The Sabbath is indeed on Saturday. Church on Sunday is because people are misled to think that the Sabbath was changed.
They are being told that Sunday is now holy.
But the Bible does not teach such things. God only blessed the seventh day of the week and sanctified it. (Genesis 2:2-3)
He did not bless nor sanctify the first day of the week.
The truth is always in the Bible. If we read for ourselves what the Bible teaches, then we can rely less on others and their interpretations.
When did the church start worshipping on Sunday?
Sunday worshipping started gradually. The first account we find is in 321 AD when the Emperor of Rome, Constantine declared the first Sunday law.
“On the venerable day of the Sun, let the magistrates and people residing in the cities rest, and let all workshops be closed! In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits!”
History of the Christian Church, 1902 ed., vol. 3, p. 380
The Jewish people from that time were being persecuted by the Romans. And the Christians, due to the fear of persecution did not want to be associated with them.
And they started to keep both Saturday and Sunday holy. This happened until they gave up on the biblical worship of Saturday, and made compromises to worship on Sunday only.
Then the Church of Rome also was involved in the worshipping on Sunday. But more on this later.
Is it OK to go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday?
Of course. The biblical Sabbath is on Saturday and not on Sunday.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exodus 20:8-11 KJV
Jesus and the apostles also kept the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. (Luke 4:16), (Acts 13:42,44, 16:13, 17:2, 18:4)
The Sabbath never changed. God commands us to worship Him and rest on Saturday.
What does the Bible say about church on Sunday?
The Bible does not say anything about Church on Sunday. This teaching of worshipping on Sunday was created by man, and not by God.
Acts 20:7 is often cited for “support” of Sunday worship. But let’s analyze together that verse and see what it means.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Acts 20:7 KJV
First of all, Jews counted the time differently than we are today. They count the day starting from sunset to sunset as the Bible teaches. (Leviticus 23:32)
That day is actually what we call today Saturday evening.
The GNT translation shows us:
On Saturday[a] evening we gathered together for the fellowship meal. Paul spoke to the people and kept on speaking until midnight, since he was going to leave the next day.
Acts 20:7 GNT
Next, the apostles were breaking bread every day. (Acts 2:46)
The word “preached” from KJV and “spoke” from GNT in Greek is “dialegomai”.
It means:
- to think different things with one’s self, mingle thought with thought
- to ponder, revolve in mind
- to converse, discourse with one, argue, discuss
So, yes they were having some discussions. We could not say this was a worship service.
And Paul was getting ready to leave the next day.
If the first day were to be holy, how come Paul was getting ready to travel on that day?
The whole point and command of the Sabbath is to rest!
If the Sabbath were to be changed to the first day, Paul could not have broken it by travelling, right?
The other verse often cited in support of Sunday worship is 1 Corinthians 16:2.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:2 KJV
Again, here is not a worship service. Paul is requesting for the Christians from the Church of Corinth to lay aside some provisions at home.
He intended to pick those donations up while travelling to Jerusalem. You can find more about this in Romans 15:25-26.
And again comes the issue of travelling – Paul intended to travel on that day. If it were the Sabbath, wouldn’t he rest instead?
When we break down these verses and carefully analyze them, we cannot find any support for worshipping on the first day of the week.
If God would have changed the Sabbath – then we would have found it all over the New Testament.
Who changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?
As we mentioned, the Emperor of Rome was the first to initiate this movement of Sunday rest in 321 AD.
He was a pagan emperor even though he declared himself a Christian.
Then, later on, in the Council of Laodicea, in 363 AD, the priests and bishops of Rome declared Sunday to be holy, instead of the Sabbath.
They made this change without the authority of God or the Bible.
God predicted this would happen! (See Daniel 7:25)
“Christians shall not Judaize [keep Sabbath] and be idle on Saturday…but shall work that day; but the Lord’s day shall they, especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall if possible, do no work on that day.”
A History of the Councils of the Church, vol. 2, p. 252
They always confuse the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day by making them appear as if they are two separate days.
The Bible says there is only one day of the Lord – the Sabbath. (Isaiah 58:13-14), (Revelation 1:10).
What is the true Sabbath day in the Bible?
The true Sabbath day in the Bible is Saturday or the seventh day of the week. (Genesis 2:2-3), (Exodus 20:8-11).
We also find evidence when the followers of Jesus went to His tomb.
And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
Luke 23:53-56 KJV
Friday was the preparation day, and Saturday was the Sabbath day.
Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Jesus rose on the first day of the week or Sunday! Then, after forty days He ascended unto Heaven!
Are any new laws or commandments from Jesus Christ Himself in the New Testament for the Sabbath being changed?
No, there are none!
Instead, He tells them to go and preach the Gospel and to teach them the commandments of God! (Matthew 28:19-20)
Conclusion
We have discovered together that the Sabbath is still on Saturday or the seventh day of the week.
There is no commandment in the Bible to go to Church on Sunday, the first day of the week.
There are many millions of sincere Christians today worshipping God according to the light they have.
God loves them and does not want them to be deceived! Maybe you are one of them!
God is calling you out of Babylon (Revelation 18:4), out of these religious systems that have departed from the pure teaching of the Bible.
Will you respond to His call? Jesus loves you so much, He does not want to spend eternity without you.
But we must obey Him and His commandments only, even if the majority are not!
He warned us that His way or the path to life is narrow. (Matthew 7:13-14)
He understands our weaknesses and doesn’t judge us for what we do not know.
But once we discover new light and truth from His Word we are to obey.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15
May God help us to be faithful to Him and His commandments only!
References
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1256/kjv/tr/0-1
My Letter To A Sunday Keeper – Sabbath Documentary
The Days of Noah – Powerful Documentary (Video Format)
Bible Studies – Written Format
