“I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, …” (Revelation 1:10)
In the Old Testament period the Jews and those who worshipped God met at the Temple or in a synagogue on Saturday. Saturday was the Sabbath day, a day of rest and worship. The fourth commandment in the law of Moses is, “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.” (Exodus 20:8-10)
Why then do Christians worship on Sunday, which is the first day of the week, not the seventh?
Christians of every denomination, in every part of the world, with very few exceptions, all meet for worship on Sunday. Despite whatever other differences they may have, they all observe Sunday as the day to gather and worship as a church.
Why the change and when did the change happen?
With the transition from the Old to the New Testament and the beginning of the New Testament church, those who believed in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, began to meet for worship and fellowship on Sunday.
This is observed in Acts 20:7 “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them.”
In 1 Corinthians 16:2, the Apostle Paul, speaking about an offering they were collecting for the beleaguered saints in Jerusalem said, “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.”
As you study the New Testament you find that the observance of the Old Testament Sabbath fades away and is replaced with worship on the first day of the week. I
n fact, we read statements like Colossians 2:16-17: “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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
Christians are not bound to the dietary and Sabbath laws for those were shadows which Christ, who is the substance, has fulfilled. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law; He fulfilled all of the symbols and types and illustrations of the Old Testament system because, they all were foreshadows of Him.
Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
The principle of a day of physical rest is still important for our physical well-being, but spiritually, Jesus is our rest. We are not labouring to earn heaven, but we rest in Him and His finished work on the cross when He died for our sins and rose from the dead.
Oh, and what day did Jesus rise from the dead? On the first day of the week, on Sunday, and therein is why Christians worship on Sunday.
Tom Kline is the pastor of Castlegar Baptist Church.
