SUNDAY OR SATURDAY?

Robert Meredith

  What is the proper day of worship in the Christian age?  Sunday!  The first day of the week is very significant in the New Testament.  It was the day that our Lord was raised from the tomb (Lk. 24:1), the day His kingdom was established (Acts 2; 50 days after the Passover), and the day Christians are told, both by example and command to assemble together.

  One can notice that it was the first century church’s practice to assemble on this day.  Luke records for us, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them…” (Acts 20:7).  It was the early church’s practice to partake of the Lord’s Supper on each first day of the week.  This was the gathering for worship (Heb. 10:25).  Too, in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, Pal reveals, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  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 gathering when I come.”  From Acts 20:7 we noticed an example of the church gathered to worship on Sunday.  Now, from 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, we see a command for them to give on the same day.  The Lord’s church of the first century worshipped on this day.

  There are some which contend that the day of worship in our day is to be Saturday, and they go to the Old Testament to support their view.  However, the Apostle Paul, in Romans 7:1-7, shows that the Old Law has been abolished and he quotes one of the ten commandments as part of the Law that had been removed.  This proves that all the Old Law was done away and not just the “ceremonial” part, as some contend.  Today all live under the New Testament and this covenant does not authorize the Sabbath (seventh day), but the first day of the week for our worship to God.

  The Apostle John, from the Isle of Patmos, wrote, “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day…” (Rev. 1:10).  The Lord’s day is the day that God has decreed that His children come together for the purpose of worship.  It was commanded (1 Cor. 16:1-2), one can notice examples of the early church meeting on this day (Sunday) for the purpose of worshipping Him (Acts 20:7), and it was the day our Lord was raised from the dead and the day His kingdom was established.