礼拜圣日
1.为何主日或礼拜日（七日的第一日）取代了第七日的安息日呢?
很多守礼拜日或主日的基督教徒把改守星期日为圣日（七日的第一日）的责任挂在主耶稣和使徒的身上。圣经没有记载主废掉安息日的证据，相反的使徒们和保罗都是照着素常的规矩守着。
徒17：1-21保罗和西拉，经过暗妃波里，亚波罗尼亚，来到帖撒罗尼迦，在那里有犹太人的会堂。2保罗照他素常的规矩进去，一连三个安息日，本着圣经与他们辩论。
主与使徒没有废掉守安息日，那么到底是谁改为守星期日的呢?为何星期日常被称为“主日”而取代每周第七日为安息日呢?
a.根据罗马天主教。“神的教会”（罗马教会）以他们的智慧将安息日从每周的第七日移转于“主日”第一日。
（取自CatechismoftheCouncilofTrent，Donovantranslation，1829，267页）
b.罗马天主教会承认将守圣安息日改为星期日。而其他基督徒也因天主教的“权威”而守星期日为安息日。
（取自Mgr.Segur，PlainTalkabouttheProtestanismoftoday，213页）
c.桑末贝尔教授（N.Summerbell）是美国一位著名的牧师，曾任安提阿大学校长。
在他所着的「基督徒历史」一书第418页中，他给我们一个直接的见证说：
他（罗马教会）已颠倒了第四条诫命，撤去了圣经中之安息日，而设立星期日为一个圣日。
d.从教会的历史，礼拜日是源自于异教拜太阳神之日，而非源自圣经的教训。
如上所列举的证据，显明废掉守圣安息日的是天主教会。他非但承认，而且还向世界宣布。所以每一位真信徒，不可再将改守主日的责任妄加在主和使徒，当勇敢拒绝天主教的遗传，更要遵守主所设立的安息日。
太15：9他们将人的吩咐，当作道理教导人，所以拜我也是枉然。
启22：18-1918我向一切听见这书上预言的作见证，若有人在这预言上加添甚么，神必将写在这书上的灾祸加在他身上；19这书上的预言，若有人删去甚么，神必从这书上所写的生命树和圣城删去他的分。
2.为何神设立安息日?
主耶稣说：「安息日是为人设立的。」（可2：27）。可见安息日的设立，目的是要使人得着益处。
a.使人记念神是造物主安息日是神造万物完成的记念日。神定此日，要使人知道耶和华是造物主，免得忘记神恩，或受迷惑去拜假神，自食苦果（出20：8-11；结20：20）。
b.使人得享身心的安息神说：六日你要作工，第七日要安息，使牛、驴可以歇息，并使你婢女的儿子和寄居的都可舒畅。（出23：12）。
圣经指示说：「创造地极的主，并不疲乏，也不困倦。」（赛40：28）。神不需要休息，祂定了安息日是出于祂爱世人的心肠，要使祂所造的，不但是自主的，也要使为奴的和牲畜都得到舒畅。
这日作为安息的需要，开始于亚当之时，因他有「修理看守」（创2：15），并治理全地的责任（创1：28）。故神在创世之时就设立此日，要叫亚当享受。此日是神赐福之日（创2：3），记念的人绝不会因停止工作而生活发生困难（出16：29），因主必有所预备。
c.使人记念神的救恩
「你也要记念你在埃及地作过奴仆，耶和华你神用大能的手，和伸出来的膀臂，将你从那里领出来，因此耶和华你的神吩咐你守安息日。」（申5：15）。人很容易忘记神的爱，所以神要以色列人于安息日特别集会，记念神救他们脱离埃及的恩典（利23：3；诗98：2-3）。新约时代的选民，更当在此日记念主耶稣流血赎罪的大恩（徒26：18；林后5：14-15）。
d.使人知道神是叫人成圣的
「又将我的安息日赐给他们，好在我与他们中间为证据，使他们知道，我耶和华是叫他们成圣的。」（结20：12）。安息日是神赐的，在领受的人是一种恩典。神在创世之时，赐福给第七日，且「定为圣日」（创2：3），使其与一般的日子不同。要百姓将此日「分别为圣」不作俗事（尼13：22；赛58：13-14），聚集受教，与神灵交，追求圣洁，因人非圣洁，不能见主（来12：14；彼前1：15）。并且叫人知道只有真神才能叫人成圣（帖后2：13；来10：10、14）。
e.使人仰望天国的安息
第七日的安息，深具「预表性」。预表神完成救赎工作之后，要使祂的子民得享天国的永远永息。圣经明说：「这样看来，就有一个安息日式的安息，为神的子民保留着了。因为进入神之安息的人，就歇了他的工而安息了。」（来4：9-10）。这世间并无安息之地（诗90：10），只有主耶稣能使我们得安息（太11：28-29）。我们既得应许能进入祂的安息，就当在世谨守圣日，并仰望救主再临，带进永远的安息（罗8：22-23；来4：1）。
3.当怎样记念安息圣日?
安息日是神创世所设立的，在律法成立前就传给了以色列百姓，后又列入十条诫命之内，旧约时照律法硬守之。主耶稣来了晓喻我们遵守安息日的新意义，又藉着使徒传有关基督徒遵守安息日的根据和精神。以下的经训是指示我们当怎样记念安息日。
a.放下俗事
赛58：13你若在安息日掉转你的脚步，在我圣日不以操作为喜乐，称安息日为可喜乐的，称耶和华的圣日为可尊重的；而且尊敬这日，不办自己的私事，不随自己的私意，不说自己的私话
b.参加教会聚会
利23：3六日要作工，第七日是圣安息日，当有圣会，你们甚么工都不可作，这是在你们一切的住处向耶和华守的安息日。
路4：16耶稣来到拿撒勒，就是他长大的地方。在安息日，照他平常的规矩进了会堂，站起来要念圣经。
徒13：44到下安息日，合城的人几乎都来聚集，要听神的道。
c.传道、行善
可1：21到了迦百农，耶稣就在安息日进了会堂教训人。
徒16：13当安息日，我们出城门，到了河边，知道那里有一个祷告的地方，我们就坐下对那聚会的妇女讲道。
太12：11-1211耶稣说：你们中间谁有一只羊，当安息日掉在坑里，不把他抓住拉上来呢?12人比羊何等贵重呢?所以在安息日作善事是可以的。
据圣经的算法，纪念安息日的时间是：晚上至晚上（利23：32；可1：21，32），即今星期五晚上至星期六晚上。
关于我们横过「国际日线」一事，似乎使守安息日的时间陷入困难。但我们均据当地日历的算法，在第七日按该地的时间遵守即可。
结论：
基督徒当跟从基督的脚踪，在真神所定的圣日休息俗事。当在此日纪念神恩，敬拜真神，并做些荣神益人的善事。
创2：3神赐福给第七日，定为圣日；因为在这日神歇了他一切创造的工，就安息了。
THE LORD’S DAY
Q1. How did The Lord’s Day or Sunday replace the seventh-day Sabbath?
Many Christian churches are inclined to lay the abolition of the Sabbath on the Lord and the Apostles. There is no scriptural evidence to support either the Lord Jesus or the apostles abolished the seventh-day Sabbath. On the contrary, we see that Paul and the other Apostles of the Lord kept the Sabbath, which was their custom.
Acts 17:1-2 1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.
If the Lord and the disciples did not abolish the Sabbath, who did? How did Sunday, often called “The Lord’s Day”, come to replace the seventh-day Sabbath?
a. According to the Catholic Church, “The Church of God (i.e. the Catholic Church) has in her wisdom ordained that the celebration of the Sabbath should be transferred to the Lord’s Day”. (Catechism of the Council of Trent, Donovan translation, 1829, p.267).
b. It was the Catholic Church which claimed that she had to transfer this rest to Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord.” Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is a homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the “Catholic Church” (Mgr. Segur, Plain Talk about the Protestanism of today, p.213).
c. “It (the Roman Catholic Church) has reversed the fourth commandment, doing away with the Sabbath, aand instituting Sunday, as a holy day” (N. Summerbell, History of the Christians, p. 418).
d. Church history gives ample evidence of the origin of Sunday observance, “a venerated day of the sun,” which has pagan rather than biblical origins. The Catholic Church abolished the Sabbath, an act that she has triumphantly declared to the world. Therefore, Christians should not assume Jesus and His disciples substituted the first day of the week (Sunday) for the seventh day (Saturday) just because it is a long-standing tradition. Rather, Christians must return to the truth and observe the true Sabbath under the Lord’s grace.
Matt 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Rev 22:18-19 18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Q2. Why did God establish the Sabbath Day?
The Lord Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). The establishment of the Sabbath is not to bind people with elaborate regulations under the law, but rather it is for humanity’s benefit.
a. To remind humanity of God’s creation.
The Sabbath is a memorial day of the completion of God’s creation. As established by God, the Sabbath allows humanity to remember God is the Creator and Provider of all creation (Exo 20:8-11 ; Eze 20:20).
b. To allow for physical and spiritual rest.
“Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your ass may have rest, and the son of your bondmaid, and the alien, may be refreshed” (Exo 23:12).
The Bible tells us that the everlasting God, the Creator, does not faint and is not weary (Isa 40:28). God does not need to rest, but out of His love for the world He created the Sabbath in order to give a day of rest and refreshment to His creation.
Rest became necessary in Adam’s days, because Adam had to tend and keep the garden (Gen 2:15), and had dominion over the whole earth (Gen 1:28). The establishment of the Sabbath day was a provision for Adam. God blessed this day (Gen 2:3); and those who keep the Sabbath need not worry about not being able to survive (Exo 16:29) because of God’s wondrous provisions.
c. To remind humanity of God’s salvation.
“You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out thence with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day” (Deu 5:15). People forget God and His grace quite easily. Therefore, God demanded the Israelites to have a holy convocation on this day in memory of His deliverance of His people from bondage (Lev 23:3 ; Psm 98:2-3).
In the New Testament, God’s chosen should all the more remember the Lord’s salvation and grace, since Jesus redeemed us from the bondage of sin and death.
We must especially remember the Lord’s great salvation on the Sabbath (Acts 26:18 ; 2Co 5:14-15).
d. To remind God’s people that God sanctifies them.
“Moreover I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them” (Eze 20:12). The Sabbath, given by God, is a grace to those who keep it. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it in creation (Gen 2:3). Consequently, it is different from the other days of the week. God wants His people to keep the Sabbath day holy and to avoid profane activities (Neh 13:22 ; Isa 58:13-14). Thus, Sabbath observance generally consists of a church gathering for the following reasons: spiritual communion with God, listening to God’s word, and a striving “for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14 ; 1Pe 1:15). So the Sabbath reminds God’s people that He sanctifies them (2Th 2:13 ; Heb 10:10, 14).
e. To allow the chosen people to look forward to the true rest in the Heavenly Kingdom.
The Sabbath is a present type of the coming true rest in heaven. After God’s redemptive plan is accomplished, He will let His children enter the eternal rest in the kingdom of heaven. The Bible says, “There remains a rest for the people of God; for whoever enters God’s rest also ceases from his labors as God did from His” (Heb 4:9-10). There is no true rest in this world (Psalms 90:10), except in the Lord (Matt 11:28-29). Having the promised eternal rest in the future, we should keep the Sabbath while looking forward to the Lord’s second coming. For at the second coming, Jesus will receive the saved ones into the heavenly kingdom to enjoy the true, eternal Sabbath. Thus will we leave behind the pangs and sufferings of the world (Rom 8: 22-23; Heb 4:1).
Q3. How do we keep the Sabbath Day?
The Sabbath was established by God at creation; it was made known to Israel before the giving of the law; and was included in the Ten Commandments. Keeping the Sabbath was related to the severe legalistic rules of the Old Testament, and it was given new significance by the Lord Jesus, whose observation practices were handed down to the apostles. Let the Scriptures show us how we should observe the Sabbath:
a. Put aside all secular activities.
Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words
b. Attend church services/gatherings.
Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings Luk 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Acts 13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
c. Perform Evangelical and Charitable Works.
Mark 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Acts 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
Matt 12:11 11And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
As for the time calculation of the Sabbath day, it is to be kept “from evening to evening” (Lev 23:32 , Mark 1:21, 32). That is, from Friday evening to Saturday evening.
At first glance, it may seem difficult to reconcile the different time zones around the globe. However, all we need to do is honor and keep the Sabbath according to the time and dates of the local area. Therefore, regardless of the country where a true believer dwells, he or she can keep the Sabbath according to God’s commandment, and enjoy the abundant spiritual blessings.
Conclusion
As the Lord’s disciples, we should follow Jesus’ example – putting aside all secular activities on God’s designated Sabbath. What we should do on the Sabbath is: to remember God’s grace, to worship Him, and to perform good deeds that glorify His name.
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.