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The Bible’s answer
Christians are not required to observe a weekly sabbath. Christians are under “the law of the Christ,” which does not include keeping the Sabbath. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Why can we be certain of that? First, consider the origin of the Sabbath.
What is the Sabbath?
The word “sabbath” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to rest; to cease.” It first appears in the Bible in commands given to the nation of ancient Israel. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) For example, the fourth of the Ten Commandments says: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it sacred. You are to labor and do all your work for six days, but the seventh day is a sabbath to Jehovah your God. You must not do any work.” (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) The Sabbath day ran from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. During that time, the Israelites could not leave their locality, light a fire, gather wood, or carry a load. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Violating the Sabbath was a capital offense.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Some other days in the Jewish calendar, as well as the 7th and 50th years, were also called sabbaths. In Sabbath years, the land was to lie uncultivated and Israelites could not be pressed to repay debts.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Jesus’ sacrifice made the Sabbath law obsolete
Why doesn’t the Sabbath law apply to Christians?
The Sabbath law applied only to the people subject to the rest of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) God never required other people to observe a sabbath rest. In addition, even the Jews were “released from the Law” of Moses, including the Ten Commandments, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Rather than adhere to the Law of Moses, Christians follow the superior law of love.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconceptions about the Sabbath
Misconception: God instituted the Sabbath when he rested on the seventh day.
Fact: The Bible says: “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., King James Version) This verse contains, not a law to man, but a statement of what God did on the seventh creative day. The Bible does not mention anyone observing a sabbath rest before the days of Moses.
Misconception: The Israelites were under the Sabbath law before they received the Law of Moses.
Fact: Moses told the Israelites: “Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb,” the area around Mount Sinai. This covenant included the Sabbath law. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) The Israelites’ experience with the Sabbath shows that it was new for them. If the Israelites had been under some Sabbath law earlier, while they were in Egypt, how would the Sabbath have reminded them of their deliverance from Egypt as God said it would? (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Why did they have to be told not to pick up manna on the seventh day? (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) And why did they not know how to handle the case of the first recorded Sabbath breaker?—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: The Sabbath is a perpetual covenant and is therefore still required.
Fact: Some Bible translations do refer to the Sabbath as a “perpetual covenant.” (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., King James Version) However, the Hebrew word translated “perpetual” can also mean “lasting into the indefinite future,” not necessarily forever. For example, the Bible uses the same word to describe the Israelite priesthood, which God ended about 2,000 years ago.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: Christians must keep the Sabbath, since Jesus kept it.
Fact: Jesus observed the Sabbath because he was a Jew, obliged from birth to obey the Law of Moses. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) After Jesus died, this Law covenant—including the Sabbath—was taken away.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: The apostle Paul observed the Sabbath as a Christian.
Fact: Paul entered synagogues on the Sabbath, but not to join the Jews in their observance. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Instead, following the custom of the time, he preached the good news in synagogues, as visiting speakers could be invited to address those gathered for worship. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Paul preached “every day,” not just on the Sabbath.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: The Christian Sabbath is on Sunday.
Fact: The Bible contains no command for Christians to devote Sunday, the first day of the week, to rest and worship. For early Christians, Sunday was a workday like any other. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states: “It was not until the 4th cent[ury] that Sunday began to take on sabbath characteristics, when [the pagan Roman emperor] Constantine decreed that certain types of work should not be done on Sunday.” You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
What, though, of passages that seem to indicate that Sunday was a special day? The Bible says that the apostle Paul shared a meal with fellow believers “on the first day of the week,” Sunday, but this was only logical, since Paul was leaving the next day. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Similarly, some congregations were told to set aside funds on “the first day of every week,” Sunday, for relief work, but this was just a practical suggestion for personal budgeting. The contributions were kept at home, not turned in at a place of meeting.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: It is wrong to set aside one day every week for rest and worship.
Fact: The Bible leaves such a decision to each Christian.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Christians are not required to observe a weekly sabbath. Christians are under “the law of the Christ,” which does not include keeping the Sabbath. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Why can we be certain of that? First, consider the origin of the Sabbath.
What is the Sabbath?
The word “sabbath” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to rest; to cease.” It first appears in the Bible in commands given to the nation of ancient Israel. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) For example, the fourth of the Ten Commandments says: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it sacred. You are to labor and do all your work for six days, but the seventh day is a sabbath to Jehovah your God. You must not do any work.” (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) The Sabbath day ran from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. During that time, the Israelites could not leave their locality, light a fire, gather wood, or carry a load. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Violating the Sabbath was a capital offense.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Some other days in the Jewish calendar, as well as the 7th and 50th years, were also called sabbaths. In Sabbath years, the land was to lie uncultivated and Israelites could not be pressed to repay debts.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Jesus’ sacrifice made the Sabbath law obsolete
Why doesn’t the Sabbath law apply to Christians?
The Sabbath law applied only to the people subject to the rest of You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) God never required other people to observe a sabbath rest. In addition, even the Jews were “released from the Law” of Moses, including the Ten Commandments, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Rather than adhere to the Law of Moses, Christians follow the superior law of love.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconceptions about the Sabbath
Misconception: God instituted the Sabbath when he rested on the seventh day.
Fact: The Bible says: “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., King James Version) This verse contains, not a law to man, but a statement of what God did on the seventh creative day. The Bible does not mention anyone observing a sabbath rest before the days of Moses.
Misconception: The Israelites were under the Sabbath law before they received the Law of Moses.
Fact: Moses told the Israelites: “Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb,” the area around Mount Sinai. This covenant included the Sabbath law. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) The Israelites’ experience with the Sabbath shows that it was new for them. If the Israelites had been under some Sabbath law earlier, while they were in Egypt, how would the Sabbath have reminded them of their deliverance from Egypt as God said it would? (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Why did they have to be told not to pick up manna on the seventh day? (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) And why did they not know how to handle the case of the first recorded Sabbath breaker?—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: The Sabbath is a perpetual covenant and is therefore still required.
Fact: Some Bible translations do refer to the Sabbath as a “perpetual covenant.” (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., King James Version) However, the Hebrew word translated “perpetual” can also mean “lasting into the indefinite future,” not necessarily forever. For example, the Bible uses the same word to describe the Israelite priesthood, which God ended about 2,000 years ago.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: Christians must keep the Sabbath, since Jesus kept it.
Fact: Jesus observed the Sabbath because he was a Jew, obliged from birth to obey the Law of Moses. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) After Jesus died, this Law covenant—including the Sabbath—was taken away.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: The apostle Paul observed the Sabbath as a Christian.
Fact: Paul entered synagogues on the Sabbath, but not to join the Jews in their observance. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Instead, following the custom of the time, he preached the good news in synagogues, as visiting speakers could be invited to address those gathered for worship. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Paul preached “every day,” not just on the Sabbath.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: The Christian Sabbath is on Sunday.
Fact: The Bible contains no command for Christians to devote Sunday, the first day of the week, to rest and worship. For early Christians, Sunday was a workday like any other. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states: “It was not until the 4th cent[ury] that Sunday began to take on sabbath characteristics, when [the pagan Roman emperor] Constantine decreed that certain types of work should not be done on Sunday.” You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
What, though, of passages that seem to indicate that Sunday was a special day? The Bible says that the apostle Paul shared a meal with fellow believers “on the first day of the week,” Sunday, but this was only logical, since Paul was leaving the next day. (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.) Similarly, some congregations were told to set aside funds on “the first day of every week,” Sunday, for relief work, but this was just a practical suggestion for personal budgeting. The contributions were kept at home, not turned in at a place of meeting.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Misconception: It is wrong to set aside one day every week for rest and worship.
Fact: The Bible leaves such a decision to each Christian.—You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
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