Sabbath traditionally refers to the seventh day, when God rested after creation. The writer of Hebrews connects this to Jesus, suggesting that His resurrection marks the beginning of the eternal Sabbath, as our salvation is complete in Him. The early church, recognizing they were no longer bound by the law, chose to observe the Sabbath on the first day of the week, symbolizing the eternal rest found in Christ’s resurrection.
While Sunday has become the traditional day of rest for Christians, as supported by 2000 years of church history, Paul in Romans 14:5 advises against judging others on which day they observe, acknowledging that circumstances may require different days for rest, especially in varied cultural and vocational contexts. Ultimately, the focus should be on the spirit of rest rather than the specific day.
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Pastor J.D. completed his Ph.D. in Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Chick-fil-A, serves as a Council member for The Gospel Coalition, and recently served as the 62nd president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor J.D. and his wife Veronica are raising four awesome kids.
"Editor's Note: Pastor JD Greear's "Ask the Pastor" column regularly appears at Christianity.com, providing biblical, relatable, and reliable answers to your everyday questions about faith and life. Email him your questions at [email protected]."
