I Corinthians 16:1-3 and the Sabbath Day
One day after church services folks got together and decided to meet on the following Sunday morning a week away. Their purpose was to clean the yard of the elderly widow of the congregation. Supplies were gathered (rakes, shovels, hoses, nozzles, brooms etc.) during the week and the next Sunday folks got together at the widow’s home and her yard was cleaned up. It was a job well done. This did not change the day they met of Sabbath services (The seventh day of the week as God proclaimed in Genesis).
I Corinthians 16:1-3 “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.” This did not change the day they met of Sabbath services (The seventh day of the week as God proclaimed in Genesis).
I Cor. 16:1-3 is often used as a “proof text” by people wanting to make Sunday the Sabbath Day. A deeper look at this verse shows us this was 1) a private collection from church individuals. It was not an offering made at church services, and it was to be stored up at home until the time of collection. 2) The money was stored up until Paul came to the area. 3) Having a meeting to do good on the “first day of the week” does not change when the Sabbath day is observed. Meeting to collect supplies for the famine relief of the Church of God in Jerusalem did NOT change the Sabbath day to Sunday.
We find in Acts 11:30 the Antioch church of God sent Barnabas and Paul to Jerusalem to deliver relief to the Jerusalem church. Paul and Barnabas seem to have made it a part of their gospel mission to help the church of Jerusalem. Neither I Cor. 16:1-3 or Acts 11:30 changed the Sabbath day to Sunday. Both were for the relief of the brethren, and both were monitory love gifts. Getting together on a Sunday to work for the church does not change the Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday.
God made the Sabbath day at creation. It was the seventh day of the week. No human can change what God made or the order in which He made things. God “blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Gen. 2:3). Mankind cannot change what God did.
God commanded the seventh day Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11). God made the Sabbath day a “sign” between Him and those who obey Him (Ex. 31:13-17). We are not to turn away from the Sabbath (Isaiah 58:13). The New Testament Church of God kept the Sabbath Day. It was not changed to Sunday by any act of man (Acts 13:42,44-48). Both Jew and Gentile have the same reward, there is no difference. We all (Jew and Gentile) have the same spiritual obligations to obey God (Gal. 3:28, Rom. 6:23; 3:29-31). Paul preached for three Sabbaths to both Greek and Jew on the Sabbath day in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-2). Paul preached to both Jew and Gentile on the Sabbath day in Corinth (Acts 18:4). All mankind will be compelled to keep the Sabbath day in the future Kingdom of of God (Isa.56:1-7). In the future kingdom of “God, He will gather ALL NATIONS to keep His Holy Sabbath day (Isa. 66:18-24). At the very end of the Bible It says, “blessed are they that do his commandments…” (Rev 22:14). The Sabbath is the fourth commandment.
Jesus Christ, the “same yesterday, and today and forever” (Heb. 13:9). Jesus Christ, the creator of all things (John 1:1-4,10). He created the seventh day Sabbath at His creation, and He did not change it to any other day of the week. I Cor. 16:1-3 did not change the Sabbath day to Sunday. As the gathering on a Sunday to clean the yard of a widow does not change the Sabbath to Sunday, gathering to send relief to Jerusalem does not change the weekly Sabbath day to Sunday. The Sabbath has been from creation and will forever be the seventh day of the week.
For more detailed information see Bacchiocchi, Samuele, From Sabbath to Sunday, The Pontifical Gregorian University Press, Rome, 1977, pages 90-101.
Mike Wallace
