Is Sunday Really the Day God Has Chosen

Is Sunday Really the Day God Has Chosen for Worship?

The Biblical Record • In New Testament times Christians met every Sunday for worship. • This was the day they assembled to break bread – Acts 20: 7. • It was a uniform practice of all the churches – 1 Corinthians 16: 1 -2.

Significance of the First Day of the Week • Jesus was raised from the dead – Mark 16: 9. • He appeared to His disciples – John 20: 1, 19, 26. • The church began – Acts 2. • God chose it as the Lord’s day – Revelation 1: 10. • Therefore the early disciples met on it for worship – Acts 20: 7; 1 Corinthians 16: 1 -2.

Clarifying Terms and Words • Sabbatarians argue that the term “mia ton sabbaton” is improperly translated. • They contend that the Catholic church changed the day of worship. • However, “mia ton Sabbaton” is properly translated “first day of the week. ” • (mia – first) (ton – of the) (sabbaton – weeks). • It is the common expression for first day of the week. • Mark 16: 1 -2 uses the term and makes a clear distinction between the Sabbath and Sunday.

Historical Record • AD 74 – “We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose from the dead” (the Letter of Barnabas). • AD 90 – “…every Lord’s day, hold your solemn assemblies… being the day of the resurrection” (Didache). • AD 107 – “…no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s day” (Ignatius). • AD 150 – “But Sunday is the day on which we hold our common assembly, because it is the first day of the week and Jesus our savior on the same day rose form the dead” (Justin Martyr).

The End of the Sabbath Observance • Sabbath observance was part of the Law given to the Jews only – Exodus 34: 27 -28; 31: 16 -17. • Gentiles were never given the Law and even the Jews were delivered from it – Romans 7: 1 -4. • God intended for it to last only until the time of Christ – Galatians 3: 16 -19. • Therefore He nailed it to the cross – Colossians 2: 1314. • The Sabbath law along with the rest of Moses’ law is no longer binding – Colossians 2: 16 -17.

God has chosen and clearly revealed that Christians should gather on the first day of every week to worship!