he first day of the week!
The clarity of scripture provides no foothold for false doctrine.
It will not and cannot stand against such clearness! Such is true in regard to what the Bible teaches of the first day of
the week. It is not our contention that the first day of the week is the Sabbath. Denominational preachers make a grave mistake
when they speak of Sunday as being the Lord’s Sabbath. The first day of the week never has been the Sabbath and never
will.
What we have
shown in these articles is that the Sabbath, the seventh day, was a religious day given only to Israel,
never to Gentiles as Gentiles nor to Christians as Christians. It was a day that was given to Israel because God brought them out of Egyptian bondage (Deut. 5:15). The church
has never been in bondage to Egypt! The
Sabbath has been abolished by the taking away of the Old Testament law (2 Cor. 3:6ff; Col. 2:14-16; etc.).
The first day
of the week is a completely different day; it is the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). I know it is the Lord’s Day because
it is the day that He resurrected (Mk. 16:9). No greater event in world history has happened on any other day! Jesus was acknowledged
as the Son of God on this day (Ps. 2:7; Rom.
1:4; Acts 13:32, 33). Since Pentecost was on the first day of the week, the Holy Spirit baptized on that day (Lev. 23:11,
15, 16; Acts 2:1-4). It is the day the church was established (Is. 2:2, 3; Acts 2:17, 41, 47). It was the day many were added
to the church (Acts 2:41; cf. 2:1). It is the day the first gospel sermon was preached after Jesus arose (ibid.). It is the day Jesus was crowned king (Zech. 6:13; Acts 2:29-36).
It was the day Jesus appeared and manifested Himself to His disciples through the breaking of bread (Lk. 24:13-35).
It is the day the disciples gathered together to give of their means (1 Cor. 16:1, 2). This collection was for the work of
the church (i.e., benevolence). It is the day that the disciples assembled together to partake of the Lord’s Supper
(Acts 20:7). Note: This breaking of bread is not a common meal here, as Paul would not allow such (see 1 Cor. 11:22, 34).
Questions to Sabbatarians:
·
Do
you partake of the Lord’s Supper?
·
At
what time do you partake of it?
·
Upon
what scripture do you base your practice?
The challenge:
Defend your views in a public
arena of investigation. I submit the following for an exchange:
1. “The Scriptures teach
that the Sabbath day was given to Israel
after the Exodus and not to Christians.”
Affirm: Steven J. Wallace
Deny: ???????
2. “The Scriptures teach
that the 10 Commandment Covenant was given at creation and bound upon all men of all ages.”
Affirm: ???????
Deny: Steven J. Wallace
3. “The Scriptures teach
that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day.”
Affirm: Steven J.
Wallace
Deny: ???????
4. “The Scriptures teach
that the cross of Jesus Christ requires Christians to keep the Sabbath day holy.”
Affirm: ???????
Deny: Steven J. Wallace
The church of Christ
at 13th and Edison will sponsor half of this discussion. Truth has nothing to
fear. Let us come together to reason from the holy word of God. Why slip away from the truth?
