THE LORD'S DAY

As a memorial of his creation work God has always required of man that he keep one day in seven as a Sabbath (day of rest) to the Lord (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:8-11; Isaiah 56:2). This principle is enshrined in the Ten Commandments: ‘Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God’. The Lord Jesus upheld and reiterated this commandment, declaring himself to be ‘Lord of the Sabbath’ (Mark 2:27, 28 cf. Luke 4:16; Matthew 5:17, 18).

Since our Lord’s resurrection on the first day of the week this day has been observed by Christians as the Lord's Day or Christian Sabbath (cf. Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2; Revelation 1:10). Not all the particulars of the old Mosaic code relating to the Sabbath are binding upon believers today, but we are bound to keep this day as a special day to the Lord and to refrain from unnecessary work and worldly entanglements.

What a privilege it is to have one whole day each week in which we may especially remember that Christ is risen and is coming again, meet in worship, refresh both body and soul and leave aside the worries and cares of the past week! Those who use the Lord's Day as God intends will soon find themselves calling ‘the Sabbath a delight’ (Isaiah 58:13).