Sunday Worship

[JSynon]

Greetings,

Why do Christians set aside the first day of the week for church gathering and worship? I know that many things in the New Testament happened on the first day of the week, but does that really permit us to change the Sabbath to Sunday? God never said any such thing. Is it unimportant that God created the heavens and earth in six days and rested on the seventh, commanding us to rest as He did?

 

[~SHINE~]

Many counties consider Sunday the last day of the week... that might have something to do with it.

 

[JohnJones]

Sunday is not a new Sabbath, nor does the Bible even in the Old Testament designate the Sabbath as the day of worship. We see, however, that the early Christians in the Bible habitually met on the first day of the week for worship, for example in Acts 20:7.

The Bible says in Colossians 2:16 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." All the festivals of the Old Testament were figures pointing to something about Christ, the Sabbath pointing to the spiritual rest that he provides, but more especially pointing to heaven itself. In Hebrews 4:9 the Bible says "There remaineth therefore a rest [sabbath] to the people of God...Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest" and in context it is obvious that this sabbath-rest is heaven itself. There is no need to labour to enter the literal sabbath-day, but there is necessity to labour to enter heaven. The Christian Sabbath is heaven itself, not the first nor the seventh day of the week.

 

[JSynon]

Thanks for clarifying that.

How come Seventh Day Adventists choose to meet on Saturday instead of Sunday?

 

[The_White]

because they take the view that you stated in your first post

 

[BWV 1080]

The Scriptural warrant for Sunday worship is not as strong as many would believe. The passages below are commonly used:
Isaiah 1:13 - God begins to reveal His displeasure with the Sabbath.

Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2,9; John 20:1,19- the Gospel writers purposely reveal Jesus' resurrection and appearances were on Sunday. This is because Sunday had now become the most important day in the life of the Church.

Acts 20:7 - this texts shows the apostolic tradition of gathering together to celebrate the Eucharist on Sunday, the "first day of the week." Luke documents the principle worship was on Sunday because this was one of the departures from the Jewish form of worship.

1 Cor. 16:2 - Paul instructs the Corinthians to make contributions to the churches "on the first day of the week," which is Sunday. This is because the primary day of Christian worship is Sunday.

Col. 2:16-17 - Paul teaches that the Sabbath was only a shadow of what was fulfilled in Christ, and says "let no one pass judgment any more over a Sabbath."

2 Thess. 2:15 - we are to hold fast to apostolic tradition, whether it is oral or written. The 2,000 year-old tradition of the Church is that the apostles changed the Sabbath day of worship from Saturday to Sunday.

Heb. 4:8-9 - regarding the day of rest, if Joshua had given rest, God would not later speak of "another day," which is Sunday, the new Sabbath. Sunday is the first day of the week and the first day of the new creation brought about by our Lord's resurrection, which was on Sunday.

Heb. 7:12 - when there is a change in the priesthood, there is a change in the law as well. Because we have a new Priest and a new sacrifice, we also have a new day of worship, which is Sunday.

Rev 1:10 - John specifically points out that he witnesses the heavenly Eucharistic liturgy on Sunday, the Lord's day, the new day of rest in Christ.

Matt. 16:19; 18:18 - whatever the Church binds on earth is bound in heaven. Since the resurrection, Worship has been principally celebrated on Sunday.

(From http://www.scripturecatholic.com/sunday_worship.html)

However they do lend themselves to alternate interpetations. For an Sabbatarian take see:

http://www.bibleonly.org/docs/sab/record.html

However it is undeniable the Sunday worship has been part of Tradition since the apostolic age. Ignatius of Antioch, an early father of the Church who learned his faith from the Apostle John, writes:

"If, therefore, those who were brought up in the ancient order of things have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death--whom some deny, by which mystery we have obtained faith, and therefore endure, that we may be found the disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Master"
Ignatius,To the Magnesians,9:1(A.D. 110),in ANF,I:62

To believe in Saturday worship (and therefore believe that 99.9% of all Christians violate one of the Ten Commandments every week) is to believe that the Church, which is the "pillar and ground of all truth" (1 Tim 3:15) and against which the "gates of hell will not prevail" (Matt 16:18) is not trustworthy to deliver the Gospel.

 

[Serapha]

Greetings,

Why do Christians set aside the first day of the week for church gathering and worship? I know that many things in the New Testament happened on the first day of the week, but does that really permit us to change the Sabbath to Sunday? God never said any such thing. Is it unimportant that God created the heavens and earth in six days and rested on the seventh, commanding us to rest as He did?

Hi there!



The first-century Christians "remembered the Sabbath" but they commemorated the resurrection by taking the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week. Those early Christians were Jews who, at first believed that the Gentiles had to convert to Judaism and then, later, convert to Christianity. Paul corrected that way of thinking...


Demands that the Saturday Sabbath be remembered do not address the fact that Jesus was the Creator who set aside the seventh day and sanctified that day as a day of rest because human beings needed a rest from work. Interesting thought.. that the Creator set aside the Sabbath so that the incarnation of God could tell us that

Mr 2:27 -And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

~serapha~

 

[JSynon]

Sunday is not a new Sabbath, nor does the Bible even in the Old Testament designate the Sabbath as the day of worship.

...which is Sunday, the new Sabbath... a new day of worship, which is Sunday.

Which is truth?

 

[The_White]

Sunday isn't a new 'Sabbath' as such but as the rest of the posts have stated Sunday is the day of worship for all those reasons. I actually try to worship with my whole life, not just on Sunday since if I only worship on Sundays I am every bit as bad as those who only worship at Christmas and Easter.
Actually, because the college I am at as services every weekday (Anglican Theological College) I very rarely go to church on a Sunday.

 

[JohnJones]

You'll have to actually study the Bible to see which is true. The Scriptures will be very helpful because here the apostle is discussing what it means to enter into God's rest, which is the idea behind the Sabbath:

(Heb 3 KJV) Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; {2} Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. {3} For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. {4} For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. {5} And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; {6} But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. {7} Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, {8} Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: {9} When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. {10} Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. {11} So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) {12} Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. {13} But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. {14} For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; {15} While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. {16} For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. {17} But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? {18} And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? {19} So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

(Heb 4:1-11 KJV) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. {2} For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. {3} For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. {4} For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. {5} And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. {6} Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: {7} Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. {8} For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. {9} There remaineth therefore a rest [sabbath] to the people of God. {10} For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. {11} Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Now, seeing as how the literal Sabbath-day comes every week whether we work or not, how can he say "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest" with reference to the literal Sabbath-day? It would make no sense. It is an obvious reference to heaven, meaning that the only Sabbath which is left for the people of God is heaven.

We see also that he says in 4:8, "For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day." What does he mean? He means that if the literal Sabbath-day were God's true rest, then there would be no need to say a day of rest is yet coming, for it has already come, but in that he says a day or rest is coming, we see that the literal Sabbath-day was not sufficient, but a more perfect rest, Heaven, is on it's way.

 

[JSynon]

Thank you guys for the replies.

 

[lionroar0]

We celebrate on Sundat because Jesus is the Passoverlamb. Which is celebrated on Sunday. The begining of the week

When the Jews celebrated the Passover they did several things.

1. They sacrificed an unspotted lamb. The blood was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat as a sacrifice given to God. This prefigures Jesus giving his blood and body for our sins to God.

2 When they cooked it they streched out its front legs and tied it's back legs tgether. This prefigures the crucifiction of Christ.

3 After it was cooked they ate the flesh of the lamb.

4. Then painted their door posts with it's blood so that the angel of Death would pass over their house. This prefigures the Victory of Jesus over death.

5. This is why Sunday is a day of worship. Although for Catholics we have the option of worshipping everyday. It is only obligatory on Sundays unless there is a good reason why we Can't make it to Mass.

 

[johnd]

Greetings,

Why do Christians set aside the first day of the week for church gathering and worship?

1. Roman Catholicism in building / defining itself mandated a general practice of the Early Church.

2. The Early Church (generally) met on the first of the week because most were Jewish converts who used synagogues and minyon halls / homes and could not do so during Shabbat services (especially after the Judaizers reached those synagogues with the leaven of the Pharisees).

I know that many things in the New Testament happened on the first day of the week, but does that really permit us to change the Sabbath to Sunday? God never said any such thing. Is it unimportant that God created the heavens and earth in six days and rested on the seventh, commanding us to rest as He did?

The late great Walter Martin said it best:

You will note that with nearly every reference to keeping the Sabbath there is an allusion to the creation week (as you just did, JSynon) . So in a sense it is a memorial to the old creation (which was corupted by sin).

For me, every day is the sabbath (i.e. the rest in knowing I have peace with God and that my sins are forever washed away by the blood of the Lamb of God). But I generally attend worship service on Sunday the first day of the week, yes, but it is also the eighth day (as in the reckoning of circumcision); which is the number for a new beginning. So, in a sense, this is a celebration of the new life in Christ and the new creation to come.

God bless.

 

[lionroar0]

What makes you think that the Early Church was not Catholic?

 

[johnd]

What makes you think it was Roman Catholic?

 

[lionroar0]

The first thing that comes to mind is the letters of ignatious the second bishop of antioch. He calls the church Catholic some where between 95ad-120ad

This is what you posted about Sundat Obligation.

1. Roman Catholicism in building / defining itself mandated a general practice of the Early Church.

This a sniped of news from the Modern day Catholic Church in China

"Bishop Gao was raised in the Catholic faith among underground Christians living in China’s largest Catholic community, in Hebei province. Today, there are an estimated 1.5 million Catholics in this province, most of them belonging to the underground Church, guilty in government eyes of exercising what in theory is a constitutionally-guaranteed right, namely the right to practice their religion without the regular and wearisome control of the security apparatus and the official Catholic Patriotic Association."

Obviously there more to it then just mandating to go to a building as you are suggesting since they have no Catholic Church Building out in the open where then can worship openly.

http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=1465

 

[visionary]

Jesus said "Worship the Father."
Revelation said "worship Him who created heaven and earth"

 

[Bon]

Greetings,

Why do Christians set aside the first day of the week for church gathering and worship? I know that many things in the New Testament happened on the first day of the week, but does that really permit us to change the Sabbath to Sunday? God never said any such thing. Is it unimportant that God created the heavens and earth in six days and rested on the seventh, commanding us to rest as He did?

Hi JSynon,

A study of the sabbath in the New Testement scriptues requires a good background knowledge of the customs of this time. eg. Why they gathered on the first day of the week (remember, the days ran from sunset to sunset. So the Sabbath ended at sundown on Saturday, with the first day of the week, Sunday, beginning on our saturday night.
So then, after their Sabbath service, at sunset, they would visit at each other's homes to talk and discuss the word of Yahweh where they would "break bread" which means to share a meal.

Acts 20:7 was never inspired by Yahweh’s Spirit to support Sunday worship! It has been twisted to teach a counterfeit day of worship. These verses have nothing to do with observing Sunday, but actually show that Paul was keeping the same Holy Days given to Israel that will be kept in the Kingdom.

Neither does this verse teach us to partake each Sunday of the symbols of the body and blood of Yahshua by taking the cup and breaking of bread. The expression "breaking of bread" here simply means sharing a common meal such as in Acts 2:42; 46. Note especially Acts 27:35: "And when [Paul] had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to Yahweh in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat."

Bread in those days was not sliced as today, but broken off in chunks, then often dipped in a sauce or broth before being eaten. Acts 20:11 shows that Paul, having revived Eutychus, went back up and ate bread, continuing his conversation until daybreak.

This site has some interesting information, worthy of a look in.
http://www.yahsaves.org/learn/Booklets/sunday.htm

What is Yahshua's supreme, ultimate and authoritative verdict on the great controversy between Sabbath and Sunday?

1. Yahshua is our supreme example (I Jn. 2:6, 1 Pet. 2:2 1, Jn. 10:27, Jn. 21:19 & 22 etc.) And it was custom to keep the Sabbath (Luke 4:16), just like the custom that Paul followed too (Act’s17:2, Acts 13:14 & 42‑44, Acts 16:13, Acts 18:4 & 11).

2. Yahshua commands us to keep His Fathers Ten Commandments (Of which the Sabbath is the fourth Commandment) authoritatively and very clearly (Matt. 19:17, Lk. 10:28 and Ju. 12:50). Indeed, He clearly says that the keeping of His Father’s Commandments is a condition for inheriting eternal life.

Why then has Sunday become the day of worship instead of Sabbath? Why are we not keeping Sabbath while Sabbath‑observance will be practiced in the new earth by those who have survived the end‑time judgment (Isa. 66:23)? Who then changed the Sabbath to Sunday? Is the change Scriptural?

Cardinal Gibbons in Faith of Our Fathers, 92nd ed., p. 89, says, "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify."

Man took it upon himself to “change appointed times and law”(Dan.7:25), to “have transgressed the Laws, changed the ordinance, broken the Everlasting covenant”.(Isa. 24:5)

With thanks and Shalom from Bon

 

[CharlesYTK]

Actually this is why the "Church" observes Sunday. Remember it was only the Gentile church based in Rome that instituted Sunday as the new Sabath. And it was ordered under Costantine to be observed on penalty of death. Constantine was a Pagan (contrary to popular stories in the Church) and never converted. He worshipped the sun god Mithra, and sacrificed to Mithra and demanded all Christians to observe the holy days of Mitha, including his birth on Dec. 25th, the Day of the Sun Sunday, ect. Here is the edict:

I renounce all customs, rites, leagalisms, unleavened breads and
sacrifice of lambs of the Hebrew, and all the other feasts of the
Hebrew, sacrifices, prayers, aspersions, purifications,sanctifications,
and propitations, and fasts and new moons, and Sabbaths, and
superstitions, and hymns and chants and observances and synagogues, and
the food and drink of the Hebrew; in one word, I renounce absolutely
everything Jewish, every law, rite and custom,...But if it be with
deceit and hypocrisy, and not with a sincere and perfect faith and a
genuine love of Christ, but with pretence to be a Christian that I
come, and if afterwards I shall wish to deny and return to Jewish
superstition, or shall be found eating with Jews, or feasting with
them, or secretly conversing with them and condemning the Christian
religion instead of openly confuting them and condemning their vain
faith, then let the trembling of Cain and the leprosy of Gehazi cleave
to me, as well as the anathema in the world to come, and may my soul be
set down with Satan and the devils."

Furthermore, I accept all customs, rites, legalisms and feasts of the Romans, sacrifices, prayers, purifications with water, sanctifications by Pontius Maximus, propitiations and feasts, the New Sabbath – The Sol Dei [Day of the Sun], all new chants and observances, all foods and drinks of the Romans in the New Roman Religion.



The First Church was Apostolic Jews, that is they were exactly Jewish (including the Gentile Believers) in all things, obedient to the commandments and festivals, but held that Jesus was the Messiah. But the Church fathers, hated this and forced the church to separate from Gods word and to form new doctrines. Here are some quotes from the "Chruch fathers" And believe me this is only the surface.


Origen:

Origen, wrote: "We may thus assert in utter confidence that the Jews will not return to their earlier situation, for they have committed the most abominable of crimes, in forming the conspiracy against the Savior of the human race ... Hence the city where Jesus suffered was necessarily destroyed, the Jewish nation was driven from its country, and another people [meaning the church] was called by God to the blessed election."

Eusebius:

Eusebius, Bishop of Caesaria, claimed that Jews in every community crucified a Christian at their Purim festival as a rejection of Jesus. He used the charge of ritual murder made by the pagans Democritus and Apion, which the Romans had first made against the early Christians. Eusebius made a distinction between Hebrews who were good men in the Old Testament and Jews whom he characterized as evil.

Chrysostom and Ambrose

Emperor Theodosius protected the Jews from the church's persecutions of heretics. Chrysostom and Ambrose of Milan - both sainted - wanted to include Jews in this persecution. Chrysostom: "The Jews are the most worthless of all men... They are perfidious murderers of Christ. They worship the devil, their religion is a sickness..." Ambrose reprimanded the emperor for rebuilding a synagogue and offered to burn it down himself. St. Gregory of Nyssa characterized Jews as assassins of the prophets, companions of the devil, a race of vipers, a sanhedrin of demons, enemies of all that is beautiful, hogs and goats in their lewd grossness."

Cyril:

St. Cyril, the Bishop of Alexandria, incited a mob against the Jews and had them expelled. Bishop Severus burned a synagogue and incited people to attack and harass Jews in the streets. Many Jews converted to Christianity out of fear.

9b]Jerome:[/b]

St. Jerome, who had studied with Jewish scholars in Palestine and translated the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), wrote about the synagogue: "If you call it a brothel, a den of vice, the Devil's refuge, Satan's fortress, a place to deprave the soul, an abyss of every conceivable disaster or whatever you will, you are still saying less than it deserves."

Augustine:

St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo: "The true image of the Hebrew is Judas Iscariot, who sells the Lord for silver. The Jew can never understand the Scriptures and forever will bear the guilt for the death of Jesus."

Martin Luther:

Martin Luther – called Jews ritual murderers, poisoners of wells, and called for all Talmuds and synagogues to be destroyed.


If you wast to see the heart of Martin Luther read his book, On Jews and Their Lies

 

[muffler dragon]

The Bible says in Colossians 2:16 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."

Dear John:

I just wanted to interject real quick about this passage in Colossians. The reason that Sha'ul (Paul) wrote this had to do more with the Essenes and ultra-purity Jewish sects. These groups would lay an insurmountable weight upon their proselytes when it came to observance. As for the Sabbath in particular, this statement was made because multiple groups held different calendars (lunar and solar). This would deviate the days that groups honored the Sabbath.

Just my $.02.

m.d.