What is the Lord's day? Is it Sunday or is it Saturday? What does the Bible say about it? Some people say that it is Sunday but can that be proved from Scripture?

Rather than take what man says let’s go to Gods Word with an objective mind and see. Let us lay aside the personal opinions and let God speak for Himself. Most Christians are well aware of the fourth commandment which says:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

But the arguement is that the Sabbath is for the Old Testament and that we worship on Sunday as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection. So let’s go to the New Testament and see if it is true. What texts can we find in the New Testament that speak on the subject of the day of worship. We will only look at the texts written after Christ’s resurrection since that is when it is proposed that the change was made. What do we find?

Let’s start with the book of Acts and work our way though the books and see. If we start with a word search on the word Sabbath we find these texts:

Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. Acts 1:12

But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. Acts 13:14

For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. Acts 13:27

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Acts 13:42

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. Acts 13:44

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Acts 15:21

And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. Acts 16:13

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Acts 17:2

And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Acts 18:4

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Col. 2:16

But some say that Sunday is called the Lords day so let’s do a search on the term "Lord’s day" or "day of the Lord" and see what we can find. Here is what we could find:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: Acts 2:20

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. Romans 14:6

Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 1:8

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. 5:5

As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. 2 Cor. 1:14

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 1 Thes. 5:2

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 2 Peter 3:10

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Rev. 1:10

So what do these texts say? Do any prove that Sunday is the Lord’s day?

One point that is made is that the law was abolished by God when Christ died and therefore we are "free from the law". Is that what the Bible teaches? Christ said:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Matthew 5:17

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Luke 16:17

If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mark 7:7

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:29-31

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. John 15:10

What laws were abolished then? We know that some laws were nailed to the cross, but was it the ten commandments? What does the Bible say:

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. Hebrews 10:1-3

The sacraficial laws in the temple were done away. The laws of sacrificing of animals which were to point to the death of Christ. At his death this system came to an end, why? Can you think of any reason for them coming to an end? The Jews could have simply sewed the curtian back together that hung in the temple and gone on with their sacrifices but they did not, why? Because God directed it to be so. Because the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world had been crucified and there was no more need for the sacrifices. And they will not restart because God is in control.

What do the New Testament writers say about keeping the commandments? Here is what we found:

And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Galatians 3:12

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 1 Cor. 7:19

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Titus 1:14

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:3

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 3:22

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 1 John 5:2

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3

And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 2 John 1:6

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. 12:17

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:12

"But," some say, "Paul wrote things that sound like we are no longer under the law." The following text may be taken as a caution to those that use Paul as their primary source of their doctrine. It is this:

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 2 Peter 3:15-16

Why do people take one comment of Pauls and use it to build a doctrine that is contrary to the direct command of our Saviour Jesus Christ? Paul didn’t die for us yet a few of his words are given more influence than all the words of Christ, as if Paul were our lord. Could it be that it is pleasing to the carnal heart that chooses not to live in obediance to what God has made plain?

Why do we not look at what Paul wrote in Hebrews:

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. Hebrews 4:1-8

But, you may argue, most people worships on Sunday! But Jesus says:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:13-14

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luke 13:24

What is Sunday worship than? It is a tradition. And what does the Bible say about traditions?

God says that the Sabbath is His Holy day. Now which day is He calling the Sabbath in this text? Go back to Genesis 2:1-3 and find out which day of the week He made Holy.

Now I ask you---were there Jews back at creation? No, there were not. So who did the Lord make the Sabbath for when He origionally made it? All mankind. Well, actually all creation---read the Forth Commandment in Exodus 20:

The "stranger within thy gates" and the animals owned by the people were to share in the Sabbath rest.

Have you ever wondered where the name Sunday came from? If it is to be in honor of Christ’s resurrection than why isn’t it called Sonday? If you read the Old Testament you can find out.

Idolaters named the days of the week after the gods they worshiped. The first day of the week is Sunday in honor of the sungod. Monday, the second day of the week was named after the moon, the second largest celestial body which was one of the pagan gods. The Sabbath was renamed in honor of Saturn. For more study on this topic please visit some of our suggested links. In perticular these three: LLT, Bible Light and National Sunday Law will give you more information on the history of Sunday.