A Day of Devotion and Delight
God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – created humanity to worship Him, enjoy fellowship with Him, and find rest in Him. From the beginning, the Triune God established a pattern of six days of labor followed by one day of rest and worship (Genesis 2:1–3). This pattern was later incorporated into the Ten Commandments, where God commanded His people to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).
As Reformed Baptists, we believe that the moral principle underlying the Fourth Commandment remains binding upon humanity today. While the ceremonial regulations attached to the Old Covenant Sabbath have passed away in Christ, the abiding pattern of one day in seven devoted to the worship of God continues under the New Covenant.
From Sabbath to Lord’s Day
The Old Testament Sabbath was observed on the seventh day of the week (Saturday), commemorating God’s work of creation. Following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, however, the church began gathering on the first day of the week (Sunday) – the day of Christ’s triumph over sin and death.
The New Testament repeatedly highlights the significance of the first day of the week. For example, Christ rose on the first day (Matthew 28:1), appeared to His disciples on the first day (John 20:19), and the early church gathered for worship on the first day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). In fact, by the end of the apostolic era, this day was commonly known as “the Lord’s Day” (Revelation 1:10).
For this reason, Christians have historically observed the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day or Christian Sabbath. Rather than looking back primarily to creation, the church now celebrates the greater work of the new creation accomplished through the resurrection of Christ. The day of observance, then, remains one day in seven, but its focus has shifted from the old covenant to the risen Lord of the new covenant – from the last day of the week to the first day of the week, from Saturday to Sunday.
A Day for Worship
When thinking about the Lord’s Day and how it is to be treated, we must recognize: first and foremost, it is a day for worship. God’s people gather with the church to hear His Word read and preached, to offer prayer, to sing His praises, to observe the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and to enjoy fellowship with one another. This is critical: public worship – both morning and evening – is not merely one activity among many on Sunday; public worship is the central purpose of the day. Said differently: the Lord’s Day reminds us that our greatest need is not productivity, recreation, or entertainment, but communion with the Father through Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit.
A Day for Rest
Additionally (and related), the Lord’s Day is also a day of rest. The Trinity knows that we are creatures, not machines. Therefore, we need regular rhythms of work and rest. By setting apart one day each week, God reminds us that our lives do not ultimately depend upon our labor or performance but upon His grace and provision.
That being said, this rest is more than physical. In other words, we do not honor the Lord’s Day by simply “laying around” or being “lazy.” Instead, the Lord’s Day is about redirection: it is an opportunity to step away from the ordinary demands of life and devote ourselves to the things of God. More specifically, the Lord’s Day calls us to cease from our ordinary recreations and employments as much as possible so that we may focus our attention on worship, fellowship, service, and spiritual refreshment.
A Day for Mercy and Necessity
However, the Lord’s Day is not only concerned with rest and worship. Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). Consequently, Scripture recognizes that certain works are appropriate on the Lord’s Day: works of necessity and mercy. For example, acts of compassion, caring for the sick, serving those in need, and fulfilling necessary responsibilities (e.g., hospitals being open on the Lord’s Day are necessary) are not violations of the day. Rather, they reflect the heart of Christ Himself, who performed works of mercy on the Sabbath. Simply put, the Lord’s Day was never intended to be a burden; it is a gift from God for the good of His people.
A Day of Delight
This compels us to see, then, that the goal of Lord’s Day observance is not legalism but love, not drudgery but delight. Consider the prophet Isaiah, who described God’s holy day as “a delight” (Isaiah 58:13). Therefore, Christians should view the Lord’s Day not as a list of restrictions but as an opportunity to enjoy God’s presence, God’s people, and God’s means of grace.
What will this look like? At minimum, it will mean the public worship of God – morning and evening – is a priority. Additionally, the day affords ample opportunity for the reading of Scripture, prayer, fellowship, hospitality, family discipleship, and acts of mercy and necessity. Different Christians may apply these principles somewhat differently, but the central aim remains the same: to set apart the day unto the Lord.
A Foretaste of Heaven
Finally, the Lord’s Day points beyond itself to something even greater. Every week, God’s people gather as a foretaste of the eternal rest that awaits them in Christ. The Lord’s Day reminds us that history is moving toward the day when all God’s promises will be fulfilled and His people will dwell with Him forever.
Until that day comes, though, the Lord’s Day serves as a weekly reminder that our ultimate hope is not found in this world but in the risen Christ and the kingdom He has secured for us. For these reasons, we gladly set apart the Lord’s Day as a day for worship, rest, fellowship, and spiritual refreshment, receiving it not as a burden but as a gracious gift from our Father through His Son by His Spirit.