Observing the Sabbath

[Bootstrap]

I like the order that results from having a day set aside that is accepted by so many people in the western world. Imagine the chaos if each group or country decided to choose the day that they felt comes closest to following the Biblical pattern. And with no day set aside, with each of us choosing which day we wanted to honour or not, worship and fellowship would suffer.

I agree.

But I don't think we should let ourselves be divided or distracted by arguments about which day is better. If a church thinks Sabbath and The Lord's Day are the same thing, I disagree, but God bless them, can we find some way to proclaim Jesus together?

On the other hand, if we're going to look into it, I think it's important to take time to do it well. Let's approach questions like this as curious scholars, with grace. We can be one in the things that mattered most to Jesus without agreeing on every footnote of religious practice. But if we're going to play scholar of the early church, let's be good scholars ...

[Hats Off]

To go back to the original question, our community does not observe the Sabbath, although there certainly is some confusion amongst the people about this. We are taught that Sunday takes the place of the Sabbath; that one is an OT observance while the other is NT. We also see some parts of the Sabbath carried over into Sunday. We often hear ministers using the term Sabbath when they mean Sunday and I am sure some people fail to see the difference. Our minister certainly understands the difference and teaches accordingly.

I agree that if we are going to make a historical study of Sabbath/Sunday and hold a discussion here we need to do it peacefully and respectfully. However, I am happy to keep Sunday as a day of worship, fellowship and rest.

[Hats Off]

If your church community does not see itself as observing the Sabbath, what are the justifications for not observing it?

Attempts at justifying often seem a bit lame but I think the theory goes like this: On the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb and found it empty so we consider Jesus' resurrection to have taken place that day. We read several New Testament references to the believers having been together on the first day of the week.

The Sabbath was an Old Testament day of rest, first following God's example at creation and later reinforced in the Ten Commandments. Jesus fulfilled the Law, he became the perfect sacrifice. We no longer sacrifice animals nor do we observe the Levitical laws. We combine some parts of the Sabbath into our Sunday, such as making it a day of rest, by refraining from all but necessary work like feeding livestock and milking cows, and nursing duties. We refrain from buying and selling on Sunday and discourage taking Sunday as a day of recreation. Sunday is a day of worship, fellowship and rest.

[Bootstrap]

Adam's original question was well worded and carefully prepared. I'd like to go back to his central question"

However, I don't find any clear teaching in the New Testament that we should no longer observe the Sabbath. Jesus corrects misconceptions about the Sabbath, stating that it was created for people and not people for the Sabbath, but he never says that it should no longer be observed. The only references I know that could be used to justify doing away with the Sabbath are Hebrews 4:9-10 and Colossians 2:16.

"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." - Hebrew 4:9-10

"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath." - Colossians 2:16

I think Adam is recognizing that Sabbath and the Lord's Day are distinct. I suspect we would agree that Sunday is not the Sabbath. His question is about whether we should still observe the Sabbath in addition to the Lord's Day. Did I get that right, Adam?

I don't think New Testament Gentiles were ever told to observe the Sabbath. Acts 15 lists the things that Gentiles are to do, and this is not mentioned there. I don't think the early church's writings say that Gentiles observed the Sabbath. Some of them were pretty scathing toward those who demanded Sabbath worship. Here's the Epistle to Diognetes, around 130 AD:

But as to their scrupulosity concerning meats, and their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about circumcision, and their fancies about fasting and the new moons, which are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice—I do not think that you require to learn anything from me. For, to accept some of those things which have been formed by God for the use of men as properly formed, and to reject others as useless and redundant—how can this be lawful? And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do what is good on the Sabbath-days—how is not this impious? And to glory in the circumcision of the flesh as a proof of election, and as if, on account of it, they were specially beloved by God—how is it not a subject of ridicule? And as to their observing months and days, Galatians 4:10 as if waiting upon the stars and the moon, and their distributing, according to their own tendencies, the appointments of God, and the vicissitudes of the seasons, some for festivities, and others for mourning—who would deem this a part of divine worship, and not much rather a manifestation of folly? I suppose, then, you are sufficiently convinced that the Christians properly abstain from the vanity and error common [to both Jews and Gentiles], and from the busybody spirit and vain boasting of the Jews; but you must not hope to learn the mystery of their peculiar mode of worshipping God from any mortal.

Here's the Epistle of Barnabas:

Further, He says to them, “Your new moons and your Sabbath I cannot endure.” Ye perceive how He speaks: Your present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Me, but that is which I have made, [namely this,] when, giving rest to all things, I shall make a beginning of the eighth day, that is, a beginning of another world. Wherefore, also, we keep the eighth day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead. And when He had manifested Himself, He ascended into the heavens.

There's more like that. I'm not going to try to write a complete essay on this subject.

I see no justification in Scripture or the writings of the earliest church for requiring Gentile Christians to observe the Jewish Sabbath.

The New Testament and the early Church did not "move the Sabbath" from Saturday to Sunday, Sunday is the Lord's Day. Calling Sunday the Sabbath conflates these things. Taking a day for rest and focusing on God and family is wise, and doing that on Sunday makes sense if we celebrate the Lord's Day. But let's not condemn someone who chooses to do this on Saturday instead.

[Bootstrap]

The Sabbath was an Old Testament day of rest, first following God's example at creation and later reinforced in the Ten Commandments. Jesus fulfilled the Law, he became the perfect sacrifice. We no longer sacrifice animals nor do we observe the Levitical laws. We combine some parts of the Sabbath into our Sunday, such as making it a day of rest, by refraining from all but necessary work like feeding livestock and milking cows, and nursing duties. We refrain from buying and selling on Sunday and discourage taking Sunday as a day of recreation. Sunday is a day of worship, fellowship and rest.

Very well said.

Hats off to you.

[RZehr]

I don't find it good to consider Sunday as a replacement for the Sabbath. If someone wants to keep the Sabbath, they should do it on the correct day.

Our church worships on Sunday. And the things I choose to do and not do on Sunday is based on how it affects the worship schedule and fellowshipping, and not offending the sensibilities of others in our churches.

I do not view it as a day that is any holier than any other day.

[Soloist]

I agree with RZehr,

I've stood that Justin Martyr really phrased it well when he told the Jew "you think your holy for ceasing from sin for one day, we take every day as a perpetual sabbath" (might be slightly misquoted)

[Adam]

In the New Testament, Gentiles were never commanded to observe the Sabbath. This was not one of the things mentioned in Acts 15. Jewish Christians continued to observe the Sabbath.

I am always confused by the appeal to Acts 15. If we are to follow that literally, then we, as Gentiles, would only be required to "abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality." Yet I don't know any Anabaptists (or any Christians at all for that matter) who believe that this is all that is required of them as Gentiles. Rather, Anabaptists, especially conservative Anabaptists, are very intent on following literally all of the commands of Jesus. But most of the teachings of Jesus are his authoritative interpretations of the proper application of the Law and the Prophets, which he came to fulfill and not to destroy. But if the Law and Prophets don't apply to us as Gentiles, then why do we bother following Jesus's teachings on these matters? Most Christians live in obedience to nine of the ten commandments, and it seems odd that we leave one out. I am not saying that we are wrong in leaving it out, but simply that it strikes me as odd.

The requirements set forth in Acts 15 seem to be set forth specifically in response to the question of circumcision. In fact most of the debate in the New Testament regarding the law of Moses and Gentiles seems to be directly related to the controversy of whether or not Gentiles needed to be circumcised. That seemed to be the key issue that everyone was wrestling with. Never do we hear any of the apostles saying, "Why are you trying to love your neighbor? We are no longer under the law of Moses so we don't have to do that anymore." There are clearly parts of the Law of Moses beyond the things listed in Acts 15 that we Gentile Christians are expected to uphold.

I do agree that the witness of the early church is clearly against Gentiles observing the Sabbath, and I am not arguing that we as Christians should necessarily observe the Sabbath (I don't). What I am saying is that the New Testament witness is not really clear on the matter. Jesus seems to support continued observation of the Sabbath (without all the man-made rules), but the early church seems to have abandoned the observation of the Sabbath. Perhaps the practice of not observing the Sabbath is more of an oral tradition that was not fully expounded upon in the New Testament. As for me, I place a great deal of trust in the practice of the early (Ante-Nicene) church as they continued the teachings of the apostles. So when they speak with one voice regarding an area that is not entirely clear in the New Testament, I am inclined to listen to that voice and follow. I just wish the New Testament were more clear in saying, "You don't have to observe the Sabbath anymore," just as it was made very clear that we are no longer to observe the dietary restrictions of the Law of Moses nor are we to continue offering animal sacrifices. I just don't see a real clear commandment to no longer observe the Sabbath and I find that confusing.

[Josh]

The proper question is when Gentiles were expected to start observing the Sabbath, dietary laws, or any of the rest of the old law.

[Hats Off]

I believe someone mentioned in another post that Jesus' teaching had to do with his audience who were Jews and subject to the law. I too have often questioned our approach to the Ten Commandments or the Levitical law. We seem to pick and choose at random those things which we still need to obey today.