Rev. Dr. L. Tsanso
It is astounding to receive a response on February 12, 2007 through the esteemed Morung Express daily from the writer, “Christian must observe Saturday as Sabbath Day”, confessing that he did not read the article that was refuted but feel that the refutation of the article did not fully explain the biblical position. I am made to wonder that if he did not read my article how he would know that my article did not fully explain the biblical position? Nevertheless, the esteemed writer put forward again his stand in the form of questions and answers on the observance of Saturday, herein do lay with all conviction the biblical statements that need no arguments.
Exodus 16:23
And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
This is the first mention of a sabbath for man. The word “sabbath” is used 76 times in the singular and 35 times in the plural in the Old Testament and 60 times in the singular in the New Testament.
1. The words “sabbath” and “seventh” do not come from the same word. The Hebrew word for “sabbath” is shabbath, intermission or cessation from work.
It is from the verb shabath, “to repose, desist from exertion; rest.”
Such rest does not have to be on the seventh day. It is the cessation of work that makes it the sabbath, not the day.
2. Sabbaths have been observed on different days, for different lengths of time:
Sabbaths on Different Days:
(1)On the first day (Leviticus 23:39)
(2)On the seventh day (Exodus 20:10)
(3)On the eighth day (Leviticus 23:39)
Sabbaths of Different Lengths:
(1)One day long (Exodus 16:23-29)
(2)Two days long (Leviticus 23:6-8,15-22)
(3)One year long (Leviticus 25:4)
(4)Seventy years long (2 Chron. 36:21)
(5)Eternity long (Hebrews 4:9)
3. Man was not made for sabbaths, but they were made for him (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 6:5); he is free, therefore, to do what is best for him on rest days.
4. Man was not initially required to observe the seventh day which God rested on and sanctified. God Himself did not continue observing a rest day because sin was committed almost immediately and He began the work of redemption (Genesis 3:8-21) which still requires His time every day of the week. Sinners can be saved any time they choose to come to God. It was many years after God’s seventh-day sabbath when Israel was commanded to observe any particular day (Exodus 16:23-29; Exodus 20:8-11).
5. Jews proved the principle of doing good and performing essential duties on Sabbaths by:
(1)Offering sacrifices (Numbers 28:9-10; 1 Chron. 9:32)
(2)Caring for animals (Matthew 12:11; Mark 2:27; Luke 13:15; Luke 14:5)
(3)Circumcising (John 7:22-23)
(4)Other essential work (Matthew 12:5)
6. Sabbaths were typical of eternal rest (Col. 2:14-17; Hebrews 4:1-11; Hebrews 10:1)
7. The Jewish sabbaths were abolished with the Mosaic law. Acts 15:24;
8. The old Jews sabbath was part of the contract between God and Israel and a token and sign of that covenant (Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 31:13-18; Ezekiel 20:12-20). The contract was not made with men before Moses (Deut. 5:2-3), or with Gentiles and the church (Romans 2:14; Deut. 4:7-10). The sabbath was not for them.
9. Keeping the law and the sabbath was not required by the apostles (Acts 15:5-29; Romans 14:5-6; Galatians 4:9-11; Col. 2:14-17).
Reasons Why Christians Observe the First Day – the SUNDAY:
1. Sabbaths in the law of Moses have been abolished.
2. The new covenant does not command the Jews Sabbath to be observed by Christians (Romans 14:5-6; Galatians 4:9-11).
3. Christians are free to choose their own day of rest (Romans 14:5-6).
4. They are commanded not to permit any man to judge them regarding a sabbath (Col. 2:14-17).
5. Rigid observance of days is rebuked by Paul (Galatians 4:9-11).
6. Sabbaths are not named as requirements of the gospel (Acts 15:1-29).
7. Real and eternal rest is in Christ, not in a day (Matthew 11:28-29; Hebrews 4).
8. The fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) was left out of the new covenant (Acts 15:24).
9. The Jewish sabbath commemorated deliverance from Egyptian bondage in which
Christians had no part (Deut. 5:15).
10. Going under the law to observe a sabbath would obligate one to keep the whole law of Moses (Galatians 3:10-14; Galatians 5:3,9-11; James 2:10).
11. Rest and worship on Sunday serves the same purpose as on Saturday.
12. Early Christians kept the first day of the week (John 20:1, 19, 26-29; Acts 20:6-12; 2 Cor. 16:1-2).
13. The Lord completed His redemptive work and His victory over death, hell, and the grave on Sunday, the first day.
14. Christ’s special manifestations to His disciples after the resurrection were on the first day of the week (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 23-24; John 20:19,26).
15. After the resurrection, no recognition was given by Christ or any apostle to the old Jewish seventh-day sabbath.
16. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was on the first day of the week, the day after seven Jewish sabbaths (Acts. 2:1).
17. After Christ’s ascension, the first sermon was preached on the first day, and the first conversions (about 3,000) took place on the first day (Acts 2:1-42).
18. The lack of warning by Christ or the apostles regarding it being sinful or “the mark of the beast” (as some teach) to observe the first day of the week shows it was acceptable as a day of rest and worship.
19. Typology of the old covenant makes the first day of the week prominent. The feasts of firstfruits and Pentecost were observed on the first day, as well as the feasts of unleavened bread and tabernacles (Leviticus 23:8-14,34-39).
20. God honored the first day by giving the law on that day (Exodus 19:1,3,11; Leviticus 23:5-6 with Exodus 12:2-18).
21. God honored many first days of the week in Israel (2 Chron. 7:10; 2 Chron. 29:17; Ezra 3:6; Neh. 8:14-18; etc.).
22. God honored the first day again by giving the book of Revelation on that day (§Rev. 1:10, notes; §Acts 20:7, note).
23. The new covenant frees from such bondages of the old covenant as the death penalty for cooking, making fires, and performing other duties on a sabbath (Exodus 16:23; Exodus 20:8-10; Exodus 31:15; Exodus 35:2-5; Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 15:32).
24. The New Testament never records a distinctive gathering of Christians on the Jewish sabbath. On the contrary, Christians gathered on Sunday, the first day of the week, which was called “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10; John 20:1,19; note, §Acts 20:7; 2 Cor. 16:2).
Of the 60 times the word “sabbath” is found in the New Testament, it is used 50 times BEFORE the new covenant was made. Of the remaining 10 times, 6 occurrences refer to Paul preaching to the Jews (at non-Christian gatherings) on Jewish sabbath days (Acts 13:14,42,44; Acts 17:1,2; Acts 18:4); 2 instances refer to the law of Moses being read by Jews in their synagogues on Jewish sabbaths (Acts 13:27; Acts 15:21); one place refers to Jewish travel as not more than a mile on the sabbath (Acts 1:12); and one spot plainly says that all sabbaths were abolished (Col. 2:14-17).
It is very clear that Israel was obliged to commemorate freedom from bondage with a yoke of bondage which included the sabbath-keeping law, Christians are free to commemorate their freedom in Christ and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on the First Day – the Sunday.
