“The Sabbath Day” — Section 9
Should the Sabbath Day be observed on Saturday or Sunday?
Representative of a Christian church:
I would like to ask you missionaries a question concerning the Sabbath Day. The Lord told Moses “Thou shalt remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy”. For thousands of years, Saturday had been observed by the Jews as the Sabbath Day, but through the pagan philosophies of the Christian era, this commandment was violated and services were held on Sundays. Specifically for you young missionaries, your own Doctrine and Covenants, section 68, states that “…the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the Sabbath Day to keep it holy”. You and most other Christians observe Sunday as the day of worship, yet your own scriptures admonish you to ‘keep the Sabbath Day holy’. The Sabbath Day means Saturday! What is your answer to this inconsistency in your worship?
Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
Thank you for the question. This is a good point you bring forward, but we can find an answer for your question in the scriptures. We read in the Bible that “…the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The sabbath was indeed observed under Jewish law on Saturday, and you are asking where the scripture is that commands us to change Saturday worship to Sunday worship. We find the apostle John referring to Sunday as “The Lord’s day” in Revelations 1:10. It was on “The Lord’s Day” that the disciples gathered together following the resurrection of Christ. On the following Sunday they met again (John 20:26) and the scriptures affirm that the Sacrament was observed on “…the Lord’s day…” (Acts 20:7). Collection for the saints was made on the Lord’s day (1 Corinthians 16:2). If we live by the Jewish law on this commandment, we would then need to live by the Jewish law on all commandments. However, the scriptures tell us that “…the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ…” (Galatians 3:24-25). Now that Christ has come, we follow His law.
Representative of a Christian church:
Are you saying that we no longer need the Ten Commandments?
Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
No, we are simply saying that Christ summed up the Ten Commandments in just two commandments: love the Lord and love your neighbor. On these two laws, said the Savior, “hang all the law and the prophets”. Hebrews 8:1-13 also tells us that the old covenant was superseded by Christ’s new covenant. Colossians 2:16 reads, “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; “. Doesn’t it make sense that if you are going to observed the ancient Sabbath day, you would also need to observe ALL of the ancient law? We can read in Exodus 31:14-17 of a man who was to be put to death for not observing the Sabbath day. Exodus 36:3 informs us that those abiding by the Old Testament Sabbath should not “kindle fire” on this holy day. All food, according to Mosaic Law was to be prepared the evening before the Sabbath. If the old Mosaic Law was to remain in force, it seems that the Gentile converts would have been taught this fact after the Council of Jerusalem, but they were not (see Acts 15:19-20). Also, the law of circumcision, a vital part of the Mosaic law, was set aside by the apostles of Christ (see Acts 15:24). If one believes it is important to observe the Sabbath Day on Saturday, as was done under the Mosaic Law, then one would also need to observe the 7th month of every year, and also every 7th year. During the 7th year, the foods grown on arable lands was to be left for the poor and for the beasts of the field, and the was a total release of debts among the Israelites. Under the Mosaic Law, there were to be no fires kindled on the Sabbath Day. These things were done away with after Christ, as was the necessity of observing the Sabbath Day on Saturday. The Law of Moses was given to a certain people at a certain time. It fulfilled its purpose, but was revised and changed as the New Testament era came to pass.
Representative of a Christian church:
Then why does it say “Keep the Sabbath Day holy” in your Doctrine and Covenants?
Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
The Jewish Sabbath was observed on Saturday under Mosaic law, but he resurrection of our Lord brought about the change to the eighth day, which is the Christian Sabbath.
Representative of a Christian church:
Since you admit to living in accordance with the “Sabbath”, why don’t you observe the Jubilee year or the Sabbatical Year, and why don’t you terminate the lives of those who violate the Sabbath Day?
Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
Since at the time of Christ the Priesthood was changed, and a new and better covenant was given, there was also, of necessity, a change of the law (see Hebrews 7:12). The old law was fulfilled, and was replaced by the new law.
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