We wouldn’t dream of trying to keep the entire law given to Moses in the Old Testament. It wouldn’t be possible, and we know that it’s not required of believers after the death and resurrection of Christ. But some occasionally wonder about the Sabbath day command since it is part of the Ten Commandments. Should we still go to church on Saturday and avoid work that day?

I’ve been “evangelized” a few times by zealous and probably well-meaning members of Christian churches that still preach obedience to parts of the Old Testament law of Moses. They generally started their “evangelizing” by . . . . promoting a following of the Old Testament Sabbath Day even for New Testament Christians. Meaning primarily the requirement, in their opinion, to go to worship services and refrain from work on Saturdays. If you worship on Sundays rather than Saturdays, that is not good enough from their point of view. And if you have a job, you definitely are not allowed to keep a job that involves Saturday hours.

We still follow the Ten Commandments, don’t we? Yes and no. Yes, the same principles as they are repeated in the New Testament. No, not in the same exact form as God gave them through Moses. The Ten Commandments in their Old Testament form are part of the law of Moses, the guardian we are no longer under since the coming of Christ (Galatians 3:23-25).

The book of Colossians also makes this clear specifically related to the Sabbath, the day of rest: 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).

How can we “rest” in New Testament times? The Sabbath law was heavily focused on physical rest, and a pause in working, buying and selling. We can certainly do the same. We can have a reasonable amount of time every week that is not dedicated to production, making money, and spending money. Time for family and friends, health, relaxation, and leisure. The Old Testament Sabbath also included remembrance of God’s great works for his people: the creation of the world (Exodus 20:11), the freeing from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:10-15), and the people’s belonging to the Lord (Exodus 31:12-13). We, too, remember God’s grace to us as we spend time in the Word and prayer, gather together to encourage one another in the faith, and worship as a church family.

It's not as regulated, and there is not a specific day, but in the New Testament we have just as great a need to “rest” physically and spiritually as we look ahead to the eternal rest in heaven through faith in Jesus!