# Does it matter what day you celebrate the Sabbath?



## tellville (May 7, 2007)

I'm just curious if it matters what day you celebrate the Sabbath? What if I wanted to keep it every Wednesday? Could I do that? Do I need to go to church on the day I pick as my Sabbath (if I can pick the day), or can I go to church on the day I don't pick as my Sabbath? Why or why not?


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## Puritanhead (May 7, 2007)

It was moved to Sunday for New Covenant believers because that was the day of the resurrection. I accept it. The move was permitted by providence.


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## Poimen (May 7, 2007)

My take (there are some helpful posts in this thread):

http://puritanboard.com/showpost.php?p=113419&postcount=10

&

http://puritanboard.com/showpost.php?p=113439&postcount=14


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## VirginiaHuguenot (May 7, 2007)

It does matter which day we observe as the Sabbath of the Lord. 

It is God who sets apart, sanctifies, appoints the day which is holy to him. To sanctify a day unto him which he has not ordained would be presumptuous and contrary to his law. 

Thomas Vincent's comments on the Fourth Commandment are very instructive in this regard:



> *LVIII. Ques. What is required in the fourth commandment?
> 
> Ans. The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word, expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy Sabbath to himself.
> 
> ...



See also A.A. Hodge, _Sabbath, The Day Changed: The Sabbath Preserved_


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## Kevin (May 8, 2007)

I believe that to "Keep" any other day (including saturday) would be a sin.


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## jenney (May 8, 2007)

The Sabbath was a creation ordinance. It was created for all men. That is why we still keep it today. _The Lord rested on the seventh day and made it holy._ He didn't rest because He was tired. He rested to set a pattern for us and for our worship.

Jesus proclaimed Himself the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:8). As Lord of the day, He has the right to change it from the seventh day to the first. And He did.

He rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Matt 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1)) and appeared to most of His disciples that day (Luke 24:13, John 20:24).

He didn't appear to them until the next "first day of the week", Jesus appeared to them again, including Thomas this time, who confessed Him as Lord and God (John 20:26).

The next time they saw Him was the next "first day". The disciples were out fishing and Jesus called to them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. 

I'm sure the disciples started to expect to meet Him on Sundays after that: "He appeared to us the last three, so I wonder when we'll see Him _this_ day?" We should have the same sense of anticipation on the Lord's Day today, expecting and looking forward to meeting Him.

The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on the first day of the week. (Pentecost is 50 days after the seventh Sabbath, see Lev. 23:15) 

The early church met for the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week in Troas (Acts 20:7)

We can gather from 1 Cor 16:1-2 that the early churches were expected to be meeting on the first day of the week.

The Lord Himself placed such significant events on the first day of the week so as to establish a pattern of communing with His people in a special way on that day. He is Lord of the Sabbath, and we are not, so He alone has the right to alter the day.

Besides, it is not just for private worship, but for corporate worship, so we would have to take the day off as well as all the brethren in our church take the day off so that we could meet for worship, fellowship, and the Lord's Supper. Those things are commanded for the Day unless we are providentially hindered from participating.

So, no, I wouldn't be comfortable switching my personal Sabbath to any other day.


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## SRoper (May 8, 2007)

I believe that God changed the sabbath to Sunday. However, even if you believe that the Church changed the sabbath to Sunday the result is the same. The corporate nature of the worship requires that we be in agreement on which day is the sabbath.


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