Sabbath, Lords Day

by

The Sabbath was made known to Israel and made a commandment at the giving of the law, Ex. 20:9-11; Deut. 5:15; Neh. 9:13, 14. The word first appears in Scripture in Ex. 16:23. The Lord’s day began to be observed by common consent in apostolic days, Acts 20:7.

The Sabbath was a sign between God and the Jews, Ezek. 20:1012. It was never given to the Gentiles or to the church. The Lord’s day commemorates the resurrection of Christ, Psa. 118:22-24; Luke 24:1-3, 33-36.

Rest and inactivity characterized the Sabbath, with the death penalty imposed for breaking its laws, Ex. 35:2; Num. 15:32-36. The nation went into captivity for disregarding it, Lev. 26:33-36; 2 Chr. 36:20, 21. For the church, the Lord’s day is a time of Christian activity, rejoicing, and worship.

Each day belongs to a different age. The Sabbath was in force from Moses until the law was done away in Christ, Rom. 7:6; 10:4. Its cessation is predicted in Hos. 2:11, its restoration is mentioned in Ezek. 46:1; Matt. 24:20. The Lord’s day began in apostolic times and will be observed until the Lord returns, 1 Cor. 11:26. The epistles mention the Sabbath only in Col. 2:16, 17. They do not list Sabbath-breaking as a sin. The expression “Christian sabbath” is not taken from the Bible.

William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, (Chicago: Bible Institute Colportage Assoc., 1912), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “Sabbath, Lords Day”.

Pastor’s Comments

  1. The Sabbath is not the Lord’s Day.
  2. The Lord’s Day is generally understood as the first day of the week. In the earlier apostolic writings the day was called “the first day of the week,” but by the close of the century it began to be called “the Lord’s day.”
  3. Romans 14:5-6 (NKJV) 5  One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6  He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Leave a Comment