no longer yield easily and where thorns and thistles would stick us and animals would want to eat us.
God rested from spirit work on the seventh day in Genesis 2:1-3 since he is a spirit and not flesh and having no need to rest from physical work. We rest from physical work on the seventh day. We do spiritual work on the seventh day rather than resting from spirit work on the seventh day. That is still good to do having tremendous spiritual health and physical health value regarding ourselves, our household, our community, and nation at large.
Conclusion
The Weekly Sabbath Day is still the seventh day of the week. It is still good and best to have holy convocation and rest on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, the day we call Saturday.
However, because the ordinances of the Sabbath are no longer binding per Colossians 2:14-17, people may choose a different day. Consequently, the second best practice would be to have holy convocation and rest on Sunday treating it not as the Sabbath but as a day that serves the functionality of the Sabbath.
In the related articles and references sections below are links to additional articles and references on the early church view of the Sabbath and Lord’s Day.
Other Related Articles By Me:
Early Church – Constantine – Synod of Laodicea – Catholic Church
New Covenant and Law/Commandments – The Sabbath Question.
