What Did Jesus Say About Sabbath Is It Still a Practice for Christians of Today?
1) Direct Answer
Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, and that He is Lord of the Sabbath. For Christians today, the true Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ—resting from our own works by the Holy Spirit. We are not under a legal command to keep a certain day, but we should gladly gather to worship and do good, without judging one another over days.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Jesus’ words:
- “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath… the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).
- He defended His disciples plucking grain and healed on the Sabbath, showing “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days” (Matthew 12:1-13).
- Christ gives the real rest:
- “Come unto Me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-29).
- “There remaineth therefore a rest [sabbatismos] to the people of God… he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works” (Hebrews 4:9-10).
- Not bound to sabbath days as law:
- “Let no man therefore judge you… in respect of… sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).
- “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5-6).
- Believers still assemble:
- They gathered on the first day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2), and we are told not to forsake assembling (Hebrews 10:25)—but this is worship, not bondage to a legal Sabbath.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Now notice: Jesus didn’t cancel mercy to protect a ritual. He revealed the purpose—Sabbath was made to bless man, not bind him.
- You see, the weekly Sabbath under the Law was a shadow. Christ is the substance. When He gives you the Holy Spirit, you enter God’s rest—Sabbath life every day, not just one day.
- If righteousness came by a calendar, why did Scripture say not to let anyone judge you in sabbath days? And why did Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, place doing good above strict observance?
- Therefore, Christians are free from the yoke of a legal Sabbath. We honor God by resting in Christ, walking in the Spirit daily, assembling with believers, and doing good any day.
4) Reinforcing Statement
It’s not about a day holding you; it’s about the Lord holding you. Enter His rest, live holy every day, gather with the saints, and let no one bring you back under shadows when the Light Himself has come.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Sir, we would see Jesus
63-1112 §103
...what we got today. They were a nation, a nation governed by the laws of the Bible. They were. We were supposed to be, but, oh, mercy, we all know we're a million miles from it. People couldn't live in them days the way they live now. Men with four or five women ... wives, they would be stoned to death. And the things that we do today, and call ourself a religious nation! We cannot do that ... or they could not do it, rather. They could ... We can, but they can't. Because, and, they had to be taught. Every man had t...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
58-0515 §32
A few days later we find Him in Saint John the 4th chapter, just before closing. And we find Him in the 4th chapter of Saint John. Now He did not go to the Gentiles. He did not perform that sign one time to the Gentiles, just to the Jews. But here He is in front of the Samaritan. And He sends His disciples away, because He was tired and He sat down. In a little panoramic, something like this here, where there's a... If you've ever been there, the well's still there, just outside the gate of Samaria. Jacob dug it. A...
The Lamb's book of life
56-0603 §23
And you know that still exists today? There's people today who tries to keep the law of the Old Testament, and still be Christian, when one is very contrary to the other. If you do one part of the law, you have to do it all. "You're a debtor," says the Bible, "to do all the law," if you do part of it. And then if you keep the law, as the sacrifice, and Sabbath, and obligations, and eatings and washings, and so forth, under the law. But we're not under law now, we're under grace. And Paul is trying to show where the...
Christ is the mystery of God revealed
63-0728 §191
"Well," you say, "now wait a minute, Brother Branham, you're talking about the Old Testament." He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. It's the full revelation of God. If God ever says anything, He can never change it. He always magnifies it, not change it. The law was magnified, not changed---magnified. "Whosoever commits adultery shall be guilty of death, but whosoever (now magnified) looketh upon a woman to lust after her..." He never changed the commandment, He magnified it. "Remember the Sabbath day; keep...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 8:E-53
Yes. The Bible way is the real way of the open door. And I want to add my testimony to that. The reason I have to do that is because I can only speak with assurance concerning what God has done in my own life. So if you'll excuse a personal note here I will tell you how I know for a surety that Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever and that the power of God is still available to those who will believe and receive.