02/09/2026
Having established that the Sabbath is a creation ordinance and moral commandment binding on all, the question now is WHICH DAY?
How can we prove that the FIRST DAY of the week, commonly known by the world as “Sunday,” is the Christian Sabbath and day of rest?
Note, a day of rest and a time set apart to God for holy worship continues to be necessary for Christians today. A law of nature within our consciences shows that this is a universal principle most suitable and needful. Whereas the day itself is not a universal or moral principle but a positive law (appointed for the purpose); God has every right to change it to another and better day if it pleases Him. The particular day chosen by God is not essential to the moral commandment within the Ten Commandments, but is subject to the Lord of the Sabbath and His own appointment. As Robert Shaw wrote, "The morality of the Sabbath is not affected by the change of the day. The substance of the institution consists in the separation of a seventh portion of our time to the immediate worship of God; and the particular day is a thing perfectly circumstantial." (The Reformed Faith, p.231). Under the New Covenant, with the beginning (though not consummation) of the new heavens and new earth, there is a new Sabbath day and God chose the day in which the Saviour of the world rose from the dead in glorious majesty and rested from His work of redemption, with His atonement proven as fully accepted. He said on the Cross "It is finished!" (John 19:30 cf. 17:4) and this was confirmed at the resurrection.
Here are three reasons the first day of the week must be the Sabbath of the Christian Church:
1. The work of redemption is the new creation: the greater and more glorious work of God than the material universe coming into existence (consider verses like 2 Cor. 4:6, 5:17, Eph. 4:22-24). God rested the seventh day and admired His work of creation. How much more the Saviour and His work of redemption with the Father and Holy Spirit in whom They are well pleased? The Lord entered His rest and exaltation on the first day of the week – crowned officially as King and Son of God (Acts 13:33, Rom. 1:4) – whereas on Saturday He was still in a state of humiliation.
2. The Lord greatly honoured the first day of the week compared to the seventh. Our glorified Redeemer sanctioned and blessed the first day, with His personal appearances in the assemblies of His saints ONLY on the first day of the week (John 20:19, 26). It was the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came with such power and even converted 3,000 souls through one sermon (Acts 2:1-3, 41 cf. Lev. 23:15-16). On this day, the disciples at Jerusalem came together to break bread and hear the word preached (Acts 20:7) and the collections were made for poor saints (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Shaw said on this passage, "Thus the collection for the poor, which was made in the Jewish synagogues on the Sabbath, seems to have been transferred, by apostolical authority, to the first day of the week among Christians." (Ibid., p.232).
3. There remains a "Lord’s day" even under the New Covenant for the apostle John, long after the temple was destroyed: "I was in the Spirit on THE Lord’s day" (Rev. 1:10). This has to be one particular and special day and not any or all days. And it most naturally refers to the day Christ was declared the Son of God with power (Rom. 1:3-4), and as mentioned above, the day the apostles were accustomed to gather together (Acts 20:7) and when collections were made (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Moreover, it must be the day of Christ’s resurrection, since John would’ve named the Jewish Sabbath if it was Saturday. Turretin argues "[John] speaks of that day as known and observed in the church, there is no doubt that it had been distinguished by this name from the received usage of the church."
We are Christians under grace and the New Covenant, not Jews under the law and the Old Covenant. We begin the week with rest and go and labour in the strength of that rest; unlike the law where they would end in rest after labouring six days. To enforce a Saturday sabbath would be like Judiazing and going back to the law, but now we commemorate the victory and glorification of Christ as Christians by observing the Christian Sabbath, on the first day of the week. This is the Day the Lord of the Sabbath has now chosen, until the end of the world. And it is great privilege and blessing, for the Sabbath was made "for man" (Mark 2:27) and their good and sanctification. A day to focus entirely on the Lord! This should never be a burden to the children of God.
If Christ rested from His work of redemption on this day and God greatly honoured and emphasised this day in the New Testament, Christians must also. Lay aside your recreations and unnecessary work on God's holy day.
You can read Francis Turretin's very helpful and convincing comments on the Lord's day here:
https://www.apuritansmind.com/puritan-worship/the-lords-day/the-lords-day-by-francis-turretin-1623-1687/
