Bible Question: Sabbath - Saturday vs Sunday. In general, most people agree that the Sabbath mentioned throughout the old and new testament is actually Saturday. The fourth commandment tells us to keep the Sabbath day holy. I understand that Sunday is referred to the Lord's Day in recognition of the resurrection. My question is when did the shift happen from worshipping on the Sabbath to worshipping on the Lord's Day? Is it specifically mentioned in the Bible somewhere? Is it recorded in secular history anywhere? Thanks in advance for your responses. |
Bible Answer: Hello Tranard! Welcome to the Study Bible Forum! There has been much discussion on this topic in the forum. You can do a "Quick Search" by typing the word Sabbath in the Quick Search box on the right near the top of your window. No man or church has the authority to change a commandment of God. All such answers that assert that a man or church changed the day of the Sabbath should be rejected. I re-post the answer that I gave to the issues of you question. Read the references given and you'll see that the shift took place during the days of the Apostles. Again, welcome to the Forum! Peace, Lionstrong YES or NO. Do you obey the 4th cmdmt? Answer Col 2:16 Lionstrong Tue 06/19/01, 2:22pm From the Westminster Confession of Faith (verses given are those referenced in the Confession): Chapter 21, paragraph 7: "As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath to be kept holy unto him: (Ex. 20:8,10,11; Isa 56:2,4,6,7) which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, (Gen 2:2,3; 1 Cor. 16:1,2; Acts 20:7) which, in Scripture, is called the Lord's day, (Rev. 1:10) and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath." (Ex. 20:8; Matt. 5 :17,18) The framers of the Confession believed the Scriptures taught that the fourth Commandment was not ceremonial and temporary, but moral and binding on all men in all ages. The last day Sabbath was based on God's great work of Creation, and the first day Sabbath was based on God's great work of Redemption. |