A Sunday Worshiper
Explains Sunday Worship
Explains Sunday Worship
A Sunday worshiper "explains" to an inquirer why he thinks the day of worship is Sun day. The writer maintains a web site on Bible truth, but unfortunately friend, the explanations given do not support a biblical change of the Sabbath.
Hi S_______,
I think the follow will help you with your question about keeping the Sabbath..
The word sabbath means "rest". God first gave the sabbath as a duty to man in the book of Exodus. It is true that the sabbath originated at the
completion of the creation (Ge. 2:1-3), but that was God's rest, not man's. There is no record in Genesis that God gave the sabbath
to man, and there is no record of men keeping the sabbath before Israel in the wilderness. Neh. 9:13,14 plainly states that the
sabbath was first given to Israel. Seventh-day Adventists and a few others teach that men kept the sabbath from the days of Adam onward, but
this is contrary to the Bible's own record.
Repsonse: Did God get tired when He created this world? Was the rest that God participated in during the seventh day of creation week due to His getting tired, or because He was demonstrating to us what we needed to do? Since the time of creation, we have had a command to observe the Sabbath day since "God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it" Genesis 2:3. Notice in the comment above the Sun day promoter says "the sabbath originated at the completion of the creation" but then he says "there is no record of men keeping the sabbath before Israel in the wilderness." It can't be both friend. God did not create the Sabbath during creation week for Himself, it was for man. Notice this text, "The Sabbath was made for man" Mark 2:27. Notice that it does not say it was made for the Jew. God emphasized the Sabbath with the Jews so they could be messengers of truth to the world, like Christians are supposed to be today. God wanted mankind to observe all the Ten Commandments, including His Holy Sabbath Day. Abraham lived hundreds of years before Israel in the wilderness, and yet God said "Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My Commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Genesis 26:5. That shows Abraham was obeying the Sabbath commandment too. Notice also in Exodus 16:28-30, that God was upset with Israel because they were not observing the Sabbath properly BEFORE Moses was given the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone. Israel knew about the Sabbath, but was forced to work seven days in Egypt and could not observe it properly for a long period of time. This next text is further evidence that the Ten Commandments were known to mankind throughout the centuries, beginning with Adam and Eve, "Sin is transgression of the Law" I John 3:4. For there to be sin, there must be a Law known to man of which he disobeys. For men to sin before Mt. Sinai, they must have known about the Ten Commandments which were passed down from generation to generation from the time of Adam and Eve. At Mt. Sinai, God knew the Egyptians were used to seeing laws written on tablets of stone, so He wrote the Ten Commandments on stone to meet the people where they were, and to remind them of His truth.
Exodus. 31:12-18 says the sabbath was a special sign between God and Israel. If mankind in general had been given the sabbath following creation, it could not have been a sign for Israel. The fact is that the sabbath belongs to the nation Israel and not to any
other people. It is also important to note that the sabbath will be an eternal possession of Israel (Ex. 31:16). This sign will never be annulled or transferred to another people.
Response: As we saw above, the Sabbath was given to man, not just the Jews. The Sabbath is a sign between God and His people who are committed to Him in spirit and truth. The Ten Commandments were not for just the Jews. They were for all mankind. Is there a set of Christian Ten Commandments? No. We are to obey the Ten Commandments given to all mankind. Also, to take one of the Ten Commandments out of the ten and say it is not meant for us to obey is simply WRONG. James 2:10 says "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." If we break one of the ten, we have broken them all. That is serious folks. The reasoning used by this Sun day promoter is deadly folks. He is attacking ALL THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!!!
VERY IMPORTANT - Notice this verse in Galations 3:28,29 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." We are not to strive to be literal Jews, we are to strive to be Christians then we will be a spiritual Jew and a decendant of Abraham. The Israel spoken of in Revelation pertaining to future events is the spiritual Israel or faithful Christians carrying on with the work Jesus began.
Just as ancient Israel was given the Law, we as Christian were too "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them" Hebrews 10:16. By the Holy Spirit living within us, His Law will be written upon our heart and we will obey His Law.
This explains why the prophets foretell that Israel will keep the sabbath even after the
kingdom of Christ is established on earth (Isa. 66:23). It also explains why Jesus Christ mentioned the sabbath in His prophecies of
the Tribulation (Mt. 24:20). Israelites in the land of Palestine still keep the sabbath today.
Response: If you read Isaiah 66:23 you will see that "all flesh" will worship the Lord in the new earth on the Sabbath. It does not say only the Jews. Jesus spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem which would take place 40 years after His death and mentioned the Sabbath still being in effect in those days. He did not say it would be destroyed. Jesus was the founder of Christianity and was speaking of His Sabbath being in effect 40 years after his death.
In their writings to the churches, the Apostles only mentioned the sabbath three times.
Response: A totally false statement. The Sabbath is mentioned many, many times in the writings of the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles were continuing to worship on Saturday the Sabbath throughout the New Testament, many years after Jesus' resurrection. Let's take a look:
Acts 13:14 "But when they [Paul & friends] departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down." Paul then spoke in the church.
Acts 13:42 "And when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." Paul was going to preach to the Gentiles the next Sabbath, NOT the next day, Sunday!!!! Paul was a seventh-day Sabbath keeper, not a sun day keeper!
Acts 13:44 "And the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God." Wow!!! The whole city, Gentiles, Jews, all came together on the same worship day, the seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth commandment!
Acts 17:2 "Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures." Paul was observing the seventh-day Sabbath like all other Christians. That was his custom.
Acts 18:4 "And he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks." Notice it does not say he persuaded the Jews on the Sabbath, and invited the Greeks to church on Sunday. They all met on the same day, the seventh day Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
Note friend that there is not ONE mention of a Sun day church service, or mention of a change in the law of God and His Sabbath day in the New Testament.
(1) The sabbath is a symbol of salvation rest in Christ in Hebrews 4, and the Book of Hebrews was written to Christian Jews who were still practicing Judaism and not to Gentiles
Response: The writer is attempting to say the Sabbath is only a symbol and is not a responsibility of the Christian. But that is not found in the Bible.
(2) The N.T. believer is not bound to keep the sabbath (Col. 2:9-17).
Response: The ceremonial law, which looked forward to Christ, speaks of temporary sabbaths that were nailed to the cross, but not the Ten Commandment Sabbath:
"Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross....So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." Colossians 2:14,16,17. The "handwriting" pertains to Moses writing the ceremonial law, such as the Day of Atonement sabbath, Passover, etc. It was "against us" is explained in Deut. 31:26 where the "Book of the law" written by Moses is "against you." The ceremonial law which had its own sabbaths was written on animal skin was "nailed to the cross" or ended at that time, but not the Ten Commandments, they were written by our Creator on stone for eternity. "The shadow of things to come" means it is temporary and points forward to Christ’s sacrifice when it would end. We no longer observe the Day of Atonement or Passover sabbaths because the sacrificial system ended at the cross. In Matt. 24 Jesus spoke of the Ten Commandment Sabbath in His prophecy of the destruction of Israel which took place 40 years after His death. So the true Ten Commandment Sabbath was verified by Jesus to still be in effect long after His death.
(3) The N.T. believer has liberty in the matter of holy days (Rom. 14). Those who teach that the sabbath is binding upon the Christian, are going contrary to what the Apostles taught.
Response: Friends, this reasoning is so shallow, because the writer is confusing the ceremonial sabbaths which looked forward to Christ's sacrifice, with the seventh day Sabbath of the fourth commandment. The ceremonial Sabbaths like the day of Atonement, the Passover, etc., were all done away with, but not the Sabbath of the fourth commandment!
Why, then, did Jesus keep the Sabbath? He kept the sabbath for the same reason He kept all the other Mosaic laws. He also observed the feasts. Jesus did these things because He was born a Jew, born under the law, that He might fulfill it and redeem His people from its penalty and bondage (Gal. 4:4; Rom. 9:5).
Response: The writer is again lumping all the ceremonial Sabbaths, written by Moses on lamb skin, with the Ten Commandments written by God and dealing with the seventh-day Sabbath.
Most Christians today are Gentiles and as the New Testament states over and over, we are not under the Law that God gave to the nation of Israel. We are not a nation of Jews, but assemblies of Gentiles. The promised Kingdom that is to come (not heaven) is a promise to Jews.....yes Christian will be a part of the kingdom, but as the bride of Jesus Christ. Our promise is salvation and to be in a special relationship with Christ the New Testament describes as the bride of Christ.
Response: Christians are to be spiritual Jews (Gal. 3) and should follow the Ten Commandments to which ALL MANKIND are to be held accountable. THE SABBATH IS NOT JEWISH, IT IS CHRISTIAN. There is no "promised kingdom" for the Jews here on earth. A "special relationship with Christ" apparently that writer thinks Christians should not care about the Ten Commandments, that we have a license to ignore them. We are not "UNDER" the law means we are not condemned by it. That does not mean we can ignore the Ten Commandments, to the contrary we will have them written upon our hearts (Heb 10:16) and will be living them. By the Holy Spirit living within us, we CAN obey God's law. That is what He wants. He does not want us ignoring His law. FRIEND, THAT WRITER IS ATTACKING GOD'S TEN COMMANDMENTS!!!
Further SUNDAY is the first day of the week and Christians worship the Lord on this day because of the following Bible facts:
BIBLE EVIDENCE THAT EARLY CHRISTIANS WORSHIPPED ON SUNDAY:
Response: Notice below here friend, there is no command to change the day of worship. The day of Jesus' resurrection was the first day He went back to work. Jesus did not attend a Sun day church. He did not say the Ten Commandments had been changed.
1. On the first day Jesus rose from the dead (Mk. 16:9).
2. On the first day Jesus first appeared to his disciples (Mk. 16:9).
3. On the first day Jesus met with the disciples at different places and repeatedly (Mk. 16:9-11; Mt. 28:8-10; Lk. 24:34; Mk.
16:12-13; Jn. 20:19-23).
4. 4. On the first day Jesus blessed the disciples (Jn. 20:19).
5. On the first day Jesus imparted to the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22).
6. On the first day Jesus commissioned the disciples to preach the gospel to all the world (Jn. 20:21; with Mk. 16:9-15).
7. On the first day Jesus ascended to Heaven, was seated at the right hand of the Father and was made Head of all (Jn. 20:17;
Ep. 1:20).
8. On the first day many of the dead saints arose from the grave (Mt. 27:52-53).
9. The first day became the day of joy and rejoicing to the disciples (Jn. 20:20; Lk. 24:41).
10. On the first day the gospel of the risen Christ was first preached (Lk. 24:34).
11. On the first day Jesus explained the Scriptures to the disciples (Lk. 24:27,45).
12. On the first day the purchase of our redemption was completed (Ro. 4:25).
13. On the first day the Holy Spirit descended (Ac. 2:1). Pentecost was on the 50th day after the sabbath following the wave offering (Le. 23:15,16). Thus Pentecost was always on a Sunday.
Response: Notice that in the texts above, there was no change in the Sabbath. Jesus just went back to work on the first day of the week. That's all. The writer could not mention ONE text which showed a change in the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath.
14. The Christians met to worship on the first day (Ac. 20:6,7; 1 Co. 16:2). Sunday is "the Lord's Day" (Re. 1:10) (D.M. Canright, Seventh-day Adventism Renounced).
Response: The first text says, "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight." Acts 20:7,8. The New English Bible indicates a Saturday night meeting. A Saturday Sabbath meeting went into Saturday night which is the beginning of the first day of the week. The breaking of bread, or eating, could take place any day (see Acts 2:46). So this was not a church meeting or any special day to break bread. The next morning, Sun day, Paul traveled to his next city.
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come." I Cor. 16:1,2. The original Vulgate refers to a gift for the poor at one’s "own house," not at a church. This was not a church gathering, but a directive to church members on the first work day of the week to set aside a donation at their homes.
Note that there is no church worship mentioned in those texts, and that no command was given to change the Law of God.
Nowhere in scripture is Sun day mentioned as the Lord's Day. That was created by the Roman system, the papacy, the popes. We can follow them, or realize that "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Exodus 20, the fourth commandment.
Since those days, the vast majority of Christians have always met to worship on the Lord's day. They do this in honor of the
resurrection of their Savior. Christ was in the tomb during the sabbath, and rose as the firstborn from the dead on the first day.
The sabbath signifies the last day of the old creation (Ge. 2:2). Sunday is the first day of the new creation.
HISTORICAL EVIDENCE THAT EARLY CHRISTIANS WORSHIPED ON SUNDAY.
Response: Notice that the writer could not prove the change of the Ten Commandment Sabbath from the Bible, so he chooses to use second century - forward examples, shown below, of apostate Sun day worship. Worship that had become adulterated by that time. The early Roman Emperors had passed laws forcing all men to worship on the pagan day of the sun, or the Sun day. Here is the first Sun day Law decree of a Christian council, given about 16 years after Constantine’s first Sunday Law of A.D. 321: "Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday [in the original: ‘sabbato’—shall not be idle on the Sabbath], but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall by shut out [‘anathema,’ excommunicated] from Christ."—Council of Laodicea, c. A.D. 337, Canon 29, quoted in C. J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 316. The rulers did not want Christians worshiping on Saturday and pagans worshiping on Sun day. They wanted a unified day of worship. It was during this period that the early Christian apostasy began, under the strong arm of the civil government. The Catholic church then carried forward what the Roman rulers had begun, a false Christian day of worship on the day of the sun. To this day the Catholic church brags in their writings that they are behind the change of the day of worship. They say because Jesus was resurrected on Sun day, that we ought to observe that day as the Sabbath. They brag that protestants are following their teachings by worshiping on Sun day. But unfortunately friend, that is not biblical.
The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine states: "Q. Which is the Sabbath day? A. Saturday is the Sabbath day. Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? A. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." "Sunday is our mark of authority. The church is above the Bible, and this transference of sabbath observance is proof of that fact." The Catholic Record, London Ontario, Sept. 1, 1923.
Are we going to follow man, or God? That is the question.
The Epistle of Barnabas (about A.D. 100). "Wherefore, also we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead."
The Epistle of Ignatius (about A.D. 107). "Be not deceived with strange doctrines, nor with old fables, which are unprofitable. For if we still live according to the Jewish Law, we acknowledge that we have not received grace ... If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death."
Justin Martyr (about A.D. 140). "And on the day called Sunday all who live in cities or in the country gather together in one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read. ... But Sunday is the day on which we all hold a common assembly, because it is the First day of the week on which God ... made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day
rose from the dead."
Bardesanes, Edessa (A.D. 180). "On one day the first of the week, we assemble ourselves together."
Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 194). "He, in fulfillment of the precept, according to the gospel, keeps the Lord's Day ... glorifying the Lord's resurrection in himself."
Tertullian (A.D. 200). "We solemnize the day after Saturday in contradiction to those who call this day their sabbath."
Irenaeus (about A.D. 155-202). "The Mystery of the Lord's Resurrection may not be celebrated on any other day than the Lord's Day, and on this alone should we observe the breaking off of the Paschal Feast."
Cyprian (A.D. 250). "The eighth day, that is, the first day after the sabbath, and the Lord's Day."
Apostolic Constitutions (A.D. 250). "On the day of the resurrection of the Lord--that is, the Lord's Day--assemble yourselves together without fail, giving thanks to God and praising Him for those mercies God has bestowed upon you through Christ."
Anatolius (A.D. 270). "Our regard for the Lord's resurrection which took place on the Lord's Day will lead us to celebrate it."
Peter, Bishop of Alexandria (A.D. 306). "But the Lord's Day we celebrate as a day of joy, because on it, he rose again."
Response: Notice these examples of quotes regarding the true and false day of worship:
PROTESTANT LEADERS SPEAK:
BAPTIST: "There was and is a command to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will however be readily said, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week, with all its duties, privileges and sanctions. Earnestly desiring information on this subject, which I have studied for many years, I ask, where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament—absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week."—Dr. E. T. Hiscox, author of the Baptist Manual.
Congregationalist: "It is quite clear that however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath . . The Sabbath was founded on a specific divine command. We can plead no such command for the observance of Sunday . . There is not a single line in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday."—Dr. R. W. Dale, The Ten Commandments, pp. 106-107.
Protestant Episcopal: "The day is now changed from the seventh to the first day . . but as we meet with no Scriptural direction for the change, we may conclude it was done by the authority of the church."—"The Protestant Episcopal Explanation of the Catechism.
Baptist: "The Scriptures nowhere call the first day of the week the Sabbath . . There is no Scriptural authority for so doing, nor of course, any Scriptural obligation."—The Watchman.
Presbyterian: "There is no word, no hint in the New Testament about abstaining from work on Sunday. The observance of Ash Wednesday, or Lent, stands exactly on the same footing as the observance of Sunday. Into the rest of Sunday no Divine Law enters."—Canon Eyton, Ten Commandments.
Anglican: "And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day."—Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism, pp. 334, 336.
Methodist: "It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism. Nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week. Many believe that Christ changed the Sabbath. But, from His own words, we see that He came for no such purpose. Those who believe that Jesus changed the Sabbath base it only on a supposition."—Amos Binney, Theological Compendium, pp. 180-181.
Episcopalian: "We have made the change from the seventh to the first day, from Saturday to Sunday, on the authority of the one holy, catholic, apostolic church of Christ."—Bishop Seymour, Why We Keep Sunday.
Southern Baptist: "The sacred name of the seventh day is Sabbath. This fact is too clear to require argument [Exodus 20:10, quoted] . . On this point the plain teaching of the Word has been admitted in all ages . . Not once did the disciples apply the Sabbath law to the first day of the week,—that folly was left for a later age, nor did they pretend that the first day supplanted the seventh."—Joseph Judson Taylor, The Sabbatic Question, pp. 14-17, 41.
American Congregationalist: "The current notion, that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament."—Dr. Lyman Abbot, Christian Union, June 26, 1890.
Christian Church: "Now there is no testimony in all the oracles of heaven that the Sabbath is changed, or that the Lord’s Day came in the room of it."—Alexander Campbell, Reporter, October 8, 1921.
Disciples of Christ: "There is no direct Scriptural authority for designating the first day ‘the Lord’s Day.’ "—Dr. D. H. Lucas, Christian Oracle, January 23, 1890.
Baptist: "To me it seems unaccountable that Jesus, during three years’ discussion with His disciples, often conversing upon the Sabbath question, discussing it in some of its various aspects, freeing it from its false [Jewish traditional] glosses, never alluded to any transference of the day; also, no such thing was intimated. Nor, so far as we know, did the rSpirit, which was given to bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever that He had said unto them, deal with this question. Nor yet did the inspired apostles, in preaching the gospel, founding churches, counseling and instructing those founded, discuss or approach the subject.
"Of course I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian Fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism."—Dr. E. T. Hiscox, report of his sermon at the Baptist Minister’s Convention, New York Examiner, November 16, 1893.
HISTORIANS SPEAK:
"There is scarcely anything which strikes the mind of the careful student of ancient ecclesiastical history with greater surprise than the comparatively early period at which many of the corruptions of Christianity, which are embodied in the Roman system, took their rise; yet it is not to be supposed that when the first originators of many of these unscriptural notions and practices planted those germs of corruption, they anticipated or even imagined they would ever grow into such a vast and hideous system of superstition and error as is that of popery."—John Dowling, History of Romanism, 13th Edition, p. 65.
Please see www.seventh-day.org/historians.htm for more quotes.
In Conclusion:
The Sabbath, though mentioned in Gen. 2:2-3, was not delivered to man until it was given to Israel in the wilderness (Neh. 9:13-14). The Sabbath was given, not to mankind in general, but to the nation of Israel alone as a special covenant sign between her and God (Ex. 31:13,17).
Response: We have learned that the Sabbath was given to man, and has always been part of God's plan for all mankind, just as we are not to steal or kill we are also to honor God by observing the Sabbath day.
Hope this helps you understand this. Christians are not under the Law that God gave to the Nation of Israel and we have a special relationship with the Lord.
[end of e-mail by Sun day keeper]
Response: Nowhere, nowhere in the Bible is there a command by God to change His sacred Ten Commandments!!! Only men have tried to change them, attack them, or destroy them.
Notice how God's people in the last days will be keeping the Ten Commandments:
"Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
"Blessed are those who do His commandments [here on earth], that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city" [the New Jerusalem in heaven] Revelation 22:14
"And the dragon [Satan] was wroth [angry] with the woman [God's church], and went to make war with the remnant [final part] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17
THE QUESTION ARISES, IS SATAN ANGRY OR HAPPY WITH YOUR WORSHIP?
It is unfortunate, but the writer repeatedly attacked the Law of God in an effort to substantiate Sun day worship. He could not prove a change in the Sabbath Commandment, so he decided to throw out the entire Law of God. If God could have changed the Ten Commandments, he would have done so at the Garden of Eden and thus prevented His Son from having to come to earth to live a life of a humble man in order to prove that the Law could be kept.
Notice this text, "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" Isaiah 8:20. Based upon that statement, we can conclude that the writer who supported Sun day worship did not speak according to the law of God, nor the prophets and did not have true light to share with us.