Sabbath

[JM]

Why does the Reformed Church call Sunday the Christian Sabbath, isn't it true the early Church didn't use the term in regards to Sunday?

 

[JM]

hummmm.....

 

[rmwilliamsll]

Why does the Reformed Church call Sunday the Christian Sabbath, isn't it true the early Church didn't use the term in regards to Sunday?

The early church apparently continued to meet in the synagoges on the Hebrew Sabbath while at the same time meeting on the Lord's Day in the newer Christian manner. It is not clear exactly what evolved and when, there was a significant Jewish segment of the Church upto about 150-200.

By the 300's worship services appear to be exclusively on the first day of the week.

The main reason that the reformed often refer to the first day of the week as the sabbath is that for most of our history we have been strongly sabbatarian, seeing the command to honor the Sabbath as a continuing one in our times and in our congregations. But like exclusive psalmody, this stand appears to be counter cultural enough that it is dying out.
see: http://reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/sabbath2.htm

for myself, i am not sabbatarian, i have never had a church member tell me that they couldn't go out to Sunday after church meal and discussion as a sabbatarian would do.

but i am not sure how important the label is.
Sunday is heathen for the Sun God as are all of our days of the week dedicated to mostly norse gods.
the Lord's Day is perhaps more self consciously Christian but the Christian Sabbath is likewise descriptive and functional.
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