Very simply, the answer to this question
is that Christians are under a different law
from the law that Israel was under. Israel
was under the Law of Moses given by God
to Israel at Mt. Sinai (Exodus, chapters
19-31). This law continued in force until
Jesus Christ died on the cross (Colossians
2:14).
Jesus was an Israelite. The Law of
Moses was in effect during His lifetime.
Therefore, He kept the Law of Moses in
order to be faithful to God. This explains
why Jesus worshipped in the synagogue
on the sabbath.
The Law of Moses taught:
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy
work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto
Jehovah thy God: in it thou shalt not do any
work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,
thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor
thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates” (Exodus 20:8-10).
“And he came to
Nazareth, where he had been brought up:
and he entered, as his custom was, into the
synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up
to read” (Luke 4:16).
While Jesus lived on earth, He kept
the Law of Moses and taught others to do
so. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:
“Think not that I came to destroy the law or
the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to
fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and
earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in
no wise pass away from the law, till all things
be accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18).
Please
notice that Jesus said nothing would pass
from the Law “till all things be accomplished.”
Jesus fulfilled all that was written in the
Old Testament—the Law, the Psalms, and
the Prophets. “And he said unto them, These
are my words which I spake unto you, while I
was yet with you, that all things must needs be
fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses,
and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning
me” (Luke 24:44).
The purpose of the Law which was given
to Israel at Mt. Sinai, the Law of Moses,
is clearly seen in the book of Galatians.
“What then is the law? It was added because
of transgressions, till the seed should come to
whom the promise hath been made; and it
was ordained through angels by the hand of a
mediator” (Galatians 3:19). The Law was to
be in effect “till the Seed should come.” The
promised Seed was Jesus Christ (Genesis
3:15; 12:1-3; Galatians 3:16).
Please notice again, “So that the law is
become our tutor to bring us unto Christ,
that we might be justified by faith. But now
that faith is come, we are no longer under
a tutor.” (Galatians 3:24-25). If we are
no longer under the Law of Moses, then
obviously the Sabbath law is not binding
upon us today.
When did the Law of Moses as a law
binding upon God’s people end? The
answer is, it ended when Jesus died on the
cross thus fulfilling it. Please notice: “But
now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off
are made nigh in the blood of Christ. For
he is our peace, who made both one, and
brake down the middle wall of partition,
having abolished in the flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; that he might create in himself
of the two one new man, so making peace”
(Ephesians 2:13-15). Jesus abolished the
law of commandments (the Law of Moses
which included the command to keep the
sabbath, Exodus 20:8). He abolished it “in
the flesh;” that is by His death on the cross
(cf. Colossians 2:14-17).
The new law, the Law of Christ, came
into effect on Pentecost Day (Acts 2).
On that day, the church of Christ was
established (Acts 2:36-47).
From that time,
we find Christians meeting to worship
upon the first day of the week which is
Sunday. “And upon the first day of the week,
when we were gathered together to break
bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending
to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his
speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7). “Now
concerning the collection for the saints, as I
gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also
do ye. Upon the first day of the week let each
one of you lay by him in store, as he may
prosper, that no collections be made when I
come.” (I Corinthians 16:1-2).
In summary, why do Christians meet
for worship on Sunday, the first day of the
week, instead of Saturday, the seventh day
of the week? The teaching of the Bible is
plain. The Law of Moses, which included
the sabbath commandment, was to the
nation of Israel only.
It lasted as a binding
law until Christ died on the cross. The Law
of Christ, which began at Pentecost, is
God’s law for all mankind today. The Law
of Christ teaches that we are to meet on
Sunday, the first day of the week. This is
the day upon which our Lord arose from
the dead (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2-6;
Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
The day upon which
the church began, Pentecost day, also was
on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:9-
16). Therefore, we can see why the Lord
chose the first day of the week as the day of
worship for Christians.