Expert: Brenda Martin - 2/20/2004

Question
I know that up until the third century the early Christians ( including Christ and the disciples)observed the seventh day ,as commanded in Genesis,and not until the Catholic church, under Constantine, in 326 AD,I believe, changed it to Sunday.Why is it that most churches observe something changed by "man" ,instead of following the fourth commandment, that was written in stone?

Answer
UP UNTIL THE THIRD CENTURY THE EARLY CHRISTIANS (INCLUDING CHRIST AND THE DISCIPLES)OBSERVED THE SEVENTH DAY ,AS COMMANDED IN GENESIS?

It is true that the Jews celebrated the Sabbath as part of following the 10 commandments, hence when Jesus was on earth his followers did likewise. However the law to keep the Sabbath originated with the Jews in 1513 B.C.E. (Ex 16:1) That the Sabbath was not enjoined upon any of God's servants until after the Exodus is evident from the testimony of Deuteronomy 5:2, 3 and Exodus 31:16, 17:

Jesus, being a Jew under the Law, observed the Sabbath as God's Word (not the Pharisees) directed. He knew it was lawful to do fine things on the Sabbath. (Mt 12:12) However, the inspired Christian writings state that “Christ is the end of the Law” (Ro 10:4), which results in Christians' being “discharged from the Law.” (Ro 7:6) (Mt 5:21-48; 22:37-40; Ro 13:8-10; Jas 2:10, 11)

The Scriptures plainly state that Christ's sacrifice “abolished . . . the Law of commandments consisting in decrees” and that God “blotted out the handwritten document against us, which consisted of decrees . . . and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake.” It was the complete Mosaic Law that was “abolished,” “blotted out,” taken “out of the way.” (Eph 2:13-15; Col 2:13, 14)

Consequently, the whole system of Sabbaths, be they days or years, was brought to its end with the rest of the Law by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. This explains why Christians can esteem “one day as all others,” whether it be a sabbath or any other day, with no fear of judgment by another. (Ro 14:4-6; Col 2:16) Paul made the following expression concerning those scrupulously observing “days and months and seasons and years”: “I fear for you, that somehow I have toiled to no purpose respecting you.”—Ga 4:10, 11.

After Jesus' death, his apostles at no time commanded Sabbath observance. The Sabbath was not included as a Christian requirement at Acts 15:28, 29, or later. Nor did they institute a new sabbath, a “day of the Lord.” Even though Jesus was resurrected on the day now called Sunday, nowhere does the Bible indicate that this day of his resurrection should be commemorated as a “new” sabbath or in any other way.

So then the scriptures show that the observance of the Sabbath began in 1513 and ended with Jesus death.


THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, UNDER CONSTANTINE, IN 326 AD CHANGED IT TO SUNDAY.

From the foregoing it is clear that literal observance of Sabbath days and years was not a part of first-century Christianity. It was not until 321 C.E. that Constantine decreed Sunday (Latin: dies Solis, an old title associated with astrology and sun worship, not Sabbatum [Sabbath] or dies Domini [Lord's day]) to be a day of rest for all but the farmers.

Although Christ was resurrected on the first day of the week (now called Sunday), the Bible contains no instruction to set aside that day of the week as sacred.

“The retention of the old Pagan name of ‘Dies Solis,' or ‘Sunday,' for the weekly Christian festival, is, in great measure, owing to the union of Pagan and [so-called] Christian sentiment with which the first day of the week was recommended by Constantine [in an edict in 321 C.E.] to his subjects, Pagan and Christian alike, as the ‘venerable day of the Sun.' . . . It was his mode of harmonizing the discordant religions of the Empire under one common institution.”—Lectures on the History of the Eastern Church (New York, 1871), A. P. Stanley, p. 291.

WHY IS IT THAT MOST CHURCHES OBSERVE SOMETHING CHANGED BY "MAN" ,INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT, THAT WAS WRITTEN IN STONE?

Well one reason is that, not all religions are doing what God instructs in his word the bible, Jesus said that many would—

‘Honor me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me.  It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they TEACH COMMANDS OF MEN AS DOCTRINES.' (Matthew 15 ;8)

But in the case of my own religion, we do not keep the Sabbath on any day because, the scriptures show it is not enjoined on Christians today.

God proceeded to rest as to his works of material, earthly creation after preparing the earth for human habitation. This is stated at Genesis 2:1-3. But nothing in the Bible record says that God directed Adam to keep the seventh day of each week as a sabbath.

Deut. 5:15: “You must remember that you [Israel] became a slave in the land of Egypt and Jehovah your God proceeded to bring you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. That is why Jehovah your God commanded you to carry on the sabbath day.”

(Here Jehovah connects his giving of the sabbath law with Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt, not with events in Eden.)

Many of the moral standards set out in the Ten Commandments were restated in the inspired books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. There was, however, no restating of the sabbath law.

I do agree with you that people should listen to what God says and not some man, that is why I love being one of Jehovah's Witnesses as everything they do and say is bible based.

All the best brenda