The Christian Sabbath Part 7: Conclusion

BLJ: The last paragraph today summarizies how a Christian can worship on the first day of the week as opposed to the Jewish Sabbath.

THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH

In this message we have noted two facts relative to the Sabbath. First, there is the Sabbath principle -- namely a sacred day of rest after six days of toil given by God at creation when He blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, and this principle is reiterated and confirmed in the Fourth Commandment of the Decalogue. Second, we have seen this Sabbath principle adapted to the nation of Israel in their memorial Sabbath. We have noted from scripture that the cycle of time for reckoning the Jewish Sabbath began with their deliverance from Egypt, that this Sabbath was a memorial of their deliverance, a recognition of Israel's sacred relation to God, and a sign of a perpetual covenant between God "and the children of Israel forever."

This Jewish memorial Sabbath was meant only for that nation for God said, "It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever" (Exodus 31:17). Further, the laws and ceremonies connected with the Jewish Sabbath could be observed only within a limited geographical area. Since one of these was the prohibition of making fire on the Sabbath it could not become a world-wide or universal Sabbath. Like the ceremonial practices of Judaism, the Jewish memorial Sabbath, was fulfilled by Jesus and hence the laws regarding that Sabbath are not binding on Christians; therefore we are to let no man judge us in respect to Sabbath days (Col. 2:14-17).

The present so-called seventh day (Saturday) of the Gregorian calendar can in no manner be considered the same as the seventh day of the Fourth Commandment. That day emphasized a principle, a sacred day of rest following six days of toil. It is not meant to specify a particular day of the week primarily. In fact the Jews today recognize that "the modern Jewish calendar seems to have been inaugurated in 363 A.D., and Rabbi Hillel appears to have modified it by introducing some innovations" (Jewish Encyclopedia). It appears that the observance of Saturday as Sabbath by the Jews dates no farther back than the fourth century after Christ.

The Christian Sabbath is not a continuation of the old Jewish memorial Sabbath. It does fulfill the Sabbath principle given at creation and confirmed in the Fourth Commandment, a sacred day of rest after six days of toil. The Christian Sabbath is a day of worship with a new memorial, the resurrection of Jesus. Its cycle of time reckoning began with the resurrection of Jesus and Pentecost, the birthday of the Church.

The Christian Sabbath is a new covenant day. The old covenant and Sabbath was but "a shadow of things to come," the new covenant and Sabbath is better, established on better promise -- "the body is Christ." The old covenant was a legal system in which men served in bondage to that law, in "the oldness of the letter." The new covenant is a love system, God's laws are put into their hearts, and written in their minds (Heb. 10:16); and we serve God in "the newness of spirit." The Sabbath principle, a sacred day of rest after six days of toil, belongs to the new covenant. We have our new covenant memorial Sabbath; but it is to be observed in "the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and not . . . with the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1). This Christian Sabbath is suitable to universal observation. People of all climes, times, conditions and places can observe the Christian Sabbath, memorial of our Lord's resurrection, "in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." It is not national, it is world-wide -- as wide in its observance as is the Christian Church in its scope.

Jesus emphasized a new element for the Sabbath day. He refused to be bound by the traditional legalism of the Pharisaical Sabbath. He stressed that the Sabbath was for man's benefit, not for his bondage; that on the Sabbath we are to do good, that works of necessity are permissible. Through His resurrection we have a living religion, a triumphant salvation. The memorial of this day of life, the Christian Sabbath, is not to deteriorate into a day of legalism; it is a day of rejoicing, a day for Christian worship and service, a sacred day of rest and worship after six days of toil. We observe this day from a loving heart in which is written God's law.

It is the Lord's day; the memorial of His triumphant resurrection. On this day we give special honor to Him. We refrain from doing things which would hinder us in giving our very best to Him in worship and praise. We cease from our regular activities for physical refreshing, mental relaxation, and spiritual edification. This Lord's day is symbolic of that eternal Sabbath, when all creation shall rest from its struggles and the whole universe shall "Crown Him Lord of All."

Christians are not bound to keep Saturday as Sabbath, since all that was shadowed by the Jewish Sabbath was fulfilled by Jesus on the cross. We gather to worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, not to continue the observance of Jewish Sabbath, but to fulfill the Sabbath principle given at creation and confirmed in the Decalogue, to worship the living Christ -- a memorial of our Lord's resurrection. We do as Ignatius exhorted the Christians to do in 101 A.D., "Let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's day as a festival, the resurrection day, the queen and chief of all days. . . . No longer sabbatizing, but living in the observance of the Lord's day, on which our life sprang forth."