What the Sabbath Is About

The Sabbath, the Law, and the Grace of God in Christ

The subject of the Sabbath has long been a point of controversy, confusion, and division among many sincere people who desire to obey God. Some insist that Christians today are still obligated to keep the seventh-day Sabbath exactly as Israel did under the Law of Moses. Others believe that Christ fulfilled the Law and established a New Covenant, under which believers are no longer bound to the Old Testament Sabbath regulations. To understand this issue correctly, we must not begin with tradition, denominational teaching, or human opinion. We must begin with the Word of God itself.

The Bible declares in Hebrews 8:13:

In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Old Covenant was not eternal in its administration. It pointed forward to something greater. It was preparatory, temporary, and prophetic. The Law given through Moses had a divine purpose, but it was never intended to be the final revelation of God’s redemptive plan. Scripture continues in Hebrews 9:15–17:

 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.  For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.

The Greek word translated covenant or testament is diathēkē, meaning a covenant arrangement established by God. A testament does not come into force until death occurs. Therefore, the New Covenant was ratified by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:24 says:

to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Thus, any serious study of the Sabbath must be examined through the lens of covenant theology and the completed work of Christ.

The Meaning of the Word “Sabbath”

The word “Sabbath” first appears in Exodus 16:23:

“And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD has said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD…”

The Hebrew word is shabbath, and the Greek equivalent is sabbaton. Both fundamentally mean “rest,” “cessation,” or “to cease from labor.” The Sabbath was, at its core, a day of stopping ordinary work.

Exodus 20:8 could literally be rendered:

“Remember the rest day, to keep it holy.”

The Sabbath was not originally presented as a weekly church gathering or worship service in the modern sense. It was a divinely appointed cessation from labor.

Throughout the Old Testament, the word “Sabbath” appears approximately seventy-five times. Yet many readers fail to recognize that Scripture speaks not only of the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, but also of numerous ceremonial Sabbaths attached to Israel’s feast system.

The Many Sabbaths Given to Israel

God established several different Sabbaths under the Mosaic Law.

The Feast of Trumpets

Leviticus 23:24–25 states:

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.  You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’

The Day of Atonement

Leviticus 16:29–31 says:

“This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you.  For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your souls. It is a statute forever.

Leviticus 23:27–32 repeats the command and emphasizes:

“You shall do no manner of work… it shall be unto you a sabbath of rest.”

Passover and Pentecost

Passover contained Sabbath restrictions:

"On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it".

(Leviticus 23:7)

Pentecost also carried Sabbath regulations:

"And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations".

(Leviticus 23:21)

The Feast of Tabernacles

Leviticus 23:34–39 reveals that both the first and eighth days were Sabbaths:

“On the first day shall be an holy convocation: you shall do no customary work on it… on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.”

The Sabbath for the Land

Leviticus 25:1–4 establishes a Sabbath rest even for the land itself:

“The seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land.”

Thus, Scripture plainly teaches there were multiple Sabbaths under the Law of Moses, not merely the weekly seventh-day Sabbath. Every one of these Sabbaths centred upon cessation from labour.

The Fourth Commandment

The weekly Sabbath appears in the Ten Commandments:

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work,  but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates".

(Exodus 20:9–10)

This command applied comprehensively:

• sons and daughters,

• servants,

• strangers,

• cattle,

• oxen,

• and every person within Israel’s gates.

The basis for this command was rooted in creation itself:

“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth… and rested the seventh day.” (Exodus 20:11)

Genesis 2:1–3 records God resting after creation, establishing the principle of one day in seven.

Yet there is something critically important often overlooked.

No Sabbath Command Before Moses

Although God rested on the seventh day in Genesis 2, there is no biblical record of mankind being commanded to keep the Sabbath until Exodus 16.

For approximately 2,500 years of biblical history, there is no recorded Sabbath observance by:

• Adam,

• Abel,

• Seth,

• Enoch,

• Noah,

• Abraham,

• Isaac,

• Jacob,

• or even Moses before Exodus 16.

The Sabbath first appears as a command specifically connected to Israel after deliverance from Egypt.

Exodus 16:26–30 says:

“Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none…

See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath… abide you every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.”

Two truths emerge clearly:

1. The Sabbath command was given specifically to Israel through Moses.

2. The Sabbath required complete rest and restriction of movement.

This point is vital. The biblical Sabbath was not originally presented as a public worship service day. It was a day of ceasing from labour and remaining at home.

The command stated plainly:

“Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” (Exodus 16:29)

Under the Mosaic system, violating the Sabbath carried severe penalties.

Exodus 31:15 declares:

“Whosoever does any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”

Numbers 15:32–36 records a man being stoned to death merely for gathering sticks on the Sabbath.

The seriousness of the Sabbath under the Law cannot be minimized or selectively applied.

Understanding the Law Properly

Many people wrongly assume the Law refers only to the Ten Commandments. Scripture, however, uses the term “Law” to describe the entire Mosaic system, including:

• moral laws,

• civil laws,

• ceremonial laws,

• dietary laws,

• feast laws,

• sacrificial laws,

• priestly regulations,

• and judicial punishments.

Paul quotes from Deuteronomy in 1 Corinthians 9:9:

“For it is written in the law of Moses, You shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox…”

This was not one of the Ten Commandments, yet Paul still calls it “the law.”

The Law functioned as one complete covenant system.

Galatians 3:10 warns:

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.”

Why?

Because the Law demanded perfect obedience.

James 2:10 states:

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

A person cannot selectively keep one command while disregarding the rest. If someone seeks justification through Sabbath observance, consistency demands submission to the entirety of Mosaic legislation.

Christ and the End of the Law

Jesus declared in Matthew 12:8:

“For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.”

Christ possessed authority over the Sabbath because the Sabbath itself pointed ultimately to Him.

Romans 10:4 proclaims:

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes.”

The Law reached its fulfilment and completion in Jesus Christ.

This includes the entirety of the Mosaic covenant structure.

Some object by asking whether this means moral truth has vanished. Certainly not. The New Testament reiterates moral commands concerning:

• idolatry,

• murder,

• adultery,

• theft,

• lying,

• covetousness,

• honouring parents.

Yet conspicuously absent is any command requiring Christians to keep the seventh-day Sabbath.

The New Covenant repeats nine of the Ten Commandments in principle, but never reimposes the Sabbath command upon the Church.

Instead, believers are repeatedly taught freedom from the Law.

Romans 6:14 says:

“You are not under the law, but under grace.”

Galatians 5:18 says:

“If you are led of the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Colossians 2:16–17 directly addresses Sabbath observance:

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

The Sabbath was a shadow. Christ is the substance.

Why Christians Gather on Sunday

The first day of the week was never called the Sabbath in the New Testament. Yet it became the recognized gathering day for Christians because it commemorated Christ’s resurrection.

Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.

John 20:19 says:

“Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week… came Jesus and stood in the midst.”

Eight days later—again the first day of the week—Jesus appeared to the disciples:

“And after eight days again his disciples were within…” (John 20:26)

Acts 20:7 records:

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them…”

1 Corinthians 16:1–2 instructs believers:

“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store…”

The early Church assembled regularly on the first day of the week, not under legal obligation, but in celebration of the risen Christ.

Hebrews 10:25 commands believers:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”

Christian assembly is encouraged for:

• worship,

• fellowship,

• exhortation,

• prayer,

• teaching,

• communion,

• and mutual encouragement.

This differs fundamentally from the Old Testament Sabbath restrictions.

Paul and the Synagogues

Some point to Paul preaching in synagogues on the Sabbath as evidence Christians should worship on Saturday.

But Paul’s purpose was evangelistic, not devotional.

1 Corinthians 9:20 explains:

“Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews.”

Paul entered synagogues because Jews gathered there. He used those opportunities to preach Christ.

Acts 18:4–6 records the turning point:

“From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

After Acts 18, references to Sabbath observance essentially disappear from apostolic practice.

Salvation Is by Grace, Not Law

No person has ever been justified before God through perfect law-keeping.

Romans 3:20 states:

“By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.”

Galatians 2:16 declares:

“A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.”

Salvation is received entirely through faith in Christ.

Ephesians 2:8–9 says:

“For by grace you are saved through faith… not of works.”

John 3:36 gives the eternal verdict:

“He that believes in the Son has everlasting life.”

The believer’s righteousness is not self-produced through Sabbath observance or law-keeping. It is the righteousness of Christ imputed by faith.

Philippians 3:9 says:

“Not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.”

The Believer’s Walk in the Spirit

Though Christians are not under the Law, they are not called to lawlessness.

Believers possess both the old flesh nature and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:17 says:

“The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.”

The Christian life is lived not by external Mosaic regulations, but through the inward leading of the Spirit of God.

Romans 8:1–2 proclaims:

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

This freedom includes freedom from the Mosaic Sabbath system.

Christians today may wisely set aside time for rest, worship, fellowship, and spiritual renewal. Yet such gatherings are not legalistic continuations of the Sinai covenant. They are expressions of grace, liberty, and devotion to Christ.

The first day of the week became the customary gathering day because it celebrated the risen Saviour.

The True Rest

Ultimately, the Sabbath pointed beyond itself.

Hebrews 4 explains that the true rest of God is found in Christ Himself.

The Sabbath was never merely about a calendar day. It pointed prophetically toward redemption, spiritual rest, and completion in Christ.

Jesus declared:

“Come to me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

The believer’s deepest Sabbath is not found in legal observance, but in resting fully in the finished work of Christ.

The Law could expose sin, but it could never remove it.

The Sabbath could provide physical rest, but not eternal redemption.

Only Jesus Christ can do that.

Therefore, the issue is not whether one esteems one day above another for personal devotion. Romans 14:5 allows liberty of conscience in such matters. The issue is whether anyone seeks righteousness, justification, or spiritual superiority through observance of Old Covenant law.

Christ fulfilled the Law.

Christ is our righteousness.

Christ is our peace.

Christ is our rest.

And in Him, the believer stands complete.

The Sabbath debate often becomes emotionally charged because many sincere believers associate Sabbath observance with obedience to God. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that righteousness cannot be attained through external observance of Mosaic ordinances. The danger is not in setting aside time for worship and rest, which is wise and beneficial, but in returning to a covenant system that Christ fulfilled completely.

The New Testament emphasis shifts from external regulation to inward transformation by the Holy Spirit. The believer’s standing before God rests entirely upon the finished work of Christ, not upon calendar observance, dietary restrictions, or ceremonial regulations.

At the same time, Christians should approach this subject with humility and charity. Many who observe Saturday do so out of sincere devotion to God. The apostolic instruction remains important:

“Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5)

But no believer should place another under bondage to Mosaic ordinances as a condition of righteousness, salvation, or spiritual acceptance before God.

The glory of the Gospel is that Christ accomplished what the Law never could. The believer now rests—not in a day—but in a Person.