The Sabbath Day

I was asked the other day in Bible Class about the Seventh Day Adventist Church. One of the main tenents of the Seventh Day Adventists is that they believe that worship of God must be on the seventh day, the Sabbath, Saturday.

I found an answer to the question about the Sabbath Day while looking on the WELS Q&A section of their website. I am sharing the answer with you for your own knowledge of why most Christian denominations have chosen Sunday, the first day of the week, to be our Sabbath Day of rest and worship. Also, the next blog will be about taking back Sunday as our day of rest and worship.

The Sabbath Day

Question: Why and where was the seventh day for rest and worship changed to the first day?

Answer: In his sermon, “How Christians Should Regard Moses,” Luther states a principle of biblical interpretation: “It is not enough simply to look and see whether this is God’s Word ... rather we must ... see to whom it has been spoken.” Even though the Third Commandment explicitly commands, “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8), and even though that Sabbath was clearly Saturday, yet as New Testament believers we are neither bound by a Saturday Sabbath, nor is Sunday its New Testament replacement.

Let me explain. The Ten Commandments offer us a summary of God’s unchangeable will, which he also wrote on everyone’s heart. These commandments show what it means to love God with all our heart and our neighbors as ourselves.

However, remember also that the Ten Commandments were spoken to Israel as God led them from Egypt to Canaan. In several places the commandments’ outward form had specific application only for Israel until Christ came.

Look at the Fourth Commandment. Those who obeyed parents were promised long life in Canaan. Notice how Paul omits any reference to Canaan when he repeats that commandment in Ephesians 6:2.

So also, in the Third Commandment, the outward form, a day of rest with all its corresponding laws, was meant for Israel until Jesus’ day. Paul shows that clearly in Colossians 2:16,17, “Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” The Sabbath’s physical rest was primarily a picture of spiritual rest to be won by Jesus. That is reflected in Christ’s words in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest.”

Therefore, Saturday is no longer a Sabbath commanded by God, nor is Sunday its replacement. Although Christians could have chosen to gather on any day (or every day!), in perfect gospel freedom Christians typically gather on Sunday for worship. We do this not to establish a new required Sabbath. Rather, Sunday reminds us of the day our Lord stepped victoriously from the grave.

But that leaves an unanswered question. If the outward form of this commandment was binding only on Israel, where does it reflect God’s unchanging will? Luther taught that beautifully in the catechism, reminding us that we should not “despise preaching and his Word, but regard it as holy and gladly hear and learn it.” Even for Israel the heart of the Sabbath wasn’t merely to sit idly for 24 hours. Through that day’s sacrifices they contemplated their need for a Savior and God’s answer in the seed of Abraham.

The heart of this commandment still speaks of our attitude toward God’s Word. The Third Commandment reminds us that love for God also means loving his revelation of law and gospel, which convicts and comforts hearts.

Thankfully, convicted of our failure to “gladly hear and learn the Word, we remember that he who was found enraptured by his Father’s Word in his Father’s house perfectly fulfilled this commandment. What is more, he died and rose to free us from our guilt of neglecting God’s saving Word. Isn’t that all the more reason to “remember the Sabbath Day” as we “regard as holy” the Word of such a Savior?

     - Richard Gurgel is a professor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wisconsin.

Have a question you want answered? Send it to 2929 N Mayfair Rd, Milwaukee WI 53222; fic@sab.wels.net. Look on-line at Q & A for more questions and answers.