Have you ever heard that certain verses in the New Testament—like Colossians 2:16 or Hebrews 4—do away with the seventh-day Sabbath? It’s a common teaching in many churches today, suggesting the Sabbath was nailed to the cross or became optional under grace. But what if a closer look at these passages, in light of the apostles’ own practices, reveals something different? Let’s examine the Scriptures thoughtfully, letting the words of Paul and others guide us. This journey might just prompt you to rethink long-held assumptions and relearn what the early church truly lived out.
Understanding the Context: No Explicit Abolition in Scripture #
The New Testament doesn’t contain a single command from Jesus or the apostles to stop observing the Sabbath or switch it to another day. Instead, we see continuity: Jesus kept the Sabbath as His custom (Luke 4:16), healing and teaching on it while emphasizing mercy over legalism (Mark 2:27-28). After His resurrection, the apostles continued gathering on the Sabbath for worship and preaching (Acts 13:42-44; 17:2; 18:4). Paul, who addressed many controversies like circumcision and food laws, never mentions a debate over changing or abolishing the day of rest.
This silence is telling. If the Sabbath had been revoked, wouldn’t it have sparked explosive discussions among Jewish believers? The lack of any such record challenges us to evaluate why mainstream teachings often claim it was abolished, when the biblical evidence points to its enduring role as a memorial of creation and God’s rest (Exodus 20:8-11).
Colossians 2:16-17: Shadow or Substance? #
One frequently cited passage is 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: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
At first glance, this might seem to dismiss Sabbath-keeping. But let’s dig deeper. Paul warns against ascetic, human philosophies infiltrating the church (Colossians 2:8, 18-23)—not against God’s law. The “sabbath days” here likely refer to ceremonial sabbaths tied to feasts, new moons, and sacrifices (Leviticus 23), which pointed forward to Christ.
Paul further says in Colossians 2:22, “These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings.” The fact of the matter is, the new moon and the sabbath are established by God, not human beings. Therefore, we can conclude that Paul is referring to the man-made laws or ceremonies.
The weekly seventh-day Sabbath, rooted in creation (Genesis 2:2-3), isn’t a shadow—it’s a perpetual sign (Exodus 31:16-17). Paul himself kept it faithfully (Acts 17:2). Question to ponder: If this verse abolishes the Sabbath, why did the apostles continue observing it without apology? Perhaps it’s a call not to let others judge our joyful keeping of God’s commands, rather than permission to ignore them.
Hebrews 4: Entering God’s Rest #
Hebrews 4:4-11 speaks of rest: “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… There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.”
Some interpret this as the Sabbath being fulfilled in Christ, making literal observance unnecessary. Yet the chapter affirms the seventh-day rest as ongoing—”there remaineth a rest” (sabbatismos, meaning Sabbath-keeping). It urges believers to enter this rest by faith, avoiding Israel’s unbelief. The weekly Sabbath pictures the ultimate spiritual rest in Christ, but it doesn’t replace the physical day God sanctified.
Jesus offered rest to the weary (Matthew 11:28-30), yet He still observed the Sabbath. The apostles did too, showing that faith enhances, not eliminates, obedience. Challenge yourself: If Hebrews portrays the Sabbath as a remaining blessing, why do many teachings suggest it’s obsolete? Relearning this could deepen our experience of God’s grace.
Romans 14:5-6: Esteeming Days #
Romans 14:5-6 says: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
This is often used to argue that days of worship are optional. But the context is about doubtful disputations—personal convictions on eating meat offered to idols or fasting (Romans 14:1-3, 21). It doesn’t address the commanded Sabbath. Paul upholds God’s law as “holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12) and says circumcision is nothing, but “keeping the commandments of God” matters (1 Corinthians 7:19).
The apostles’ example shows no such flexibility with the Sabbath—they kept it consistently. Thought-provoking: If Paul meant the Sabbath is a matter of preference, why didn’t he say so clearly, especially amid other debates?
Galatians 4:9-10: Weak and Beggarly Elements #
Galatians 4:9-10 warns: “But now, after that ye have known God… how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements… Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.”
Paul combats legalism—Judaizers insisting on circumcision and ceremonies for salvation (Galatians 5:1-6). The “days” refer to pagan or ceremonial observances, not the moral Sabbath command. Paul, a Sabbath-keeper, wouldn’t contradict his own practice.
Evaluating this: Mainstream views often blend these with the weekly Sabbath, but the apostles’ lives tell a different story. What if these passages protect against misuse, not abolition?
Rethinking Abolition: A Call Back to Apostolic Truth #
History shows the shift to Sunday came centuries later, influenced by anti-Jewish sentiment and pagan sun worship, not New Testament teaching. Constantine’s edict in 321 AD formalized Sunday observance, but the Bible records no such change. The apostles’ unwavering Sabbath-keeping invites us to relearn: Obedience flows from love (John 14:15), and the Sabbath remains a delight (Isaiah 58:13-14).
Do these passages truly abolish God’s holy day, or have interpretations evolved to fit traditions? At Yovel Ministries, we’re exploring these questions to align with Scripture. What insights have you gained? Share below—let’s grow together in truth.
October 19, 2026 @ 1:02 pm
The observance of Christians for Sunday as the Christian day of worship is never commanded or established in the Bible. However, it is the standard practice of the majority of Christians going all the way back to the earliest Christians.
Most of the earliest Christian writers specifically mention Sunday or the “first day of the week” as the “Lord’s Day” when Christians come together for weekly “breaking of bread” (believed to be Communion), fellowship, prayer, and reading of the Scriptures. Paul met with Christians on the “first day of the week” and commanded them to set aside their offerings to the church as first fruits on the “first day of the week”.
Read the earliest Christian writings outside of the Bible and almost all refer to the “Lord’s Day” as the “first day of the week”. The primary reason is that Jesus rose from the dead on the “first day of the week”. God created light and separated it from the darkness on the “first day of the week”. Therefore, as Christians of the “New Covenant”, “we worship on the first day of the week”. It is significant that ALMOST ALL of the EARLIEST Christians write this from 100 AD onward, and the Didache was probably earlier, possibly by any or all of Jesus’ original disciples minus Judas and James who was killed early.
The sabbath was made optional specifically in Colossians 2 and Romans 14. It was still sometimes regarded as the “day of rest” whereas Sunday was the “Christian day of worship and fellowship”. Sunday worship was not a commandment either, but was the practice of almost all Christians in every generation. The New Testament commands Christians to get together for prayer and fellowship, and observance of Communion, but does not command a specific day.
October 24, 2026 @ 3:42 pm
Hi Wendy, thank you for taking the time to provide such a thoughtful and detailed comment. I appreciate that you are looking at both the New Testament and the writings of the early Christians. I think there are several important points here that deserve careful examination.
I agree with one important part of your observation: Christians did gather on the first day of the week, and there is historical evidence that Sunday became an important day of Christian gathering very early in church history. I am not arguing that Christians never met on Sunday.
The question I am asking, however, is a little more specific:
Did Jesus or the apostles change the biblical Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week?
That is where I believe we need to distinguish between a day on which Christians gathered and the day God commanded and sanctified as the Sabbath.
1. Sunday gatherings do not necessarily make Sunday the Sabbath
Acts 20:7 records believers gathering on the first day of the week, and 1 Corinthians 16:2 mentions the first day in connection with setting aside offerings.
I accept those passages for what they say.
But neither passage says:
“The Sabbath has now been changed from the seventh day to the first day.”
Nor does either passage call Sunday “the Sabbath.”
So I think the question is not whether Christians met on Sunday. They clearly did.
The question is whether Scripture gives us authority to redefine the Sabbath.
2. The resurrection is extremely important — but where does Scripture say it changed the Sabbath?
I absolutely agree that the resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, and I understand why Christians would want to gather on that day to remember the resurrection.
But there is an important distinction between saying:
“Christ rose on the first day, so Christians gathered on that day”
and saying:
“Because Christ rose on the first day, God transferred the Sabbath commandment to that day.”
The first statement can be demonstrated from Scripture.
The second requires an explicit biblical basis.
Where does Jesus say it?
Where do Peter, Paul, James, John, or the other apostles say it?
Where does the Jerusalem council establish it?
That is the part I believe deserves further examination.
3. What did Jesus actually do with the Sabbath?
Jesus had numerous opportunities to correct or redefine the Sabbath.
Instead, He said:
“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” — Mark 2:27
He also identified Himself as “Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus certainly challenged the Pharisees’ interpretation and misuse of the Sabbath. He demonstrated that doing good, healing, and showing mercy were entirely consistent with the Sabbath.
But I don’t see Him announcing that the Sabbath itself was being transferred to Sunday.
In fact, after His death, Luke records that His followers “rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56).
That is significant because it occurs after the crucifixion but before the resurrection.
4. What about Paul?
Paul is particularly important because he is often used to support the idea that the Sabbath was no longer relevant. Yet Acts repeatedly records Paul teaching on the Sabbath.
Acts 13 is especially interesting because Gentiles asked Paul and Barnabas to speak to them “the next Sabbath.” The following Sabbath, “almost the whole city” gathered to hear the word of God. If the apostles had established Sunday as the replacement Sabbath, this would seem like an excellent opportunity for Paul to explain the change.
But he doesn’t. Similarly, Acts 17:2 says it was Paul’s custom to reason from the Scriptures on the Sabbath, and Acts 18:4 says he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath.
Again, the question is not whether Christians could meet on Sunday.
The question is:
Where is the apostolic teaching that Sunday replaced the seventh-day Sabbath?
5. Colossians 2 and Romans 14 deserve careful consideration
I understand the argument that Colossians 2 and Romans 14 make Sabbath observance optional.
But I think this is precisely where context matters. Colossians 2:16–17 mentions “festival,” “new moon,” and “sabbaths.” This language is also found together in the Old Testament when discussing the annual, monthly, and other appointed observances. So I don’t think we should automatically assume that Paul was declaring the Fourth Commandment abolished.
Romans 14:5 likewise speaks about one person esteeming one day above another and another esteeming every day alike. But the passage is dealing with disagreements among believers over matters of practice. The important question is:
Is Paul actually discussing the weekly Sabbath commandment here, or are we importing that conclusion into the passage?
I think that deserves a much closer examination.
6. What about the earliest Christian writings?
This is probably the strongest part of your argument, and I don’t want to dismiss it. If early Christian writers from the second century onward frequently referred to Sunday as the “Lord’s Day,” that is historically significant. But it actually raises another question:
Are the writings of post-apostolic Christian leaders evidence of what the apostles commanded, or evidence of how Christian practice developed after the apostles?
I think we need to distinguish those two things. The writings of early Christians can certainly help us understand the development of Christian practice. But if the question is specifically whether Jesus and the apostles changed God’s Sabbath, then the New Testament should remain our primary authority for establishing an apostolic command.
In other words:
Historical evidence can tell us when a practice became common. It does not automatically establish that God commanded the practice.
7. “Almost all Christians did it” is not necessarily the same as “the apostles commanded it”
This is probably where our conclusions differ most. If virtually all Christians eventually practiced something, that certainly makes the historical development worth studying.
But Christianity has always had to distinguish between:
What became traditional and What was taught by the apostles.
The Bereans were commended because they examined what they were being taught against the Scriptures (Acts 17:11).
That is the spirit I am encouraging. I am not asking Christians to reject something simply because it is traditional. I am asking us to examine whether our traditions can be demonstrated from Scripture.
8. The question I would ultimately ask every believer
Perhaps the most important question isn’t:
“What does the majority of Christianity practice?”
Instead:
“What did Jesus and His apostles teach us to practice?”
If Scripture clearly establishes the seventh day as God’s Sabbath, and if there is no recorded apostolic command transferring that Sabbath to Sunday, then shouldn’t we at least be willing to reconsider the assumption that Sunday became the Sabbath?
I respect those who sincerely worship on Sunday. My purpose is not to question anyone’s sincerity or relationship with God. Rather, I believe we should be willing to rethink, relearn, and test inherited traditions against Scripture — even when those traditions have been practiced for centuries.
Ultimately, I think the question deserves more than “This is what Christians have always done.”
The better question is:
“Where did the apostles teach us to do this?”
That is the question I hope Yovel Ministries will continue encouraging believers to ask.