"Who Changed the Sabbath?"

By Steve Klein

Many people believe that Sunday is the "Christian Sabbath." Someone recently gave me a clipping from a local newspaper in which the author writes that “much of the Christian world (erroneously) looks to Sunday, the first day of the week, as the day of Christian rest." The article claims that the day of worship was changed from Saturday to Sunday by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 A.D., and gradually gained acceptance by "Christians” over hundreds of years. More than once, I've been asked the question, "Who changed the Sabbath Day from Saturday to Sunday?" The question often indicates that the person asking believes two things: (1) That Sunday is now being observed by Christians as the "Sabbath." and (2) that somebody other than God is responsible for the change. Neither of these things is strictly true.

Sunday Is Not the Sabbath: -- Exo. 20:10 plainly states, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord." A mere glance at a calendar will show that the seventh day of each week falls on our Saturday: Sunday is the first day of the week.

Sabbath Keeping Was Required Of Israelites, Not Christians: -- Besides the fact that Sunday cannot be the Sabbath because it is the wrong day of the week, it should also be observed that Christians who follow the Bible do not attempt to observe Sunday as the Sabbath because they realize the Sabbath Law was given to the nation of Israel. God made a covenant with the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai. This covenant included the Ten Commandments (Exo. 24:28), one of which was "to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exo. 20:8). This covenant, including Sabbath keeping, was not given to anyone other than the Israelites -- not even to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In Deut. 5:3 Moses clearly states, “The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day." In Exo. 31:16, 17, the Lord said, “Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."

When we come to the New Testament, we notice that Jesus and His disciples kept the Sabbath. They did so because they were Israelites who lived under the Old Covenant. However, no Christian was ever commanded to keep the Sabbath, and we have no New Testament example of a Christian who was not an Israelite ever doing so!

No Christians Actually Keep The Sabbath Today: -- Christians do not keep, or even attempt to keep, all the regulations involved in observing the Sabbath. Some may disagree with this statement. Perhaps you know someone who claims to be a Christian who also claims to keep the Sabbath. But is he or she actually keeping the Sabbath as God ordained it? Exactly what would be involved in keeping the Sabbath?

Most folks know that keeping the Sabbath meant doing no work (Exo. 20:8-10; 31:15; 35:2). An Israelite found picking up sticks on the Sabbath was put to death (Num. 15:32-36). However, some may not realize that to keep the Sabbath, an Israelite could not cook in his house (Exo. 16:23), or kindle a fire (Exo. 35:3), or carry a load (Jer. 17:22, 23). These regulations, along with many others, would prohibit you from bringing groceries home from the supermarket, carrying them into the house, lighting a gas range and cooking supper! However, some cooking was required in the nation of Israel on every Sabbath. In Num. 28:9, 10, the Lord commanded an offering "on the Sabbath day (of) two lambs in their first year, without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil with its drink offering." "This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath..." I know of no religious group or nation today that keeps all of these regulations when they claim to be keeping the Sabbath.

Do you? It is obvious that even those who claim to observe the Sabbath today do not do so in the way God commanded the Israelites to observe it. And, if they are not observing the Sabbath in the way God commanded, are they in fact observing it at all?!

God Changed The Sabbath Law: -- In contrast with what many believe, God did not change the Sabbath Day to Sunday. Rather He completely abolished the entire system of Law that required keeping the Sabbath! He brought the Old Covenant (the Law of Moses, including the Ten Commandments) to an end. We now live under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ (Heb. 8:6-13). Col. 2:14 states that Christ "wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Since "the handwriting of requirements” (the Old Covenant) was nailed to the cross, Sabbath keeping was also nailed to the cross. In Col. 2:16, the Scriptures go on to say: "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths." What this passage is teaching is that no one has a right to judge or condemn people under the New Testament for not keeping the Sabbath, because the requirement of Sabbath keeping was nailed to the cross.

As Christians, we keep the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.

This includes some of the same commands as the Old Covenant (Rom. 13:9; Col. 3:5), but it does not include Sabbath keeping.

We worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, because the New Testament teaches us to do so (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). ----- via The Instructor, Vol. 48, No. 8, August, 2011 &

Procrastinating with God’s Will

By Mike Thomas

It had been 16 years since they returned from captivity, but the Jews had yet to complete the building of the temple—a project God assigned them in delivering them from Babylon (Ezra 1:1-5). They promised to do this noble work, in honor of God but had become distracted with their own pursuits. Haggai the prophet was sent to tell them (1:2-4), 

Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: 'This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built."' Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?"

They had enough time and energy to pursue their own interests, but they were still waiting for the right time to do the Lord’s work. “The time has not come,” they preached, but in reality the right time was not coming. There was not going to be a right time as long as they cared more for their own gratification than the Lord’s. Their problem was not being overly concerned for excellent craftsmanship, to make sure they built the temple just right – which might be a justifiable excuse for their delay. No, their problem was they loved the world more than God but didn’t have the honesty to admit it. As long as they believed “time has not come yet” to God’s work, they could take as long as they wanted in neglecting the temple without feeling shame and guilt.

Like the Jews, we have been given certain responsibilities by God in the home, the local church, evangelism and personal growth. And, like the Jews, we tend to immerse ourselves in our own pursuits to the neglect of godly excellence – all the while telling ourselves that the “right time” has not yet come. What’s sad is that when that time does eventually come we will either be too worn out or “too dead” to make a real difference for God. Friends, who are we kidding when we delay in teaching our children the Bible or when we put off talking to our neighbors about the eternal consequences of sin? When is the right time coming to make a daily effort to grow in study and prayer? Will we ever write that letter or make that visit to encourage the erring to repent or to uplift the lonely widow? If we aren’t making real plans today and actually developing our skills to meet these responsibilities, when will we? Today is the day to exercise godliness in the home by serving our mate and leading our family in godliness. Today is the day to spend less time in front of the television and computer and more time in encouraging others. Today is the day to learn how to talk to others about the mercy of God found in Christ. Today is the day to commit ourselves to spiritual excellence.

The scary part about excuse-making is we can always find one when we want it. If it’s too hot outside to go to work, the fear of being eaten by a lion will convince us to stay in (Pro. 26:13).”The sluggard is wiser in his own estimation than seven people who respond with good sense” (vs. 16). The wise man, however, will not buy into such lies. He will see the terrible consequences of laziness and wickedness, and take the necessary steps to avoid them – as a wise ant that does its work without having to be told to (Pro. 6:6-8). 

If you aren’t making plans today to accomplish more for God, when will you? Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and the work of God to lie in ruins? Be wise, good friend, and realize that time has a way of passing by quickly when you emphasize the physical over the spiritual. If you’re not careful, you will let 16 years pass before you realize you have not kept your promise to God. &

Everybody Is Anti Something

By Bob Myhan

Often people are accused of being "too negative" in their teaching. It is said that "they never do any­thing but criticize others" or "they are 'anti' everything." Sometimes such criticism is valid and sometimes it is not. A basic prin­ciple to remember is that everyone who is for one thing must be against the opposite of that thing! The stronger we support a belief, the stronger we must stand against the opposite belief. For example:

1 Those who believe in God will stand against atheism.

2 Those who love the truth will oppose lying and error.

3 Those who respect the sanctity of human life will oppose murder.

4 Those who respect property rights will oppose stealing.

5 Those who teach fidelity in marriage will be "anti" fornication and adultery.

As in the above examples, it is possible to state any and every position either posi­tively or negatively. The only people who are "anti" nothing are people who stand for nothing! Sometimes people will overempha­size the things one is against, and deem­phasize the things one is for. It is thought that one should not "come out" against anything but only be positive. But being “in favor of” certain things puts us squarely against other things. And we certainly have plenty of Bible examples of "coming out" against error by naming it and stating that it is er­ror. &