THE SECOND AND THIRD EXAMPLES OF MEETINGS ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK
The second example of a meeting on the first day is often used, the resurrection was covered in part one. The second one is:
Acts 20:7 NKJV 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.
This is actually it is a Saturday night farewell dinner for Paul because they would never see the founding Apostle again. This is clearly not a typical service. Paul spoke for many hours, but obviously not from 11:00A.M. to midnight. Churches do not have regular services at night. The third example is similar to the second. Both are clearly not normal, regular services when the context is brought into consideration.
1 Corinthians 16:1-3 NKJV 1 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.
Paul is giving special advance instructions to this church to do something different than their regular services. This is a collection of food stuffs, because in a severe famine, food is worth more than money. This would primarily be grains, oils, maybe wines or dried salted meats. All this takes planning and physical work by the believers to pack and preserve these foodstuffs. Therefore when Paul arrived they could say we have many families who have WORKED HARD to store up grains etc., ready to be delivered to your caravan. Then Paul would take the goods to Judea and save the starving. This kind of hard work is not done on the Sabbath so they choose next day.
THE SIGN OF GOD, HIS SABBATH, WAS NEVER AN ISSUE
The church strongly supported the Ten Commandments and the fourth one is central. God rested on the seventh day and made it holy. He made no other day holy, therefore the church never even considered in the days of the Apostles altering this holy day!
Genesis 2:2-3 NKJV 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
One issue did come up in the Apostolic Era and it is very revealing. The issue is what should we do about uncircumcised adult gentiles?
Acts 15:1-2 NKJV 1 And certain men...., "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2... and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
How could this even be taken seriously if, as many worldly clerics now believe, the law was done away? If they had changed the Sabbath already, circumcision would seem petty and meaningless by comparison. The church was very law oriented. See Acts 21:20-25. Paul knew that God had given the spirit to the gentiles therefore it was acceptable with God. The entire church decided that for Israelites the circumcision applied but they made an exception for gentiles. They also quieted the fears of some Jews that they would NOT teach the gentiles all the things they needed to learn.
Acts 15:20-21 NKJV 20 "but that we write to them... 21 "For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
They assured the Jewish believers that the gentiles would learn all they needed by hearing the Bible read every Sabbath. This big decision is made nearly twenty years into Christianity.
Acts 26:9-11 NKJV 9 "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth....put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 "And I punished them often in every synagogue …
Where did Paul find Christians to persecute? In the synagogues and on the Sabbath? Later when Paul was converted, he conducted his campaigns also to gentiles on the Sabbath. Note Acts 13:42-45. The Holy Day created by God at creation was kept by the true church during the life span of the Apostles. Unfortunately later false groups, to avoid anti-Semitic persecution, distanced themselves from the Jews by changing the Sabbaths.
A DEEP, COMPREHENSIVE REVEALING OF THE ANY DAY OR NO DAY APPROACHES
If one approaches Paul's writing from the worldly Christian doctrines they wish to defend, his message can be easily twisted to appear that he was supporting the false doctrine of SABBATH BREAKING. We will uncover the clear and deep message Paul is expounding. Paul is writing to brethren who have had no major teacher in their area. Paul had not yet gone to Rome. He now, in this portion of the Letter to the Roman believers, is teaching tolerance regarding “doubtful issues” involving food and eating. Some hope this verse means “Keep any day you favor because it is now a matter of personal preference.” This is a VERY weak, erroneous misinterpretation.
Ro 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over DOUBTFUL THINGS. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. (NKJV)
The Sabbath law in the middle of the Ten Commandments cannot be considered a doubtful issue, period. He is telling both the strong and weak to stop the hostility and arguing OVER FOOD and when to fast. Be tolerant.
Ro 14:5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6... 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 would one work, and when would one honor God by attending services and worshiping God? This any day you wish to attend is not workable. No church could operate without an agreed upon day of worship. These Jews and proselytes to Judaism, were arguing over which days to make special to God for fasting in order to be pious. These Roman Christians would never ever have considered the Sabbath a “doubtful issue.” An elimination of the Sabbath so casually WOULD CERTAINLY not be possible without a long, tough debate.
An example of the “No Day” approach is next. Because of Paul's warning of the asceticism of a Greek area where the brethren were pressured to NOT eat and feast on the weekly feast day, the Sabbath, some draw the wrong conclusion?
Colossians 2:21-23 WNT 21 "Do not handle this;" "Do not taste that;" "Do not touch that other thing" – 22...in obedience to mere human injunctions and teachings? 23 These rules have indeed an appearance of wisdom where self-imposed worship exists, and an affectation of humility and an ascetic severity. But not one of them is of any value in combating the indulgence of our lower natures.
Colossians 2:16 ASV 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:
Why would this judging even be happening by their ascetic neighbors if they had not been keeping the Sabbaths and using the Hebrew calendar for nearly thirty years? They would be using the sun god day like their pagan neighbors and not be judged on meeting day. Paul is not saying “abandon the Sabbath,” he is saying “do not let your pagan critics influence you,” period.
AFFIRMATIVE SABBATH KEEPING VERSES SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED
Paul converted many Raw Proselytes. They needed to know the basics since Christianity was then seen as a separate division or sect within Judaism. Judaism is where worship of the true God resided IN THE PAGAN WORLD.
John 4:22 NKJV 22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
Note that Paul preached Jesus to them out of the Old Testament, not in contradiction of the O.T. What is the heart of the law of Moses? The Ten Commandments! And right in the middle is the Fourth Commandment, the seventh day Sabbath. It is clear that Paul was a Sabbath keeper. Note the following scriptures.
Ac 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. 43 ...many of...devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas,...persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44 On the next Sabbath...to hear the word of God.
Note that in the above verses Paul and Barnabas have left the synagogue and are going to evangelize to the gentiles. If Sunday were the new Sabbath they could have said “Why wait till next week. Come tomorrow on Sunday or the next Sunday.” No they preached to the gentiles on the NEXT Sabbath. Paul also honored and kept the Sabbath as his manner was on the following occasions, as any true worshiper of God would expect him to do: Acts 17:1-2 ; 17:10 , 18:4, 18:19-21.
