Pagan traditions influence the modern Christian religion. One of the most obvious influences is Sunday worship. Worshiping sun gods and goddesses, on Sunday, is a common theme among pagans. The Biblical saviour is not a sun god; he is the son of the one and only creator. Christ is a truth giver, order instructor, glorious healer, a death slayer and an extraterrestrial being. Not a sun god. However, there is some scripture wrongfully interpreted as validating sun-day worship. I will explain how these same scriptures are not validating Sunday worship but rather honoring Sabbath worship.
Christ Was Resurrected on Sunday.
First, many will claim Christ rose from the grave on Sunday and therefore Christ intended for Sunday worship. Not quite so. If we read the scripture carefully, Christ died friday afternoon and was put in the tomb friday sundown (Sabbath morning). Saturday morning and night he rested (the Sabbath day). Then he rose, in the spirit, on the first day of the week (Saturday night- Sunday morning).
Matthew 28. Mark 16. Luke 24. John 20.
John 20 recounts a detailed version of the account. Mary Magdalene and the disciples visited the sepulcher where Christ was and they did not find him Sunday morning. Except Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene first after the disciples left. Christ was in his spiritual body not his physical body. Even so, he was still able to communicate to Mary when he said John 20: 17 “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
John 20: 19-21. 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Scripture Interpretation.
This is the day of his spiritual rising from the dead but it was not complete. He was still frail because if he let Mary touch him, his purity would nullify the promise of everlasting life. On the first day of the week Christ appeared, marking the first day of the New Covenant. This does not mean that the Sabbath was changed. Christ rested on the Sabbath after his death and performed his work on the first day of the week in which he ascended to The heavenly Father, received the holy spirit and gave his disciples everlasting life. That was his work, even in the spirit, he rested on the Sabbath. The scripture does not say that he switched the rest day to Sunday in this, only that he appeared to his disciples and blessed them.
Note: Based on Christ’s resurrection account alone, the assumption that Christ switched the worship/ rest day to Sunday or the first day of the week is a fallacy.
The Saints Collecting Money On Sunday.
Second, it was customary to do business on the first day of the week. In the book of Acts there are instances when the disciples worked in the synagogue. They collected taxes, fed people and held their meeting on the first day of the week. in 1 Corinthians it specifically refers to the first day of the week designated for business.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
According to Strong’s Concordance, a collection is a gathering of money mainly for religious purposes. Paul ordered the saints to do business for the church on the first day of the week. However, Paul didn’t come up with this rule on his own; he knew that it was lawful from the Law of Moses. See 2 Chronicles 24:6 and Exodus 30:11-16. These two verses do not advocate for Sunday worship. Instead it is a means of respecting the Sabbath since dealing with money is unlawful on the Sabbath.
The Disciples Breaking Bread On Sunday.
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
As we can conclude, Paul is eating dinner and preaching to his fellow disciples all day long. Although Paul is preaching on the first day of the week he is not preaching formally or in front of the common folk. This is merely a type of peaceful meeting that they are having. This verse also cannot advocate for Sunday worship. It does not state that a meeting every Sunday is ordained into their law.
The biblical verses used to justify Sunday worship are completely read out of context. The practice of Sunday worship is comming from a wrongful interpretation of scripture called theories. Biblical Theologians like theories instead of facts. Nothing is right or wrong, it’s a bunch of feel good teachings without substance.
Christ and The Disciples Preaching On The Sabbath.
The early church of Christ had a designated worship day. The Sabbath of rest is the worship day, but we are not entirely obliged to go to church on the Sabbath.
Luke 4:14-16 “
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.“
Christ taught from the scriptures in the synagogue on the Sabbath day as a customary practice. This passage supports Sabbath day worship not Sunday worship. Sunday worship was not an early Christian practice. it is foreign even to Christ. His disciples preached on the sabbath as well.
Acts 13: 42-44 KJV
” 42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.”
Conclusion.
It is Biblically evident that preaching, worshiping and resting is reserved for the ordained Sabbath day not Sunday. Scripture tells us that handling money, business and pastoral meetings should be done on the day after the Sabbath, the first day of the week which is Sunday. Sunday worship is not advocated through scripture but is a pagan custom that mingled into the Christian religion.
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