Articles
Saturday or Sunday?
Which is the correct day for Christians to worship: Saturday or Sunday? The answer should be obvious. Luke tells us the disciples at Troas came together on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7), and Paul instructed churches to take up their collections “on the first day of every week” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). There is no reference to Christians meeting together for worship on Saturdays.
Despite these plain references, some insist that Saturday is the correct day. That position is largely based on two Old Testament considerations.
Sabbath Observance Given at Creation
Noting that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it at creation (Genesis 2:3)—it was the day God “rested” from creation—some assert that God gave it to mankind at that point as a perpetual memorial of creation. The Biblical evidence says otherwise.
First, the language of Genesis 2 gives no instructions whatsoever about a sabbath observance.
Second, no one in Genesis, which covers more years of history than the rest of the Old Testament combined, is said to have kept the sabbath or worshiped on the seventh day. The first recorded sabbath observance of any kind was among the people of Israel at the time of the exodus (Exodus 16). Interestingly, Moses instructed the Israelites on that occasion, “Tomorrow is a sabbath observance” (v. 23), not the sabbath observance; that strongly suggests the idea was something new.
Third, the testimony of Nehemiah 9:13-14 is: “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments. So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, and laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, through Your servant Moses.”
Exodus 31:12-17 confirms that the sabbath, part of the Law of Moses, was a sign between God and the nation of Israel. Deuteronomy 5:15 adds that it was a memorial of God’s deliverance of them from bondage in Egypt. Sabbath-keeping began in the wilderness, not in the garden of Eden.
Sabbath Observance to Be “Forever”
Some emphasize the Old Testament descriptions of the Sabbath: it was a “perpetual” covenant (Exodus 31:16), a sign “forever” (v. 17). The argument is that these preclude the Sabbath ever being taken away.
The problem with this approach is simple: these descriptive terms are used of other provisions of the Law of Moses as well. Actually it is the same Hebrew word in both verses. The term is olam, which means age lasting. Olam also describes the Passover (Exodus 12:14), Aaron’s priesthood and its required attire (Exodus 28:40-43), the heave or wave offering (Exodus 29:28), the lamps in the tabernacle (Exodus 27:20-21), the bread of the tabernacle (Leviticus 24:5-8), the priests’ portion of sacrifices (Deuteronomy 18:1-5), the annual day of atonement (Leviticus 16:29), and so on. What God said of the sabbath was that Israel was to celebrate it “throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant” (Exodus 31:16). As long as they continued as His people, a continuation based on keeping the Law of Moses (Exodus 19:5-6; 34:27-28), they were to maintain these various provisions.
The Law of Moses and its sacrifices were not adequate to take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4). These provisions were always intended to be temporary (Galatians 3:19). The Law has been taken away (Galatians 2:24-25; Ephesians 2:14-16; Hebrews 10:9-10). Paul concluded, “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).
Conclusion
The weekly sabbath reminded the Israelites who they were: servants of God, who redeemed them from slavery. Likewise, when we meet together every Sunday to eat the Lord’s Supper, it reminds us who we are: servants of Jesus, who redeemed us from sin when He died for us and then rose from the dead the first day of the week (Mark 16:2). Let us each regularly set aside that time to remember and honor Him.
