Posted on 05/04/2015 6:23:01 AM PDT by Gamecock
Why do Christian churches meet and worship on Sunday? After all, doesn’t the fourth commandment clearly say “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God?” So is Sunday worship just a Christian tradition? Did we not want to get mistaken for Jews? Or perhaps there was a church council that met to decide the day should be moved?
Well no, none of those is the reason that Sunday became the day upon which Christians worship. Sunday worship was not fixed by a church council and as William Perkins points out, “The church, has no power to ordain a Sabbath.” The only authority who can tell us when to worship is the true head of the church, Jesus Christ, and He has done that in His word.
So together let’s take a look at the example of worship in the Apostolic church that we read about in Acts 20:
“But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted” (NKJV Acts 20:6-12).
Here Paul sails with Luke, the author of Acts, to Troas, a church which he had planted, and stays for 7 days. Now Paul was there on Saturday, but that is not when Luke tells us the church worshiped. Saturday was not their customary day for worship. When was the day when the disciples came together to worship? We read the answer in verse 7, it was first day of the week, and the first day of the week is NOT Monday, the first day of the week is Sunday. That is when they had their corporate worship including the Lord’s Supper (hence the reference to the breaking of bread) and preaching, and a very long sermon. But why had they made that change?
They had made the change because it was on the first day of the week that Jesus Christ forever set that day apart from all the others by rising from the dead. From that point onwards Sunday became a memorial to the turning point in the history of redemption. The Sabbath day from the beginning was the Seventh Day, and hearkened back to the Creation. The original Sabbath pointed to God’s creating work, but the Christian Sabbath points us to God’s redeeming work. It marks the great transition in the bible from redemption promised to redemption accomplished.
As RC Sproul put it: “In Christian history the sacred time of the Sabbath has three distinct orientations. The first is the commemoration of God’s work of creation. The second is the celebration of God’s work of redemption. The third is the celebration of the future promise of the consummation of redemption when we enter our Sabbath rest in heaven. Thus the whole scope of redemptive history, from start to finish, is made sacred in the observance of the Sabbath.”
Jesus also marked that day by appearing to his disciples after his resurrection on successive Sundays in John 20:19 and John 20:26 and it was why they called that day the Lord’s Day as John did in Revelation 1:10 – “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet”
All the references in early Christian writings also make reference to Christian worship being held on the Lord’s Day, for instance the Didache – which dates back to either the late 1st or early 2nd century states, “Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord’s Day. But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.”
Ignatius, the celebrated martyred bishop of Antioch, says, in his epistle to the Magnesians, written somewhere between 107-116 AD, that this is “the Lord’s day, the day consecrated to the resurrection the queen and chief of all the days.”
Justin Martyr, who died about A. D. 160 says that the Christians “neither celebrated the Jewish festivals, nor observed their Sabbaths, nor practiced circumcision.” And in another place, wrote that “they, both those who lived in the city and those who lived in the country, were all accustomed to meet on the day which is denominated Sunday, for the reading of the Scriptures, prayer, exhortation and communion. The assembly met on Sunday, because this is the first day on which God, having changed the darkness and the elements, created the world; and because Jesus our Lord on this day rose from the dead.”
Cause Sat is golf day?
Hank answered this in his “Answers” book.
Sabado.................
The murderous Muslim pedophile Mohammed of Mecca must have asked the same question, since he put his plans for conquest in the Koran thus:
“First we come for the Saturday people, then we come for the Sunday people”.
That was fourteen centuries ago.
Hanegraaff?
Hank was very instrumental in my coming to faith in Christ in '93.
God Bless him.
It really doesn’t matter. At the Cross all the legalisms of the old Testament were fulfilled . The old testament laws were put to an end Romans 10:4.
Yep - let’s just say I don’t agree with ALL that Hank has to say, but on many biblical concepts, he has some good explanations.
Everyday
Especially when it comes to the “word of faith” movement, exposing charlatans like Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen, etal.
...for those who have repented and trusted in Christ's substitutionary atonement for their sins.
Just thought I better add that, cornman. :o)
Amen, brother.
Those who do not have a traditional Jewish background could be confused by this. There are two possibilities, none of which relate to Sunday as a day of worship.
The phrase “first day of the week” is not found in the Greek. It actually says, “the first of Sabbaths.” This could refer to the seven week “counting of weeks” or the “counting of the Omer.” This is the forty-nine day count between the first night of Unleavened Bread until Pentacost.
Secondly, the Jewish practice after the seventh day Sabbath is to assemble for havdalah (separation) and break bread. Traditionally, after the lighting of the havdalah candle, the drinking of wine, and the smelling of spices, those assembled wish each other a good week (shavuah tov). This is then officially the first day of the Sabbath (week).
Although there is a lot to be said for the “first of Sabbaths” to be referring to the counting of the Omer (in which case, this event could have happened on any day of the week), the second explanation fits the context best. They met after conclusion of the seventh day Sabbath, Saturday evening, in a traditional havdalah service, and Paul spoke until after midnight, to leave Sunday morning for travel.
Regardless of any of the views, the fact that this meeting occurred is in no way proof that they met each Sunday.
Well they must believe He is the Son of God. John 3:16-:18. That is the key. If you define repentance as “Never sin again” then that is not required. That would be a contradiction to the substitution atonement you correctly point to.
God bless and have a great day.
Because they prefer College to Pro football?
I’m a Pro football fan and have discussed this issue with the Almighty for decades. Still can’t get him to change it up. *sigh*
Iowacornman said “The old testament laws were put to an end Romans 10:4.” Which says “4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
The law has not ended. Only the requirement to follow the laws to be righteous. Jesus fulfilled our duty to follow the law to be saved. As our Lord himself stated in Matthew 5:17-18: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
This is also apparent in the NT in many places such as: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” etc.
So we have Righteousness given to us by Christ, its not a requirement to follow the law. However, a Christian will want to follow the law out of Love for God.
the “church” has nullified the commandment of God by their “traditions”, just like the Jews did.
Constantine combined worship days to consolidate his control over all religions in the Roman Empire.
Celebrating on the day Jesus rose.
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