Welcome back to Face the Truth.
Earlier we learned that the first Christians held their worship services not just on the
day of Sunday, but there were even times that they worshipped everyday.
And so any day can be a day of worship.
However, we also know that there are people today who believe that the proper or correct
day for worship is only the day of Saturday.
Others would still be following what they called the seventh day or the Sabbath day.
Now, in the Christian time, do we still need to keep or observe the Sabbath day?
To answer this question, we need to go back and find out when and to who this commandment
was given because there are commandments from God that don’t apply to everyone.
For example, God commanded Noah to build an arc to save people from the great flood.
That commandment was given only to him and at that time and for a specific reason.
How about observing the Sabbath day?
To whom was this commandment to observe the Sabbath day given?
We’re going to read from Deuteronomy, chapter 5 and the verse is 3.
We’re going to read from the first part of that verse.
This is written:
The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers,
[Deuteronomy 5:3 New King James Version]
Now first we should notice that Moses was speaking to the Israelites and he said to
them, “the Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers or the patriarchs.”
So, there was a covenant that was not given during the time of the Patriarchs or the fathers.
Now if this covenant was not given during the time of the fathers or Patriarchs, to
whom was it given?
Now, let us continue reading verse 3, but we’ll start with the first part of it again
and continue to the second part.
The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today,
all of us who are alive.
[Deuteronomy 5:3 New King James Version]
Now if the covenant was not given during the time of the Patriarchs or the fathers, to
whom was this covenant given?
Well we read here in the second part of verse 3, it says “with us, those who are here
today, all of us who are alive”.
Who are being referred to by the phrase “all of us who are alive today” and which is
this covenant?
Let’s continue to read.
We read verse 3, we’re going to read now verse 15 of the same book and chapter.
And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought
you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your
God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
[Deuteronomy 5:15 New King James Version]
So, who were being referred to by the phrase mentioned in verse 3 as to “us, those who
are here today, all of us who are alive”?
The Israelites who were brought out from bondage in Egypt were the one specifically given the
covenant to keep.
Which was this covenant?
You notice what we read in what the verse stated?
“The Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”
Therefore the commandment to observe the Sabbath was specifically given to the Israelites to
keep or observe.
Did the keeping of the Sabbath continue until the Christian time as some would contend or
argue?
We will not answer that by ourselves.
We will just read the answer from the Holy Scriptures.
We’re going to read from the book of Hosea the chapter is 2 and the verse is 11:
I will put an end to all her festivities—her annual and monthly festivals and her Sabbath
celebrations—all her religious meetings.
[Hosea 2:11 Good News Translation]
Did you notice what God decided that He would do?
He said He would put an end to the Sabbath.
Now, when would the keeping of the Sabbath end?
Luke 16:16, now we go to the Christian time…
The law and the prophets were until John.
Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
[Luke 16:16 New King James Version]
So based on what we’ve read, the law, that is God’s laws that were given to Israel
through Moses was until the time of John the Baptist.
So, there was a specific group of people commanded to keep the Sabbath and there was a specific
time that this was law in effect.
Now, what’s the proof that the Sabbath was no longer commanded to be observed during
the Christian time?
What were going to do is go back to the time when it was commanded to be observed and how
the people then, God’s people observed the Sabbath.
And this is written in the book of Deuteronomy the chapter is 5 and the verse is 14
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant,
nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your
stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest
as well as you.
[Deuteronomy 5:14 New King James Version]
Based on the Holy Scriptures, on the Sabbath day, it was strictly prohibited to do any
work because it was observed as a day of rest.
Now, did the first Christians observe this or follow this command that no work should
be done on the Sabbath day?
Let’s go now to the Christian time, we’ll be reading from the book of Mark chapter 2,
the verses are 23 and 24.
Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples
began to pluck the heads of grain.
And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”
[Mark 2: 23-24 New King James Version]
Notice the events that were taking place in
the verses that I’ve read happened on the Sabbath day.
The Disciples of Christ began to pluck the heads of grain on the Sabbath day with full
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ because He was with them, yet the Lord Jesus Christ
did not stop them nor did He reprimand them.
That is why if the Sabbath was still commanded during the Christian Era, the disciples of
Christ would have been guilty of sin as the Pharisees attempted to accuse them, but they
were not.
In fact, what was the instruction of the Spostles concerning the Sabbath?
Lets read from the book of Colossians chapter 2 and the verse is 16
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious
festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
[Colossians 2:16 New International Version]
That is clear from the verse we have read that the observance of the Sabbath is not
applicable in the Christian time.
So those who believe and are teaching that the Sabbath should still be observed it should
only be the exclusive day for worship are not in line with the teachings of Christ and
the Apostles.
And thus could not be considered as true followers of Christ or true Christians.
And so going back to the primary topic of our lesson today which answers the question
as to what is the correct day to worship, well any day can be a day of worship.
In the Church of Christ, or the Iglesia Ni Cristo, we hold our worship services on different
days of the week just like the early Christians at the time of the Apostles who worshipped
each day.
And in many of our locations we have Sunday, but we also have Saturday and other days of
the week.
What is important is that we worship God.
However, it is a must that we reveal to you that not all who worship have the right to
do so.
In other words, God does not accept all forms of worship, and we’ll find out why when
we return.