The Greek term for the underlined phrase is sabbatismos, and its literal meaning is the act of keeping the Sabbath. This is the only time it is used in the entire Bible, even in the same chapter (and the previous) when ‘rest’ is referred to. It seems pretty clear it’s referring to a different kind of ‘rest’; the latter parts of chapter 3 and early parts of chapter 4 speak of a spiritual rest. Is there any reason not to accept the natural reading of this verse?: that the Sabbath day remains for God’s people the same as it has been from the beginning?

So many people quote Mark 2:27; but do they really look at it and what it is saying? The Sabbath was made for man; for you and me. Does this really seem like a testimony to it not being for Christians today? A day of rest and God-directed worship every week is for our own good, don’t you think? Looking at this passage in context, one will see that the issue is not whether to keep the Sabbath, but how to keep it. Jesus and His followers were accused of breaking a law that did not come from His Father, but from men. The Sanhedrin classified even picking food because one is hungry as “harvesting”, a classification one cannot find in Scripture. Man was not made for the Sabbath; we should not let it take the place of God. But that does not mean we’re not commanded by Him to keep it.

The Sabbath was given as a sign to Israel (Exodus 31:13–17); nowhere is it given as a sign to the Church. Thousands of years after the Commandment was given we can still see the sign that separates Israel from the world—they continue to keep the Sabbath holy.

The Church is called the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). The New Covenant in Hebrews 8 was to be made between God and Israel (Hebrews 8:8-9), as prophesied in Jeremiah 3:31-34. Gentile members of the Church have been grafted into the “olive vine” called Israel so that we could attain salvation (Romans 11:11-24). The Church is now the collection of God’s chosen Israel. Why shouldn’t the Sabbath be a “sign” for us, too? Sabbath-keeping Christendom is set apart from the rest as well, isn’t it? Honestly, though, this isn’t even the heart of the reason that the Sabbath is to be kept. The Sabbath is a holy day; it was made holy by God because He did not do any creative work on that day (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:11). And this holiness has not been taken away; there is no proof within the pages of the Bible that it was. Is it our privilege and prerogative as Christians to defame what God has made holy? I love my Lord Yahweh; as such I do not wish to dishonour His holy things, including His Sabbath day.

The apostles came together on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7).

I should have seen this one coming; this is a common proof-text for freedom from Sabbath adherence. In my review of this sentence, I will quote from another of my essays:

This verse shows that first century Christians met and had a meal together on the first day of the week. But there are some details that Luke did not include. We don’t know the time of day, the purpose of the meal (whether religious, for a fellowship gathering, or just plain because they were hungry). One explanation may be as follows.

The first thing that we must remember here is that in the Judeo-Christian culture of the first century, the day began at sunset, as Jews still practise today (Genesis 1:5; evening comes first and then morning in the same “day”). Luke does not indicate whether or not he is using Roman or Biblical reckoning for the beginning of the first day the week (midnight or sunset), what they did here is probably the common practise among Jews called chaverah, which means “fellowship”. It is a gathering on Saturday – but after the Sabbath, which ends at sunset – to eat and fellowship. If Luke was referring to the first yom (Hebrew word for day) beginning at sunset instead of Sunday, it would be more feasible for Paul to preach until sunset.

In fact, it didn’t even have to be done for chaverah; the context shows that this was a special situation. Paul had intended to leave the next day (Acts 20:11). Whatever time of day, it makes sense that they would want to spend the last hours of their time with their friend and preacher, and that Paul would want to leave them with a Word from God before leaving. There is no indication that this was a regular practise for them to gather on the first day in this manner. But was it the Lord’s Supper that they ate? Elsewhere in the book of Acts, Christians gathered daily to “break bread” (Acts 2:46). This seems to be fellowship gatherings, like the gathering in Acts 20:7.
(Pesach: The Lord’s Supper, The Lord’s Way)

Here is another proof-text:

The collection was taken on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:2).

Let’s look more closely at this verse.

1 Corinthians 16:2 – On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

What was each person to do on the first day? He was to set money aside, save it up. Look at the same text in the King James Version:

KJV 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.

The King James Version uses the term “lay by”, which means “place in proximity to”. For those who give offering in morning, afternoon or evening services on Sunday, is this how it is conducted? This certainly isn’t describing an offering being done on Sunday. The Corinthians were instructed to save up, lay aside, money. This certainly is not referring to a Sunday collection.

When do Sabbath-keepers gather together to break bread or take up the collection? It’s not on the same day as the early Church.

I certainly do not speak for all Sabbath-keepers, but, although I do not “break bread” (eat the Lord’s Supper) when Living Waters claims the early Church did, I do it when my Lord Jesus did. (For a more info on what I mean, Pesach: The Lord’s Supper, The Lord’s Way could hopefully be useful.) And, as stated earlier, the Book of Acts does not record a Sunday collection.

Romans 14:5-10 tells us that one man esteems one day of the week above another; another esteems every day alike. Then Scripture tells us that everyone should be fully persuaded in his own mind. We are not to judge each other regarding the day on which we worship.

This is a common anti-sabbatarian proof-text. But honestly, does this passage provide any context clues that show irrefutably that it is the Sabbath (or other Holy Days) that Paul is referring to? It could be a “day” in another context entirely. Living Waters and other churches and ministries assume that it is the Sabbath when it cannot be proven to be a reference to the Sabbath. In context, Paul is talking about food; thus, I have deduced that it is more reasonable for it to be referring to days for fasting. At least this fits the context instead of having to squeeze an anti-sabbatarian argument out of this passage.

Jesus did keep the Sabbath. He had to keep the whole Law to be the perfect sacrifice.

True. I at least give them this. Others attempt to prove that Jesus did not keep the Sabbath in accordance to His Father’s Law.

The Bible makes it clear that the Law has been satisfied in Christ.

Yes… but where could they be going with this…?

The Bible makes it clear that the Law has been satisfied in Christ. The reason Paul went to the synagogue each Sabbath wasn’t to keep the Law; that would have been contrary to everything he taught about being saved by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8,9). It was so he could preach the gospel to the Jews, as evident in the Book of Acts.

Ah; and their reasoning becomes apparent. If this were a face-to-face discussion, this is where I would ask this question: “Just because our actions do not save us, does this mean we shouldn’t attempt to obey God at all?” While I am sure this is not what Living Waters intends to tell its audience, this is what it sounds like. Maybe they should look at the verse that comes after the passage they refer to:

Ephesians 2:8 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
Ephesians 2:9 – not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Although works do not save us, we are still to do them. Why? Out of love:

1 John 5:3 – This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

Just because the Law was “satisfied in Christ” as Living Waters puts it, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t keep it.

NKJV Romans 3:31 – Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Paul does seem to “speak out” against the Law in other parts of the New Testament. But we see that it is only if we rely on the Law and our own ability to keep it for our salvation that there is a problem:

Galatians 3:4 – You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

To the Jew he became as a Jew, that he might win the Jews (1 Corinthians 9:19, 20). That meant he went to where they gathered on the day they gathered.

Well, certainly, his actions were evangelistic; but this does not rule out the possibility that his actions were also for the sake of his own Sabbath-keeping, does it?

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law so we are no longer in bondage to it. If we try to keep one part of the Law (even out of love for God), we are obligated to keep the whole Law (Galatians 3:10)—all 613 precepts.

Once again, Paul was speaking about persons who rely on God for salvation. Look at the passage:

Galatians 3:10 – All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
Galatians 3:11 – Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”

We know that we have sinned; and that no matter what actions we do, our punishment would be the lake of fire, even if we were able to keep the Law perfectly from now on. The only thing that saves us is grace, through faith in Jesus. There are honestly some aspects of the Laws that cannot be practiced by Christians today. I’m not sure what “613 precepts” they are speaking of, but honestly, there are some aspects of the Law that do not apply out of a Kingdom ruled by God, and some that are necessary (and are arguably wrong) for Christians to do. (See What It Means to be Under Grace for what I mean here.)

Honestly, I don’t see why anyone who knows God and what He is all about would call obedience to Him a curse. When He gave Israel the Law, He never said it was something that is a “curse” so they should look forward to the time of the New Covenant when the law would be done away with. In fact, look at what characterizes the New Covenant:

Hebrews 8:10 – This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

The New Covenant is about the Law being on the heart, not done away with. Yahweh told them it would be for their benefit:

Deuteronomy 4:5 – See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.
Deuteronomy 4:6 – Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

Deuteronomy 4:40 – Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.

In fact, about the Law that He gave, the gracious Yahweh said:

Deuteronomy 30:11 – Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.
Deuteronomy 30:12 – It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
Deuteronomy 30:13 – Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
Deuteronomy 30:14 – No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

The Law, God’s Law, has many things that are for man’s own benefit. The Sabbath is one of them: mankind doesn’t rest as much as it should; a day on which we take a break from the normal routine is definitely for our benefit. He chose a day for this purpose: His Sabbath.

The Law itself certainly isn’t the curse; the curse is the result of disobeying that Law. The blood of the Passover Lamb, as commanded by the Law (Hebrews 9:22) makes of free from curse. But as we have seen, the faith that makes this gift of salvation open to us does not nullify the Law’s application to believers. In fact:

Romans 2:13 – For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

D. L. Moody said, “The Law can only chase a man to Calvary, no further.”

Mr. Moody is right. The rest is up to the relationship a man has with his Creator God. But honestly, after one has discovered how much he has hurt God by sin, why would he deliberately continue in those ways?

If those who insist on keeping the Sabbath were as zealous about the salvation of the lost as they are about other Christians keeping the Sabbath, we would see revival.

I’m sorry; but the two are connected, aren’t they? The faith of a person who is saved is shown by how they live (James 2:18). The way of the Christian is the way of submission and obedience to the ways of God; doesn’t every Christian want their neighbours to turn away from the ways of the world, stop having sex with anything on two legs, stop stealing, stop killing, and live the way of faith in Christ? It’s the very same thing.

Maybe if the wonderful truth and message of the Sabbath was used with the vast array of resources that ministries such as Living Waters have at their disposal, we would also see ‘revival’; one in which people truly understand the grace and person of God and the blessings He lay out for those who obey Him with love.

I do not understand the reasoning here; they say the Sabbath command any longer, but in The Way of the Master’s ‘Are You A Good Person?’ test, they say that “God commands that we set aside one day in seven.” This seems to be in direct contradiction with what they declare in Freedom from Sabbath-keeping. Either the Sabbath command is “satisfied” in Christ (meaning we don’t have to keep it) or it isn’t and we must keep it – albeit this watered-down version. They should pick one.

To conclude, I’d like to say that the Sabbath is not a day of bondage that we need to be freed from. The theme, from even the time of Moses, has been one of freedom, not bondage. Adonai connected the Sabbath with their freedom from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). While this is not the foundation of why the Sabbath was and is to be kept, the theme of freedom can be taken into Christian Sabbath-keeping; and I believe that it should be. The Bible refers to being slaves to sin (John 8:32; Romans 6:6) and if we follow Christ, we are freed from this. The Sabbath day as a sign of the final repose of Christians (which is why, perhaps, that it is the last day of the week) is reason enough to celebrate on His day. When best to celebrate this freedom that on the day that He chose and the day whose holiness still stands strong as a memorial of the Creation week and an emblem of the rest God will give His people in His Kingdom?

When best indeed?

See also Sabbaton: ‘The Sabbath of the New Covenant’ Reviewed and Sabbaton III: CARM’s Apologetics.

Note: All Bible quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New International Version (NIV). Bolded or underlined text in Bible quotations or from Living Waters’ article are my emphasis.

© Copyright 2007, 2009 Keneil Thomas

·         Anthony Coore’s Should Christians Keep the Sabbath Day?

·         Take off Your Sandals: A Look at the Sabbath

·         Shabbat: Work on the Sabbath

·         Colossians 2: Paul’s True Message

·         What It Means to be Under Grace

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