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The Old Testament commands men to rest on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Why do Mormons then follow the practice of most Christians by resting and worshiping on Sunday?
We believe the Lord's day (Revelation 1꞉10) to be the first day of the week.
This understanding is not unique to the Latter-day Saints; in fact, it has its origins early in the Christian century.
There is no question that the Old Testament refers to the Sabbath beingo on the seventh day—but, it is important to remember that the Old Testmanet law and practice was substantially changed by the Christians.
As Hebrews 7꞉12 says
The Mosiac law was fulfilled and so worship was altered, and this included the Sabbath as well.
To be consistent, advocates of the Old Testament Sabbath should also keep the seventh month of every year, and the seventh year as sabbaths also. In the seventh year, the fields which you grew, was to be left to the poor, and the beasts of the field. You were to release all debts in this self same year. You were also to prepare all food the evening before the sabbath. We would be put to death for breaking the Sabbath (Exodus 31꞉14-17), wouldn't be able to kindle a fire on the sabbath (Exodus 35 3). This view of Sabbath worship is not the same as that spoken of in the New Testament.
The Acts of the Apostles tells us
Thus, in the earliest days of Christian worship, a group of Christ's followers gathered together in a house (where Church meetings were held in those days) on Sunday, where bread was broken (a term used for the sacrament ({s|1|Corinthians|11|24}}), while a Church leader teaches of Christ. This sounds like a Church meeting held on the Sabbath.
Other Christian authors not found in the Bible support this view of Acts.
Ignatius (died A.D. 98–117) was taught by John the Apostle, and he understood what the Lord's day meant in John's Book of Revelation. He said
Ignatius makes a distinction between "sabbathing" (i.e. observing the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday) and the "Lord's day" (the first day of the week). He continues:
of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,” (2 Timothy 3꞉4). These make merchandise for Christ, corrupting His word, and giving up Jesus to sale; they are corrupters of women, and covetous of other mens possessions, swallowing up wealth insatiably; from whom may ye be delivered by the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ![1]
Here he gives a little more detail on the Lord's day. It is the "eighth day," or the first day of the week, and can be understood in Justin Martyr's (A.D. 100–165) teachings as such:
Justin also wrote:
day, the day on which God, changing darkness and matter, created the world; and it is the day on which Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead for He was crucified on the day before that of “kronos” (Greek counter part of the Roman god Saturn which is where Saturday gets its name); and on the day after that of “kronos”, which is the day of the sun (Sunday), He appeared to His Apostles and disciples, and taught them these things which we have also submitted to you for your consideration.
He also taught
Here, Justin points out that Christians worshipped on Sunday. He also says:
The Epistle of Barnabas, which purports to have been written by Barnabas, Paul's missionary companion, reads,
In the Didache, which was written around A.D. 140, it says
Again, we see that the Christians are told, on the Lords day (Sunday) they are to gather together and meet for the celebration of the Lord's supper (LDS readers would call this the "sacrament.")
The redundancy of “the Lord's day of the Lord” in Greek indicates that the term “Lord's day” had already become a common usage for Sunday, so much so that it is now used as a distinct term apart from its root meaning.[7][citation needed]
Augustine (A.D. 354–430) says:
Various Biblical commentators also agree that the Sabbath as observed by the early Christians was Sunday:
Dr. Adam Clark, in his Commentary treating Revelation 1:10, says:
Dr. Thomas Scott, in his Commentary dealing with this same verse, says:
This was 'on the Lord's day' which can be meant of no other, than the day on which the Lord Jesus arose from the dead, even "the first day of the week": and it is conclusive proof, that the first day was set apart, and kept holy, by the primitive Christians, in commemoration of the great event: for on what other account could it have been thus mentioned!"[10][citation needed]
In the Jameson, Fausett, and Brown's Commentary on this same passage, they write:
sanctuary on the Lord's day, the weekly commemoration of the resurrection, John was holding spiritual communion with them. This is the earliest mention of the term 'the Lord's day!' But the consecration of the day to worship, almsgiving, and the Lord's supper, is implied, Acts 20꞉7; {s|1|Corinthians|16|2}}, cf. John 20꞉19-26. The name corresponds to 'the Lord's supper,' 1 Corinthians 11꞉20. Ignatius seems to allude to 'the Lord's day' (ad. Magnes, 9) and Irenaeus in the Quaest. ad Orthod. (in Justin Martyr). Justin Martyr Apology 2:98 &c. 'On Sunday we hold our joint meeting; for the first day is that on which God, having removed darkness and chaos, made the world, and Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead. On the day before Saturday they crucified Him, and on the day after Saturday, which is Sunday, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, he taught these things.' To the Lord's day Pliny doubtless refers (Ex 97, B10), 'The Christians on a fixed day before dawn meet and sing a hymn to Christ as God.'"[11][citation needed]
The Roman historians, Suetonius and Pliny, who lived and wrote in the first centuries of the Christian era, during the bloody martyr ages, are good witnesses in this problem. As they were neither Christians nor Jews, but heathens, and not concerned in the controversy in any respect, their incidental historic testimony is compelling.
They certify, in their simple accounts of the Christian martyrdom, that when persons were arrested on suspicion that they were Christians, tried and put to death under the imperial edict prescribing all the Christians and interdicting their worship on penalty of death, their persecutors propounded to them the question: "Dominicum servaste?" — "Hast thou kept the Lord's day?" The Christian responded: "Christianus sum" — "I am a Christian." "Intermittere non possum" — "I can not omit it." Then they proceeded with the bloody work of death.[12]
It is important to note that the Jewish Sabbath was never was called "the Lord's day," but simply "the Sabbath day." If the early Christians had kept the seventh day, they would have been asked: "Sabbaticum servaste?" — "Hast thou kept the Sabbath day?" But this question never was asked by their persecutors. It is historically untenable to deny that the Lord's day was kept from the Apostolic age onward.
It is a significant fact that the day of Pentecost, upon which day the apostles received their spiritual endowment by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, “that year fell on the first day of the week”—that is, Sunday.[13]
Latter-day Saints do not base their worship practices on an analysis of early Christian history, or on the comments of scholars in Biblical commentaries. Rather, they follow the guidance of a living prophet. However, it seems clear that the Latter-day Saint practice of observing the day of rest and worship on Sunday—like most of the Christian world—is consistent with the earliest Christian practice of which we have record.
Interestingly, however, the most important aspect of Sabbath worship seems to be the worship, and not the day on which it is held. Most LDS worship occurs on Sunday. General Authorities, who must often travel on conference assignments on Sunday, fast and receive the sacrament weekly on Thursdays.
"one place" was because they were worshipping together.
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