As a new Seventh - day Adventist Christian, I can testify to the beauty and blessedness of God's Seventh Day Sabbath.  I have been a Christian for several years, but never have I experienced such freedom and love in my relationship with Christ as I have since discovering, through a systematic study of the Word of God and worshiping on the Day of God, His Seventh Day Sabbath "Saturday."

There have been many critics and skeptics over the Sabbath issue.  I must admit that I was a bit baffled when I first learned this truth.  My first inclination was to retort, "What difference does it make which day we worship, as long as we worship."  The other issue that baffled me was the possibility of the entire Christian world being wrong and not knowing it.  But, then as I looked back over Bible history, it would not be the first time the entire world was wrong.  Contrary to popular belief, the majority is not always right. For example, in Noah’s day, the entire world was lost in sin and destroyed because they did not believe the truth that Noah was preaching. Even though, he preached 120 years.  The Bible states that only 8 survived the flood and the entire world was wrong not to follow God and His word.  Another example is the life of Jesus Christ.  The entire world at that time, did not believe He was the Messiah.  The majority rejected Him and cheered "crucify Him."  Only a few of His followers remained loyal to God and His word.  The majority was wrong again.  Even in the last days, the Bible declares that only a remnant of people will obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. 12:17. 

Praise the Lord, that He carefully led me out of darkness into His marvelous light on the Sabbath issue.  I can only give glory to God for the way He has always brought me up in the Word.  He gave me a heart of love for the truth.  I have always sought the truth in God's Word and when I found it, the Lord gave me a heart to accept it.  I learned early in my walk with Him, to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture as indicated in Isaiah 28:9,10.  To God be the glory for the great things He has done in my heart and life.

Let me explain my initial issues with the Sabbath truth.  I figured as long as we took a day to worship we were fine and since the entire Christian world worshiped on Sunday, then what does it matter.  How wrong I was.  Then it hit me and I reasoned in my mind, I had never taken so lightly any other Scriptural error, so why start now.  I also understood from childhood, the words of my mother, "just because everyone else is doing it, doesn't make it right" and "if everyone jumped off the roof, would you jump also"?

So then I began searching the Scriptures for the truth.  The first thing I did was use a concordance and searched for the word Sunday and did not find it in the Bible at all.  But found references to the "first day" of the week.  What was even amazing is that I could found no reference to a change from Saturday (Sabbath) worship.  Nor did I find a commandment to worship on Sunday.  In fact, the 10 commandments, the 4^th one in particular, clearly outlined which day is to be kept holy  (Exodus 20:8-11).   I then read every instance of the Sabbath mentioned in the Bible and it was not long before the truth was glaring me in the face.  Every single reference to the Sabbath, with the exception of feast days, referred to the Seventh Day of the week - "Saturday" was the Sabbath, the day of worship and rest.  Old and New Testament believers worshiped on Sabbath, including my Lord and Savior, Jesus Chris.  When I discovered this fact, I was ready to end my search here.  As I had enough information to convince me of the sanctity of the Sabbath based upon Scripture evidence and Jesus' custom.  But, I kept on studying.  I was interested to settle my issue on the relevance of which day to worship.

As I continued to study, it became clear to me that God set the day from the beginning in Genesis 2:2,3 and went even further by commanding man to honor it when He gave the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:8-11).  This made it relevant to me.  It must have also been relevant to God’s people also.  Because even before God wrote the 10 commandments with His own finger, Moses and the people of God were already keeping the Seventh-Day Sabbath.  You can read about this in a very familiar story of the wilderness wanderings after God’s people were delivered from the evil Egyptian Pharaoh.  Read Exodus 16:23-30 and you will see God’s heart regarding His people keeping the Sabbath.  If you actually read these verses, you will see that God provided Manna (Bread) from Heaven, 6 days a week for the people to eat, but He specifically instructed them to "pick up twice as much on the 6th day (Friday) because 'tomorrow' which would have been the 7th Day, is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord" and there would be no Manna to gather.  They were expected to observe the Sabbath as God had commanded. 

One more final point, if you read even further in the 16th Chapter of Exodus in verses 28-30 you will see that when the people failed to obey God's instructions on keeping the Sabbath, we hear the voice of God saying "how long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?"  He specifically says in Verse 29 that "the Lord hath given you the Sabbath."  This is prior to the giving of the 10 commandments that God intended His people to keep the Sabbath.

I no longer hold the opinion that it makes no difference which day we worship.  It does make a difference.  If not to the world, it does to God.  It was one of the first institutions He created and by example, He kept the Sabbath Himself (Genesis 2:2,3) long before the Law of Moses and the establishment of the Jewish nation.  I have to ask you, why would we assume God has changed His mind.  When again in Scripture He tells us He changes not. (Malachi 3:6)

Again, God is true to His word, I found no references at all in the Old and New Testaments where the Sabbath commandment had been revoked.  The New Testament begins with Jesus appearing and entering into ministry.  His first words preached can be found in Matthew 5:17 where He boldly declares "think not that I have come to destroy the law.....I am not come to destroy but to fulfil.  Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."  And many critics today would have us believe that the law was nailed to Jesus' cross and that we are no longer under the law.  But here we hear Jesus saying "think not that I have come to destroy the law, he says it will not pass away until all is fulfilled.  This does not sound like the Cross changed any of God's moral laws, if anything, through Jesus Christ the law is fulfilled in us, not null and void.   I submit to you, that when the New Testament makes references to the law, remember to search the Scriptures to determine which law it is referring to, "the moral law of God (10 commandments)" or the "Mosaic Ceremonial law."  Even if you are not able to make such a distinction on your own, just simply review the 10 commandments.  You will find that all of them are still relevant today. 

If we accept that we shall not steal, shall not murder, shall not commit adultery etc.  Why reject the 4^th commandment which clearly sets forth the command to keep the Seventh-Day Sabbath.  Ask yourself a few questions.  Why would the "majority" accept only 9 of the 10 commandments?  Is it possible that only one commandment was nailed to the cross?  Who decides which commandment gets nailed to the cross?  Who is able to change God’s law?

I am not sure any man or church on earth has the power to change God's law.  Even His own Son maintained the continuity of the Law of God and kept the Sabbath, Himself.

If you read carefully, the Scriptures which outline the conflict over the Sabbath, you will find that the only conflict Jesus had over the Sabbath was the legalistic way in which the religious leaders of His day were observing it.  Notice that Jesus would instruct them on how the Sabbath should be kept, He never once said it was not to be kept or would be changed or had changed.  The people in Jesus' day were laying heavy burdens on the people and rebuking Him for healing and doing good on the Sabbath.  But, Jesus never denounced Sabbath.  On the contrary, He upheld it and even declared that it was made "for man" (Mark 2:27) and that He was “Lord of the Sabbath”. (Luke 6:5)  Surely, if it was unnecessary to keep it or would be changed to honor His resurrection, surely this would have been an excellent opportunity for Him to have said so.

Without being a Bible Scholar or have studied years at a prestigious seminary, the truth is easy to understand with God’s help.  God expects us all to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).  Praise God that He will lead and guide everyone who will seek Him for the truth.  It is my prayer that you do just that.

IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF ONE-ON-ONE EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT--

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR INTERNET SPIRITUAL MENTORING SUPPORT.
 

RETURN TO FROM THE HEART BIBLE STUDIES

Return to Home Page