By: Rev. Dr. Dogara Ishaya Manomi
So, basically, there ARE four (biblical) reasons why Christians worship on Sunday instead of the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday.
1. EARLY FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WORSHIPPED ON SUNDAYS, NOT SATURDAYS, AND THIS MATTERS
The first reason is that, the early believers, first disciples of Jesus, worshipped on Sunday instead of Saturdays. There is no record of the early followers of Jesus holding their worship meetings on Saturday, but there are many records of them meeting on Sundays. See “on the first day of the week” in Acts 20:7 and “on the first day” in 1 Cor. 16:2, all referring to the worship meetings of early Christians.
To show you that this was a special service that served as their own version of the Sabbath and not just any casual meeting, in this Sunday worship services, they had communion, a symbolic but significant breaking of bread and drinking wine in remembrance of the death and resurrection of Christ (Acts 20:7), and it was on this meetings they were asked to contribute financial offerings (1 Cor. 16:2).
WHAT ABOUT BIBLICAL RECORDS OF EARLY CHRISTIANS GOING TO THE SYNAGOGUES ON SATURDAYS?
It needs to be noted that early Christians went to the Synagogues on Saturdays as a custom but also to evangelize to the Jews (e.g. Acts 13:14-15), but when they had their own meetings of believers in Christ, they met on Sundays.
This practice of meeting on Sundays for worship and breaking of bread (communion, Acts 20:7) and for contributing financially to the church (1 Cor. 16:2) has continued to this day, which is why most Christian churches around the world meet on Sundays instead of Saturdays.
2. CHRISTIANS ‘WORSHIP’ ON SUNDAYS AND NOT SATURDAYS BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS MEANS BY HIM BEING THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW, AND THIS MATTERS
The second reason is even more fundamental. They met on Sundays because they understood what it means that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law. That is, in Him, all the essence of the law was not abolished, but fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-19).
That means, early Christians understood that real rest was not in a specific day, but in a person, Jesus Christ, who promises to all who labor and are heavy laden rest (Matt. 11:28).
So, bodily rest was a foreshadow of spiritual rest from the burden of sin and death. Nevertheless, this does not take away the importance of bodily rest in Scripture, but it fulfills the essence of keeping a certain day a holy day for bodily rest.
3. CHRISTIANS WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS AND NOT ON SATURDAYS BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS MEANT BY HIM BEING THE LORD OF THE SABBATH, AND THIS MATTERS
Moreover, the early believers understood what Jesus meant when he said He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8), after the Pharisees accused Him of allowing His disciples to work on the Sabbath. To be Lord of the Sabbath means He has fulfilled the essence of the Sabbath, therefore his example supercedes that of the Sabbath.
4. CHRISTIANS WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS AND NOT SATURDAYS BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST RESURRECTED ON SUNDAY, NOT SATURDAY, AND THIS MATTERS
This leads to the third reason, which is, that Christ resurrected on Sunday morning (Matthew 28:1). Early believers began to worship on Sunday mornings primarily in recognition of the centrality of the resurrection of Christ, being the culmination of our salvation.
Since Jesus fulfills the Law, including the Sabbath law, is Lord of the Sabbath, and resurrected on Sunday morning (not on the Sabbath), the believers found Sunday to mark a special day to meet for fellowship.
NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS NO EXPLICIT BIBLICAL INSTRUCTION TO WORSHIP ON SUNDAYS
It needs also to be said that, while these are the biblical reasons why early believers in Christ met on Sundays instead of Saturdays, there is no explicit command in the Bible to make Sundays the days of worship for believers.
However, by meeting on Sundays instead of Saturdays, early believers in Christ clearly showed how their faith in Christ is different from Judaism as a religion. They understood that being a Christian is not the same as being a Judaizer by religion, despite that the historical roots of Christianity is in Judaism.
CHRISTIAN WORSHIP TRANSCENDS DAYS AND PLACES: …IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Finally, in Christianity, there is no special holy days as it was in Judaism. We are sanctified through faith in Christ, not through observing a holy day. Sunday is mainly because of its significance in relation to the resurrection, but if a group of believers choose to be meeting on another day which is more convenient for fellowship and worship, given their circumstances, they have not sinned.
This was exactly what Jesus Christ taught in his conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4, where he says “God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
AFTER ALL, SUNDAYS ARE NOT HOLIER THAN SATURDAYS
That means, as far as worship gatherings are concerned, no specific place, time, and day is holier than the other. What makes Christian worship meeting true worship is the inner state of the worshippers, worship with their whole being bringing glory to God instead of just mere activities. The activities in worship gatherings should be an overflow of inner reality of total surrender to God. Through the worship gatherings, we encourage and spur one another (Heb. 10:25).
SUNDAY IMPULSE:
"For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
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Rev. Dr. Dogara Ishaya Manomi
05.10.2025.
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