Marsha's Musings: Sunday, Sabbath, Sunday-Sabbath?

It's  a controversial subject, this Sabbath Day-Sunday Day thing.  I've been thinking about it for several days now.  Are we as Christians required to observe Sunday as if it is the Sabbath Day of the Old Testament?

There are those who say yes because it is one of the ten commandments and the ten commandments are still binding today.

There are those who say no, for a variety of reasons.  Some say it was only binding on the Jews of the Old Testament and not for Christians.  We have a new day, Sunday in which to worship God and we are not bound by the legalism of the law which says you are not allowed to do any work on that day.

If you search this out on Google or Bing you will come up with a dozen different takes on this issue, from Saturday is the day we should set aside to Sunday is the Christian Sabbath and we should treat it like the Jewish Sabbath. There are others who carefully show that the Sabbath was a creation ordinance like marriage that is supposed to stand throughout all time until we get to heaven and you find others who carefully explain that the Sabbath was a sign that pointed to salvation and when Christ came and died on the cross, it was the consummation of the sign, the fulfillment of it and now it is no longer needed.  Still others show that when the early church began meeting on the first day of the week the legalism that went with Judaism was abolished. There are others who say that since Sabbath Day observance is included in the ten commandments, then it is binding on Christians today to observe it, just that we observe it on Sunday instead of Saturday  because Christ was raised from the dead on the first day of the week and the early Christians after Christ's death met on the first day of the week.

So what are we to make of all this?  It's all confusing. What are we to believe about Sunday worship and is it the Christian Sabbath that should be observed like the Jewish Sabbath in so far as the do's and the don't's are concerned? There are those who will criticize others to their face or sit in judgement in their hearts, if a Christian works a job on Sunday or participates in other "forbidden" activities.

So I have set out to learn more about this issue and settle it in my mind what the Bible has to say about it.

Let's take a look at the Biblical order of events related to the Sabbath Day.

God Rested from His Work of Creation on the Seventh Day. There is no mention of Him commanding Adam and Eve to observe the Sabbath.

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. -Genesis 2:2

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. -Genesis 2:3

The First Time the Sabbath was Commanded was the manna fell.

And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord : bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (Exodus 16:22, 23 KJV)

The Fourth Commandment Concerns Sabbath Keeping

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. (Exodus 20:3-17 KJV)

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. -Exodus 31:16

The Reason for the Sabbath

It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. -Exodus 31:17


1. It is a reminder of the origins of our world.
2. It is a reminder of Who created our world.
3. It is an institution created by God for the good of His people to refresh them for the next six days.

Jesus & His Disciples Break the Sabbath Law by Picking Corn to Eat.  Notice when the Sabbath was instituted it pertained to picking up manna to eat.  They were not allowed to pick up manna on the Sabbath (hence it did not fall on the Sabbath because God knew they would pick it up if it did). So picking corn to eat on the Sabbath was not a Pharisaical man made law as it was not different than picking up manna...both were food items and both required one to perform a little work.  Jesus points out that the priests profaned the Sabbath by working on it but no one held them guilty for it.

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. (Luke 6:1-5 KJV)

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? (Matthew 12:5 KJV)

Christians begin meeting on the first day of the week (Sunday)

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. -Acts 20:7

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. -1 Corinthians 16:2

 The Sabbath was A Shadow or Sign of Salvation to Come in Christ Jesus When Men Cease from Works to Be Righteous and Rest in The Righteousness of Christ

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:1-13 KJV)

How Are We to Treat Other Christians in Respect to Our Use of Sunday?

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  -Colossians 2:16

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. -Colossians 2:17
 

How Are We to View Sunday?

“One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord” Romans 14:5-6a.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 KJV)