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WE BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE LORDS DAY, OR CHRISTIAN
SABBATH; AND IS TO BE KEPT SACRED TO RELIGIOUS PURPOSES, BY ABSTAINING FROM ALL
SECULAR LABOR AND SINFUL RECREATIONS, BY THE DEVOUT OBSERVANCE OF ALL THE MEANS
OF GRACE, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC; AND BY PREPARATION FOR THAT REST THAT
REMAINETH FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
I. "WE BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE
LORDS DAY, OR CHRISTIAN SABBATH; AND IS TO BE KEPT SACRED TO
RELIGIOUS PURPOSES."
First: "We believe that the first day of the week is the Lords
Day, or Christian Sabbath; and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes."
A. The Bible teaches that Sunday is the "Lords Day"
and should be set aside by all of Gods people as a day of worship
and a time of rest from the toils of taking care of the body throughout the
week.
B. There is a need for ceasing from everyday strain and stress upon the
body in order to devote time to our souls spiritual needs. There is
more to the child of God than just a physical or earthly body of flesh; there
is the new man, the man that has been born of God from above. This man must be
fed heavenly food, this man must have Spiritual rest and fellowship from
above, thus we have the "Lords Day" in which
we can rest unto God and fellowship with His people as they meet together in
the house of God for worship services every Sunday.
C. Two days are used when speaking of days that are set aside for religious
purposes, "The Sabbath Day", and "The Lords
Day". Let us define them so we can understand them.
First: "The Sabbath Day".
1. The following is a definition from Websters dictionary..."Sabbath"
- The seventh day of the week observed from Friday evening to Saturday
evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians, Sunday
observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship: a time of rest.
2. Now we notice the definition given by Smiths Bible
dictionary. "The name given to the seventh day of the week,
the day of rest, it is the only ordinance besides marriage which dates
from the creation, (Genesis 2:3). The special rites and services of the
sanctuary were peculiar to the day (Numbers 18:3-9): (Leviticus 24:3-9)
and the laws of Moses were read (Acts 15:21), Teaching Jacob Gods
judgments and Israel His law (Deuteronomy 33:10).
3. The word "Sabbath" in the Hebrew language
means "intermission". It is translated from a root
word that means, "To repose, desist from exertion, cease
interruption, or special holiday.
4. The important thing to remember is that a day which is called a "Sabbath
Day" in the Bible did not always fall on the seventh day as
many people think. God had the nation of Israel to set aside different
days of the week for special Sabbaths. The primary meaning of the word "Sabbath"
is "a day set aside for rest and worship of God for man",
an intermission of everyday affairs in order to place emphasis upon the
worship of God.
Second: "The Lords Day".
1. First we give Websters dictionary definition. "The
Christian belief that Christ arose from the dead on Sunday."
2. Now we give the first portion of Smiths Bible dictionary,
which would be of great service to everyone who had a copy. "(Rev.
1:10), the first day of the week, the weekly festival in memory of the
resurrection of the Lord on that day."
3. The Bible definition is as the Baptist article of faith reads.
a. Acts 20:7 "On the first day of the week (Sunday) when
the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them."
1) This is what Baptists still do on the first day of the week, which
is Sunday.
b. John 20:19 "Then the same day at evening being the
first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were
assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and
saith unto them, peace be unto you."
1) After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His church on the first
day of the week (Sunday).
2) We find the church assembled together for preaching and praying on
the first day of the week, which is Sunday in the Bible after Christs
resurrection. John 20:26.
A. We find the "Christian Sabbath" is the first
day of the week, which is Sunday, the day of resurrection.
1. Most Baptists prefer to make a distinction between the two words for
fear of confusion.
2. When Baptists use the words "Christian Sabbath"
they always have reference to the first day of the week, Sunday, the day
of the Lords resurrection, and meet on this day to worship Him.
B. Other scriptures that teach this to be true are:
1. Colossians 2:16-17 "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: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is
of Christ."
2. I Corinthians 16:1-2 "Now concerning the collection for
the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do
ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I
come."
3. Mark 2:27,28 "And he said unto them, The sabbath was
made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is
Lord also of the sabbath.
4. Genesis 2:3 "And God blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which
God created and made."
5. Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it
holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the
seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy
maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in
them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the
sabbath day, and hallowed it."
6. Psalms 118:24 "This is the day which the LORD hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it."
II. "BY ABSTAINING FROM ALL SECULAR LABOR AND SINFUL
RECREATIONS, BY THE DEVOUT OBSERVANCE OF ALL THE MEANS OF GRACE, BOTH PRIVATE
AND PUBLIC; AND BY PREPARATION FOR THAT REST THAT REMAINETH FOR THE PEOPLE OF
GOD."
A. Proper Sunday worship.
1. Not a "family day".
Many churches today (2003) are dismissing Sunday evening services because
they say Sunday is when the family is supposed to be together.
a. I think they are dismissing services because they cannot get most of
their church families to attend Sunday evening services.
b. Families are staying home anyway, (or doing other things not in the
home) so many churches are agreeing with them.
2. I do not like a list of dos and donts for Sunday. (Or any other
day, for that matter.)
a. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest from the cares of this world,
not a day of recreation, or preparation for Monday.
b. What we do on Sunday is a reflection of what we are looking forward
to doing in eternity.
c. In eternity, we will be worshipping God, not playing, or working.
B. God said he would bless Israel if they kept the Sabbath worship.
1. Isaiah 58:13-14.
a. God told Israel that if they would observe the Sabbath day and
delight in it as a day of worship and honoring Him that He would bless
them.
b. The same thing is true for those who observe the "Lords
Day". God will bless those who leave off worrying, fretting,
and toiling on Sunday and go to His kind of Church and worship Him.
c. There was a time when the farmer would lay down the plow and go to
church.
d. There was a time when even lost people would not work on Sunday in
honor of the Lord.
2. Isaiah 56:1-8 People are to spend Sunday in worship and meditation
upon God.
a. Verse 2 blessed is the man who does no evil on the Sabbath.
b. Verse 4-5 the eunuchs shall have a better blessing than children
if they keep the Sabbath.
c. Verse 6-7 Every stranger (that person not of the household of
Israel) will be brought into the mountain of God if they will only keep
the Sabbath holy unto the Lord.
C. Hebrews 10:24-25. "Not forsaking the assembly of
yourselves together, as the manner of some is."
1. Sunday is the time to meet with other Baptists in worship and Bible
study.
2. Every saved person should seek to be a member of a New Testament Baptist
Church where they can attend the services and be taught.
a. Acts 11:26 "And when he had found him, he brought him unto
Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves
with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called
Christians first in Antioch."
b. Acts 13:44 "And the next sabbath day came almost the whole
city together to hear the word of God."
c. Psalms 118:15 "The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in
the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth
valiantly."
d. Leviticus 19:30 "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence
my sanctuary: I am the LORD."
e. Luke 4:16 "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been
brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the
sabbath day, and stood up for to read."
3. Families ought to be together on the Lords Day in church
services and at home to worship and honor Him.
4. The Lords Day is a time of intermission in our busy week when
we turn our full attention toward Him.
D. The Jews always met on the seventh day of the week to read the
scriptures and be taught. That is why Paul and the others would meet on this
day with the Jews in order to teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ.
E. Paul and the others preached every day, but on the first day of the week
the church would met together especially for worshipping God.
F. We should rest from our everyday stress by coming to the house of God.
G. Other scriptures that teach this to be true are:
1. Acts 17:2-3 "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto
them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3
Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again
from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ."
2. Psalms 26:8 "Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you, that God should raise the dead?"
3. Psalms 87:3 "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of
God. Selah."
4. Hebrews 4:3-11 "For we which have believed do enter into
rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my
rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4
For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did
rest the seventh day from all his works. 5 And in this place again, If they
shall enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must
enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because
of unbelief: 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day,
after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts. 8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he
not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest
to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath
ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore
to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief."
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