This is a question many Christians ask today, isn’t it? Teachers of our age are quick to conclude this topic, most likely dismantling the truth with their own coined doctrines.  It has been over 1900 years since our early Christian fathers walked on this planet. Many things have changed over time. As a matter of fact, we have lost the understanding of what our fathers observed and understood when they walked with Yeshua and when they sat under the leadership of the early disciples of Yeshua. This happens in every generation.

Here is an example to explain what we are talking about here:

Judges 2: 10 That entire generation passed away; a new generation grew up that had not personally experienced the LORD’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel.

Here is the background of this verse! The Children of Israel under the leadership of Joshua entered the Promised Land.  They are working on possessing the land with the help of Joshua’s leadership and others. Now, Joshua and his contemporaries are getting old. These people were strong in their faith having experienced firsthand the wonder-working power of God.  They have heard from their fathers what the Lord has done to them in Egypt. And they have experienced God in a very personal manner during the 40 years of wilderness journey. They have a huge influence on the people and therefore as verse 7 says “The people worshiped the LORD throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.” Now, when we come to verse 10, it says “; a new generation grew up that had not personally experienced the LORD’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel”. The new generation lost touch with the reality that their very existence is a miracle. They lost the understanding of the laws of God and what it means to please God. They lost the enthusiasm to follow God and will a miracle in their lives like Joshua and others did. What was the result; they turned to other gods and did what was displeasing to God. They failed to expel the Canaanites from their midst as commanded by God. Instead, they compromised and disobeyed God. And the consequences are being reaped even today.

My point is this. This is what happened over the centuries after the generations have passed since the disciples walked on the planet. People lost their understanding. People their enthusiasm. People neglected to follow the commandments of God. They began to twist and turn the word of God the way it fits their agenda. They came up with their interpretation of the scripture and compromised the word of God to accommodate the social, economic and political norms of their age. The subsequent generation did even worse. Now, after 1900 years, we have set doctrines that are far away from the reality of what God intended for us. This is only human. But we never question our understanding of the Scripture. We do not consider the Old Testament principles to be relevant to our lives today. We have a church system that comes with its doctrines that fit our lives today.  I believe that the teaching of the relevance and the importance of the Sabbath is one of those good examples.

What is the evidence that the early church kept the 7th day Biblical Sabbath? Here are some of the statements from our early fathers for us to consider.

“Declares (Philo) the seventh day to be a festival, not of this or of that city, but of the universe.” M’Clatchie, “Notes and Queries,” Vol. 4, 99.

“The primitive Christians had a great veneration for the Sabbath and spent the day in devotion and sermons. And it is not to be doubted but they derived this practice from the apostles themselves, as appears by several Scriptures to that purpose.” Dialogue on the Lord’s Day, p. 189. London: 1701. By Dr. T.H. Morer (Church of England divine).

“…The Sabbath was a strong tie which united them with the life of the whole people, and in keeping the Sabbath holy they followed not only the example but also the command of Jesus.” “Geschichte des Sonntags,” pp.13, 14

“The primitive Christians did keep the Sabbath of the Jews;…therefore the Christians, for a long time together, did keep their conventions upon the Sabbath, in which some portions of the law were read: and this continued till the time of the Laodicean council.” “The Whole Works” of Jeremy Taylor, Vol. IX,p. 416 (R. Heber’s Edition, Vol XII, p. 416).

“The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of Saturday, or the seventh day. It is plain that all the Oriental churches, and the greatest part of the world, observed the Sabbath as a festival. Athanasius tells us that they held religious assemblies on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism, but to worship Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. Epiphanius says the same.” Antiquities of the Christian Church, Vol. II. Book XX, chap 3, Sec. 1 66.1137, 1138.

“It is certain that the ancient Sabbath did remain and was observed (together with the celebration of the Lord’s day) by the Christians of the East Church, above three hundred years after our Saviour’s death.” “A Learned Treatise of the Sabbath,” p. 77

Note: By the “Lord’s day” here the writer means Sunday and not the true Sabbath,” which the Bible says is the Sabbath. This quotation shows Sunday coming into use in the early centuries soon after the death of the Apostles. Paul the Apostle foretold a great “falling away” from the Truth that would take place soon after his death.

“From the apostles’ time until the council of Laodicea, which was about the year 364, the holy observance of the Jews’ Sabbath continued, as may be proved out of many authors: yea, notwithstanding the decree of the council against it.” “Sunday a Sabbath.” John Ley, p.163. London: 1640.

“The people of Constantinople and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria.” Socrates, Ecclesiastical History, Book 7, chap. 19.

The observance of God’s true Biblical Sabbath did NOT end with the apostles and the early church. It was practiced and continues to be practiced by those believers who recognize and understand the importance of OBEDIENCE to God’s commandments.

And here are some choice excerpts substantiating that punishment was meted out to those who refused to change their practice of Sabbath observance or to recognize the “Sunday law” being promoted in the majority of the gentile Christian world.

“Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s Day they shall especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ.” Catholic Church Council in Laodicea, 364AD, Canon 29.

“We are informed that some people in different districts of the kingdom, have adopted and observed Saturday-keeping. It is severely forbidden – in holy church canon – one and all to observe days excepting those which the holy Pope, archbishop, or the bishops command. Saturday-keeping must under no circumstances be permitted hereafter further than the church canon commands. Therefore, we counsel all the friends of God throughout all Norway who want to be obedient towards the holy church to let this evil of Saturday-keeping alone; and the rest we forbid under penalty of severe church punishment to keep Saturday holy.” Catholic Provincial Council at Bergen. 1435 Dip. Norveg., 7, 397.

Holland and Germany: Babara of Thiers, who was executed in 1529, declared: “God has commanded us to rest on the seventh day.” Martyrology of the Churches of Christ, commonly called Baptists, during the era of the Reformation, from the Dutch of T.J. Van Braght, London 1850, 1, pp. 113-114.

Russia: “The accused (Sabbath-keepers) were summoned; they openly acknowledged the new faith, and defended the same. The most eminent of them, the secretary of state, Kuritzyn, Ivan Maximow, Kassian, archimandrite of the Jury Monastery of Novgorod, were condemned to death, and burned publicly in cages, at Moscow, Dec. 27, 1503.”( Council, Moscow, 1503). H. Sternberf, Geschichte der Juden (Leipzig, 1873), pp. 117-122.

Sweden: “This zeal for Saturday-keeping continued for a long time; even little things which might strengthen the practice of keeping Saturday were punished.” Bishop Anjou, Svenska Kirkans Historia efter Motet i Upsala.

Europe: About the year 1520, many of these Sabbath-keepers found shelter on the estate of Lord Leonhardt of Lichtensein, “as the princes of Lichtenstein held to the observance of the true Sabbath.” History of the Sabbath, J.N. Andrews, p. 649, ed.

Rumania (1760): “Joseph II’s edict of tolerance did not apply to the Sabbatarians, some of whom again lost all of their possessions.” Jahrgang 2, 254.

Bohemia and Moravia: “The condition of the Sabbatarians (from 1635 to 1867) was dreadful. Their books and writings had to be delivered to the Karlsburg Consistory to become the spoil of flames.” Adolf Dux, Aus Ungarn, pp. 289-291. Leipzig, 1880.

As believers in God, wishing to honour God with our lives, if there is one thing that matters to our lives today it is to take a painful exploration of what God has said in His word and follow them. Because the end of the day as far as eternity is concerned is the deciding factor. Nothing else matters. Don’t be a lawbreaker!

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’