Groups like the Seventh Day Adventists object to Sunday worship as being a violation of God's commands. They criticize the Catholic Church for "changing" one of God's eternal decrees. But let's examine the Scriptural evidence to see what conclusions we should draw...
December 26, 2012
Why do Catholics worship on Sunday instead of Saturday?
Groups like the Seventh Day Adventists object to Sunday worship as being a violation of God's commands. They criticize the Catholic Church for "changing" one of God's eternal decrees. But let's examine the Scriptural evidence to see what conclusions we should draw...
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I wonder if using Matt.18:18 to defend any adjustment of Biblical teachings by the Church isn't a bit dangerous? For example, the Church states re the ordination of women that it has no authority to change Jesus' praxis but the quote from Matthew seems to undermine this argument... (By the way, I am NOT in favor of the ordination of women).
ReplyDeleteAbusus non tollit usum.
ReplyDeleteMariusz, I do not think the two issues are the same. As Patrick said, the adjustment to Sunday merely "observed the commandment in new and perfected form" - different from the way it was observed under the Old Covenant. The change was a *fulfillment* of the Old Law.
ReplyDeleteThis is a far cry from actually changing one of the *sacraments*, which were not instituted by the Church, but were instituted by Jesus himself. The Church has no authority to do change those.
Well... actually MOST Christians worship on Sunday, even most funadamentalist protestants.
ReplyDeleteOnly a small group say Christians should worship on Saturday...
@ Mariusz:
Any "adjustment of Biblical teachings" cannot be arbitrary, obviously.
All the 'adjustments' were done to the Old Testament Law in light of the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus.
Ordination of women is something that is not taught not in the old testament nor in the new testament, so there is no reason to 'adjust' such teaching at all.
On the other hand moving the Sabbath so Sunday is grounded on the fact that Jesus rose on Sunday and Jesus death and resurrection is the 'new passover'.