Sabbath vs Sunday Debate

You often hear that Sunday is the new day of rest, the new Sabbath. Because Jesus Christ rose on that day, then we must honour that day as being holy.

On the other hand, no Bible verses support the teaching of keeping Sunday holy due to Christ’s resurrection on that day.

Instead, the Bible says the Sabbath is and will always be on Saturday, the seventh day of the week.

Are you confused? Don’t worry. In this post, we aim to clarify this misunderstood topic of the Bible.

Let’s go together to the Word of God, and see what the Bible teaches about the Sabbath.

Table of Contents

Does the Bible say that Sunday is the Sabbath?

We do not have any clear verse in the Bible declaring the Sabbath to be on Sunday. There are only speculations and interpretations of people who attribute this day to Christ’s resurrection.

Let’s first study what the Bible says about the Sabbath.

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

The Bible is clear – the seventh day is the Sabbath.

In Deuteronomy 5:14 the same thing is evidenced – the Sabbath being on the seventh day of the week.

Today, there are many different calendars throughout the world. Some start their week on Monday, others on Sunday. It’s confusing!

How can we know which day is the seventh day and the first day of the week?

Let’s go to the Bible!

First day of the week

It is a well-known fact in Christian churches that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week or Sunday.

We find this also in the Bible.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

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.
Mark 16:1,2,9 KJV

So, the Bible says “when the Sabbath was past”, the women went to the tomb of Jesus. Meaning the Sabbath was the day before, on the seventh day of the week.

Then Jesus rose on the first day of the week. This is what we call today Sunday.

If we go back to the verses in Exodus – “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:”

The Sabbath is on Saturday!

So, when you hear people saying the seventh day of the week is Sunday, tell them they are wrong according to the Bible!

The seventh day is Saturday, it can’t be Sunday – because that is the first day of the week!

Did Jesus abolish the Sabbath?

Jesus never abolished the Sabbath. When He was on Earth, He kept the Sabbath.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luke 4:16 KJV

Not only He kept the Sabbath, but He says the following about His Holy Law:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17 -19 KJV

I think the verses are clear – Not one jot or one tittle shall pass from the law. In other words, the moral Law of God is eternal, it does not change.

That’s the reason it was written in stone. (Exodus 31:18)

The fact that Jesus came on this Earth to die for our sins proves the fact that His Law is unchangeable.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden by disobeying God’s command, if it were possible for the Law to be changed, He would have done it there and then.

Jesus would not need to come on this Earth to die for our sins. He would have simply changed His Law, and the problem was fixed.

But the fact that He came and died on the cross, proves that God does not change. His Laws are serious and eternal.

It is the only safe way to keep the Universe and all the created worlds in harmony and peace.

And the Laws of God are very reasonable and just. If you analyze them, they make total sense and are just and good.

For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Deuteronomy 4:7-8 KJV

Jesus warning about the Sabbath

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Matthew 24:20-21 KJV

Jesus makes a prophecy 40 years in advance when He declares that Jerusalem will be destroyed by the Romans.

He says to them, to pray to not have to flee on the Sabbath day. In other words, the Sabbath is still mandatory in the future the same as the other 9 commandments.

If Jesus had changed the Sabbath, then we would have found clear evidence in the New Testament but there is none.

It means He never changed it nor intended to do so.

Who declared Sunday as a day of worship?

Sunday was declared a day of worship by the Catholic Church in the Council of Laodiceea in the year 363 AD.

With no Bible support, the priests and bishops declared to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

The Bible predicted this would happen:

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 7:25 KJV

There are many other unbiblical teachings and doctrines made by this Church, unfortunately.

They took out the second commandment which forbids worshipping idols, and split the ten commandment into two to make it appear as ten.

There are many sincere and God-loving people in the Catholic Church, and they worship according to the light they have.

But God calls them out!

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Revelation 18:1-5 KJV

The Church of Rome with her apostate protestant daughters has intoxicated the world with a false gospel!

Their teachings are not based on the Bible anymore!

Conclusion

The Sabbath was never changed. It was always on the seventh day of the week, known today as Saturday.

Jesus kept it, and the apostles also (Acts 13:42,44, 16:13, 17:2, 18:4).

If the Sabbath had changed, then the New Testament would have clear evidence but there is none.

Jesus established baptism in memorial of His death, burial and resurrection. (Romans 6:3-4).

The teaching that Sunday is now the new Sabbath due to Christ’s resurrection is not from the Bible.

And God does not accept the worship of man.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Matthew 15:9 KJV

If we truly love God, then we must obey Him and His commandments. (John 14:15)

When the majority tries to convince us that we must follow the crowd, and do what everyone else is doing, let’s not forget the words of Peter and the apostles: