Why Do Sabbatherians Believe in Sabbath and What Is the Correct Way by the Bible?
1) Direct answer
Sabbath-keepers hold the seventh day because the fourth commandment told Israel to keep it holy, and because God rested the seventh day at creation. They read those verses as permanently binding on all. But the New Testament shows the Sabbath command, as a day to be kept, was a shadow pointing to Christ. The true Sabbath for the believer is entering God’s rest by faith—receiving the Holy Spirit and ceasing from our own works. So the correct way by the Bible is not bondage to a calendar, but rest in Christ and liberty from being judged about days.
2) Scriptural explanation
- Creation and the Law to Israel: “God…rested the seventh day” (Genesis 2:2-3). “Remember the sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8-11). God called it a sign “between me and the children of Israel” (Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:12).
- Jesus’ authority and purpose: “The Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day” (Matthew 12:8). “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27). He did good on the Sabbath, showing mercy outranks ritual (Matthew 12:10-13).
- Fulfillment in Christ: “Let no man therefore judge you… in respect of… the 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… he that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord” (Romans 14:5-6).
- The real rest: “We which have believed do enter into rest” (Hebrews 4:3). “There remaineth therefore a rest [sabbatismos] to the people of God… he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:9-10). Jesus said, “Come unto me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), not “Come to a certain day.”
- Gentile liberty: When the apostles addressed Gentile believers, they did not place Sabbath-keeping on them (Acts 15:19-20, 28-29).
- Early gathering in freedom: Believers met on the first day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2) and also daily (Acts 2:46). The point was worship in liberty, not a legal calendar.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- If a calendar day were the seal of righteousness, why does Scripture make the Holy Spirit the seal (Ephesians 1:13) and forbid judging about Sabbaths (Colossians 2:16)?
- If salvation hinges on a day, why did the Acts 15 council not command Gentiles to keep it?
- All the moral commandments are reaffirmed in the New Testament; the Sabbath command as a day is uniquely treated as a shadow fulfilled in Christ.
- Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, pointed us to mercy and to Himself as the Giver of rest. So the believer’s Sabbath is a life—resting from self-effort because Christ lives in us—every day.
4) Reinforcing statement
Honor Christ every day. Rest your body wisely, gather faithfully, and do good any day. Do not make a day your righteousness; let the Holy Spirit be your rest. Let no one bind your conscience about Sabbaths, and let everything you do—whether you set aside a day or regard every day alike—be unto the Lord.
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.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 2:E-13
The Sabbath, as we know it from the New Testament, is NOT the keeping of a certain day. We have no command whatsoever to keep Saturday for a Sabbath, nor do we have any commandment to keep the first day of the week, which is Sunday. Here is the truth of the Sabbath, which means "rest." Hebrews 4:8, "For if Jesus had given them rest (or rest day), then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest (Sabbath keeping) to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he a...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 2:E-16
Now exactly what is that rest that Jesus will give? Isaiah 28:8-12, "For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom He said, This is the r...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 3:E-77
See how it started out in the early church. It was called deeds. Then it became a doctrine. It became the standard. It became the unbending way. It finally took over and God was pushed aside. Oh, it started so small, so quietly, so inoffensively. It looked so good. It seemed so sound. Then it caught a hold, and like a python, it squeezed out the very breath and killed all the spirituality there was in the church. Oh, that false vine is subtle. It is like an angel of light until it gets a hold on you. Now I want to...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 6:E-56
The church went right from organization to denomination and hence to false teaching. That is right. The Roman Catholics don't believe that God is in His Word. No sir. If they did they would have to repent and back up, but they say God is in His church. That would make the Bible the history of the Catholic Church. That isn't so. Look what they did to water baptism alone. They took it away from being Christian Baptism and made it a pagan one of titles. Let me tell you about an experience I had with a Catholic priest....
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.