The Lord's Day

The Lord's day is Sunday, the day of the resurrection. Ignatius wrote that the Lord's day had replaced the Sabbath. The first day of the week was made a holiday, called however, the Sun's Day from a Zoroastrian source, rather than the Lord's Day. In Anglo-Saxon, we speak of Sunday, whereas Latin peoples call it the Lord's Day.

Although the Lord's Day is numerically the first day of the week, it actually represents the eighth day, which is the day of new beginnings. The symbolic meaning of circumcision sets forth the same significance and severity in our entering into the Sabbath of the soul. Circumcision was on the 8th day, a reminder of the first day of the week, the Lord's Day and denotes the incorporation into the family of God.

The opposition to Judaistic legalism early led to the special observance of Sunday in place of the Sabbath. As the Sabbath was regarded as representing Judaism, Sunday was contemplated as a symbol of a new life consecrated to the risen Jesus. Because it was grounded in His resurrection, Sunday was distinguished as a day of joy.

Eusebius: "From the beginning, Christians assembled on the first day of the week. It was called the Lord's Day by John in the Apocalypse. They met on the Lord's Day for the purpose of religious worship, to read the Scriptures, to preach and to celebrate the Lord's Supper." The beginning of the Christian church, the day of Pentecost was on the first day of the week.

The Lord's Day is the holy day of the Christian Church and the day of the Christian's solemnity. Many Christians will have nothing to do with a Judaizing Sabbath but according to the principles of Christian freedom, it doesn't matter either way. While the Jewish Christians in the first century may have continued for some time to observe the 7th day as a witness to the Jews, there is no indication that Gentile Christians ever gave heed to the 7th day and only the schismatic sects observed it.

Although there is no New Testament mandate to worship on any day, be it Saturday or Sunday, it has caused division in the church. It is neither right nor wrong to worship on either day. For those that wish the observance of The Lord's day or the Sabbath to be a requirement, the malediction of falling from grace is reserved for them. To require Sunday observance as the Sabbath like the early Calvinists did or from legalistic Sunday "blue laws" only serves to quench the spirit and return us to the Judaizing tendencies that was condemned in the early church. The fact is that God doesn't care what day we worship and neither is a requirement. What is required is love. I was brought up with worshipping on the Lord's day and have never had a problem with it. I have fellowshipped with Adventists and have never had a problem with that unless they had a problem with me. The experience that I had as a youth was when I was castigated by a Christian couple that admonished me for working on my Dad's yard on Sunday. This couple was not in the spirit of love and I later found through the word that love was the identifying mark of a Christian, not whether he followed every jot and tittle of the Sabbath laws, Saturday or Sunday. I was filled with the Holy Ghost on a Wednesday, spent many anointed evenings at Friday fellowships and I respect anyone who worships at all. What is wrong is to exclude brothers of one from the brothers of the other or to exalt either day as law. This is where the division is and the type of legalism that will expose a false church.

We should be worshipping God every day.
[16, 22, 313]



The Lord has given Christians the grace to reconcile the children to their Fathers

As One Body

  • We prepare for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb
  • Harvest the Fruit of the Latter Rain
  • Follow Him as the Army of the Lord into His Glory

Help To Prepare A Holy Bride!

Issue Oriented Discussion Newsletter

Index | Search This Site | Aristide.Org | The Latter Rain | Babylon the Great | The Kingdom | The Nicolaitans | Jezebel
The Baptism With the Holy Ghost | The Grand Delusion | World Trade Org | Liberation Theology | Jay Atkinson | Alphabetical Index



jay@latter-rain.com