The Challenge:

A 1,000 dollar reward to find a verse where God commanded us to change the day of worship from the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday), to the first day of the week (Sunday), in the King James version of the Bible. 

Why the challenge? 

This isn't the most important thing in the Bible.  It will not get you into heaven or keep you out of hell.  The only thing that will do that is a real relationship with God through his Son Jesus, the payment for our sins.  (I want to know how to get a relationship with God.) But I believe that as one of the Ten Commandments, this deserves to be examined.  

We get the doctrines we believe from different sources.  Most of what we believe has been passed down to us, without us personally checking it out.  Even when we do check it out, normally it's from the standpoint of proving what we already believe, instead of going to the scriptures with a neutral view and seeing what it says in context.  This is one of the main reasons we have so many differing doctrines.  You will not find a scripture that changes the Sabbath from the seventh day (Saturday), to the first day of the week (Sunday), but enjoy the search.  My goal is to get you into the Bible where you can find the truth.  

The problem is we still see through a glass darkly, and there isn't a single individual (including me), pastor or Bible scholar that has it all right.  So how should we approach a different opinion?  Set out to prove it wrong?  Let's look at the Berians for the answer. 

Acts 17:10-12 ¶ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 

Notice they didn't set out to prove it false, but really examined what was being said in the light of the Scriptures.  We are to " Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."        ~   1 Thessalonians 5:21  

With this in mind, I ask you to open your heart and mind and see what the Bible has to say on the subject. 

1.  Which scriptures should I use? 

2 Timothy 3:15-17  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.vs16  All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  vs 17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

What does "all scripture" in 2 Tim 3:16 mean?  Does it mean "New Testament" only?  What books had Timothy read from the time that he was a child?   At that time the New Testament wasn't even completed!  I believe that all means all, both Old and New Testament is good for doctrine, for what we believe and practice and not just the New Testament.  

It is important to notice that the Bible is the final authority, not a denomination or spiritual leader. 

2.  The reasons used to support worshipping on Sunday instead of the Sabbath (Saturday). 

A.  The fact that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week.  This day was the "Feast of First Fruits" in the Bible.  Jesus died on Passover.  Yet we didn't change to that day either.   This fact isn't an order to change the day of worship. 

Matthew 28:1 ¶ In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 

B.  We see them together three times on the first day of the week. 

John 20:19 ¶ Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you. 

Acts 20:7 ¶ And upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 

Yet we know that they assembled together daily as seen in this verse:  Acts 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.   We should expect to see meeting on other days of the week, but this doesn't change the Sabbath. 

C.  An offering was taken on the first day of the week. 

1 Corinthians 16:2  Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

Notice that they didn't put it in an offering plate at a meeting but saved it until they came together.  People of that time period were paid daily many times and would have saved from the first day of the workweek. (Matthew 20:2  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.) 

D.  Revelation 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 

This verse is taught as a support for Sunday, even though the first day of the week isn't mentioned.  It is supposed to be a reference to the day Jesus rose, even though there is no evidence in the context to support it.  A more likely meaning would be the Sabbath, which was God's day. 

These are extremely weak reasons to do away with one of the Ten Commandments. 

3.  How long is forever? 

Deuteronomy 4:2  Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 

Deuteronomy 4:40  Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong [thy] days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.  (This was stated before the giving of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5) 

Deuteronomy 5:29  O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!  If God meant until Jesus came, couldn't He have said it?  (This was spoken right after the giving of the Ten Commandments) 

Psalms 119:160 ¶ Thy word [is] true [from] the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments [endureth] for ever. 

So which ones did God say would last forever?  Every one! 

This is only scratching the surface.  Do a search on the word Sabbath in the Bible and read what it says. 

Let's look into the future: 

Isaiah 66:22-23  For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.  And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. 

Notice that in the future, the Sabbath (Saturday) is still the time of worship not Sunday. 

4.  Does anyone have the right to change Gods word? 

Isaiah 8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them. 

What would you say to someone that claimed to hear from God and told you that adultery was OK? Or stealing? Or murder? Why is the Sabbath less important? 

5.  Doesn't Jesus say that the Law has been fulfilled? 

Matthew 5:17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fullfil.  People use this passage to say that Jesus fulfilled the law and that did away with it.  But in the context of this passage, this makes no sense.  He would be saying "I haven't come to do away with it, just to do away with it."  The word fulfill in this passage means to obey as it was meant to be obeyed.  Let's look at the rest of the passage: 

Matthew 5:18-19  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

Has heaven and earth passed away?  Then not the smallest letter (Jot) or the decoration on the letter (tittle) has been done away with.  What does Jesus mean by saying that the person that breaks the least commandments and teaches men so, will be called least in the kingdom of Heaven?  Anyone that looks at this honestly, without an agenda, will see that Jesus was not doing away with the law. 

6.   Doesn't Paul say that the Law has been done away with? 

Much confusion has resulted from a misunderstanding of what Paul said in the book of Romans and Galatians.  

What Paul says about the Law can be summed up in three scriptures: 

Romans 10:3-4  For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 

Romans 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Does this sound like Paul wanted to do away with the Law? 

Romans 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

7.  Let's look at what Paul says the law is. 

Romans 7:7 ¶ What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.  Notice the specific law that is used as an example, is "thou shalt not covet",   one of the ten commandments.  If the law has been done away with, it is all the law, the ten commandments including thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, and honor your mother and father.  

8.  What about Colossians 2:16-17?  Let's look at it in context. 

Colossians 2:16 -22¶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]:  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 

Notice that in the context, the subject is the commandment and doctrines of men, not the commandments of God.  There are many Jewish traditions surrounding the Sabbath and other commandments that are not given in the Bible.  This is what's being condemned in this passage, not the commandment of God.  There were many times that Jesus condemned the Sadducees and the Pharisees for their traditions over the commandments of God.  This is what Paul rebuked Peter for when he withdrew himself from Gentile Christians.  There is no commandment from God not to eat with Gentile believers, but Jewish tradition forbade it. 

1 John 3:4 ¶ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 

If the law is done away with, then so is sin. 

9.  I don't think it matters to God what day you worship.  

Everyone has opinions, but what God says is true. 

If it doesn't matter, why was it one of the Ten Commandments?  Why did it carry a death penalty?  (Exodus 31:16)  Ask the guy in Numbers 15 if God thought the day of the week mattered.  The reason that it's not important to us is because of our culture, not because the Bible says that it's not important. 

Conclusion:  You won't find a verse where God said not to keep the Seventh day Sabbath but to keep Sunday the first day of the week instead.  It doesn’t exist.  God never changed the day of worship, man did.  Now whom will you follow?