There is no Biblical mandate for changing the Sabbath to another day

In Andrew McDonald's letter '˜Churches to blame for Sabbath neglect' (June 16) he laments there being 'so little concern for proper observation of the Fourth Commandment' in regard to certain churches showing the Northern Ireland match prior to their evening service.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Jun 2016, 00:06 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 20:15 BST

Has he actually read the Fourth Commandment in its entirety, never mind observe it “properly” himself?

The Fourth Commandment is the longest of all the commandments, some four verses long, such was the importance of the detail of this day, so that it would not be forgotten or neglected.

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It was God who spoke these words, so we ought to heed them in as intelligible way as we are able.

In Exodus 20:10 we read that “the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God,” and Saturday is the seventh day of the week.

God does not say Sunday anywhere in the Bible, which is the first day of the week, and even Jesus in the New Testament did most of His ministry on the Sabbath and spoke in the Synagogue on that day “as was His custom.”

In verse 8 God says to keep the seventh day holy so why does the vast majority of believing Christians ignore this clear command?

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It was never abrogated or de-sanctified even during Jesus’ time on earth, and even after the Apostles, including Paul, who was the Apostle to the Gentiles, or non-Jews, continued to meet on the Sabbath and teach on this day, as we read in Acts.

Verse 11 states: “For in six days the LORD made made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day,” giving us the connection to rest which is the principle reason for the creation of the Sabbath day. Jesus confirmed this by saying that the Sabbath was for man, and not man for the Sabbath i.e. it is for our benefit.

There is no mandate for changing over into another day, at least not as far as the Bible is concerned.

The evangelical Christians and churches that Mr McDonald cites as showing disregard for the “Lord’s Day” are actually disregarding the Sabbath itself by venerating Sunday.

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A closer look will reveal that the true “Lord’s Day” is the seventh day Sabbath, the only day in the Hebrew with a proper name, and the only day attributed to the LORD at all i.e. “the Sabbath of the LORD.”

Jesus also said He was Lord of the Sabbath, so why do so many completely ignore it?

Colin Nevin, Israel 1991-2002

Related topics:JesusChurchesNorthern Ireland