Is Sabbath-keeping something Christians should do?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Sabbath-keeping was established in the Old Testament as a day of rest to honor God as Creator and to reflect on His deliverance of Israel from slavery. Jesus described the Sabbath as a gift to humanity, emphasizing its purpose for rest and spiritual renewal rather than as a burdensome requirement. The early church did not require Gentile converts to observe the Sabbath, and Paul affirmed that observing special days, including the Sabbath, is a matter of personal choice and religious freedom. Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath in the Old Testament sense, but rest still remains important for spiritual and physical well-being. Practicing Sabbath today can look like taking time for reflection, rest, and spiritual activities, helping believers reconnect with God, recharging for the week ahead, and experiencing His peace. Ultimately, the practice of Sabbath reminds us to pause and embrace the peace that comes from trusting in God's provision, allowing us to rest in His sovereignty and refresh our hearts, minds, and spirits.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God gave Israel the law for the Sabbath to provide rest, reflection, and a way to honor Him as Creator. In Exodus 20:8-11, the Sabbath is established as a day of rest to remember God's creation and His work in the world, with the command to refrain from work as a way to honor Him.
• In Deuteronomy 5:12-15, the Sabbath is explained as a reminder of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt, emphasizing both physical rest and spiritual freedom.
• The Sabbath law was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, marking them as His people, as stated in Exodus 31:13-17, where God calls the Sabbath a perpetual covenant and a sign of His holiness among them.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus spoke of the Sabbath as being made for man (Mark 2:27); it is a gift, not a burdensome requirement.
• When non-Jews began converting to faith in Jesus in the early church, the disciples gathered together to discuss Sabbath-keeping at what is called the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). One key consideration was whether non-Jewish converts to Christianity should be commanded to keep the Law of Moses. At the conclusion of this council, James declared, "Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood" (Acts 15:19-20). Aside from these essentials, the early church did not require that non-Jewish Christians keep Jewish laws, including the Sabbath.
• The Holy Spirit, though the apostle Paul, made clear that Christians are not required to observe the Sabbath: "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17).
• Romans 14:5 echoes that the Sabbath is not a Christian essential; rather, it is a matter of religious liberty.
• Christians met at a variety of times and places. The Jerusalem Church actually met every day, not just on the Sabbath: "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:46-47).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The Sabbath was a day of rest, not necessarily a day of worship. Sabbath-keeping does not mean we must attend church and not work on a certain day. Rather, biblical Sabbath-keeping was a day of rest, following the pattern of God's rest on the seventh day after completing the creation of the universe. Rest is not just necessary for us as humans, but it is a demonstration of faith. On the Sabbath, a person stops his or her work both to remember and to demonstrate trust in God's provision.

The Jewish Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. If a Christian desires to truly celebrate the Sabbath, it would be on Saturday. Some traditions have suggested that the church has replaced Israel and as such that Sunday has replaced Saturday as the Sabbath. This is both historically and biblically untrue. Jewish Christians often observed the Sabbath (on Saturdays) and worshiped with other Christians on Sundays.

We should worship Christ every day and at every moment. We should accept the rest He gives and live with an attitude of trust in Him. We can follow Jesus' example of fellowship with the Father, fellowship with others, and rest. We may find it helpful to choose a particular day each week where we routinely focus primarily on worship or on rest, but Christians are not required to follow Old Testament Sabbatarian laws.

A day of rest brings several benefits: It restores our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It offers time to reflect on God's creation, His provision, and His presence in our lives. Resting reminds us that we are not the ones who control everything—God is sovereign, and He invites us to trust in His sufficiency. Practicing Sabbath could look like setting aside time for quiet reflection, time with family and friends, engaging in spiritual activities such as prayer and reading Scripture, or simply enjoying the beauty of God's creation without the pressures of work. By taking a break from our normal routines, we reconnect with what truly matters. We remember our priorities, strengthen our relationship with God, recharge for what lies ahead by quieting our souls and bodies, and experience the peace He provides and intends for us.

UNDERSTAND

• The Sabbath was established in the Old Testament as a day of rest to honor God as Creator and to remember His deliverance of Israel from slavery.
• Jesus described the Sabbath as a gift meant for rest and spiritual renewal, not as a burdensome requirement.
• While Christians are not required to keep the Sabbath in the Old Testament sense, practicing rest and reflection regularly benefits our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.

REFLECT

• How does taking intentional time for rest and reflection impact your spiritual and emotional well-being?
• How can you demonstrate trust in God’s provision through rest, as modeled by the Sabbath?
• What practices or rhythms of rest could you incorporate into your life to remember your dependence on Him for all things?

ENGAGE

• What significance does the Sabbath or rest hold in our lives as believers and how is it different or similar to its meaning in the Old Testament?
• How do you understand the Sabbath in light of the New Testament, and in what ways is it important for Christians today?
• How can Sabbath-keeping serve as a reminder of God’s sovereignty and provision in our busy lives?