The Sabbath was instituted by God as a day of rest after creation. It was commanded in the Law of Moses and held a central role in the life of Israel. However, in the New Testament, the Sabbath takes on a different application for the believer under grace.
The Sabbath was first modeled by God Himself:
“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” (Genesis 2:2)
It was later codified in the Ten Commandments:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.” (Exodus 20:8–10)
The Sabbath was a sign between God and Israel:
“Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep… It is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations.” (Exodus 31:13)
Under the New Covenant, the believer is not bound to the ceremonial Sabbath law. Jesus fulfilled the law and offers rest in Himself:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Paul warned against judging others over Sabbath observance:
“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17)
The early church gathered on the first day of the week, not the seventh:
“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…” (Acts 20:7)
“On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside…” (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Sunday is not a Christian Sabbath by law, but a tradition recognizing the resurrection of Christ. The true rest for the believer is not a day but a Person:
“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:9–10)
Christians are not commanded to observe the Sabbath as under the Old Covenant. Instead, they are called to live in continual rest and trust in Christ, setting aside regular time for worship, rest, and devotion.
Not from obligation, but from love and liberty.
