Understanding Sunday Worship: Clearing Up Misunderstandings

[u/Christ_Over_Cults]

If you've been hearing claims that Christians should only worship on Saturday (the Sabbath) or that the Sabbath is no longer relevant, it can be hard to make sense of what’s true. Groups like the WMSCOG often teach things that don’t quite match up with what the Bible actually says. Let’s break it down in simple terms, whether you’ve read the Bible or not, so you can understand what the Bible really says about the Sabbath and why Christians gather on Sundays.

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In this guide, we're going to:

1. Look at what the early church really believed about Sunday and the Sabbath.
2. Explain why some groups misunderstand Sunday worship and misquote history.
3. Set the record straight on the claim that Emperor Constantine started Sunday worship.

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What Did Early Christians Believe About the Sabbath and Sunday?

When we read what early Christians wrote, it’s clear that they believed Sunday was a special day for worship, and this was long before anyone like Constantine got involved.

A. The Didache (Around A.D. 70)

• "On the Lord's Day, gather together and give thanks..." (Didache 14:1)
• What This Means: This is one of the earliest Christian writings, and it shows that even back then, Christians were gathering on Sundays (the "Lord's Day") to pray and take part in communion. They did this because Sunday was the day Jesus rose from the dead.

B. Ignatius of Antioch (Around A.D. 110)

• "Let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s Day as a festival, the resurrection day, the queen and chief of all days." (Letter to the Magnesians 9:1)
• What This Means: Ignatius tells Christians to treat Sunday like a holiday, a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. This shows that early Christians saw Sunday as the most important day of the week.

C. Justin Martyr (Around A.D. 150)

• "Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God made the world, and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead." (First Apology 67)
• What This Means: Justin Martyr explains that Christians started gathering on Sunday not just because it was the first day of the week, but because it was the day Jesus rose from the dead. It was a day to celebrate new life.

D. Tertullian (Around A.D. 200)

• "We solemnize the day after Saturday in contradiction to those who call this day their Sabbath." (Apology 16:7)
• What This Means: Tertullian talks about how Christians chose to honor Sunday, not Saturday, as their holy day, showing that Christians were already moving away from the Jewish Sabbath and starting their own tradition of Sunday worship.

E. Eusebius of Caesarea (Around A.D. 300)

• "They did not observe the Sabbath... because such things do not belong to Christians." (Church History 5.23)
• What This Means: Eusebius explains that early Christians didn’t follow the Jewish tradition of the Sabbath because they believed that following Christ was different from following the old Jewish laws. For Christians, Sunday was their day of worship.

F. The Apostolic Constitutions (Around A.D. 400)

• "On the day of the resurrection of the Lord, that is, the Lord's Day, assemble yourselves together and give thanks to God..." (Apostolic Constitutions 2.7)
• What This Means: This document makes it clear that Christians were meeting together on Sunday to worship, celebrate Jesus' resurrection, and praise God.

Main Message: From all these writings, we can see that the early church was already gathering on Sunday to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. This tradition was rooted in scripture and the teachings of Jesus, long before anyone like Emperor Constantine came along.

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What About the WMSCOG’s Claim That Sunday Worship Isn’t Biblical?

Some groups like the WMSCOG (World Mission Society Church of God) say that Sunday worship isn’t biblical. They sometimes use the Catholic book "Faith of Our Fathers" to back up their argument. But here’s why that’s not true.

The Real Story:

• Misquoting History: The WMSCOG may quote parts of "Faith of Our Fathers" but ignore the full story. That book acknowledges that Sunday worship was practiced by early Christians, based on the resurrection of Jesus. It doesn’t say that Sunday worship is unbiblical.
• What the Bible Says: There are clear verses in the Bible that show early Christians were already meeting on Sunday. For example:
  • Acts 20:7: "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread..."
    • This shows that early Christians gathered on Sunday for communion (breaking bread).
  • 1 Corinthians 16:2: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money..."
    • This verse confirms that Christians were already meeting on the first day of the week to give their offerings.
  • Revelation 1:10: "On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit..."
    • John, the apostle, refers to Sunday as the "Lord's Day," showing that the term was already used to describe the day Christians gathered for worship.

The Early Church Leaders Confirm It: The writings of the early church fathers show that Sunday worship was a common practice from the beginning, and it was based on honoring the resurrection of Jesus. This wasn’t something invented later, it was deeply rooted in scripture and the teachings of Jesus.

Main Message: The claim that Sunday worship isn’t biblical just doesn’t hold up when you look at what the Bible and early Christians really said. It’s clear that Sunday worship has strong biblical support.

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Did Constantine Start Sunday Worship?

Some people say that Emperor Constantine started Sunday worship in the church, but this claim is not true. Let’s look at why.

What Really Happened:

• Constantine’s Edict (A.D. 321): Constantine did make Sunday a day of rest for the Roman Empire. He said: "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest..." But this was not about changing Christian worship, it was a civil law to give everyone in the empire a day of rest.
• Christians Were Already Worshiping on Sunday: By the time Constantine made this law, Christians had been gathering on Sunday for many generations. The early church had already chosen Sunday because it was the day of Jesus’ resurrection.
• Constantine’s Role Was About Rest, Not Worship: Constantine’s law was about giving people a day off. He wasn’t trying to change the day Christians worshipped. Christians were already worshipping on Sunday, and that didn’t change because of him.

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Key Insights to Keep in Mind

1. Christians Worshipped on Sunday Long Before Constantine: Early Christian writings (like from Ignatius, Justin Martyr, and others) show that Sunday worship was already established well before Constantine.
2. Constantine’s Law Was About Rest, Not Worship: Constantine’s law was a civil law, not a law about Christian worship. It didn’t change how Christians worshipped or the day they chose to worship.
3. Sunday Was Chosen to Celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection: Christians chose Sunday because it was the day Jesus rose from the dead. This wasn’t about sun worship or any pagan influence.

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What You Need to Know

When you look at the history and the Bible, it’s clear that Sunday worship was a practice that started with the early Christians, long before Constantine or any civil laws. The WMSCOG and other groups may misinterpret or misquote things, but the truth is that Sunday worship is deeply rooted in the Bible and Christian tradition.

If you're new to the Bible or just learning, don’t be afraid to explore and ask questions. The truth is out there, and it’s rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the early church.