Should Christians observe the
Sabbath day of rest on
Saturdayor Sunday?
By: Wanda L. Ball
Labor Day is a US federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. The holiday originated in
1882 as the Central Labor Union of New York City sought to create "a day off for the working citizens."
Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894. All fifty states have made Labor Day a state
holiday. Today, Labor Day is often regarded as a day of rest. Now we know that the US day of rest is on
the first Monday in September. But should Christians observe God's Sabbath day of rest on Saturday or
Sunday? In the Book of Acts, Christians were predominately Jews. When Gentiles began to receive the
gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, they had a problem. Should they obey the law or the Jewish
tradition? The decision was, "It is my judgment therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the
Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food
polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood." (Acts
15:19-20)
A common error in the Sabbath day debate is the concept that the Sabbath was the day of worship. The
Seventh Day Adventists say that God requires the church service to be held on Saturday, which they
believe is the Sabbath day. But that is not what the Sabbath commands. In Exodus 20:8-11, the
Sabbath command was not to do any work on this day. It doesn't say it has to be the day of worship.
In the Book of Acts, the meetings that were on the Sabbath, were meetings of the Jews and not
Christians. Acts 2:46-47 tells us when Christians had their meetings. "Every day they continued to
meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and
sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved." The day that Christians met on a regular basis was the first
day of the week, which was Sunday and not the Sabbath day.
But is there anything wrong with worshipping God on Saturday? No way! We should worship God
everyday, not just Saturday or Sunday. The Sabbath is part of the Old Testament Law, and Christians
are free from this law. In Revelation 1:10, Sunday, the Lord's Day, celebrates the New Creation, with
Christ as our Resurrected Savior. We are not required to follow the Sabbath, but are now free to follow
Christ.
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