Updated: March 25, 2024
I am a Christian so I speak here of the Sabbath from my perspective in regards to my Christian faith.
I do so because it is an important topic for me for it is a decision that I must publicly be comfortable with and confident of every week in terms of compliance with the expectations of my Creator God and Redeemer (e.g., Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 6:33; John 3:16; John 14:15; Luke 19:10; Phil 2:9-11) walking after his Holy Spirit rather than the flesh (e.g., John 16:13-16; Romans 8:1-6; 2 Cor 5:7-10).
Let me say that in scripture there is the weekly Sabbath and then there are non-weekly sabbaths that occur in conjunction with other periodic appointed times; appointed times are also called feasts or seasons (e. g., Gen 1:14; Lev 23:2, 4). Both types can be found in Leviticus 23. In this document unless otherwise indicated the word Sabbath, capitalized or not, refers to the weekly Sabbath.
Also this document does not deal with Hebrews 4 regarding to what extent Jesus is our sabbath rest. I will deal with that in another document.
The idea of Sabbath is in some sense a complex matter. So I will simply present some points concerning it. The reader then can make up in his or her own mind as to how he/she views the Sabbath and applies the principle thereof in his/her life to the extent one listens to the Holy Spirit.
In this document I will use the term Seventh Day Sabbath to refer to the Old Covenant Weekly Sabbath that took place on the calendar week day we in America label Saturday. I will use the term Lord’s Day to refer to Sunday holy convocation and rest; Sunday as the Lord’s Day was popularized by what we generally know as the Roman Catholic Church. I will also use my preferred term Christian Sabbath to refer to Sabbath Keeping regardless of whether the day of the week is Saturday or Sunday
Therefore, the terms Christian Sabbath and Lord’s Day are used with respect to the New Covenant to distinguish such days from the Seventh Day Sabbath.
Regarding the matter of Sabbath Keeping in summary, I conclude it is better to keep the Sabbath principle/precept of holy convocation/assembly and rest as set forth in the Old Testament whether it is on a Sunday or a Saturday. This is to be done in spirit rather than in letter (2 Cor 3:6; Rom 2:29; 7:6) considering Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5) whether it is considered to be on a Saturday or Sunday regarding the Sabbath principle.
One way to be consistent with the bible in Seventh Day Sabbath keeping in spirit is to have a holy convocation at home and rest on Saturdays and have a public community holy convocation on Sundays. This way one honors both the Sabbath on the seventh day and the Lord’s resurrection on the first day. In deed, the traditional day workweek supports this model as Saturday and Sunday in that model is considered the week end as in end of the work week. Exodus 20:8-11 says six days one shall work; it does not say what type of work. Thus, one could effectively do no work on Saturday and do non-strenuous work on Sunday or do regular work on Sunday before or after holy convocation. Indeed, there is no commandment to worship outside of one’s home on the Sabbath. Indeed, there is no commandment in scripture not to work on Sundays; the Roman Catholic Church established that for its people but other denominations/churches are not bound to the Catholic Church though the Catholic Church member may choose to not work on that day (Rom 14:5; Col 2:16) I suppose.
Note that the Old Covenant Sabbath was certainly on the seventh day of the calendar week which according to American calendaring system is Saturday whereas for some other nations such as Great Britain, Germany, and France it is Sunday.
It is abundantly clear from the 363-365 AD Council of Laodicea that the church (at least what we know as the Roman Catholic Church) considered Saturday to be the seventh day of the week and thus the Seventh Day Sabbath. It is also clear they considered Sunday to be the first day of the week which they call the Lord’s Day. It is also abundantly clear they intentionally transferred the functionality of holy convocation and rest from the Seventh Day Sabbath to the Lord’s Day. The Council of Laodicea even forbade church members from resting on the Seventh Day Sabbath even though they allowed worship to including reading of the gospel on the seventh day in worship services. A later council rescinded that forbidding of resting as it simply removed all references to the Seventy Day Sabbath in Roman Catholic canons at least by the time of the 1983 Catholic Code of Canon Law as the 1983 document contains no reference to the Sabbath. Thus, church members are free to observe the Saturday Seventh Day Sabbath if they wish without penalty from church officials not as a replacement for the Sunday Lord’s Day rest but in addition to.
They did so because they believed and believe that Christians are not bound to the Seventh Day Sabbath but are free to choose the first day of the week (Sunday) for that functionality. They based that authority on the biblical church meeting everyday of the week, and the specific mentioning of the church meeting on the first day of the week in houses for worship apart from regular Jewish meeting in the synagogues.
They also cite text concerning Jesus resurrection with respect to the first day of the week (Sunday) thus the Lord’s Day is associated with Jesus resurrection though he is Lord of the Sabbath and everyday including Sunday (first day of the week).
Applicable scriptures include Acts 20:7 about Paul preaching to the church as it assembled though he also preached on the Sabbath ((Acts 12:42-44) in the synagogue and elsewhere.
Also note that Jesus first appeared to the disciples on the first day of the week as the disciples assembled thus their first assembly after Jesus resurrection was on the first day of the week. Note that in this first assembly the Holy Ghost was given to those disciples present.
Further note that Jesus resurrection on the first day of the week renders him first fruits (Leviticus 23:9-14; 1 Cor 15:20). Pentecost is 50 days (seven sabbaths) later (Leviticus 23:15-16)
Further note, that the Day of Pentecost was on the first day of the week when the 120 disciples were assembled in the upper room apart from the non-believing Jews.. It was at this first Pentecost after Jesus resurrection that the Holy Ghost came publicly with the power of speaking in other tongues. It was on the first day of the week when people was first added to the church after Jesus resurrection. It was on this first day of the week that the first public sermon was preached by the apostles.
I find comfort for my conscience in the following scriptures as to saying it is okay with God to abide in the Sabbath principle on either Saturday or Sunday. This is so especially given that Paul preached on the Sabbath (Acts 12:42-44) and the first sermon after Jesus resurrection was preached by Peter on the first day of the week at the first Pentecost where the Holy Spirit was poured out in a mighty visible way and many were first added to the church: Rom 14:5; Col 2:16; Acts 20:6-7; 1 Cor 16:2.
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Some additional details are given below.
The Old Testament Sabbath involves three major elements: (1) Holy Convocation/Assembly, (2) Physical Rest as in No Work (e. g., production of goods and services or enabling/participation therein), and (3) Offerings/Sacrifices.
Key scriptures regarding these three elements are Lev 23:3; Exodus 20:8-11; 16:22-30; 31:13-16; 35:3; and for weekly offerings/sacrifices, Numbers 28:9-10.
With the coming of Christ in the New Testament consideration must be given to the degree to which the Offering/Sacrifices still apply, if such apply at all. Consideration must also be given to Jesus as Lord, Jesus as Messiah, and Jesus resurrection.
Understanding the biblical concept of Sabbath requires a biblical understanding of the days of the week. This is discussed in the article entitled Days of the Week.
See the article entitled Sabbath Do’s and Don’ts for more info on what to do and not do on the Sabbath.
The principle of the Sabbath is clearly an important principle to God and man beginning under Moses and continuing under Jesus, pre-death and post-resurrection.
One important question is to what extent are Christians expected by God to keep the Sabbath?.
It is abundantly clear that some Christian denominations transferred the functionality of the Sabbath Day to what is generally called the Lord’s Day. The article entitled Catholic Church and Its Canons on the Sabbath and Lord’s Day discusses this.
The question of when and where the early church met for regular official community worship is important and is discussed in the article entitled When and Where Did the Early Church Meet for Worship.
The question of when I regularly worship is discussed in the article entitled What Day of the Week is My Regular Day of Worship and Rest.
The question of whether keeping the Sabbath is commanded for Christians is discussed in the article entitled Is Keeping the Sabbath Commanded for Christians.
I conclude it is better to keep the Sabbath principle/precept of holy convocation/assembly and rest as set forth in the Old Testament whether it is on a Sunday or a Saturday. This is to be done in spirit rather than in letter (2 Cor 3:6; Rom 2:29; 7:6).
The bottom line whether the Sabbath is commanded or not, it is better to keep the Sabbath as you are able in terms of allotting on a regular basis for you and your household to cease from work and assemble with others in the community for a holy convocation in honor of and appreciation for what God has done for humankind in the form of all involving the biblical Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This is so whether that day agreed to by those with whom you regularly assemble is Saturday or Sunday or some other calendar day of the week. This is so whether on the calendar such a day is the first day of the week or seventh day of the week for the calendars we have are manmade, not God-made.
Society has church gatherings on particular days and times depending on location and a number of other factors. God expects every employer to give employees at least one day off of work each week for sabbath purposes; that employee is then responsible to voluntarily comply; but, any non-compliance is between that person and God (Mark 2:27-28; Romans 14:5; Colossians 2:16).
For additional points see About the Christian Sabbath or Lord’s Day Part 2.
References:
Hebrews 4 Sabbath Rest and Sabbath Day
United States Conference on Catholic Bishops Examination of Conscience Concerning Ten Commandments
How Can I Observe the Sabbath Without a Congregation? | Messianic Sabbath
Jesus and the Feast of First Fruits
