Does day of Christ ressurection tell us to worship on Sunday

[Hobie]

Where did Sunday come in as a day of worship, was it from the ressurection, did Christ rise and tell the Disciples something that was not in scripture or did the change come from elsewhere. Some people say 'I keep Sunday in honor of the Resurrection' or they are told that the Apostles began keeping Sunday as the day of worship after the ressurection, but did they. Did the ressurection somehow cause a change to the day of worship?

Worship is the reason for the Sabbath. It is the only day God ever gave us to worship Him on. "In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."—Matthew 15:9. That which God gives us is the truth. We are to believe it and obey it. "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth."—John 17:17. "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."—1 Timothy 2:4. "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth."—2 Thessalonians 2:13. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit."—1 Peter 1:22. It is not safe to refuse obedience to the obvious truths of God’s Word. "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Proverbs 28:9. "If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it be of God."—John 7:17, R. V.

So what does the clear Word of God tell us when men come up with changes to what God has given us, or bring in tradition which go against Gods Law. "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29.

So does the ressurection change the day of the Sabbath, well the problem is that God never told anyone to keep Sunday in honor of the resurrection of Christ—or for any other reason. But He decidedly and repeatedly told us to keep holy the seventh day of the week. What are the greatest events in history? Creation and Calvary and the Second Advent stand out. In Gethsemane on Thursday night and on the cross on Friday morning and afternoon, our salvation hung in the balance. By sundown Friday it was all settled. The price had been paid. The salvation of those who would accept it was assured. Then came the Sabbath day of rest, and Jesus our Lord rested in the tomb.

On Sunday morning, He rose and another work week began. Christ began working again. Mary was told not to detain Him for He had yet to ascend to heaven—which He did that day. A long trip to heaven and back again. And a visit to the fearful disciples on a road to Emmaus that evening and in an upper room where other disciples were hiding from the Jewish leaders. Frankly, the resurrection of Christ is in no way as important as is Calvary. Those who wish to abandon a clear command of God to keep the seventh day for another day, would do well to keep Friday holy in honor of Calvary.—But we keep a day holy because God says to, not because we decide to! Let us not imagine that we can abolish part of God’s Ten Commandments and substitute our own!

Someone will say "I wish we still had a memorial of Christ’s resurrection." Actually, Jesus gave us a memorial which combines His crucifixion and resurrection. And He commanded us to observe it.

This definite memorial is baptism. The death and resurrection of Christ are symbolized by the ordinance of baptism, and by partaking of it we partake of that experience with Him. This double symbolism is clearly explained by Paul:

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin [the breaking of the law; 1 John 3:4] that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ—were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,—even so we also should [rise and] walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted [buried] together in the likeness of His death, we shall be raised also in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."—Romans 6:1-6.

Some say that they keep Sunday because it is the "great memorial of our redemption." This is not true. The sign or symbol or memorial of our redemption is the Bible Sabbath. Our keeping of it is the sign by which all men shall know that we belong to God our Creator and that it is He, and not we ourselves, who is saving us from sin and will ultimately redeem us from this evil world. The seventh-day Sabbath is the seal of the law and the sign that He is our Creator (Exodus 31:16-17). And it is the sign that He is our Redeemer. "Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them."—Ezekiel 20:12. His Sabbath kept in our lives is the sign that we belong to Him. "And hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God."—Ezekiel 20:20. The Bible Sabbath is the sign given by our Heavenly Father, that He is sanctifying or preparing us for eternal life. "Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you."— Exodus 31:13.

So lets look at issue of the ressurection in Samuele Bacchiocchi's book 'From Sabbath to Sunday' to see if there is any evidence that the day of Christ ressurection tells us to worship on Sunday. "..Some scholars have argued that Sunday observance has a Biblical and apostolic origin. According to these scholars, from the inceptions of the Church the Apostles themselves chose the first day of the week in place of the seventh day in order to commemorate the resurrection of Christ. (2)

My own assessment of the sources is that this thesis is wrong on two counts. First, the change from Saturday to Sunday occurred sometime after 135 A.D. as a result of an interplay of political, social, pagan and religious factors to be mentioned below. Second, the change originated in Rome and not in Jerusalem. Before submitting the reasons for my conclusions, we shall briefly examine the alleged role of Christ, of the resurrection and of the Jerusalem church in the origin of Sunday.



Jesus and the Origin of Sunday

A popular view holds that Christ by his provocative method of Sabbath keeping-which caused considerable controversy with the religious leaders of His day-intended to pave the way for the abandonment of the Sabbath and the adoption of Sunday keeping instead. This view clearly distorts the intent of Christ's controversial Sabbath activities and teachings which were clearly designed not to nullify but to clarify the divine intent of the Fourth Commandment.



Christ never conceded to have broken the Sabbath commandment. On the contrary He defended Himself and His disciples from the charge of Sabbath breaking by appealing to the Scriptures: "Have you read . . ." (Matt 12:3-5). The intent of Christ's provocative Sabbath teachings and activities was not to pave the way for Sunday keeping, but rather to show the true meaning and function of the Sabbath, namely, a day "to do good" (Matt 12:8), "to save life" (Mark 3:4), to loose people from physical and spiritual bonds (Luke 13:16), and to show "mercy" rather than religiosity (Matt 12:7).



The Resurrection and the Origin of Sunday

Did the apostles introduce Sunday keeping instead of Sabbath keeping in order to commemorate Christ's resurrection by means of the Lord's Supper celebration? This view, though popular, is devoid of Biblical and historical support. The major reasons, briefly stated are the following.



No Command of Christ or of the Apostles

The New Testament never suggests or commands to celebrate Christ's resurrection by a weekly or annual Sunday celebration. This silence is noteworthy in view of the specific instructions given by Christ regarding such practices as baptism (Matt 28:19-20), the Lord's Supper (Mark 14:24-25; 1 Cor 11:23-26) and foot-washing (John 13:14-15).

If Jesus wanted the day of his resurrection to be observed as a day of rest and worship, would He not told the women and the disciples when He rose: "Come apart and celebrate My Resurrection?" Instead He told the women "Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee" (Matt 28:10) and to the disciples "Go . . . make disciples . . . baptizing them" (Matt 28:19).None of the utterances of the risen Savior reveal an intent to memorialize His resurrection by making Sunday the new day of rest and worship.



No Designation of Sunday as Day of the Resurrection

Sunday is never called in the New Testament as "Day of the Resurrection." It is consistently called "First day of the week." The references to Sunday as day of the resurrection first appear in the early part of the fourth century. (3) By that time Sunday had become associated with the resurrection....."



"....The Earliest Reference to Sunday

The earliest explicit references to Sunday keeping are found in the writings of Barnabas (about 135 A.D.) and Justin Martyr (about 150 A.D.). Both writers do mention the resurrection as a basis for Sunday observance but only as the second of two reasons, important but not predominant. Barnabas' first theological motivation for Sunday keeping is eschatological, namely, that Sunday as "the eight day" represents "the beginning of another world." (4) Justin's first reason for the Christians' Sunday assembly is the inauguration of creation: "because it is the first day on which God, transforming the darkness and prime matter, created the world." (5)

The above indications suffice to discredit the claim that Christ's resurrection on the first day of the week caused the abandonment of the Sabbath and the adoption of Sunday. The truth is that initially the resurrection was celebrated existentially rather than liturgically, that is, by a victorious way of life rather than by a special day of worship....."



".....The attachment of the Jerusalem Church to the Mosaic Law is reflected in some of the decisions of the first Jerusalem Council held about 49-50 A.D. (See Acts 15). The exemption from circumcision is there granted only "to brethren who are of the Gentiles" (Acts 15:23). No concession is made for Jewish-Christians, who must continue to circumcise their children. Moreover, of the four provisions made applicable by the Jerusalem Council to Gentiles, one is moral (abstention from "unchastity") but three are ceremonial (even Gentile Christians are ordered to abstain "from contact with idols and from [eating] what has been strangled and from [eating] blood" (Acts 15:20). This concern of the Jerusalem Council for ritual defilement and Jewish food laws reflects its continued attachment to Jewish ceremonial law and its commands. It would be unthinkable that this Church at this early time would change the Sabbath to Sunday.

James' statement at the Jerusalem Council in support of his proposal to exempt Gentiles from circumcision but not from Mosaic laws in general, is also significant: "For generations past Moses has had spokesmen in every city; he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues" (Acts 15:21). All interpreters recognize that both in his proposal and in its justification, James reaffirms the binding nature of the Mosaic Law which was customarily taught every Sabbath in the synagogue.



Paul's Last Visit

Further insight is provided by Paul's last visit to Jerusalem. The Apostle was informed by James and the elders that thousand of converted Jews were "all zealous for the Law" (Acts 21:20). The same leaders then pressured Paul to prove to the people that he also "lived in observance of the law" (Acts 21-24), by undergoing a rite of purification at the Temple. In the light of this deep commitment to the observance of the Law, it is hardly conceivable that the Jerusalem Church would have abrogated one of its chief precepts-Sabbath keeping-and pioneered Sunday worship instead.



Did Sunday Originate After 70 A.D.?

The foregoing evidences has led some scholars to argue for the Palestinian origin of Sunday observance at a slightly later time, namely, after the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. (8) They presume that the flight of the Christians from Jerusalem to Pella as well as the psychological impact of the destruction of the Temple weaned Palestinian Christians away from Jewish observances such as Sabbath keeping.

This assumption is discredited by both Eusebius and Epiphanius who inform us that the Jerusalem Church after 70 A.D. and until Hadrian's siege of Jerusalem in 135 A.D., was composed of and administered by converted Jews, characterized as "zealous to insist on the literal observance of the Law." (9) The orthodox Palestinian Jewish-Christian sect of the Nazarenes, who most scholars regard as "the very direct descendants of the primitive community" (10) of Jerusalem, retained Sabbath keeping on Saturday until the fourth century. Indeed, seventh-day Sabbath keeping was regarded as one of this Church's distinguishing characteristics. (11) This implies that Sabbath observance was not only the traditional custom of the Jerusalem Church, but also of Palestinian Jewish-Christians long after 70 A.D.

Of all the Christian Churches, the Jerusalem Church was both ethnically and theologically the closest and most loyal to Jewish religious traditions, and thus the least likely to change the day of the Sabbath....."


So where did Sunday worship come from...

 

[Sinthesis]

Worship is the reason for the Sabbath. It is the only day God ever gave us to worship Him on.
...
So where did Sunday worship come from...

The Sabbath was given to Jews as a gift of discipline to force them to rely on God rather than their own efforts. "While the Jews rest on the Sabbath, their enemies are training" is of no consequence when God is on the side of His People.

Jesus laid down His life for us. Big Deal! :o Men have died for those they loved throughout history. But only God could lay down His life for us and then take it back again. Jesus proved He is God through the Resurrection.

Truth be told, none of us has ever kept the Sabbath to God's standard. The second your undisciplined mind turns to what else you could be doing with the time you have set aside for God, you are guilty of all. So rather than continue our futile efforts to observe the Sabbath, we turn our observance to the Resurrection as a symbol of that which frees us from the futility of our efforts. Those who believe in Jesus are free from the bondage of the Law.

 

[adam332]

Sinthesis,
"the Sabbath was made for man"(Gen 2:1-3, Mark 2:27), 2300+ yrs before a single Jew/Israelite existed. It existed before sin existed.

Fortunately, we have already been given the sign to honor the resurrection of our Lord, Baptism, (Acts 1:22, Rom. 6:3-11, 1Pet. 3:21). So, there clearly is no need to invent additional signs or days.

JESUS
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read." Luke 4:16

JESUS
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19:16,17

JESUS
"But pray ye that your flight be not in winter, neither on the Sabbath day." Matthew 24, 20.
Jesus asked his disciples to pray that their flight from the doomed city of Jerusalem wouldn't come on the Sabbath day. This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D., nearly forty years after the cross.

HIS FOLLOWERS
"And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Luke 23:56.

PAUL
"And Paul, as his manner was went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures" Acts 17:2

PAUL AND GENTILES
"And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. And the next Sabbath came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God." Acts 13:42, 44.

Here we find Gentiles, in a Gentile city, gathering on the Sabbath. It was not a synagogue meeting in verse 44, for it says almost the whole city came together, verse 42 says they asked to hear the message the "next Sabbath." The gentiles are also calling this day the Sabbath.

And note this point: The Bible does not say it is the "old Jewish Sabbath that was passed away," but the Spirit of God, writing the Book of Acts some 30 years after the Crucifixion, calls it "the next Sabbath."

The truth is, Paul is recorded keeping the Sabbath 84 times in total.
Acts 13:14,44 16:13; 17:2; Acts 18:4,11

JOHN
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." Rev.1:10
Mark 2:28, Isa.58:13, Ex.20:10, etc.. clearly show the Sabbath to be the Lord's day. There is no passage in the Bible that refers to any other day being His day. This was written about 68 A.D. three and a half decades after the cross.

Isaiah
"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD." Isa. 66:22-23

In the new heavens and earth the Sabbath is still kept.
_________
_________

So the Sabbath was made for man, on the seventh day of creation. 4000 yrs later, at the time of Christ, we still see God's people keeping it. Decades after the cross we see Jews and Gentiles keeping the Sabbath, writing about the Sabbath, and still calling it the Sabbath. Isaiah prophecies that it the new heaven and earth we will keep it.

The Sabbath was in the beginning, it's there at the end and everywhere in between.

I'm glad you are free from the bondage of the law. People love to quote that verse, as if it's some "get out of jail free" card. Don't take that passage out of context as an excuse to break a commandment. Is there any other of the ten commandments that you think that verse voids? Or is it just the fourth commandment?

Rom. 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Rom. 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Rev. 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

So which reason is it?
First you say you don't have to keep the Sabbath because it was for Jews.
Then you said you didn't have to keep the Sabbath because the Sunday resurrection proved he was God.
Lastly you claim that you are free from bondage of the law.

Adam

 

[stranger]

Where did Sunday come in as a day of worship, was it from the ressurection, did Christ rise and tell the Disciples something that was not in scripture or did the change come from elsewhere. Some people say 'I keep Sunday in honor of the Resurrection' or they are told that the Apostles began keeping Sunday as the day of worship after the ressurection, but did they. Did the ressurection somehow cause a change to the day of worship?

Worship is the reason for the Sabbath. It is the only day God ever gave us to worship Him on.......


So where did Sunday worship come from...

Hi Hobie,

The day of the resurrection would be the first day of the new creation... Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation! It was also, I believe, important to end the old creation with Jesus buried in the tomb on a Sabbath day thus spelling the end of the old creation.

The Sabbath by comparison is a day of rest based upon creation (and later enshrined in law)- God created in 6 days and rested on the 7th day 'and He sanctified it.' The 'and He sanctified it' bit is what is missed - those who enter His Sabbath rest (truly) enter that very same sanctification and it is not progressive but complete!!

Day of worship - you can't but help worship the Lord 7 days a week in the Sabbath rest. However, the day of worship seems to be tied up with what is mistakenly called a change in the Sababth from Saturday to Sunday. You can no more change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday - as you can reorder the days of the old creation upon which the Sabbath is based.

 

[Sinthesis]

• Mat 22:37 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
  Mat 22:38 - This is the first and great commandment.
  Mat 22:39 - And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
  Mat 22:40 - On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
  
  Act 15:5 - But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.
  Act 15:6 ¶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
  Act 15:7 - And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men [and] brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
  Act 15:8 - And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as [he did] unto us;
  Act 15:9 - And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
  Act 15:10 - Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
  Act 15:11 - But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
  
  Gal 6:13 - For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
  
  Jam 2:10 - For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all.

Which is better:
To trust in the Risen Christ to forgive your transgressions.
-or
To set aside one day a week for God, but keeping six for yourself.

 

[adam332]

Sinthesis,
I noticed how you didn't address the points I made.

The passages you quote this time are more of the same and do not explain what I already asked.
Let me be more basic, since you like to avoid and stall instead of dealing with what I actually said.

Does any passage you presented, allow you to commit murder every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to commit adultery every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to lie every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to dishonor your parents every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to use the Lord's name in vain every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to worship idols and/or other gods every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to steal every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to covet every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Your not under the law, your free from it's yoke of bondage. This must mean you answered "YES" to all those questions...right?

Of course you didn't, you can't possibly consider that the continual breaking of the other ten commandments, without repentance, is justifiable. Yet, for the fourth commandment you have come up with a list of reasons you can break that one. Don't you see that's inconsistent behavior and theologically dangerous.

Let's go a little further, past the ten commandments and consider some civil laws from the OT.

Does any passage you presented, allow you to practice witchcraft every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to look at your sister in-law naked every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to cause financial/physical harm to others without restitution every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Does any passage you presented, allow you to practice homosexuality every week with no repentance and no intent to change your behavior?

Didn't answer "YES" to any of those OT laws either, did ya'?

So we can assume you think those passages you showed gives you a free pass for only 2 laws, circumcision and the Sabbath. Is that what your telling us? All that other stuff you still have to obey but those two no longer apply?

You do realize those laws that He wrote on the tables of stone are now written by the Holy Spirit on your heart. This includes the seventh day Sabbath.

Adam

 

[Packrat]

I haven't read everyone's posts in this thread, but I'd like to add my . What it ultimately comes down to is that we have two options based on mainstream Christianity: to observe God's Sabbath day of rest and keep it holy as he instructed us to or else to somehow honor God by not obeying him and instead resting on a day he did not specify. Ultimately, I believe Sunday rest is a teaching of man. Some will say that it doesn't matter what day we keep as holy (and I know the passage in the Bible they'll list) but when Saturday was instituted by God as the Sabbath it definitely mattered what day we kept as holy and rested in our week. Otherwise God would not have killed a man for working on (presumably) Saturday. He would've said, "Don't be so hard on him, guys. It's okay if he rests on Friday or Monday instead."

As an aside, I seem to remember the Pharisees taking the same approach in dealing with God's Laws. God's Law said that we are to honor our father and mother, but the Pharisees would say that it was alright to give the money used to take care of your elderly father and mother to the temple instead. Hey! It seemed like a good cause, right? Well, when we start making judgment calls based on our own perception of right and wrong rather than God's then we depart from the true path. The Pharisees nullified one of God's Laws by their teachings. In the same way some Christians nullify God's Law of the Sabbath when they say that we should rest on Sunday instead of Saturday because "such and such a thing." When it comes down to it God wants our obedience and a right heart - not our sacrifices. By resting on Sunday rather than Saturday we haven't gained anything of importance except a disobedient heart.

 

[Logos57]

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

Acts 20:7
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.

These two passages seem to indicate that the first believers did worship on Sunday/the First day of the week. Myself I have chosen Friday 6pm to Saturday 6pm as my Sabbath. But IMO the Scriptures give much freedom on the Sabbath (Romans 14:4-13; Galatians 4:8-10: Colossians 2:14-17), I think Christians should give God a day of the week, but from what I read in the Bible, I can't judge my brother or sister on these issues. From the way I understand these passages from Romans 14, Galatians 4, and Colossians 2, it is Faith in Jesus Christ which is important not keeping what portion of the law I esteem best. The only command Jesus gave us was to Love God and our neighbour. (Matthew 22:37-40; John 15:12), not to keep the sabbath. For love is the work of our faith.

Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circimcision availeth any thing, nor uncircimcision; but faith which worketh by love.

 

[GodspromisesRyes]

No, what it reveals is that:

Jhn 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Jhn 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth

Jhn 14:17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

We in Christ worship God in Spirit and Truth. And the Spirit of God that lives in us IS Spirit and Truth. We should be worshipping God everyday not just one day a week. We are told in Hebrews this:

Hbr 4:4 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.
Hbr 4:5 And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Hbr 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Hbr 4:7 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.
Hbr 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Hbr 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Hbr 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.

When we are led of the Spirit we cease from OUR OWN WORKS and we live in the works of Christ who lives in us.
Phl 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 

[adam332]

Logos,
those passages give absolutely no significance to Sunday. Let's not just point at a passage and claim that it proves an example that one of the ten commandments is "flexible". Let's do a little more thorough study before we start cutting out commandments. Eh?

Acts 20:7 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.

Let’s remember, in the Bible, a day begins after the sun goes down. This means, the first day has two parts….the first part is the evening, or what we call Saturday night. The second part is the daytime, or what we now call Sunday day.

Considering the author begins this story by identifying the day in question as; “the first day of the weekâ€, there is no reason to assume that this event continues until the middle of the night of a different day. Therefore, the breaking bread and preaching occurred on the evening part of the first day, this would mean this event began sometime shortly after the Sabbath’s sundown, and ended at sunup on the first day, (Acts 20:11).

Would Paul have walked nineteen miles from Traos to Assos on the morning of the first day if it had been the new traditional worship day? Would he have also sent the rest of the disciples by boat while he walked? Their behavior during the daytime part of the first day shows no evidence of new honored day or a new worship day.

It should also be noted that while Paul was preaching, and breaking bread on the evening of the first day, his traveling companions were not resting or holding a religious meeting. Instead, they embarked on a 50-60 mile sailing trip to the city of Assos.

If one reads Acts 20 through to v.6, one can see, that the author Luke, referred to “them†and “theyâ€, when he was not present. He likewise referred to “we†and “usâ€, when he was present. Therefore, Luke and the group he sailed with were not part of the gathering the night before, because during the entire telling of the story he refers to those present as, “the disciplesâ€, “they†and “themâ€, (v.7, 8). Then in next portion of Luke’s narrative, he clearly includes himself, (“we†and “usâ€), as part of the group that left by boat ahead of Paul, (Acts 20:13-14).

It could be argued that Luke and his group did not attend that meeting and stay up all night, because they may have gone to private quarters and slept. In other words, they may have simply left the next morning as Paul did. However, Luke and his co-travelers story picks up in v.13, from precisely where it left off in v.6. Thus accounting for Luke’s third person narrative in v.7-12, and strongly implying that their trip had indeed began the night before while Paul was preaching.

Now, on to the claims that the breaking of bread and preaching proves a communion service was held. Interestingly, communion was given as a memorial to the death of Jesus, (1Cor. 11:24-26).

In Mat. 14:19 we see that Christ broke bread to feed the multitudes. It tells us in Acts 2:46 that they went to the temple and broke bread from house to house "daily", and it also shows Paul breaking bread for a meal with unconverted sailors that he was shipwrecked with, (Acts 27:35).

Yet, in these other accounts of breaking bread, there is no mention of communion or any significance given to the day which it occurred. Therefore, "breaking bread" was simply a term of eating and fellowship and was never exclusively associated with communion, or a specific day.

The final conviction that some have with this passage is that Paul was preaching on this day. There are dozens of instances of the gospel being taught and preached on non-specific days as well as daily. One example is in Mark 2:1-2 another is Luke 19:47-20:1 where it clearly indicates that Christ himself taught and preached daily. Clearly this does not support the idea that this preaching proves anything, about the first day.

The likely scenario is, that Paul and his disciples had remained together until the Sabbath ended. Luke and his fellow travelers boarded a boat so they could meet Paul, the next day, in Assos. Meanwhile, Paul stayed with the locals and they met for a meal in which he spoke to them until sun-up. He then journeyed on foot to Assos and met Luke and the others there.
_________
_________
Now to the other passage you used...

Paul’s ministry to the disaster stricken in Jerusalem

If you look at a timeline of Paul’s life, you will notice, there was an extensive famine in Palestine, around 53-58 AD. This had been prophesied by Agabus many years prior.

Acts 11:27-30 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

It is in Paul’s letter to Galatia, he first alludes to his involvement with helping the needy in Jerusalem. Paul was bringing relief to the victims of this disaster, which became a clear part of Paul’s ministry.

Gal. 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

He then tells us; this is the same need that he is soliciting those in Corinth.

1 Cor. 16:1-4 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 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. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

Finally, he writes to the Romans prior to his coming there, also soliciting them on behalf of those victims in Jerusalem.

Rom. 15:24-26 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

He then went on to Jerusalem with carriages of goods he had collected for the needy.

Acts 21:15-17 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

Then of course we know, that soon after his arrival to Jerusalem he is challenged for his actions and is arrested.

As you can see there is no indication in 1Cor. 16:1-4 that setting aside donations on the first day, for the needy, during a disaster, has anything to do with any kind of religious service or setting. Nor can it possibly be construed as holding evidence for a new worship day, or tithing.

More than likely Paul's letter was read to the believers in Corinth, on the Sabbath. This would be similar today to a church bulletin having an announcement saying that â€The rec- center will be open tomorrow for “Disaster Relief Donationsâ€.

 

[Packrat]

I'm under the impression that it was a teaching of Paul's that grace is not an excuse to sin but rather that our faith in God reinforces God's Torah in our hearts. Those who believe him wish to obey him by following his teachings. Therefore we should not continue in sin but try to obey God as well as we can while relying upon his good grace to forgive our shortcomings when they come.

I have a family member who believes in worshiping on Sunday rather than Saturday. I told him once that I believed we should rest on the seventh day as found in God's Scriptures but that I didn't believe God would object to keeping two days holy out of the week. ;)

In the Hebrews 4 passage verses 9-11 are key. I can interpret them in two ways: 1.) God's rest comes when we are saved by God or 2.) God's rest comes after we die and enter paradise. Neither interpretation does away with a Sabbath day of rest since we know that even Moses was saved (Mark 9:4) when there was still no dispute that God's Torah (including the Sabbath day of rest) was in effect.

 

[Sinthesis]

Let's see who can figure this out.

• 1Cr 10:23 ¶ All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
  
  1Cr 10:30 - For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
  1Cr 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
  1Cr 10:32 - Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
  1Cr 10:33 - Even as I please all [men] in all [things], not seeking mine own profit, but the [profit] of many, that they may be saved.
  
  1Cr 8:9 - But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
  
  Rom 14:1 ¶ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
  Rom 14:2 - For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
  Rom 14:3 - Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
  Rom 14:4 - Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
  Rom 14:5 - One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
  Rom 14:6 - He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
  
  Mat 12:2 - But when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
  ...Mat 12:5 - 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?
  Mat 12:6 - But I say unto you, That in this place is [one] greater than the temple.
  Mat 12:7 - But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
  Mat 12:8 - For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
  
  Exd 19:6 - And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
  
  Rev 20:6 - Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

[adam332]

1Cr 10:23 ¶ All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
1Cr 10:30 - For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1Cr 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Cr 10:32 - Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1Cr 10:33 - Even as I please all [men] in all [things], not seeking mine own profit, but the [profit] of many, that they may be saved.
1Cr 8:9 - But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Is it lawful for you to be a serial killer? How about a burglar? Perhaps a homosexual? Again you keep taking texts out of context and not once addressing my inquiries. These texts you keep producing make all the readers like me think that you believe that you have a Biblical license to sin.

Or at the very least, be the one who decides which laws are sin.

You quoted;
"Rom 14:1 ¶ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 - For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 - Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 - Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 - One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 - He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks."

There are two subjects being spoken of in this text... fasting days, and eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols. If you really are interested in the message given then keep reading...
______
______

Rom. 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself' but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

First understand the Israelite believers, Judaic believers, and gentile believers were congregating together.

Paul was writing about a problem of judging among the apostolic believers. Verses 4, 10, and 13 exhort against the sin of judging one another. And it was true that a serious division existed in that early church (Acts 14:2,4). The various Christians were judging each other.

Notice how the previous verse strikes at the very heart of the issue. "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." Verse 13.

What exactly were they judging each other about? The Gentiles who had come into the church from paganism were offended because the Jewish and Israelite Christians ate food that had been offered in sacrifice to idols. And the Jewish Christians judged the Gentile and other Israelite church members because they had no regard for the ceremonial fasting days that they still observed from Judaism. The tribe of Judah had been assigned specific days which to fast.

Some of the Gentile converts were so fearful of eating meat offered to idols that they ate only vegetables. Paul spoke of them in verses 1 and 2. The Jewish/Israelite Christians thought that was ridiculous and apparently made divisive attacks against their fellow Christians. It was so serious that Paul addressed the problem again in 1 Corinthians 8:8-12. There he elaborated at length on the "weak brother" (the Gentile believer) who esteemed the food unfit to be eaten.

What was Paul's counsel to the Jewish members who were judging the Gentile members? He told them not to eat the food offered to idols if they were in the presence of those who thought it to be wrong. Even though the Jewish converts had knowledge that the idol was nothing, Paul states: "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 1 Corinthians 8:11, 12.

The food offered to idols was not unclean meat of itself, but was merely “esteemed†(verse 14) so by the Gentile converts. In other words, a sacrifice to a non-existent god cannot make meat unclean that God had not deemed so. At no point in Paul’s dissertation is there any mention of any “lawâ€, or “Moses“, nor any quote of any law that may have been in dispute. Rom. 14 and 1Cor. 8 shows clearly that the only meat being discussed was that which was sacrificed to idols and had nothing to do with the unclean meats forbidden by God.

In addition the only days discussed in the discourse are days which one should choose to eat on or not eat on. That clearly tells us that it was the Judaic fasting days that were being discussed. Not the Sabbath which had never been hinted at.

 

[adam332]

Sinthesis,
So which reason is it?
First you say you don't have to keep the Sabbath because it was for Jews.
Then you said you didn't have to keep the Sabbath because the Sunday resurrection proved he was God.
Then you claim that you are free from bondage of the law, so you don't have to keep the Sabbath.
Then you claim that ALL things are lawful for you, so you don't have to keep the Sabbath.

Come on, there must be one sure reason you chose to exclude one of the ten commandments. Think about it, if some guy came up and told you he was a Christian who murdered people every week and he could show some Biblical passages that said it was OK...what would you think? Nuts right?

That's what your essentially claiming... You can break the same commandment every week with no repentance or decision to change because you have a passage that let's you get away with it.
Does that sound remotely right?

 

[Rick W]

Why were the Jews commanded to observe the Sabbath?

Deu 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

 

[adam332]

Why were the Jews commanded to observe the Sabbath?

Deu 5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Seriously? I thought that history spoke for it self. God's people had been enslaved in Egypt, for generations.

If you had never seen a pair of Nike Jordan Airs then you might need an instruction manual. Normally, stuff like tying your shoes is simply taught/passed down.

Perhaps... after spending over 400yrs in Egypt, Israel had lost the understanding of it's most basic principals.

Adam

 

[Packrat]

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for Man and not only for the Jews. Verse 14 of Deuteronomy 5:12-15 has some interesting tell-tale language that implies a connection between the captivity in the foreign land of Egypt and keeping the Sabbath day of rest not only for themselves but also for the foreigners in their own land and their servants.

In summary, the Sabbath was made for all mankind. The allusion to Israel's captivity in Egypt may have been for the benefit of Israel's servants and slaves that they may rest as well. After all, we see that in God's Torah God regularly protects the servants and slaves of Israel so that Israel cannot misuse them. I don't believe God was saying that the Sabbath was made only for Israel in order to remember their captivity and exodus from Egypt.

Deuteronomy 5:14 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it you are not to do any kind of work - not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your ox, your donkey or any of your other livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property - so that your male and female servants can rest just as you do.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"So which reason is it?
First you say you don't have to keep the Sabbath because it was for Jews.
Then you said you didn't have to keep the Sabbath because the Sunday resurrection proved he was God.
Lastly you claim that you are free from bondage of the law."

None of the above.

I keep the "Sabbath" EVERY DAY by resting in the provision of Jesus for the forgiveness of my sins. He's the "Sabbath" now, and the "Sabbath DAY" was only a shadow of the REALITY that was to come, and in our time HAS come to fruition.

I go to the church building on Sunday (and Wednesday) - because if I want to gather with the "church", that's when it'll be there.

The Cowboy Churches in Dallas have Monday meetings - since folks tend to be busy on Sundays. no problem - the "day" isn't important one way or another.

 

[Hobie]

Where did Sunday come in as a day of worship, was it from the ressurection, did Christ rise and tell the Disciples something that was not in scripture or did the change come from elsewhere. Some people say 'I keep Sunday in honor of the Resurrection' or they are told that the Apostles began keeping Sunday as the day of worship after the ressurection, but did they. Did the ressurection somehow cause a change to the day of worship?

Worship is the reason for the Sabbath. It is the only day God ever gave us to worship Him on.......


So where did Sunday worship come from...

Hi Hobie,

The day of the resurrection would be the first day of the new creation... Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation! It was also, I believe, important to end the old creation with Jesus buried in the tomb on a Sabbath day thus spelling the end of the old creation.

The Sabbath by comparison is a day of rest based upon creation (and later enshrined in law)- God created in 6 days and rested on the 7th day 'and He sanctified it.' The 'and He sanctified it' bit is what is missed - those who enter His Sabbath rest (truly) enter that very same sanctification and it is not progressive but complete!!

Day of worship - you can't but help worship the Lord 7 days a week in the Sabbath rest. However, the day of worship seems to be tied up with what is mistakenly called a change in the Sababth from Saturday to Sunday. You can no more change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday - as you can reorder the days of the old creation upon which the Sabbath is based.

Well there seems to be some confusion as what day God made holy and sanctified and gave man to worship on and rest. So lets see if it was the ressurection or someones tradition that says to worship on Sunday. Here are some statements showing which show who the churches are following and its not the Bible:

"Protestants ... accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change... But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that ... in observing Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the Church, the pope." Our Sunday Visitor, February 5th, 1950. This Rock

Question: Which is the Sabbath day?
Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
.............................................
Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.â€-Rev. Peter Geiermann C.SS.R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50

"The Church, on the other hand, after changing the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the first, made the Third Commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as the Lord's Day. The Council of Trent (Sess. VI, can. xix) condemns those who deny that the Ten Commandments are binding on Christians." The Catholic Encyclopedia, Commandments of God, Volume IV,© 1908 by Robert Appleton Company, Online Edition © 1999 by Kevin Knight, Nihil Obstat - Remy Lafort, Censor Imprimatur -+John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York, page 153.

''The [Roman Catholic] Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh-day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant.'' The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p. 4.

“It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church.†Priest Brady, in an address, reported in the Elizabeth, NJ ‘News’ on March 18, 1903. This Rock


You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify." The Faith of Our Fathers, by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, 88th edition, page 89.

"All of us believe many things in regard to religion that we do not find in the Bible. For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church outside the Bible." The Catholic Virginian, "To Tell You The Truth,†Vol. 22, No. 49 (Oct. 3, 1947).

“The observance of Sunday by the Protestants is homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church.†Monsignor Louis Segur,‘Plain Talk about the Protestantism of Today’, p. 213.

 

[Ahuli]

Where did Sunday come in as a day of worship, .

Does the day of Christ's resurrection tell us to worship on Sunday? No, it does not. However, we may worship anytime of the day or week. What the Sabbath commandment tells us is spelled out in it.

From Exodus 20:

8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10But 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:
11For 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.

The fourth commandment is not Jewish, it belongs to God.

â€â€˜Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested’†(Exodus 31:12-17, NIV).

Is there a question about who is an Israelite? These are strong words ... and God does not change, nor does HE make laws for some and not for all.