Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 11/19/2010

Question
I am a Catholic, and my Priest told me that you protestants are no longer protesting, and that you should really be Catholics, I asked him what he meant, and he told me to read the 4th commandment and get back to him. I did, and asked him what he meant, he told me "Bruco we the Catholics changed the sabbath day, from saturday to sunday, so everytime the protestants worship on the day of the sun, they are worshipping us, and then he laughed and said, there is not one line in the bible that supports sunday worship, and then he said that if the protestants really want to be true to their word they would worship on saturday the 7th day of the week, and that they really you should just come back to the fold"  So is he right?  I want to do what the Bible says not man!  I felt sick when he was telling me that my own church had changed the sabbath day, and was boasting about it! He said the early christians were still worshipping on saturday as early as 330 AD My priest also said only the ceremonial laws were done away with, not the laws written in stone.  The 4th commandment was also different in that it was the only one that started with the word, Remember... So it must be significant, right?  I mean it was written with Gods own finger!  So what day is true?  The one my church boasts that it changed it to or is Gods word eternal?  I remember reading in the Bible that it says "and he shall think to change times and laws"  I could really use some help here!  Thankyou and have a great Thanksgiving

Answer
Hi Bruco,

Thank you for this interesting question.  Your priest is absolutely right that anyone who claims to keep Sunday as the Sabbath has left scripture in order to follow Roman Catholic teaching.  There is not one verse in the Bible that says that the Sabbath has been changed from Saturday to Sunday.

There are verses though, that tell us that the Sabbath and other Old Testament laws have been taken out of the way, nailed to the cross.

Colossians 2:14-16
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:   
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Paul tells us that we are not to allow anyone to judge us based on our Sabbath keeping because the Sabbath is nailed to the Cross.  I do not keep Sunday... I worship on Sunday and any other day my church doors are open!  Paul tells us that which day you personally keep holy is between you and God.

Romans 14:5-6
5 One man esteemeth one day above another:  another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.  6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

We are told that we must assemble every time that believers gather... if it is on the Sabbath... great, but we do not keep the Sabbath, if on Sunday... great but we do not keep Sunday... new Testament believers assembled every day.

Acts 2:46
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Now we know that Paul met with the Jews on the Sabbath, not to keep the Sabbath, but to reach them.

1 Corinthians 9:18-22
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

New Testament believers did meet on Sundays.

Acts 20:7
7 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.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

1 Corinthians 16:2
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, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don

PS  I am sorry for my late response.