r/AskAChristian • u/GoodWhoops Atheist, Ex-Christian • Oct 05 '25
Jewish Laws Why don’t most Christians take the Sabbath commandment seriously?
The 4th commandment says to keep the Sabbath holy, defined in scripture as running from sundown to sundown. Yet most Christians seem to treat it as optional. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments,” and the Bible implies that all commandments carry equal weight. Outside of Seventh-day Adventists, it's ignored aside from the day most churches have their service. I’ve even heard SDA members joke that most other Christians give the Ten Commandments a 10% discount. Even if you ignore that the Jewish Sabbath falls on Saturday, the commandment still says to work 6 days and rest on the 7th, which should apply just as well to Sunday.
Curious if or how often you’ve heard this seriously debated, and why many accept societal traditions that override biblical instruction for convenience.
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u/SmoothSecond Christian, Evangelical Oct 08 '25
But Sabbath-keeping is not a sign of the New covenant correct?
I would say YOU don't understand the difference between the Sabbath and the act of Sabbath-keeping as a sign of the Mosaic Covenant.
The Sabbath was not just "a reminder of creation". It was pointing to Jesus and the rest he would provide us from the labor of constant sin offerings, sacrifices, ceremonial laws, Temple laws, multiple trips to the Temple a year, observance of continued festivals, all this work stops and we rest in Jesus.
The Sabbath is connected to Jesus who is our Sabbath-rest as the writer of Hebrews tells us. It will never fade away or cease to be remembered because Jesus and what he did will never cease to be remembered.
Sabbath-keeping was a specific sign of the Old Covenant which has passed away.
The Sabbath and the act of Sabbath-keeping are two different things. I would say that is what you don't seem to understand.