In Acts chapter 20, we are told that the Christians met on the first day of the week, which we call Sunday. Notice, though, that there is no command to do this, only a statement that this is the day they chose. This was not referred to as a "Christian Sabbath", nor was it called a day of rest.
And yet, our cultural society declared that all stores and businesses would be closed on that day so that it would be a day of rest. The only day of rest mentioned in the Bible was Saturday, the Sabbath for the Jews.
There was no command in the church age dispensation to take a day of rest. We can if we want or we don't have to if we don't want.
Jesus Christ is our Sabbath rest, He lives in every born again believer who no longer observes the Jewish holidays or sabbaths.
Romans 14:4-6 "4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
As we can see, so many of our traditions incorporated Jewish Old Testament observances that were done away with when Christ rose from the dead.
Jesus Christ observed the Jewish Sabbath when He was still on the earth before He died and rose from the dead. After that, there was a new dispensation for the church in which we no longer observed the Laws of the Old Testament, which were works-based.
The focus after Christ rose became a faith-based observance not predicated on religious rituals or physical objects. We now worship in "Spirit and in Truth."
Ephesians 2:8-10 "…8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
We are not earning our salvation with our own works, but rather we are saved because Christ is doing the work in us. It's all His work.
When Christ does the work in us, He is glorified! When we try to do our own works to appear spiritual, we are glorified.
Romans 4:4-5 "Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. / However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness."
Titus 3:5 "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
2 Timothy 1:9 "He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began."
Modern Christianity focsus on building up the pride in the congregation, doing works in their own flesh without ever asking Christ to transform them to glorify Him.
Authentic Christianity is when we trust in Christ, believe His Word and seek Him to transform us into His likeness. Do you see the difference there, in our own strength, according to our own pride, we try to be good so we can impress others and God.
But when God works in us as we seek Him, He is glorified, and the more we are led by Him, the less the world will like us. We do not seek to be accepted by people; we seek to be acceptable to God.
1 Corinthians 1:31 "Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Stop trying to be accepted by family, friends and neighbors and begin to obey Christ, no matter how others may see us.
Philippians 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith."
Galatians 3:10-11 "All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
Hallelujah! When we are in Christ we are free indeed!
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