Sabbath Rest in Jesus Part II

In Part 1 of this series, we asked the question: How do Christians, the new covenant people of God, obey the Sabbath command today? We answered that question by pointing to the glorious reality that Jesus fulfills the Sabbath. Indeed, the old covenant sign and command of the Sabbath actually pointed to Jesus and the greater rest he would offer all along. The old covenant Sabbath command was but a shadow, Jesus is the substance (Colossians 2:16–17). In short, Jesus is our Sabbath rest. Therefore, we fulfill the heart of the old covenant Sabbath command by entering into and embracing the salvation we have through him. Ultimately, belief in Christ and our union with Christ is what it looks like to enter into God’s rest exemplified in Gen 2:2–3. So if we ‘obey’ the Sabbath command by believing in Jesus, what then do we do with the Sabbath Day?

Two specific questions generally come up when we think about how Christians relate to the Sabbath Day: (1) Is Sunday the new Sabbath Day for Christians? and (2) How should Christians practice Sabbath wisdom today? In this article, I will address the first question. In a forthcoming article, we will look at how Christians should practice Sabbath wisdom today. But before seeking to answer either of these questions, I think it benefits us to refresh ourselves on how to approach matters of Christian conscience.

 

A Word Regarding Conscience

It is helpful to acknowledge at the outset that the Sabbath Day question can be a tricky and touchy one. Indeed, faithful Christians who joyfully walk hand-in-hand on a number of different theological points might find themselves staring at each other across the proverbial fence when it comes to the question of the Sabbath Day. But disagreement regarding what the Sabbath Day looks like for the Christian does not mean that happy unity need be torn asunder! Rather, Christians recognize that their common salvation hinges on Christ alone. This is what unifies them. Therefore, the guiding principle for Christians of different stripes on this matter is this: Seek to honor the Lord. Then, let that desire to honor the Lord inform conscience with regard to implementing Sabbath wisdom. And, finally, refrain from seeking to force others to adopt specific practices that might be against their conscience. Do this for the sake of Christian unity and Christian freedom. Paul addresses such issues of conscience in Romans.

Romans 14:5–6 — One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord.

Even given that new covenant believers perpetually abide in Sabbath rest in Christ, there emerges an apparent issue among the Roman Christians. In light of this new covenant reality, some Christians, still approach certain days with unique regard. This could very likely refer to Sabbath practices perhaps held by some Jewish Christians in the Roman church. Others, though, consider all of equal significance. Piper makes the important clarifying point here that this considering “all days alike” does not necessarily mean that they are all considered common. Rather, what is most likely meant, given the new age of Sabbath rest in Christ, is that all days are considered alike in that they are all holy. The new covenant age brings escalation. Every day is holy. So each side would recognize every day as holy, but they took different approaches as to how they regarded those holy days.

Interestingly, Paul does not take sides in the debate. Rather, Paul recognizes varying degrees of faith regarding less clearly defined issues (Romans 14:1). He then points out what is really at stake in such cases: the conscience of the believer and the Lord’s due honor. Paul says, “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). Resolved in conscience, one should then do what they do for the purpose of honoring the Lord (Romans 14:6). Indeed, seeking to honor the Lord should inform consciences on such matters like the Sabbath. For, according to Paul, Christians are ultimately all in the same boat. “For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10). All will stand before the Lord to give account for their thoughts and actions. Therefore, Paul asks the piercing question, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother” (Romans 14:10). Even in light of this disagreement, Paul reminds his readers of their unity in Christ. They are brothers still. Their common foundation is the gospel of Jesus. Matters of conscience like this should not lead to disunity. Rather, we should each encourage one another to seek to honor God.

So, disagreements of conscience on non-foundational gospel issues do not need to lead to discord or the hurling of stones. This in mind, let us consider what the Sabbath Day looks like for Christians.

 

Is Sunday the New Sabbath Day for Christians?

Is the Sunday the Sabbath Day for Christians? Not necessarily. The Sabbath Day was the seventh day, Saturday, under the old covenant. And, there is no explicit command in the New Testament for Christians to keep the old covenant Sabbath Day or to consider Sunday the new Sabbath. I say not necessarily, though, because in another sense Sunday could be understood as the Sabbath in the same way that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday could all be understood as the Sabbath. You see, for the Christian, every day is the Sabbath because we rest in Christ. Hubbard captures this idea well in his article on Desiring God, saying pithily, “Faith in Jesus Christ brings the rest of the seventh day into every day.”[1] So Sunday is not the Sabbath Day for Christians in the old covenant command sense. Scripture (and Church history) reveals that Sunday is something else.

The first day, Sunday, is the normative day for gathering of the local church for corporate worship. This pattern of gathering together for worship on the first day emerges in Scripture (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). It’s commonly accepted that John identifies what the first Christians referred to this day as when he writes, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10). Why did John refer to it as the Lord’s Day? Because Sunday was the day Christ rose from the tomb! (Luke 24:1). It is into this context of corporate worship on the Lord’s Day that the author of Hebrews issues this command: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some” (Hebrews 10:24–25). Thus, this passage shouldn’t be misconstrued as merely two Christians getting together for coffee. Rather, the established pattern of formal fellowship on the Lord’s Day in Scripture implies a normative practice. Christians should gather together for corporate worship, and, in normative circumstances, they do this on the Lord’s Day. Church history affirms this.

Bauckham observes, “we have seen reasons for holding that Sunday worship began at an early stage of Christian history and was from an early stage understood as commemorative of the Lord’s resurrection on the first day of the week.”[2] The Lord’s Day, then, is inherently different from the old covenant Sabbath command. Baukham goes on to observe, “for the earliest Christians it [the Lord’s Day] was not a substitute for the Sabbath nor a day of rest nor related in any way to the fourth commandment.”[3] In fact, for many early Christians, Sunday was a typical day of work. Therefore, they would worship early before going to work and then perhaps gather again in the evening after work. The Lord’s Day is a day of corporate worship rooted in the new covenant work of Jesus and the new age of salvation he secured by his resurrection.

So Scripture and history do not suggest that Christians must adopt an old covenant Sabbath approach to the Lord’s Day. Rather, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, is the normative corporate day of worship for Christians. And the Bible makes clear that Christians should not neglect gathering together in such corporate ways. And, as far as possible given varying contexts that Christians find themselves in, gathering on the Lord’s Day would follow the pattern of Scripture and Church History. In light of these things, consider this amazing reality. From the time of Christ’s resurrection and up through the centuries to today Christians throughout the world have gathered together and continue to gather together to open the Word, pray, herald the gospel, sing praises, break bread, pass the cup, and baptize new believers on the Lord’s Day, Sunday. In short, Christians gather together to worship the Triune God for the salvation, the new creation—the true Sabbath rest!—that he inaugurated and secured through the risen king, Jesus.[4] What a privilege it is to be a part of this great fellowship of the saints. And, what a privilege and joy it is to look forward to gathering with you, DGCC, on Sunday, the Lord’s Day.

In light of this, there still remains much wisdom to draw from the Sabbath pattern established by God at creation. In a forthcoming article, I will explore answers to our second question: How should Christians practice Sabbath wisdom today?

[1] Scott Hubbard, “Should Christians Keep the Sabbath?,” Desiring God, 20 April 2021, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/should-christians-keep-the-sabbath.

[2] R.J. Baukham, “The Lord’s Day,” in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: A Biblical, Historical and Theological Investigation, ed. D. A. Carson (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1999), 240.

[3] Baukham, “The Lord’s Day,” 240.

[4] For a very helpful biblical, historical, and theological deep dive into the relationship of the Sabbath Day and the Lord’s Day, look to D.A. Carson’s From Sabbath to the Lord’s Day.

Worship and the Blood of Christ

What impact does the blood of Christ have on those who believe?

Of the many different ways to answer that question biblically, consider the answer provided in Hebrews 9:14: “The blood of Christ . . . [will] purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” What does this mean?

First: Jesus’ blood will “purify our conscience.” “Conscience” here includes what the English word suggests: our sense of right and wrong, especially whether or not we are under God’s judgment for what we have done. See, for example, Hebrews 9:9: Speaking of the rituals ordained for ancient Israel, the author states, “Gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper.” No matter how many animal sacrifices the Israelites offered, they knew that the penalty they deserved was not fully paid. They stood guilty before God. They could not access Him directly. And the regulations restricting access to the Holy of Holies to only the High Priest, and to him only once a year, underlined the inefficacy of the sacrifices. Those worshipping could not enter into the very presence of God. Something more was needed.

But “conscience” in Hebrews is also intimately related to “heart,” all of our inner desires and longings, as well as our will. In Hebrews 10:22, the author writes, “Let us draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience.” The cleansing of our conscience by the blood of Christ leads to full assurance of faith, thereby enabling us to approach God Himself with a true heart – that is, with all our inner being truly focused on Him, delighting in Him, comforted in His love, embraced as His child, and loving Him with all our heart.

So in purifying our conscience, the blood of Christ is changing us thoroughly from the inside out.

With that understanding of “conscience,” consider the next phrase in Hebrews 9:14: Our conscience is purified from “dead works.” Think of these both as “works that are produced by deadness” and “works that can’t produce life.” Apart from Christ we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). Apart from Christ, we are impotent; we can do nothing (John 15:5). So whatever deeds we do – whether those are acts that look like worship, or acts that seem to help another person or produce something worthwhile – are all sin-stained, the production of sinful, dead hearts. And such dead works logically cannot produce life. They cannot save us, they cannot make us alive when we are dead in trespasses and sins – no matter how religious those works may appear – nor can they effect life in any other person.

But when the blood of Christ purifies our conscience from such dead works, what happens? What are we now able to do? We are able “to serve the living God.” Note that the same verb translated “serve” in Hebrews 9:14 is translated “worship” in Hebrews 9:9. The blood of Christ enables us to worship the living God.

So now we can summarize the impact that the blood of Christ has on believers, according to Hebrews 9:14: Jesus’ blood cleanses us from the inside out, providing us with a clear conscience and purifying our hearts, so that we no longer offer to God unacceptable worship or sin-stained deeds, but, made holy, we draw near to God, truly worshiping Him in word, in thought, in affections, and in deeds, thereby glorifying His Name.

That is: The blood of Christ enables us to worship God.

Ponder that thought. We so often think of Jesus’ blood as saving us from hell, or as saving us from guilt, or as saving us from the power of sin, and thus saving us from destroying our lives. Praise God, His blood does all that. But it does even more. Jesus’ blood enables us to worship God in the only way He can be worshiped – in spirit and in truth (John 4:23).  The blood of Christ enables us to worship God on Sunday mornings – and indeed every hour of every day, as we display what He is like through our thoughts, our feelings, and our acts.

So, Christian: Jesus’ blood enables you to worship. Do so. Even today. Even now.