Is Sabbath-Keeping Required for Christians?

[David]

This question has divided many: Are Christians today required to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) as a day of rest and worship, or was the Sabbath command given only to Israel under the Old Covenant?

The seventh day Sabbath was clearly commanded to Israel under the Law of Moses:

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God…” (Exodus 20:8–10).

But what does the New Testament say about Sabbath-keeping under the New Covenant?

Key passages to consider:

• 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.”
• Romans 14:5 – “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
• Galatians 4:9–10 – “But now, after that ye have known God… ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”
• Hebrews 4:9–10 – “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”

Some teach that the Sabbath is a perpetual moral command, never revoked, and that Christians must observe it today — often on Saturday.
Others teach that the Sabbath was a ceremonial law given to Israel, fulfilled in Christ, and believers are now free to rest in Him daily.

What does the Bible say?
Is Sabbath-keeping required for Christians under the New Covenant? Or is it part of the law that pointed to Christ and has now been fulfilled?

Please answer with Scripture and keep the discussion respectful. Opinions are welcome only when grounded in the Word of God.

 

[PLANofMAN]

God's Sabbath continues. Of the days of creation, the Sabbath is the only one that is mentioned without an end. God entered into the Sabbath rest and continues in it. The commandment to keep the Sabbath was but a reflection of the reality that God's Sabbath represents. While Jews were required to keep the Sabbath one day a week, we, as Christians, keep the Sabbath daily.

As Christians, we find our rest in Jesus alone, and choose to celebrate on the first day of the week, Sunday, our Lord's resurrection day.

As a Christian, this question troubled me for a long time, because I saw Jesus's death and resurrection as the abolishment of the legal and ceremonial law code, but as Christians, we are still required to follow the Mosaic Law of the ten commandments. And keeping the Sabbath holy is one of those commandments. After all, Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, and his sermon on the mount is a clear indication that not only are we to still follow that law, we are responsible for following the moral tenets of that law, not just the 'letter' of the law.

Once I realized that the Sabbath was so much more than just a weekly single day of rest, it set my mind at ease.

 

[David]

God's Sabbath continues. Of the days of creation, the Sabbath is the only one that is mentioned without an end. God entered into the Sabbath rest and continues in it. The commandment to keep the Sabbath was but a reflection of the reality that God's Sabbath represents. While Jews were required to keep the Sabbath one day a week, we, as Christians, keep the Sabbath daily.

As Christians, we find our rest in Jesus alone, and choose to celebrate on the first day of the week, Sunday, our Lord's resurrection day.

As a Christian, this question troubled me for a long time, because I saw Jesus's death and resurrection as the abolishment of the legal and ceremonial law code, but as Christians, we are still required to follow the Mosaic Law of the ten commandments. And keeping the Sabbath holy is one of those commandments. After all, Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, and his sermon on the mount is a clear indication that not only are we to still follow that law, we are responsible for following the moral tenets of that law, not just the 'letter' of the law.

Once I realized that the Sabbath was so much more than just a weekly single day of rest, it set my mind at ease.

Thanks for your ideas regarding the Sabbath. Here are my thought on the subject. The seventh day of Genesis stands out as a distinctive entity. God rested, blessed it, and set it apart (Genesis 2: The seventh day in Genesis lacks the phrase "evening and morning" but provides no biblical teaching to suggest God stayed in that day or that it continued indefinitely. This rest serves as an indicator toward a more significant future event.

Under the Mosaic Law, Israel was commanded to keep the Sabbath weekly (Exodus 20: Colossians 2:16–17 reveals the Sabbath as a shadow while Christ represents the true substance. Hebrews 4 reveals that we find real “rest” spiritually through Him alone. The scripture states that God’s people have a remaining rest and we should cease working the way God ceased from His work (Hebrews 4:9–10). This statement clearly shows how the true essence isn't about literal day observance but resting in Jesus' completed work.

You pointed out daily Sabbath observance but Scripture doesn’t use those exact words although our current continuous spiritual rest through faith aligns perfectly with the concept. Jesus told His followers to “come to me and I shall give you rest” according to Matthew 11:28. The Sabbath we experience today requires daily trust rather than weekly rest.

Jesus completed the law through His teachings but did not eliminate it according to Matthew 5:17. When Jesus fulfilled the law He completed its requirements making the old covenant law obsolete for us (Romans 6:14, Galatians 5:18). The Church continues to uphold essential moral principles although no longer receives a specific command to observe the Sabbath. The invitation stands for us to remain united with Jesus throughout each day.

It’s beautiful that we celebrate His resurrection on Sunday, the first day of the week (Matthew 28: The New Testament provides no directive to observe Sunday as a Sabbath day. Christ remains the central focus while the calendar holds secondary importance.

The Sabbath represents a precursor to the rest believers experience through Christ now. The understanding that we have freedom through Christ expands our appreciation for His work on our behalf. The need to observe a specific day disappears because your rest is completely secure in Him. That’s the freedom Scripture gives us.

 

[PLANofMAN]

...When Jesus fulfilled the law He completed its requirements making the old covenant law obsolete for us (Romans 6:14, Galatians 5:18)...

Careful. This ignores the sermon on the mount, where Jesus re-affirmed the ten commandments as the moral code for all to live by.

This is why I separated those from the Mosaic ceremonial and legal law.

 

[David]

Careful. This ignores the sermon on the mount, where Jesus re-affirmed the ten commandments as the moral code for all to live by.

This is why I separated those from the Mosaic ceremonial and legal law.

This is how I think about it when studying the scriptures. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus did not present the Ten Commandments as a set of rules for Christians to follow. He brought the law into people’s hearts by taking it to a deeper level. He taught that people are condemned not only by murder but also by anger. Not just adultery, but lust. He revealed the ultimate standard of righteousness which surpasses any achievement through mere legal adherence. He came to bring the law to completion because He stated He came to fulfill the law, not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17). The Greek term plēroō signifies both completion and attainment of an intended purpose. He accomplished this by living a perfect life, followed by His death on the cross and His resurrection. The law's full requirements were met through His actions on our behalf.

The New Testament never commands the church to follow the Ten Commandments as a covenant code. In fact, it says the opposite. Romans 6: The book of Romans chapter 6 verse 14 states that we live under grace instead of the law. Galatians 3: Galatians 3:24–25 teaches that the law functioned as our teacher to lead us to Christ but our faith now releases us from this instructional guide. James 2: James 2:10 shows that breaking any part of the law makes you accountable for its entirety. The Bible itself does not break down the law into moral, ceremonial and legal parts because this structure was developed by scholars rather than originating from scripture. The Bible teaches that Christ fulfilled all the law's requirements and now believers are directed by the Holy Spirit instead of the stone tablets (Galatians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 3:7–11). Faith brings our righteousness while returning to the old covenant does not.

 

[A.W. Bowman]

Off topic: Three related questions:

1. What Laws are written on the hearts of men?

2. Do these Laws include the question of Sabbath keeping?

3.. How does Jer 31:33 relate to Christians, or does it?

":But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people".

Context.

 

[NeutralZone]

This question has divided many: Are Christians today required to keep the Sabbath (Saturday) as a day of rest and worship, or was the Sabbath command given only to Israel under the Old Covenant?

The seventh day Sabbath was clearly commanded to Israel under the Law of Moses:

No, Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath.

The Sabbath was part of the Mosaic Law, which was for the ancient Israelites who, at the time, were God's chosen people. Jesus made it clear that he fulfilled the Mosaic Law, thereby cancelling it out.

Matthew 5:17​

“Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill.

 

[David]

No, Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath.

The Sabbath was part of the Mosaic Law, which was for the ancient Israelites who, at the time, were God's chosen people. Jesus made it clear that he fulfilled the Mosaic Law, thereby cancelling it out.

Matthew 5:17​

“Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill.

You are correct that Christians are no longer under the Mosaic law, so the ceremonial precepts associated with the Old Covenant such as Sabbath keeping are not required of us. That covenant was given to Israel at a different point in redemptive history and Christ came as the perfect sacrifice who fulfilled the Law perfectly by His life, death, and resurrection. (That being said, when Christ says in Matthew 5: 17 that He has come to fulfill the Law, this does not mean that He came to abolish the Law. Rather, fulfillment means that He satisfied the Law’s requirements, that is, its purpose has been accomplished, but not that He did away with it.) Paul clarified that much more in Colossians 2: 16–17 when he told believers not to let anyone judge them regarding Sabbaths because they were a shadow of things to come, pointing to Christ. He also made clear in Romans 14: 5 that Christians have liberty in how they view special days. What is important is that believers are fully convinced in their own minds and live unto the Lord.

We are not under the Law’s precepts regarding the Sabbath, but we also don’t treat the Sabbath lightly, either. We now rest in Christ Himself, who is our true Sabbath (Hebrews 4:9–10).

 

[NeutralZone]

You are correct that Christians are no longer under the Mosaic law, so the ceremonial precepts associated with the Old Covenant such as Sabbath keeping are not required of us. That covenant was given to Israel at a different point in redemptive history and Christ came as the perfect sacrifice who fulfilled the Law perfectly by His life, death, and resurrection. (That being said, when Christ says in Matthew 5: 17 that He has come to fulfill the Law, this does not mean that He came to abolish the Law. Rather, fulfillment means that He satisfied the Law’s requirements, that is, its purpose has been accomplished, but not that He did away with it.) Paul clarified that much more in Colossians 2: 16–17 when he told believers not to let anyone judge them regarding Sabbaths because they were a shadow of things to come, pointing to Christ. He also made clear in Romans 14: 5 that Christians have liberty in how they view special days. What is important is that believers are fully convinced in their own minds and live unto the Lord.

We are not under the Law’s precepts regarding the Sabbath, but we also don’t treat the Sabbath lightly, either. We now rest in Christ Himself, who is our true Sabbath (Hebrews 4:9–10).

I agree with some of what you said above. However, prior to his death, Jesus informed his first century disciples that he was now establishing a new covenant (known as the Law of Love).

Jesus Christ abolished the Mosaic Law and replaced it with the Law of Love.

Berean Standard Bible -- Hebrews 8:13
By speaking of a new covenant, He [Jesus] has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

After Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, even the first century Christians who, because they were Hebrew, had been subject to the Mosaic Law were freed from the Mosaic Law.