Day of Rest

When is the day of rest?

Sunday Christians: The Lord's Day (Sunday), because

  1. The Sabbath is just a concept of a broader principle, namely set aside time for rest, reflection, and worship of God. The Sabbath rest might fall on any 7 day cycle that is convenient, but should preferably be observed on Sundays to align with other Christians.
  2. Romans 14:5-6: Christians should not be judged for the day they had chosen to observe.
  3. Jesus did not keep the Sabbath:
    1. Mark 2:27-28: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath"
    2. Matthew 12:11-12; Luke 6:6-9; Luke 13:10-17; John 5:1-18: Jesus laboured on a Sabbath by healing people.
  4. Acts 20:7: The first church gathered on the "first day" (Sundays).
  5. 1 Corinthians 16:2-3: Paul's church gathered on the "first day" (Sundays).
  6. Revelation 1:10: John of Patmos received his revelation from God on the Lord's Day.

Critiques to Sunday Christians:

  1. God's commands were very clear and specific that God instructed that specifically the 7th day of the week should be observed for rest. In those days week days were identified by their numerical order instead of a name. (The name "Saturday" did not exist yet because Saturn, the Roman god was not yet invented)
  2. Romans 14:1-23 were addressing the issue that new believers were judged for not keeping Jewish traditions. Paul was not negating the Sabbath, instead he addressed a specific issue in regard to having grace with new converts. He requested that the new converts should be accepted in love even with their flaws because the Lord should judge them instead.
  3. Christians confuse God's commands with the Pharisees additional man-made laws regarding the Sabbath. Jesus did keep the original intended Sabbath, but not according to the Pharisees laws.
    1. Mark 2:23-28: The Pharisees accused the disciples of "plucking the heads of grain" to eat which was wrong according to their laws, but Jesus defended that it is not a sin to eat.
    2. Matthew 12:11-12; Luke 6:6-9; Luke 13:10-17; John 5:1-18: To Jesus life is more important than keeping the traditions (Luke 6:9). God never forbid "doing good" or healing on a Sabbath. This should not be confused with labour. Jesus was not earning an income, doing business or labouring for someone.
  4. Acts 20:7: Christians confuse "communion" with church services. There are many examples through scriptures where people "break the bread" (a special form of fellowship in God's presence) on no specific day of the week. "break the bread" has nothing to do with Sabbath rest.
  5. 1 Corinthians 16:2-3: The assumption is that Paul's church gathered on Sundays because that is when the financial collection took place. However, this might not necessarily be the case. But even if they did gather on a Sunday for whatever reason, it still proofs nothing. Christians can gather any day they want.
  6. Revelation 1:10: This proof nothing. Anyone can receive any revelation on any day.

Sabbath Observers: The Sabbath (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday), because

  1. The Sabbath observance was commanded by God through Moses (Exodus 20:8-11, 23:12, 31:13-17; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Leviticus 23:3) and the prophets (Isaiah 58:13-14; Jeremiah 17:21-22).
  2. The Sabbath was not a temporary idea, but should be observed forever through all generations (Exodus 31:16-17).
  3. Interpret Colossians 2:16-17: Believers should continue to observe the Sabbath, despite the judgement they may have to face for the sake of Christ.
  4. Interpret Hebrews 4:9-10: "a Sabbath-rest for the people of God" means the Sabbath observance should continue.

Critiques to Sabbath Observers:

  1. That the New Covenant (Testament) superseded the Old Covenant (Testament) which included the strict observance of the Sabbath.
  2. Christians still observe a day of rest, it just moved to another day in the New Testament.
  3. Interpret Colossians 2:16-17: Christians should not allow Jews to judge them for not keeping the Sabbath, because of Christ.
  4. Interpret Hebrews 4:9-10: "a Sabbath-rest for the people of God" which means Jesus is God and as God he superseded the original commandment to observe the Sabbath.

What is the purpose of the Lord's day

  1. The Lord's Day commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:9).
  2. A day set aside to rest from labour with the purpose to
    • meet in churches to attend to sermons and to worship of God

What is the purpose of the Sabbath

  1. "It is a sign... in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth..." -- Exodus 31:17 (NKJV)

  2. A day set aside to rest from labour (Exodus 23:12, 31:13-17) with the purpose to
    • "assemble to the LORD" in "your dwellings" (i.e. "tents"/"houses" as people did not "dwell" in the Holy Temple and churches did not exist yet) (Leviticus 23:3)

However, there were certain special feasts (ceremonies) which were dedicated to special public gatherings at the temple to worship God with special sacrifices. All these feasts were declared Sabbaths to free the Israelites from their labour so that they could attend to these feasts. These feasts were not the usual Sunday Church services.

Who instituted the Lord's day?

Sunday Christians: Jesus as God changed the Sabbath to "The Lord's Day".

  1. Matthew 5:17: Jesus fulfilled the laws
  2. Matthew 11:28-30: "I will give you rest"

Critiques to Sunday Christians: Christians confuse the Torah (Pentateuch) translated as "laws" with God's commands because of the way modern bibles are translated.

  1. Matthew 5:17: "The Laws and the Prophets" are the names of the books (or scrolls) which contained prophecies of the Messiah which Jesus came to fulfill. He did not say that he came to "abolish the laws".
  2. Matthew 11:28-30: Jesus was not referring to the Sabbath, but to the yoke that the world place upon his disciples.

Sabbath Observers:

  1. On 7 March 321, Constantine decreed "DIES SOLIS" which means "the day of the Sun", known today as "Sunday" – as the Roman day of rest: "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed." Constantine did this because he worshipped Sol Invictus (the sun god).
  2. In 363/364 that the council of Laodicea made an effort to suppress Judaism and declared a church decree (still held by most modern Christian churches today) that the Christian church should observe Sunday's as a day of rest instead of the Sabbath. They went even so far to persecute those who "idle on the Sabbath".
  3. This caused many Christians to move their day of rest to Sundays to avoid persecution. Today, Christians still observe Sundays, because of tradition.

Critiques to Sabbath Observers:

  1. Constantine aligned the sun worshipping pagans with the Christians, whom we should assume, already observed Sundays.
  2. The council of Laodicea only made it official in 363 to clear up confusion.
  3. The Sunday observing tradition originated from Jesus as God (see above).

Who instituted the Sabbath?

God Himself (Genesis 2:3) before Judaism existed.