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 FROM SABBATH TO SUNDAY
BY CARLYLE B. HAYNES, 1928
Contents1. The Change in Sabbath Observance2. The Bible Sabbath3. Divine Authority for the Change Lacking4. How, Why, and by Whom the Change Was Brought About5. The Identical Seventh Day6. The Change of the Calendar 7. The Position of Protestantism8. Ancient Prophecies of Modern Sabbath keeping9. Completing an Arrested Reformation10. Walking in the Light
Scanned and edited by Paul Nethercott 2002
 
1. The Change in Sabbath Observance
SOMEWHERE in the dim ages between the time of Christ and our time, the observance of the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh day of the week to the first day. Certain it is that the command of God isfor the sanctification and observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath. There can be no mistaking themeaning here. This is the command:“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventhday is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shall not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thydaughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).Equally certain it is that there is no other command given in the Holy Scriptures naming another or adifferent day. The Bible in its entirety, both Old and New Testaments, commands, upholds, defends, andteaches the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath. Just as certain is it that the various churches of Christian believers today, in every part of the world, with but few important exceptions, uniformly observethe first day of the week, and unite in defending its observance.There appears, then, to be a discrepancy between the present-day practice of the churches in thematter of Sabbath keeping and the plain teaching of the Bible. This apparent discrepancy has disturbed theminds of many, and created a real need for accurate and reliable information regarding the historical background of the change in Sabbath observance, the time this change took place, and the reasons for making the change. Therefore, it is proposed here to enter into a study of this subject in the hope of  providing information that will enable every reader to arrive at such clear convictions of truth and duty aswill remove all doubt and confusion.In such a study it will be necessary, of course, to inquire into the origin of Sabbath observance, aswell as to examine the writings setting forth the history of the church and the reasons for the change of theday. We shall therefore be required to give careful consideration to the Bible account of the establishmentof the Sabbath among men, and the reasons in the mind of God for commanding its observance in one of His ten commandments.
The Law Spoken and Written by Jehovah
The only divine law for Sabbath observance known among men is contained in the Bible, and has beenquoted on the preceding page. It should be pointed out that this commandment was spoken, with the other nine commandments, by the mouth of Jehovah Himself.“The Lord spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of the words, but saw nosimilitude; only you heard a voice. And he declared unto you ... ten commandments” (Deuteronomy 4:12,13).These commandments, including the Sabbath commandment, were written with God's own finger onenduring stone. “He wrote them upon two tables of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13). “Two tables of testimonies, tables of stone, written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18).This law is spoken of in the Scriptures as “right,” “true,” good,” and “perfect.” “Thou came downalso upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gayest them right judgments, and true laws,good statutes and commandments” (Nehemiah 9:13). “The law of the Lord is perfect” (Psalm 19:7). Thislaw contains the whole duty of man.
Christ Did Not Change the Law
It was not the purpose of Christ to change, remove, destroy, or nullify any part of this law. “Think not thatI am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17).Instead of discrediting the law, Christ came to make it honorable. “He will magnify the law, and make ithonorable” (Isaiah 42:21).Indeed, so far as the Sabbath is concerned, Christ observed it, with every other commandment.
 
“As his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day” (Luke 4:16). As a matter of fact, faithin Christ, instead of setting the law aside, establishes and confirms it. “Do we then make void the lawthrough faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). This law of God, containing theSabbath commandment, is declared by Paul to be “spiritual,” “holy,” “just,” and good.” “We know that thelaw is spiritual' (Romans 7:14).“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (verse 12). This lawmust he kept as a condition of eternal life. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may haveright to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14). Indeed, it is therule, or standard, by which the entire world will be judged. “So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:12).
The Law Remains in Force
It seems strange, therefore, that such an observance as the Sabbath should have been changed at all. Thelaw of God still remains in force. That law requires the observance of the seventh day of the week. But thatday is not now observed by the overwhelming majority of the professed people of God. Nevertheless, thelaw remains unchanged, is still in force, and is the standard of God's judgment.Another day has been substituted for the day commanded. Where did that day come from? Whyhas it been substituted? Is its observance acceptable to God? These are the questions to which we shall nowaddress ourselves.
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