Should We Observe the Sabbath?

The question of whether people should still observe the Sabbath is a contentious issue among various religious groups today. Many sincerely believe that keeping the Sabbath is a moral requirement today, making it a test of salvation. This topic is crucial because false doctrines related to the Sabbath can place unnecessary burdens on people’s consciences and even corrupt the true Gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9).

Understanding what the Bible teaches about the Sabbath is essential for distinguishing between obsolete Old Testament requirements and New Testament commands. If the Sabbath law is binding under the Law of Christ, then it is not only binding for Christians, but for all people everywhere (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 9:21). However, if it was part of the Old Law that was fulfilled and abolished by Christ, then to enforce it today would be to bind where God has not bound and to thus bring condemnation on those who bind it (Matthew 15:9; Galatians 5:4). There are reasons why the Law of Christ is called “the perfect Law of Liberty”—it makes one free from sin and free from the burden of the Law of Moses (James 1:22-25; cf. Acts 15:10; Romans 8:2-4; Galatians 5:1-4). Thankfully, the yoke of Christ is much lighter than the yoke of Moses, as will be shown (Matthew 11:28-30).

Religious Groups That Commonly Bind the Sabbath Today

Many religious groups today bind Sabbath observance, most commonly advocating for the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath, although some treat Sunday as a “Christian Sabbath.”

Seventh-day Sabbatarians (Saturday Sabbath)

Seventh-day Adventists – The largest and most prominent group that insists Sabbath observance (Saturday) is a moral requirement today.
Church of God (Seventh Day) – A smaller denomination that teaches Sabbath observance on Saturday but differs from Seventh-day Adventists in certain doctrinal areas.
Seventh Day Baptists – One of the oldest Sabbatarian denominations, emphasizing freedom of conscience but encouraging Saturday worship as Biblically required.
Worldwide Church of God (pre-1995) – Before major doctrinal changes, this group under Herbert W. Armstrong bound Sabbath-keeping. Various offshoots that continue his teachings still observe the Sabbath.
Church of God International, United Church of God, Living Church of God – Splinter groups from Armstrong’s teachings that retain Saturday Sabbath observance.
Hebrew Roots Movement / Messianic Judaism (in many cases) – Some within these movements promote Sabbath observance as an attempt to “return to Biblical roots.”

First-day Sabbatarians (Sunday Sabbath)

Reformed and Presbyterian Churches (Historically) – The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) affirmed Sunday as a “Christian Sabbath” to be kept with strict rest and worship.
Some Baptist Groups (historically) – Charles Spurgeon endorsed the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, which affirmed the idea of Sunday being the “Christian Sabbath,” though not all Baptists continue this practice today.
Puritans – The Puritans, especially during the 16th and 17th centuries, strongly promoted the idea of Sunday as a “Christian Sabbath.” Influenced by the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), they sought to apply strict Sabbath observance principles to Sunday, treating it as a day of rest and worship akin to the Old Testament Sabbath.
Some Calvinist and Reformed Denominations – particularly in more conservative or traditional branches – Sunday is often treated as a Sabbath day of rest and worship.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) – Encourages members to treat Sunday as a holy day for worship, rest, and family time, though not with Old Testament-style Sabbath restrictions.

Modern Sabbatarian Movements

Some denominations who describe themselves as “Independent” Churches or “Community Churches” influenced by “Hebrew Roots” teachings or other Sabbatarian groups.
Some members of the “Sacred Name Movement” who advocate adherence to Old Testament practices, including Sabbath-keeping.
Many Baptists and other denominations often described as “evangelicals”—including prominent figures like Ray Comfort—insist that all people are under the Ten Commandments today. This approach, especially common in evangelistic efforts, presents the Gospel as the solution to mankind’s alleged violation of the Ten Commandments.

These groups vary widely in their doctrinal beliefs, but many insist that Sabbath observance is a moral requirement for all people. What does the Bible teach regarding this?

The Sabbath Was Not Observed Until the Time of Moses

Many believe the Sabbath law began with Adam, but it first appears in Exodus 16 (c. 1450 B.C.), tied to manna collection, and was formalized in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8–11).
The word “Sabbath” is absent from the 50 chapters of Genesis, with no command, example, or punishment for Sabbath-breaking from Adam to Moses.
Nehemiah 9:13–14 confirms God revealed the Sabbath to Israel at Sinai, not before. Given only to Israel, it was not part of the Patriarchal Law which governed Gentiles until the cross.
Although Genesis 2:2-3 mentions God sanctifying the seventh day, Moses wrote this after the Sabbath law was given at Sinai (1450 B.C.), explaining the significance of the newly given Sabbath command to Israel. The “rest” after the creation was descriptive of God, not a prescriptive law for humanity from the creation onward.
Therefore, the Sabbath was unique to Israel’s Old Covenant, not a timeless law for all humanity.

The Sabbath Was Given to Israel at Sinai as a Covenant Sign

The Sabbath law was given only to Israel, not to Gentiles, and only from the time of Moses until the cross.
Exodus 31:16-17 indicates the exclusive nature of the Sabbath, stating, “the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath…for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever” (cf. Exodus 31:12-15).
The Hebrew word olam, translated as “for ever” in Exodus 31 above, can have the meaning of a “long time” or “age-lasting,” rather than literal eternity. This is evident from various passages where olam refers to things that were temporary or had an endpoint. For example:
- Circumcision was called an “everlasting covenant” (olam) with Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 17:13), yet it is not required under the New Covenant (Galatians 5:6; 6:15; 1 Corinthians 7:19).
- The Levitical priesthood was said to be “an everlasting priesthood” (olam) (Exodus 40:15), yet it was replaced by Christ’s priesthood (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:11-28).
- The Passover was described as a statute to be kept “for ever” (olam) (Exodus 12:14), yet it was fulfilled and is no longer binding under the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 5:7).
- Jonah described being in the belly of the fish “for ever” (olam) (Jonah 2:6), but he was only in the fish three days and nights (Jonah 1:17).
- Even in Isaiah 42:14, olam is translated as “a long time.”
- Therefore, the word olam in Exodus 31:16-17 does not demand that the Sabbath law was to be a permanent, universal law for all people throughout all ages. It was intended to be a covenant between God and Israel for a specified period.
Nehemiah 9:13-14 states explicitly that God did not make the sabbath known to Israel until Sinai: God “camest down also upon mount Sinai…and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath.”
Ezekiel 20:10-12 clearly emphasizes this exclusivity: “I brought them out of the land of Egypt…Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them.”
Deuteronomy 5:15 reveals the specific purpose of the Sabbath for Israel: “Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt… the LORD thy God brought thee out… therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.”

There Was Only One Law for Israel (Not Two Separate Laws)

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, the largest group advocating Sabbath observance today, was founded by William Miller and Ellen G. White, who incorrectly predicted Christ’s return in the early 1800s.
Seventh-day Adventists claim the Law of Moses included a “moral law” (the Ten Commandments) and a “ceremonial law” (laws regulating sacrifices, feasts, dietary restrictions, and other religious rituals). They refer to these two laws as “the Law of the Lord” and “the Law of Moses,” arguing that “the Law of the Lord” is the universal moral law, which includes the Sabbath, allegedly applicable to all people and periods.
However, Scripture uses these terms (Law of the Lord and Law of Moses) interchangeably (Ezra 7:6; Nehemiah 8:1, 8, 14; 2 Chronicles 34:14; Luke 2:22-24) and presents Israel’s law as one cohesive system. God emphasized “one law” for all Israel in many passages (Exodus 12:49; Leviticus 7:7; Numbers 15:16, 29), and that one law—including the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath—was abolished at the cross (Colossians 2:14-17; Romans 7:4, 7).

The New Covenant Foretold and Fulfilled

Jeremiah prophesied that a New Covenant would be established: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
The Hebrews writer confirmed that this prophecy has now been fulfilled through Christ: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:13).
The New Covenant Law of Christ replaced the Old Covenant, including the Sabbath law. The Law of Christ offers a far superior covenant that provides true rest, forgiveness, and hope—things the Old Covenant could only foreshadow.

Christ Superseded Moses as the Ultimate Lawgiver

Moses prophesied that when Christ came, the people should listen to Him instead: “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deuteronomy 18:15; cf. Acts 3:22-23).
At the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing the Prophets) appeared with Jesus. However, God made it clear that Jesus was the one to be obeyed: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5).
This event signified the end of the authority of Moses and Elijah, with Christ now reigning supreme. We should, therefore, obey Christ in all things and Moses in nothing.

The Priesthood Change Required a Law Change

Hebrews 7:11-14 clearly states that since Christ is our High Priest from the tribe of Judah (not Levi), this is proof that the law has been changed: “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Hebrews 7:12; cf. Exodus 28:1, 41-43, etc.).
Romans 7:12 affirms the Law of Moses was holy and good, but its purpose was temporary—to bring humanity to Christ (Galatians 3:24-25).
Christians are under a new, better Law—the Law of Christ, our High Priest from the tribe of Judah (Galatians 6:2; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:21; Romans 3:27; 8:1-3; Hebrews 7; James 1:21-25).

Christ Abolished the Old Law to Establish a New Law

Colossians 2:14-17 teaches that Christ took the Old Law—including dietary laws, holy days, and the Sabbath—and nailed it to the cross, removing its binding authority entirely. This passage also describes the Sabbath and other Old Testament requirements as mere “shadows” of the actual substance found in Christ and His New Covenant Truth. This teaching is consistent with passages such as Ephesians 2:14-16 and Hebrews 10:8-9, which affirm that Christ abolished the Old Law and established His New Covenant Law.
The Old Law was a “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ, but once Christ came, that law was no longer needed, and “we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Galatians 3:24-25).
Ephesians 2:11-19 states that Christ abolished the law of commandments that had divided Jews and Gentiles, establishing one body of people under the New Covenant, comprised of both Jews and Gentiles.
Hebrews 10:8-9 explicitly says Christ “took away the first” law (Old Covenant Law) to “establish the second” law (New Covenant Law).
Romans 7:4, 7 explicitly says we became “dead to the law” that included “Thou shalt not covet,” clearly referencing the Ten Commandments. Thus, the Ten Commandments themselves are no longer covenant law for Jewish Christians like Paul or anyone else.
The Law of Moses (which included the Sabbath) had divided Jews and Gentiles for 1500 years. Sabbath advocates are attempting to rebuild “the wall of division” that Christ destroyed (Ephesians 2:14), thereby promoting division rather than unity (Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Galatians 3:28).

The Sabbath Command Was Not Bound Under the New Covenant

Although the entire Law of Moses was nailed to the cross, nine of the Ten Commandments are “restated” in the New Testament as obligations under the Law of Christ. However, the Sabbath command is not reaffirmed in the same way.
Instead, Paul clarifies in Colossians 2:16 that no man can judge others regarding the Sabbath because it was part of the Law that was nailed to the cross (2:14). It was part of the “shadow” that was replaced with the true substance of Christ (Colossians 2:14-17).
At the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), the apostles and elders determined that Gentile converts were not obligated to keep the Law of Moses. Certain practices were discouraged to avoid offending Jewish brethren, but Sabbath observance was notably absent.
Had Sabbath-keeping been essential, the Holy Spirit would have required it.

The New Testament Pattern for Christian Worship

Paul visited synagogues on the Sabbath to preach Christ, not to endorse Sabbath-keeping (Acts 17:1-3). One never reads of Paul entering a synagogue to sit and remain silent, as if he were there to participate instead of preaching Christ.
Christians worshiped on the first day of the week because of the resurrection of Christ on that day (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
The church began on the first day of the week (Pentecost, Acts 2:1), and the early church gathered on the first day of every week (Acts 20:6-7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Christians should still gather on the first day of every week (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Significance of the First Day of the Week in Old Testament Feasts:
- Leviticus 23:10-12 describes the Feast of Firstfruits, in which the priest would wave a sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest before the Lord “on the morrow after the sabbath” (the first day of the week).
- This firstfruits offering on the first day of the week foreshadowed Christ’s resurrection as the “firstfruits” of those who have died (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23). Just as the sheaf of firstfruits represented the entire harvest to follow, Christ’s resurrection guarantees the resurrection of His followers.
- Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) occurred fifty days later, always on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15-17). It was also referred to as a “firstfruits” feast, where two loaves of leavened bread were offered unto the Lord.
- This offering symbolized the “firstfruits” of the kingdom gathered on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, when about three thousand people were baptized and added to the church (Acts 2:38-41, 47). This was the beginning of the church—the firstfruits of the kingdom being presented to God.
- James 1:18 refers to Christians as “a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” This aligns with the Pentecost symbolism of offering firstfruits to God.
- The two loaves may represent the inclusion of both Jews and Gentiles in the church (Ephesians 2:14-16), though the Gentiles were not formally added until later (Acts 2:38-39; 10:48).
- The use of leavened bread (as opposed to the unleavened bread of Passover) could signify that redeemed sinners (both Jews and Gentiles) are part of God’s kingdom (Galatians 3:26-29).
- These practices foreshadowed the significance that the first day of the week would have under the New Covenant (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1, etc.).
Sunday worship commemorates the resurrection of Christ and the establishment of His New Covenant Kingdom through His death and resurrection. By gathering on the first day of the week, Christians demonstrate their gratitude for the new life found in Christ and His promise of rest. However, Sabbath observance was part of the Old Covenant, which has been replaced.
Those who refuse to gather on the first day of the week and instead insist on gathering on the last day of the week are dishonoring Christ by failing to acknowledge properly His resurrection and the establishment of His church on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; Acts 2:1, 36-41, 47).

Inconsistency of Modern Sabbath-Keepers

Modern Sabbath advocates do not enforce the Old Testament penalties (stoning; Numbers 15:32-36), demonstrating inconsistency. If the Sabbath law were still in effect, the penalty for breaking it would also still be in effect.
For example, if one attempts to bind the Sabbath from a passage like Exodus 31:12-17, consistency would require enforcing the death penalty from verse 15. The truth is that the entire Law (both the command and punishment) was removed at the cross (Colossians 2:14-17).
It is not uncommon to see someone working on Saturday who displays the Ten Commandments in his yard, on his car, or even at his workplace. Ironically, many who insist that everyone should keep the Ten Commandments have no qualms about working on Saturdays.
Also, most so-called Sabbath observers regularly travel more than a “Sabbath day’s journey” on Saturdays (approximately two-thirds to seven-eighths of a mile; Acts 1:12), clearly violating the Sabbath law they claim to uphold. The fact that many Sabbatarians travel beyond these restrictions without concern further highlights their inconsistency.

Sunday Is Not the “Christian Sabbath” or a Day of Rest

Scripture never calls Sunday the Sabbath; the Sabbath was always the day before Sunday. When Matthew wrote of Christ’s resurrection, he clearly distinguished between the Sabbath and Sunday, stating, “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,” thereby distinguishing these as two separate days (Matthew 28:1).
It is incorrect to say the Sabbath was “changed” from Saturday to Sunday. Instead, the Sabbath law was abolished, and Christians worshiped on the first day of the week by apostolic instruction (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
The Sabbath rest was directly tied to God giving the Israelites rest from their bondage in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15, et al.). However, that rest was only a shadow pointing to the Christian’s future rest in Heaven: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9; cf. 8:5; 10:1; Colossians 2:16-17; Revelation 14:13).
Unlike the Sabbath, Sunday is never described Biblically as a day of rest.
If Sabbath-keeping were required today, many congregations would not exist, because many (if not most) Christians travel more than a Sabbath day’s journey to assemble!

Warning Against Binding the Old Law

Passages like Galatians 5:1-4 strongly warn against binding the Old Testament commands, which leads to “Christ becoming of no effect” and “falling from grace” (cf. Galatians 1:6-9).
To attempt to bind the Old Law (including the Sabbath) on people today is to reject the sufficiency of the New Covenant Law of Christ and minimize the price He paid to establish it (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

The New Covenant Is Superior

The word “better” appears 13 times throughout Hebrews, confirming the New Covenant Law’s superiority in every way and rendering the Old Covenant Law obsolete (Hebrews 1:4; 6:9; 7:7, 19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35, 40; 12:24).
A Better Covenant: Hebrews emphasizes the superiority of the New Covenant, offering eternal salvation through better promises (Hebrews 8:6-13).
A Better High Priest and Sacrifice: Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice and eternal priesthood surpass the temporary, repetitive sacrifices of the Old Covenant (Hebrews 7:23-25; 9:24-26; 10:1-17). Sins that would have been remembered year to year will now be remembered no more!
A Better Hope and Rest: The New Covenant provides a better hope (Hebrews 7:19) and the promise of eternal rest in Christ (Hebrews 4:9).

Conclusion

The Scriptures clearly teach that the Old Law, including the Sabbath, served its purpose and has been replaced by the superior, eternal New Covenant—the Law of Christ.
Christians meet on the first day of every week to honor our risen High Priest, who was resurrected on that day and established His church on that day. Old Testament shadows, such as the Feast of Firstfruits and Pentecost, affirm the significance of the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:10-17; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; Acts 2:1, 38-41, 47; James 1:18).
To bind the Sabbath law today is to misunderstand the nature of God’s covenants, to confuse shadows with reality, and to dishonor the work of Christ and the blood He shed for His New Covenant (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:15).
The Sabbath law was only for Israel, and only until the cross of Christ. Today, everyone is under the New Covenant, the Law of Christ, and we should honor Him according to the pattern revealed in the New Testament Scriptures.

Should We Observe the Sabbath?

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