“What do we do with the Sabbath?” Or a better question, “What do we do ON the Sabbath?” An even better question is, “When is the Sabbath, Saturday or Sunday?” These are great questions!
This is part of a larger question and how we view and understand our Bible and how God works in relation to humanity. God works through a series of covenants, His promises and agreements with man on how things get done. God made covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, then He promised a new covenant in Jeremiah 31 to come (which did, through Jesus). The covenant with Moses particularly is the old covenant, the law, the Ten Commandments (Dt 30:15-18); that’s where we keep the Sabbath, honor our parents, do not kill, cheat, or steal, etc. It is this covenant (and the combination of the others) that is fulfilled in Christ. Jesus said, “I did not come to abolish the law, but fulfill it (Matt 5:17).” Jesus said, “This is the new covenant in my blood (Luke 22:20).” We in Christ relate to God through Jesus and the new covenant.
So we in Christ are free from the bondage of the law, as Paul says in Romans 6:14, “We are not under the law.” We are not required to keep it. We are not judged on the basis of law-keeping but grace and faithfulness and in relationship with Jesus and His blood that saves us. In fact, we have a better Sabbath through Christ; He is our true Sabbath rest (Colossians 2:16-17, Hebrews 4:9-10). “The righteousness apart from the law has been made known, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Romans 3:21-22).” Sabbath was given to Israel as part of the Old Testament law. We are not commanded to obey the Sabbath in the New Testament.
But in another sense, as we follow Christ, it is good to observe a day of rest. We obey the law out of wisdom, not because we must. Sabbath is good, and there’s nothing wrong with a Sabbath day of rest. But which day? Although Saturday was the Sabbath, it was fulfilled in Jesus, on Sunday, the first day. It doesn’t matter which day (Galatians 4:9-10). The early church met for worship on Sundays (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 16:2). We are to worship God every day, of course, but Sunday is the day many churches gather to worship.
Paul said that each individual Christian should decide when and whether to observe a Sabbath rest: “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind (Romans 14:5).” We are to worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday. It is good to rest in Jesus every day. He is our best Sabbath.