First Day Texts In the Bible

October 1582

There are 8 first day texts in the Bible. What Does the Bible Say About Christians Going to Church on Sunday?

For the first 300 years after Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the grave, Christians kept God’s Holy Seventh-day Sabbath ( Saturday ). When you study the Book of Acts, you see many examples of the Jews & Gentiles meeting on the Sabbath to study the Scriptures

What does the Bible say about worshipping God on the first day of the week ( Sunday ). Let us look at the context of these verses.

Genesis 1:5
God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

The above verse is the only first day text in the Old Testament.

Matthew 28:1
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

Mark 16:1-2
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

Mark 16:9
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.

Luke 24:1
Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

John 20:1
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

John 20:19
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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Acts 20:7
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

Of the seven texts in the New Testament, the above one is the only one that mentions a message was being given but there is no reference to worshipping God. If you remember that the day begins at sunset, this meeting was actually a Saturday after the sun had set. Paul spoke until midnight as he planned on leaving on Sunday morning. Let us look at just one other text in Acts that mentions the Disciples, the Jews & now the Gentiles were breaking bread together.

The custom of the time during the early Christian church was to lay up offerings for stewardship. Paul and the Disciples had expenses as they traveled the world preaching the Gospel message.

1 Corinthians 16:1-3
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. 3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.

Laying up at home an offering for the next Sabbath was a principle of Stewardship in the early Christian church.

Acts 13:14
But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.

Acts 13:42
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

The above two verses in Acts 13 clearly describe meeting on the Seventh-day Sabbath. Luke wrote his Gospel over 30 years after Jesus Christ’s Resurrection. He never writes a word about the day of worship now being the first day ( Sunday ).

Acts 2:46
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.

We can see that the Christians were meeting daily but no mention of worshipping on Sunday is written in the Scriptures.

Jesus worshipped under the Julian Calendar which took effect in 45 BC. Today we live under the Gregorian Calendar.

The reason we are looking at Calendars is that the question often comes up that the days may have shifted in the past 2,000 years. There has been only one correction and it was made in October of 1582.

Julius Caesar put in a Leap Year but this also had no bearing on the seven-day weekly cycle.

We still live with the same seven-day cycle that was established at Creation. The reason the adjustment needed to be made was to establish a uniform date for the Celebration of Easter. The Christian church met at the Council of Nicea in 325 to set a specific time each year for Easter.

There are over 200 languages of the world that use the word Sabbath for Saturday. In Spanish, Saturday is Sabado. The Russian word for Saturday is also Sabbath.

Romans 14:5-6
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

When we look at the context of Romans 14, the passage is referring to a new convert and the issue is about disputes over opinions of Ceremonial Laws over Circumcision which are no longer necessary due to Jesus Christ being the Lamb of God that takes away our Sins.

Colossians 2:14-16
Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths.

Get a Bible Concordance and look up where the Bible talks about ‘Requirements’ and ‘Ordinances’.

Hebrews 9:1
Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.

Hebrews 9:10
Concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

You can also study Leviticus 23 and see where Moses wanted to make sure that there was no confusion between the Seventh-day Sabbath and all the Feast Days.

Colossians 2:17
Which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

We just read in Colossians 2:14-16 that the ceremonial laws of killing of the lambs for offerings was taken away by Jesus’s death at Calvary for our Sins.

We stand together on the Holy Word of God in the Bible or we fall for false doctrines and deceptions of Satan.

James 4:17
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

For those people who say they have to work on God’s Sabbath Day, put your trust in the Word of God and God will provide for you and your family.

Mark 8:36
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Matthew 6:31-34
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Mark 7:7-9
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men — the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

The Ten Commandments are still valid. God and Jesus have never changed the Fourth Commandment. It was written in stone by the Finger of God. It is also the only Commandment that begins with the word ‘Remember’.

It is our job to follow God and let Him be on His Throne. It is not our job to question God or to follow deceptions of men. Send me a message if you have any questions about first day texts in the Bible.

Here is an excellent resource for learning about the Sabbath Day