Keeping the Sabbath as a Christian: What is the Sabbath Day and How to Keep It
Wondering what the Sabbath is and how to keep it? You’re in the right place! As a Christian, it is important to keep the Sabbath day holy. But what is the Sabbath day, and how can we keep it? Today I’m discussing these questions and providing tips on how to observe the Sabbath in a way that honors God.
The Sabbath day is a holy day for Christians, and there are lots of ways to make it special. Keeping the Sabbath is a beautiful way to connect with God and spend time with your family. It’s a special day that’s all about rest, worship, and fellowship.
What is the Sabbath day?
The Sabbath is a wonderful gift that gives us time to recharge our minds and refresh our souls. It’s a day when we can rest from our work and spend time with family and friends.
We can enjoy activities that nourish our souls and give us a chance to reflect on our week. The Sabbath is a day of worship, but it’s also a day of rest and relaxation.
It’s a day when we can slow down and focus on what’s truly important in life. The Sabbath reminds us of the love of our Creator. And it’s a day that we can enjoy with the people we care about most.
You may think that keeping the Sabbath is something that only the Jews do, but that’s not true! Christians also keep the Sabbath. In fact, the Sabbath is a day that’s been set aside for worship since the beginning of time.
Jesus said, “And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 ESV
The Sabbath was made for man! It is a gift from God to us! And it’s a day that we can use to honor Him.
Remember the Sabbath Day Commandment
The 4th commandment asks us to remember the Sabbath. By keeping, or remembering, the Sabbath, we are obeying one of God’s 10 commandments and honoring Him with love and respect.
In return, God blesses us with the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of rest and worship that helps us remember who God is and what He has done for us. It is a time to spend with family and friends and to refocus our thoughts on things that are important. When we keep the Sabbath, we are blessed with peace, joy, and many other blessings.
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” Isaiah 58:13-14
Remember the Sabbath Day to Keep It Holy
The Sabbath was given to use that very first week of creation. The Bible tells us that God rested on the seventh day, and He blessed it and made it holy. The Sabbath has existed since creation!
Later, in the 10 commandments, He commanded us to keep the Sabbath day holy. In Exodus 20:11, we read, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
In the Bible the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday (the preparation day) and ends at sundown on Saturday (the seventh day).
We read in the Bible that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and we are commanded to keep it holy. Most Christians today go to church on Sunday and believe that Sunday is the Sabbath.
However, the Bible never instructs us to change the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. In fact, there is no evidence in the Bible that the early church ever changed the day of worship.
So, what happened? Why do most Christians today worship on Sunday instead of Saturday?
The change from Saturday to Sunday worship began several hundred years after Christ. At that time, Christianity became legalized under the Roman emperor Constantine.
Constantine was the first Christian emperor, and he made many changes that affected the way Christians worshiped. One of those changes was to declare Sunday as a day of rest and worship.
Constantine did this because the pagan people in his empire were already worshipping on Sunday. He wanted to make Christianity more acceptable to them, so he made Sunday the official day of worship.
The change from Saturday to Sunday worship was made by a man, not by God. And the Bible tells us that we should not accept any changes that man makes to God’s Word in Revelation 22:18-19:
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
The Sabbath is a Delight
Keeping the Sabbath is such a blessing! I remember how I struggled 25 years ago as I began transitioning from going to church on Sunday to keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. It wasn’t as easy as I first imagined!
But over time, as I practiced Sabbath-keeping and learned how to spend the day resting (which was not my custom as a Sunday-keeper) I began to truly embrace the Sabbath and all the blessings of observing the Sabbath each week.
Just imagine having one day a week to truly rest. To spend time with family and friends. To reflect on God’s goodness. To worship Him without the distractions of work or school. It is a delight!
I don’t have to be productive. I can truly rest without guilt because I know it’s part of God’s best plan for me. God in His infinite wisdom knew His beloved children would need a day to recharge and reconnect and so He gave us the Sabbath.
If you have never kept the Sabbath before, I encourage you to give it a try. You may be surprised at how much joy and blessing you will find on this special day that God has given us.
How to Keep the Sabbath as a Christian
Similar to Jewish people, you can observe the Sabbath by refraining from work. This includes cooking, cleaning, laundry, yard work, and any other activity that you would normally do during the week.
The Sabbath is a day of rest, so you should also avoid running errands or shopping. Instead, use the Sabbath as a time to relax and enjoy your family and friends.
I try to have all of my housework and errands done before sundown on Friday and I always fill up my gas tank on Friday afternoon so I can avoid the need to buy gasoline on Sabbath. We often go on picnics or hiking on Sabbath afternoon following church and I like to make sure I have enough gas in the car to make it to our destination.
What makes the Sabbath really special is by preparing for it ahead of time. Think about it. When we are anticipating a special day, we prepare for the celebration. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc are made even more special because of the preparation we put into making them more special.
The Sabbath is like that! When we prepare ahead of time, it makes the Sabbath more special. This way, when Sabbath comes, we can truly relax and enjoy the day without having to worry about all the things we need to do.
For Christians, Sabbath-keeping can seem strange if you aren’t used to it. Some of the things you might struggle with after making the decision to keep the Sabbath are:
- What do I do on the Sabbath?
- How do I explain it to my family and friends?
- What if I have to work on the Sabbath?
- How do I keep the Sabbath if I don’t go to church on Saturdays?
- What if my family wants to do things on the Sabbath that go against what I believe?
- I’m not used to resting. How can I rest for an entire day?
- Can I go out to eat on the Sabbath?
- What if my favorite sports team is playing on the Sabbath?
- What if I’m not used to worshiping on Saturday?
- I don’t have a lot of time during the week. How can I make the Sabbath special?
- My work is really important to me. Can I still do my job and keep the Sabbath?
These are all valid questions and struggles. But don’t worry, there are answers! I’ll be talking more about these questions in a few days.
As you begin to keep the Sabbath, you will find that it becomes easier and more natural over time.
Here are some tips for keeping the Sabbath as a Christian:
- Find a church that worships on Saturday.
- If you can’t find a church, worship at home with your family or friends.
- Do your best to have all of your work done before the Sabbath begins.
- Spend time on the Sabbath with family and friends.
- Reading your Bible and praying are wonderful activities for the Sabbath hours.
- Rest! Take a nap, go for a walk, or read spiritual a book.
- Avoid shopping, eating out, or other activities that involve spending money.
- Invite friends over for a Sabbath meal.
- Plan ahead so you know what you will be doing on the Sabbath.
- Make the Sabbath a day of joy and rest!
Sabbath is a Day of Rest
The most important thing to remember is that the Sabbath is a day of rest and worship. There are so many ways to enjoy the day! Read my list of 100 things you can do to make the Sabbath a delight right here.
I hope these tips are helpful as you begin to keep the Sabbath. Remember, it is a commandment from God and it is for our good! So don’t be afraid to give it a try. You might just find that the Sabbath is one of your favorite days of the week!
Learn More About the Sabbath:
- 7 Simple Ideas for Welcoming the Sabbath Day on Friday Evening
- Is Keeping the Sabbath Legalistic?
- Making the Sabbath a Delight
Actions Steps to Take Today
- Study more about the Sabbath and the profound effects observing the Sabbath can have on your life and in your family.
- Pray and ask God to show you how you can make honoring the Sabbath a weekly practice in your life.
- Think about ways you can make the Sabbath a blessing this week for your family as you take time to rest and worship the Creator.
- Download my Topical Bible Study Worksheets below to help you do your own personal study about the Sabbath or other topics, if desired!
If you’ve never kept the Sabbath before, I’m sure as you make it a weekly practice you’ll find Sabbath-keeping to be a wonderful blessing in your life!
What are your thoughts on the Sabbath? Do you have any tips for others who are trying to keep the Sabbath? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Free Printable Topical Bible Study Worksheets
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