Why it is Right to Keep Sunday and Wrong to Keep Saturday
By Clarence WalkerScriptures revealing that Seventh Day Sabbath (Saturday) Abolished by the Cross
The Lord's Day (Sunday) Established by the Resurrected Christ"For if Joshua had given them rest, he would have afterwards spoken of another day. THERE REMAINETH THEREFORE A SABBATH-KEEPING FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD. For he (Christ) that is entered into his (Christ's) rest hath also rested from his (Christ's) works, as God did from his. Let us give diligence to enter into that rest." (Hebrews 4:8-11 R.V.)
"CHRIST HIMSELF MADE THE CHANGE"
1. Notice carefully - "There remaineth therefore a Sabbath keeping to the people of God." (Heb. 4:9.) In this fourth chapter of Hebrews the word "rest" occurs many tunes. However in the ninth verse the proper translation is "Sabbath Keeping" and not "rest" as in the King James version. Because of this odd translation in the King James version the truth revealed in Hebrews 4:8-11 has not had the place in the hearts of God's people it ought to have.2. The revelation is that God did create the world and when He had finished it on the seventh day rested from His works. To commemorate His finished work of creation God established the seventh day Sabbath.
3. But when Christ came and finished the greater work of redemption by His resurrection from the dead, He too, entered into His rest and rested from His works, as God did rest from His works. Therefore "another day" is spoken of - The first day of the week - the day Christ entered into His rest. "There remaineth therefore a Sabbath-Keeping for the people of God."
4. It was indeed a dark day when Jesus lay in the tomb. His enemies said in triumph, "The deceiver is dead." Even His disciples said, "We had trusted that this was He that would deliver Israel."
Oh, that dark day - the last Seventh Day Sabbath.
But thank God, the morning came. It is the dawn of the first day of the week. Hear the shouts of Divine Grace as the cry of completed redemption, bursting the bonds of death, Hell and the grave ring out -
HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! The work of the Redeemer is finished, completed and because it is done - "This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever, sat down on the right hand of God." (Hebrews 10:12.)
He "sat down" because "He entered His rest" - He hath also rested from His works as God did from His. He had me everything it takes to save a lost soul.
5. YOU SEE why He changed the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week. You see why the disciples met on the first day of the week. You see - how His death and resurrection terminated the old covenant and made a change in the weekly Sabbath as it did in the priesthood. (Hebrews 7:12.) You see - that after His resurrection He spent forty days on earth during which time we find Him keeping the first day of the week. You see why it is written on the Second Lord's Day - "And after eight days" . . . John 20:26. You see why Paul commanded, "Let every one of you lay by him in store (bring your offering) on the first day of the week" (I Corinthians 16:2). You see why the Apostle John said, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day." You see - why it right to keep Sunday, the first day of the week, as the Christian's Sabbath.
6. Keepers of the Seventh Day Sabbath are rejectors of the finished work of the Lord Jesus as Sinbearer and Redeemer. They have never seen "Christ as the end of the law to everyone that believeth." (Romans 10:4.) They do not understand that "the law was given by Moses but that Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ." Nor do they know "that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." (Galatians 3:24.) Rather - "how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements (the law), whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months and times and years. I am afraid of you." (Galatians 4:9-11.) See how wrong it is to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath - you deny Hebrews 4:8-11. See - it was of such folk that Paul wrote, "Ye are fallen from Grace." (Galatians 5:4.) He didn't mean that they had been saved then lost - but they had stopped preaching Salvation by Grace alone and gone to preaching Salvation by works or laws and grace. This ls what the Seventh Day Adventists do today.
7. You see - that Sunday observance did not originate with Constantine or the Roman Catholics. It started with the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why, Barnabas wrote, "We celebrate with joy the eighth day on which Jesus arose from the dead and having manifested himself, ascended into Heaven."
8. Last - but not least - "Let us give diligence to enter into that rest." The Lord Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." To be able to give you that rest from your sins and lost condition He had not only to meet the penalty of Divine Justice for you but must give you a perfect holiness to enjoy fellowship with God. This He did for you. Thank God - He did the work. He came, died for your sins, was buried and arose the third day. If you will receive Him - believe what He has done for you - you will enter into His rest. Believe now.
========= [From the Ashland Avenue Baptist paper, (reprint) April 7, 1972, pp. 1 & 3. - Document provided by Donnie Burford. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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