Why Christians Worship on Sunday
Christians and the Sabbath
Photo Source: Artificially Generated
INTRODUCTION
Many believers—especially in our internet age—have encountered arguments online from Seventh-day Adventists or Jewish Roots groups claiming that true obedience requires worshiping only on the seventh day, from Friday night to Saturday night. And if those conversations ever made you pause and think, “Wait… are we doing this wrong?” you’re not alone. Countless sincere Christians have never been taught why the church worships on Sunday.
But here’s the good news: when you open the Scriptures and trace the story of what God has done—from creation, to the cross, to the empty tomb—you don’t find confusion, compromise, or theological drift. You find clarity, beauty, and freedom. You find a story that leads you straight to Jesus and shows you how the earliest believers understood the Sabbath, the resurrection, and the rhythm of New Covenant worship.
So let’s walk through this topic together with an open Bible and an open mind. Along the way, we’ll make key observations from Scripture, explore what changed—and why—and see how the church, from the very beginning, joyfully gathered on the first day of the week: the Lord’s Day.
WHY CHRISTIANS WORSHIP ON SUNDAY: A BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL LOOK AT THE SABBATH AND THE LORD'S DAY
For many Christians, Sunday worship feels as familiar as the sound of the church bell or the smell of coffee in the foyer. It’s the day we gather with fellow believers, celebrate the risen Christ, and enjoy a weekly rhythm of worship, rest, and renewal. Yet not everyone agrees that Sunday is the right day for Christian worship. Certain groups insist that the true Sabbath is Saturday—and that Christians who meet on Sunday are disobeying God.
So what does the Bible actually teach? And how did Christians, from the earliest days of the church, come to worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? To answer those questions, we need to walk through the Bible’s own story—starting in Genesis, moving through the Old Testament, seeing how Jesus fulfills the Sabbath, and watching the early church form its weekly gathering habits. What emerges is a clear, consistent picture of why Sunday became the Lord’s Day: the weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection and the dawn of the new creation.
KEY POINT #1: The Sabbath Command Is Moral, but Its Old Covenant Form Was Temporary
The Sabbath is not a human invention. It originates in the very structure of creation. God Himself rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2–3), establishing a pattern of work and rest that is woven into human life. Later, when God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, He included the Sabbath in His Moral Law (Exod. 20:8–11), calling His people to remember that pattern with weekly rhythm and reverence. This tells us something important: There is a permanent principle behind the Sabbath—people need regular rest and worship.
But Scripture also teaches that the form of the Sabbath under Moses—Friday evening to Saturday evening, with strict regulations—was meant to be temporary. It was part of Israel’s covenant with God and pointed forward to something greater. Today, God has completely reconciled believers to Himself in Christ; therefore, Christians are free from any judgment or condemnation that would have previously resulted from practicing customs required for God's covenant people in the past. But to be clear, while the civil and ceremonial laws observed by ancient Israel no longer apply for Christians today, the Moral Law--which derives from the moral character and nature of God Himself--still very much does apply. The fourth commandment, to keep the Sabbath, should still be observed. However, it is observed in a new-covenant way—not by keeping the old Saturday regulations, but by finding our true rest in Christ and following the pattern of weekly worship, rest, and renewal that the apostles modeled on the Lord’s Day, the day of His resurrection.
The Apostle Paul makes this incredibly clear:
Did you catch that? Paul says the old Sabbath was a shadow, not the final form. A shadow is not permanent, but it points ahead to something real. In Romans 14:5–6, Paul gives Christians freedom about which day they set aside, something he would never do if the seventh day were still binding. So, here is one reason why, after the resurrection, the early church did not continue to gather on the seventh day—even Jewish believers in Jesus had shifted to a new rhythm.
KEY POINT #2: Christ Fulfilled the Sabbath and Offers True Rest
The Sabbath was never meant to be an end in itself. It pointed to a deeper reality—rest in God. That’s why Jesus didn’t just teach about rest; He promised it:
Also, in Hebrews chapter 4, we learn that the author is not merely speaking about the Sabbath as a day of the week—it’s about a Person. The writer is intentionally showing that the Old Testament Sabbath and even the rest in the Promised Land were shadows pointing to the full and final rest found only in Jesus Christ. The weekly Sabbath pointed forward to a greater 'rest'—full salvation, completed work, and restored fellowship with God. Hebrews 4 explains that this ultimate “Sabbath rest” is found only in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Summarizing verses Hebrews 4:1-11, we can say: "There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… and we enter that rest through Christ."
Some groups point to Hebrews 4:9 (“a Sabbath rest remains”) to argue for Saturday observance, but the word “sabbatismos” in this passage clearly refers to the eternal rest believers have in Jesus Christ, not a command to keep observing it on the seventh day.
I say this because "sabbatismos" is a somewhat unique word in the NT: σαββατισμός (sabbatismos) — “Sabbath rest” (v. 9). It does not refer to the weekly Saturday Sabbath. It refers to a spiritual, eternal Sabbath, a rest available to God's people and modeled after Joshua, after David, after Moses. The word, more literally, means “the full and final Sabbath celebration.” And where in Scripture do we see the final, complete rest for God’s people found? Answer: Only in salvation through Christ, and ultimately in glory. Thus, Hebrews 4:9 must mean that the true and ultimate Sabbath is the believer’s rest in Christ’s finished work.
But the argument over the Sabbath isn't just about one word in one verse. It is also because the “rest” spoken of in Hebrews is entered by FAITH, not by the calendar (vv. 2–3). Hebrews 4 says:
Note carefully:
The way into this rest is not by observing a day—but by believing in Christ.
But by faith.
Therefore, the “rest” cannot be a literal Sabbath day, because Hebrews says it is entered only by believing. This aligns perfectly with Jesus’ invitation: “Come to Me…and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28). So, again here, the 'ultimate' rest spoken of in Hebrews 4 is a person, and not a 24-hour period.
I should also point out that at the conclusion of Hebrews 4:1-11 (vv. 10-11), there is a clear exhortation to come to Christ (vv. 10–11). The climax of the passage: “The one who has entered His rest has rested from his works, just as God did from His.” (v. 10) This, too, clearly does not refer to resting one day a week. It refers to resting from trying to earn righteousness.
And, because the entire book of Hebrews is about Jesus surpassing OT institutions, it could not be clearer that the writer intends that only Christ can give the kind of rest described.
The argument of Hebrews is (in brief):
So logically:
Hebrews 4 must be about Christ, who is Jesus, and not about a Saturday commandment. The pattern is consistent: Old Testament shadow → New Testament fulfillment in Christ.
Because the “rest” in the New Testament is…
KEY POINT #3: Christian Worship Moved to Sunday Because of the Resurrection
The shift from seventh-day worship (Saturday) to first-day worship (Sunday) did not happen because the early church abandoned the Old Testament or decided to adopt a new tradition. It happened because God Himself intervened in history—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—and the entire rhythm of redemptive history changed. This means Christians did not “change” the Sabbath. Christ fulfilled the Sabbath, and His resurrection inaugurated a new pattern of worship that fits with the new creation He began. To truly understand this, we must examine Scripture, redemptive history, and early church testimony. Let's try to briefly follow some of the evidence.
A. Sunday Worship Begins With the Resurrection of Jesus
The most significant reason Christians worship on Sunday is simple: Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. This is recorded in all four Gospels:
The resurrection was not just a great miracle—it was the beginning of something new. In Scripture, the resurrection marks the start of the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Just as the first creation began with light at the dawn of the first day, the new creation begins with Jesus Christ rising at dawn on the first day. This is why Sunday became known as “the Lord’s Day”—because it was the day the Lord Jesus conquered sin and death and stepped into a glorified life. The earliest Christians didn’t gather on Sunday because they preferred it over Saturday. They gathered on Sunday because it was the day the world had changed.
B. Jesus Appeared to His Disciples on the First Day—Twice
The resurrection event wasn’t the only first-day miracle. After rising, Jesus appeared to His gathered disciples on the first day:
In other words, Jesus Himself began meeting with His church on Sunday. This isn’t a coincidence—it shows a pattern. The resurrected Lord gathers His people on the same day He rose.
C. The Holy Spirit Was Given on Sunday—The Day of Pentecost
Acts 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Many Christians are unaware that Scripture specifically states that Pentecost always fell on the first day of the week.
Pentecost came:
“on the day after the seventh Sabbath.”
— Leviticus 23:15–16
Seven Sabbaths = 7 Saturdays
The next day = Sunday
This wasn’t random.
God chose to pour out the Spirit on the same day Christ rose from the grave. So now, the two greatest events of the New Covenant both happened on Sunday:
This is why early Christians saw Sunday not as the “replacement Sabbath,” but as the fulfillment day—the day that celebrates the finished work of Christ and the power of the Spirit in the new creation.
D. The Early Church Gathered Every Sunday for Worship
The book of Acts records the earliest Christian worship gatherings. The first Christians did not meet on a Saturday Sabbath; they met:
This is the earliest known description of a Christian worship service. Breaking bread refers to the Lord’s Supper, which means the early Christians were celebrating Communion on Sunday. And history shows us this pattern didn’t fade away—it became the weekly norm.
E. Christians Gave Offerings and Practiced Corporate Giving on Sunday
Paul instructs the churches:
This wasn’t an arbitrary instruction. Paul is calling for giving, worship, and gathering on the same day the church already met: Sunday. Corporate giving was tied to corporate worship, which was, again, on Sunday.
F. Sunday Was Already Known as “The Lord’s Day” in the First Century
Revelation, written near the end of the first century by the Apostle John himself, uses a title that Christians already understood:
This is important: John doesn’t define the phrase, "the Lord's Day."
Why? Because Christians already used it.
“The Lord’s Day” = the day the Lord rose from the dead, the day the Lord began His new creation, the day His people gathered. The apostolic church already had a name for Sunday by the end of the first century, as they had already developed a habit of worshiping on that day. “The Lord’s Day” was shorthand for the day Jesus rose. Sunday wasn’t debated or optional—it was established.
G. The Rhythm Changed Because the World Changed
The Jewish Sabbath pointed back to the old creation. But Sunday—Resurrection Day—points forward to the new creation.
The Old Testament Sabbath commemorated:
But the New Testament 'Lord's Day' on Sunday commemorates:
Christians didn’t shift worship because of a council or emperor. They shifted because the entire axis of history had moved! Christians didn’t stop gathering on Saturday because they rejected the Old Testament. They began gathering on Sunday because God had completed His redemptive work in Christ and had begun something entirely new. When Christ rose from the dead as “the firstfruits” of a new creation (1 Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Rom. 6:4), God inaugurated a new humanity (a new birth)—so naturally, His people began gathering on the day that new creation dawned (John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7). And because all who belong to Christ are now part of that new creation themselves (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15), Sunday became the joyful celebration of the new life God is making possible in Christ.
F. Early Church History Confirms Universal Sunday Worship
Long before Emperor Constantine, every known Christian writing (as far as I know) from the first and second centuries testifies that Christians worshiped on Sunday. Examples include:
And, moreover, not a single document from the earliest centuries that I know of presents Saturday as the Christian practice. There is no historical evidence that Saturday gatherings were the norm among Christians after the resurrection. Sunday was universal and rooted in the apostolic witness. Therefore, in Summary, Christian worship moved to Sunday because God had moved extraordinarily in human history on Sunday:
Again, the rhythm changed because the world changed. The incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ became the center of Christian time and Christian worship. Even the Western calendar became known as “before Christ” and “Anno Domini” (Latin for “in the year of our Lord”). This is why we say ‘BC’ and ‘AD’ today, using the standard Gregorian calendar. It was explicitly a Christian dating system, dividing all of history into Before Christ and Anno Domini, ‘the year of our Lord.’ The entire global calendar turns on the arrival of Jesus—no other figure in history marks time itself.
Christians did not “replace” the Sabbath—they followed the risen King into a new pattern of worship centered on His victory and His new creation. Our calendar is not divided by Jesus’s death, but by His birth—because when God stepped into the world, all of history reset. Everything before Him is ‘before Christ’; everything after His arrival is lived in ‘the year of our Lord.’”
So when the church gathers on Sunday—the Lord’s Day—we are not abandoning the Sabbath pattern. We are celebrating the fulfillment of it. We rest, not merely because the week has ended, but because Christ’s work has been completed. The resurrection set the rhythm, and the risen Christ invites His people to worship in the light of the new creation He has begun.
KEY POINT #4: Acts 15 Shows That Gentiles Are Not Bound to the Mosaic Sabbath
A pivotal moment in church history occurs in Acts 15, when the apostles convened to determine whether Gentile Christians were required to observe the Law of Moses, including circumcision, food laws, and, naturally, the Sabbath. Some insisted, “It is necessary to keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15:5). But the apostles rejected that idea:
And their final decision (Acts 15:28–29) did not include observing the Saturday Sabbath specified in the Law of Moses. If Saturday Sabbath observance were essential for New Covenant believers, the book of Acts would have made it clear. But it didn’t. Why? Because Old Testament 'Saturday' Sabbath-keeping under the Mosaic law was never required of New Covenant believers.
KEY POINT #5: The Old Testament Sabbath Mosaic Laws Do Not Continue Under the New Covenant
When people argue for Saturday Sabbath keeping today, they often ignore what the Sabbath actually required under Moses:
KEY POINT #6: The New Covenant DOES call for Rest and Worship (a 'Sabbath')—but Not a Specific Day
Did you know that the New Testament never binds Christians to a calendar day? Instead, it emphasizes the spiritual principle behind the Sabbath.
KEY POINT #7. Groups today claiming Sunday worship is sinful have no biblical basis to make such claims.
REFUTING TWO COMMON GROUPS:
A. Seventh-day Adventists
Claim: “The Sabbath command is unchanged.”
The Response: Col. 2:16–17 and Rom. 14:5–6 say otherwise.
Claim: “Revelation 14:12 proves Sabbath keeping.”
The Response: In John’s writings, “commandments” refer to faith in Christ and obedience to His teaching (1 John 3:23)—not Mosaic laws.
Claim: “The seal of God is the Sabbath.”
The Response: The New Testament never refers to the Sabbath as God’s seal. Instead, it explicitly identifies the Holy Spirit as the seal of God’s people (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). Our identity and security in Christ are marked not by a day on the calendar but by the indwelling Spirit, whom God gives to every believer at salvation.
Claim: “Constantine changed the Sabbath.”
The Response: Christians worshiped on Sunday for over 200 years before Constantine was even born.
B. Jewish Roots Claims
Claim: “Gentiles must keep Torah.”
The Response: Acts 15 rejects this directly.
Claim: “Jesus and Paul kept Sabbath, so we must.”
The Response: Jesus and Paul kept the Sabbath as Jews living under the Old Covenant (Gal. 4:4), but Jesus’ perfect obedience was to redeem us from that law, not keep us under it (Gal. 3:13; 4:5; Rom. 7:4–6). Paul explicitly says he is “not under the law” but under the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:20–21), and his circumcision of Timothy (Acts 16:3) was a missionary concession, not a binding pattern—otherwise we would also have to require circumcision and the whole Mosaic code for Gentile believers.
Claim: “Matthew 5:17 means the law continues unchanged.”
The Response: Jesus said He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it—not to freeze the Old Covenant in place (Matt. 5:17). Fulfillment means completion, not continuation of every Mosaic regulation. Hebrews 7–10 explains that with Christ’s coming, the priesthood changed, the sacrifices ended, and the covenant itself became obsolete. The law is upheld in Christ, but its Old Covenant form is no longer binding on those who are part of the New Covenant.
What the New Testament Actually Requires:
Conclusion: The Sabbath Is Fulfilled in Christ Jesus, and the Lord’s Day Is Our Celebration
Christians are not bound to the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturdays). That form of the command pointed forward to Christ, who is the true rest of God’s people (Col. 2:17). The specific regulations of the Mosaic system have passed away (Heb. 8:13; Gal. 3:25). But the principle of rest remains—and now it is rooted in Christ, not in a calendar rule.
From the earliest days of the church, believers gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection. They called it the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). For two thousand years, Christians around the world have followed that joyful pattern. Why?
Because Sunday is:
And today, we continue to honor the Sabbath not by clinging to the shadow, but by embracing the One who cast it. We rest in Christ. We gather with His people. We celebrate the new creation He began on a Sunday morning.
So, at the end of the day, Christians aren’t sneaking around God’s law by worshiping on Sunday—we’re simply showing up to praise God on the day He rewrote history. If the resurrection really split time in two, the least we can do is meet Him on the right side of the calendar. And that means we worship on Sunday because that’s the day the stone rolled, the tomb emptied, and the world got new marching orders. And Sunday is the day that everything began! And frankly—if you were in the early church and wanted to celebrate the victory of Life Himself... For all the reasons above, I think Sunday is a pretty good place to start!
Friends, this is the orthodox, biblical, historic Christian understanding of the Sabbath—rooted in Scripture and lived out by the Christian church from the very beginning. I've tried my best to explain it. If you have questions, as always, let me know.
Many believers—especially in our internet age—have encountered arguments online from Seventh-day Adventists or Jewish Roots groups claiming that true obedience requires worshiping only on the seventh day, from Friday night to Saturday night. And if those conversations ever made you pause and think, “Wait… are we doing this wrong?” you’re not alone. Countless sincere Christians have never been taught why the church worships on Sunday.
But here’s the good news: when you open the Scriptures and trace the story of what God has done—from creation, to the cross, to the empty tomb—you don’t find confusion, compromise, or theological drift. You find clarity, beauty, and freedom. You find a story that leads you straight to Jesus and shows you how the earliest believers understood the Sabbath, the resurrection, and the rhythm of New Covenant worship.
So let’s walk through this topic together with an open Bible and an open mind. Along the way, we’ll make key observations from Scripture, explore what changed—and why—and see how the church, from the very beginning, joyfully gathered on the first day of the week: the Lord’s Day.
WHY CHRISTIANS WORSHIP ON SUNDAY: A BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL LOOK AT THE SABBATH AND THE LORD'S DAY
For many Christians, Sunday worship feels as familiar as the sound of the church bell or the smell of coffee in the foyer. It’s the day we gather with fellow believers, celebrate the risen Christ, and enjoy a weekly rhythm of worship, rest, and renewal. Yet not everyone agrees that Sunday is the right day for Christian worship. Certain groups insist that the true Sabbath is Saturday—and that Christians who meet on Sunday are disobeying God.
So what does the Bible actually teach? And how did Christians, from the earliest days of the church, come to worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? To answer those questions, we need to walk through the Bible’s own story—starting in Genesis, moving through the Old Testament, seeing how Jesus fulfills the Sabbath, and watching the early church form its weekly gathering habits. What emerges is a clear, consistent picture of why Sunday became the Lord’s Day: the weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection and the dawn of the new creation.
KEY POINT #1: The Sabbath Command Is Moral, but Its Old Covenant Form Was Temporary
The Sabbath is not a human invention. It originates in the very structure of creation. God Himself rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2–3), establishing a pattern of work and rest that is woven into human life. Later, when God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, He included the Sabbath in His Moral Law (Exod. 20:8–11), calling His people to remember that pattern with weekly rhythm and reverence. This tells us something important: There is a permanent principle behind the Sabbath—people need regular rest and worship.
But Scripture also teaches that the form of the Sabbath under Moses—Friday evening to Saturday evening, with strict regulations—was meant to be temporary. It was part of Israel’s covenant with God and pointed forward to something greater. Today, God has completely reconciled believers to Himself in Christ; therefore, Christians are free from any judgment or condemnation that would have previously resulted from practicing customs required for God's covenant people in the past. But to be clear, while the civil and ceremonial laws observed by ancient Israel no longer apply for Christians today, the Moral Law--which derives from the moral character and nature of God Himself--still very much does apply. The fourth commandment, to keep the Sabbath, should still be observed. However, it is observed in a new-covenant way—not by keeping the old Saturday regulations, but by finding our true rest in Christ and following the pattern of weekly worship, rest, and renewal that the apostles modeled on the Lord’s Day, the day of His resurrection.
The Apostle Paul makes this incredibly clear:
“Let no one judge you… regarding a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance is Christ.” — Colossians 2:16–17
Did you catch that? Paul says the old Sabbath was a shadow, not the final form. A shadow is not permanent, but it points ahead to something real. In Romans 14:5–6, Paul gives Christians freedom about which day they set aside, something he would never do if the seventh day were still binding. So, here is one reason why, after the resurrection, the early church did not continue to gather on the seventh day—even Jewish believers in Jesus had shifted to a new rhythm.
KEY POINT #2: Christ Fulfilled the Sabbath and Offers True Rest
The Sabbath was never meant to be an end in itself. It pointed to a deeper reality—rest in God. That’s why Jesus didn’t just teach about rest; He promised it:
“I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28–30
Also, in Hebrews chapter 4, we learn that the author is not merely speaking about the Sabbath as a day of the week—it’s about a Person. The writer is intentionally showing that the Old Testament Sabbath and even the rest in the Promised Land were shadows pointing to the full and final rest found only in Jesus Christ. The weekly Sabbath pointed forward to a greater 'rest'—full salvation, completed work, and restored fellowship with God. Hebrews 4 explains that this ultimate “Sabbath rest” is found only in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Summarizing verses Hebrews 4:1-11, we can say: "There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… and we enter that rest through Christ."
Some groups point to Hebrews 4:9 (“a Sabbath rest remains”) to argue for Saturday observance, but the word “sabbatismos” in this passage clearly refers to the eternal rest believers have in Jesus Christ, not a command to keep observing it on the seventh day.
I say this because "sabbatismos" is a somewhat unique word in the NT: σαββατισμός (sabbatismos) — “Sabbath rest” (v. 9). It does not refer to the weekly Saturday Sabbath. It refers to a spiritual, eternal Sabbath, a rest available to God's people and modeled after Joshua, after David, after Moses. The word, more literally, means “the full and final Sabbath celebration.” And where in Scripture do we see the final, complete rest for God’s people found? Answer: Only in salvation through Christ, and ultimately in glory. Thus, Hebrews 4:9 must mean that the true and ultimate Sabbath is the believer’s rest in Christ’s finished work.
But the argument over the Sabbath isn't just about one word in one verse. It is also because the “rest” spoken of in Hebrews is entered by FAITH, not by the calendar (vv. 2–3). Hebrews 4 says:
“We who have believed enter that rest.” (v. 3)
Note carefully:
The way into this rest is not by observing a day—but by believing in Christ.
- Not by keeping the seventh day
- Not by entering Canaan
- Not by following ceremonial regulations
But by faith.
Therefore, the “rest” cannot be a literal Sabbath day, because Hebrews says it is entered only by believing. This aligns perfectly with Jesus’ invitation: “Come to Me…and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28). So, again here, the 'ultimate' rest spoken of in Hebrews 4 is a person, and not a 24-hour period.
I should also point out that at the conclusion of Hebrews 4:1-11 (vv. 10-11), there is a clear exhortation to come to Christ (vv. 10–11). The climax of the passage: “The one who has entered His rest has rested from his works, just as God did from His.” (v. 10) This, too, clearly does not refer to resting one day a week. It refers to resting from trying to earn righteousness.
- Stopping self-justification
- Removing all hope in the flesh
- Trusting Christ alone
Stop striving.
Stop earning.
Stop performing.
Christ has done all the work to make peace with God possible.
And, because the entire book of Hebrews is about Jesus surpassing OT institutions, it could not be clearer that the writer intends that only Christ can give the kind of rest described.
The argument of Hebrews is (in brief):
- Jesus is greater than angels (ch. 1–2)
- Jesus is greater than Moses (ch. 3)
- Jesus gives greater rest than Joshua (ch. 4)
- Jesus is the greater High Priest than Aaron (ch. 5–10)
So logically:
Hebrews 4 must be about Christ, who is Jesus, and not about a Saturday commandment. The pattern is consistent: Old Testament shadow → New Testament fulfillment in Christ.
Because the “rest” in the New Testament is…
- Still available (v. 1)
- Greater than Canaan (v. 8)
- Rooted in God’s finished work (v. 4)
- Entered only by faith (v. 3)
- Described as a final Sabbath celebration (v. 9)
- Connected to rest from works (v. 10)
- And preached in a book that exalts Christ above every OT institution
KEY POINT #3: Christian Worship Moved to Sunday Because of the Resurrection
The shift from seventh-day worship (Saturday) to first-day worship (Sunday) did not happen because the early church abandoned the Old Testament or decided to adopt a new tradition. It happened because God Himself intervened in history—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—and the entire rhythm of redemptive history changed. This means Christians did not “change” the Sabbath. Christ fulfilled the Sabbath, and His resurrection inaugurated a new pattern of worship that fits with the new creation He began. To truly understand this, we must examine Scripture, redemptive history, and early church testimony. Let's try to briefly follow some of the evidence.
A. Sunday Worship Begins With the Resurrection of Jesus
The most significant reason Christians worship on Sunday is simple: Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. This is recorded in all four Gospels:
- Matthew 28:1
- Mark 16:2
- Luke 24:1
- John 20:1
The resurrection was not just a great miracle—it was the beginning of something new. In Scripture, the resurrection marks the start of the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Just as the first creation began with light at the dawn of the first day, the new creation begins with Jesus Christ rising at dawn on the first day. This is why Sunday became known as “the Lord’s Day”—because it was the day the Lord Jesus conquered sin and death and stepped into a glorified life. The earliest Christians didn’t gather on Sunday because they preferred it over Saturday. They gathered on Sunday because it was the day the world had changed.
B. Jesus Appeared to His Disciples on the First Day—Twice
The resurrection event wasn’t the only first-day miracle. After rising, Jesus appeared to His gathered disciples on the first day:
- John 20:19–23 — Jesus meets His disciples on resurrection Sunday.
- John 20:26 — Jesus meets with them again “eight days later,” which, in Jewish counting, lands on the next Sunday.
In other words, Jesus Himself began meeting with His church on Sunday. This isn’t a coincidence—it shows a pattern. The resurrected Lord gathers His people on the same day He rose.
C. The Holy Spirit Was Given on Sunday—The Day of Pentecost
Acts 2 tells us that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Many Christians are unaware that Scripture specifically states that Pentecost always fell on the first day of the week.
Pentecost came:
“on the day after the seventh Sabbath.”
— Leviticus 23:15–16
Seven Sabbaths = 7 Saturdays
The next day = Sunday
This wasn’t random.
God chose to pour out the Spirit on the same day Christ rose from the grave. So now, the two greatest events of the New Covenant both happened on Sunday:
- Christ’s resurrection
- The Spirit’s outpouring
This is why early Christians saw Sunday not as the “replacement Sabbath,” but as the fulfillment day—the day that celebrates the finished work of Christ and the power of the Spirit in the new creation.
D. The Early Church Gathered Every Sunday for Worship
The book of Acts records the earliest Christian worship gatherings. The first Christians did not meet on a Saturday Sabbath; they met:
“On the first day of the week… to break bread.”
— Acts 20:7
This is the earliest known description of a Christian worship service. Breaking bread refers to the Lord’s Supper, which means the early Christians were celebrating Communion on Sunday. And history shows us this pattern didn’t fade away—it became the weekly norm.
E. Christians Gave Offerings and Practiced Corporate Giving on Sunday
Paul instructs the churches:
“On the first day of every week, each of you is to set something aside…”
— 1 Corinthians 16:1–2
This wasn’t an arbitrary instruction. Paul is calling for giving, worship, and gathering on the same day the church already met: Sunday. Corporate giving was tied to corporate worship, which was, again, on Sunday.
F. Sunday Was Already Known as “The Lord’s Day” in the First Century
Revelation, written near the end of the first century by the Apostle John himself, uses a title that Christians already understood:
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.”
— Revelation 1:10
This is important: John doesn’t define the phrase, "the Lord's Day."
Why? Because Christians already used it.
“The Lord’s Day” = the day the Lord rose from the dead, the day the Lord began His new creation, the day His people gathered. The apostolic church already had a name for Sunday by the end of the first century, as they had already developed a habit of worshiping on that day. “The Lord’s Day” was shorthand for the day Jesus rose. Sunday wasn’t debated or optional—it was established.
G. The Rhythm Changed Because the World Changed
The Jewish Sabbath pointed back to the old creation. But Sunday—Resurrection Day—points forward to the new creation.
The Old Testament Sabbath commemorated:
- the completion of creation
- Israel’s rescue from Egypt
- the covenant made with Moses
But the New Testament 'Lord's Day' on Sunday commemorates:
- the resurrection of Christ
- the beginning of the new creation
- the outpouring of the Spirit
- the formation of the church
- the inauguration of the New Covenant
Christians didn’t shift worship because of a council or emperor. They shifted because the entire axis of history had moved! Christians didn’t stop gathering on Saturday because they rejected the Old Testament. They began gathering on Sunday because God had completed His redemptive work in Christ and had begun something entirely new. When Christ rose from the dead as “the firstfruits” of a new creation (1 Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Rom. 6:4), God inaugurated a new humanity (a new birth)—so naturally, His people began gathering on the day that new creation dawned (John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7). And because all who belong to Christ are now part of that new creation themselves (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15), Sunday became the joyful celebration of the new life God is making possible in Christ.
F. Early Church History Confirms Universal Sunday Worship
Long before Emperor Constantine, every known Christian writing (as far as I know) from the first and second centuries testifies that Christians worshiped on Sunday. Examples include:
- Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 110)
Christians “no longer observe the Sabbath, but live in observance of the Lord’s Day.” - Justin Martyr (A.D. 155)
“We hold our common assembly on the day of the sun… because Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead on the same day.” - The Didache (late 1st/early 2nd century)
Commands believers to gather on “the Lord’s Day.”
And, moreover, not a single document from the earliest centuries that I know of presents Saturday as the Christian practice. There is no historical evidence that Saturday gatherings were the norm among Christians after the resurrection. Sunday was universal and rooted in the apostolic witness. Therefore, in Summary, Christian worship moved to Sunday because God had moved extraordinarily in human history on Sunday:
- Jesus rose on Sunday.
- Jesus appeared to His disciples on Sunday.
- The Holy Spirit was poured out on Sunday.
- The church gathered on Sunday.
- The apostles called it the Lord’s Day.
- The early church universally worshiped on Sunday.
- Sunday represents the new creation brought by Christ.
Again, the rhythm changed because the world changed. The incarnation and resurrection of Jesus Christ became the center of Christian time and Christian worship. Even the Western calendar became known as “before Christ” and “Anno Domini” (Latin for “in the year of our Lord”). This is why we say ‘BC’ and ‘AD’ today, using the standard Gregorian calendar. It was explicitly a Christian dating system, dividing all of history into Before Christ and Anno Domini, ‘the year of our Lord.’ The entire global calendar turns on the arrival of Jesus—no other figure in history marks time itself.
Christians did not “replace” the Sabbath—they followed the risen King into a new pattern of worship centered on His victory and His new creation. Our calendar is not divided by Jesus’s death, but by His birth—because when God stepped into the world, all of history reset. Everything before Him is ‘before Christ’; everything after His arrival is lived in ‘the year of our Lord.’”
So when the church gathers on Sunday—the Lord’s Day—we are not abandoning the Sabbath pattern. We are celebrating the fulfillment of it. We rest, not merely because the week has ended, but because Christ’s work has been completed. The resurrection set the rhythm, and the risen Christ invites His people to worship in the light of the new creation He has begun.
KEY POINT #4: Acts 15 Shows That Gentiles Are Not Bound to the Mosaic Sabbath
A pivotal moment in church history occurs in Acts 15, when the apostles convened to determine whether Gentile Christians were required to observe the Law of Moses, including circumcision, food laws, and, naturally, the Sabbath. Some insisted, “It is necessary to keep the law of Moses” (Acts 15:5). But the apostles rejected that idea:
“Why are you putting a yoke on the disciples… a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?” — Acts 15:10
And their final decision (Acts 15:28–29) did not include observing the Saturday Sabbath specified in the Law of Moses. If Saturday Sabbath observance were essential for New Covenant believers, the book of Acts would have made it clear. But it didn’t. Why? Because Old Testament 'Saturday' Sabbath-keeping under the Mosaic law was never required of New Covenant believers.
KEY POINT #5: The Old Testament Sabbath Mosaic Laws Do Not Continue Under the New Covenant
When people argue for Saturday Sabbath keeping today, they often ignore what the Sabbath actually required under Moses:
- animal sacrifices (Num. 28:9–10)
- travel restrictions (Exod. 16:29)
- prohibition of fire (Exod. 35:3)
- death penalty for violation (Exod. 31:14–15)
- temple rituals and offerings
KEY POINT #6: The New Covenant DOES call for Rest and Worship (a 'Sabbath')—but Not a Specific Day
Did you know that the New Testament never binds Christians to a calendar day? Instead, it emphasizes the spiritual principle behind the Sabbath.
- Romans 14:5–6: Each believer may regard days differently.
- Colossians 2:16–17: No one may judge you regarding Sabbaths.
- Mark 2:27: Sabbath exists for humanity’s benefit.
- Hebrews 4: Christ is our true rest.
KEY POINT #7. Groups today claiming Sunday worship is sinful have no biblical basis to make such claims.
REFUTING TWO COMMON GROUPS:
A. Seventh-day Adventists
Claim: “The Sabbath command is unchanged.”
The Response: Col. 2:16–17 and Rom. 14:5–6 say otherwise.
Claim: “Revelation 14:12 proves Sabbath keeping.”
The Response: In John’s writings, “commandments” refer to faith in Christ and obedience to His teaching (1 John 3:23)—not Mosaic laws.
Claim: “The seal of God is the Sabbath.”
The Response: The New Testament never refers to the Sabbath as God’s seal. Instead, it explicitly identifies the Holy Spirit as the seal of God’s people (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). Our identity and security in Christ are marked not by a day on the calendar but by the indwelling Spirit, whom God gives to every believer at salvation.
Claim: “Constantine changed the Sabbath.”
The Response: Christians worshiped on Sunday for over 200 years before Constantine was even born.
B. Jewish Roots Claims
Claim: “Gentiles must keep Torah.”
The Response: Acts 15 rejects this directly.
Claim: “Jesus and Paul kept Sabbath, so we must.”
The Response: Jesus and Paul kept the Sabbath as Jews living under the Old Covenant (Gal. 4:4), but Jesus’ perfect obedience was to redeem us from that law, not keep us under it (Gal. 3:13; 4:5; Rom. 7:4–6). Paul explicitly says he is “not under the law” but under the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:20–21), and his circumcision of Timothy (Acts 16:3) was a missionary concession, not a binding pattern—otherwise we would also have to require circumcision and the whole Mosaic code for Gentile believers.
Claim: “Matthew 5:17 means the law continues unchanged.”
The Response: Jesus said He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it—not to freeze the Old Covenant in place (Matt. 5:17). Fulfillment means completion, not continuation of every Mosaic regulation. Hebrews 7–10 explains that with Christ’s coming, the priesthood changed, the sacrifices ended, and the covenant itself became obsolete. The law is upheld in Christ, but its Old Covenant form is no longer binding on those who are part of the New Covenant.
What the New Testament Actually Requires:
- Gather with the church (Heb. 10:24–25). And, the apostles led the church to do this on the first day (Acts 20:7).
- Practice regular rest (Mark 2:27). We need rhythms of worship and renewal.
- Find your true rest spiritually in Christ (Matt. 11:28; Heb. 4:1–11). He is our Sabbath.
Conclusion: The Sabbath Is Fulfilled in Christ Jesus, and the Lord’s Day Is Our Celebration
Christians are not bound to the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturdays). That form of the command pointed forward to Christ, who is the true rest of God’s people (Col. 2:17). The specific regulations of the Mosaic system have passed away (Heb. 8:13; Gal. 3:25). But the principle of rest remains—and now it is rooted in Christ, not in a calendar rule.
From the earliest days of the church, believers gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection. They called it the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). For two thousand years, Christians around the world have followed that joyful pattern. Why?
Because Sunday is:
- the day Jesus rose
- the day He appeared to His disciples
- the day the Spirit descended
- the day the church gathered
- the day the apostles honored
- the day Christians have worshiped for 2,000 years
And today, we continue to honor the Sabbath not by clinging to the shadow, but by embracing the One who cast it. We rest in Christ. We gather with His people. We celebrate the new creation He began on a Sunday morning.
“Let no one judge you… regarding a Sabbath day.” — Colossians 2:16
“One person considers one day above another… each must be fully convinced.” — Romans 14:5
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” — Revelation 1:10
So, at the end of the day, Christians aren’t sneaking around God’s law by worshiping on Sunday—we’re simply showing up to praise God on the day He rewrote history. If the resurrection really split time in two, the least we can do is meet Him on the right side of the calendar. And that means we worship on Sunday because that’s the day the stone rolled, the tomb emptied, and the world got new marching orders. And Sunday is the day that everything began! And frankly—if you were in the early church and wanted to celebrate the victory of Life Himself... For all the reasons above, I think Sunday is a pretty good place to start!
Friends, this is the orthodox, biblical, historic Christian understanding of the Sabbath—rooted in Scripture and lived out by the Christian church from the very beginning. I've tried my best to explain it. If you have questions, as always, let me know.
"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” -- John 3:3
Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?
Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?
Posted in Coffee Hour w/ Pastor John
Posted in Sabbath, Worship, Sunday, Roots, Seventh Day, Saturday, Day of Rest, Rest, Sabbath Day, Resurrection Day, Fulfillment Day
Posted in Sabbath, Worship, Sunday, Roots, Seventh Day, Saturday, Day of Rest, Rest, Sabbath Day, Resurrection Day, Fulfillment Day
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