 SHOULD WE WORSHIP ON THE SABBATH DAY?
Dear Teacher:
"I have always thought we should keep the Sabbath Day for worship. Am I correct in this?" Missy.
Dear Missy:
The Jews, under the Law of Moses, were commanded to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy (Exodus 20:8). The Sabbath was the seventh day of the week, i.e., Saturday. During his ministry, Christ and his apostles observed the seventh day, since they were Jews living under that Mosaic code.
With the death of Christ, the old Law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). It was superceded by the New Covenant of Christ (Hebrews 8:6-13).
Christ was resurrected on the first day of the week, i.e., our Sunday (Luke 24:1-2). Each appearance to his disciples following his resurrection was on a first day of the week (John 20:19).
The church had its beginning on the first Pentecost following the resurrection (Acts 2:1-47). Pentecost always was observed on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15-21).
The early church communed on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7) and gave their gifts on that day (I Corinthians 16:1-2).
We worship our resurrected Lord on the day on which he arose. In this we follow the practice of the earliest Christians.
It is also of interest to note that the New Testament never refers to the first day of the week as the "Christian Sabbath." It is the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10).
John Waddey |
