Sunday gathering for breaking of bread; Mosaic Sabbath not imposed on Christians
Christadelphians do not observe the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) as a binding obligation for Christians. The Mosaic law, including the Sabbath commandment in its specific form, is understood to belong to the Mosaic covenant — which was given specifically to Israel and has been superseded by the new covenant in Christ. Christians are not under the law of Moses and therefore not bound by the specific Sabbath regulations.
However, Sunday holds a special place in Christadelphian practice as the day of Christ's resurrection and the day on which the New Testament believers gathered for the breaking of bread (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2). The weekly breaking of bread service on Sunday is the central communal practice of Christadelphian worship and functions as the equivalent of the Sabbath gathering — a weekly assembly of the community for remembrance and reflection — without carrying the legal force of the Mosaic Sabbath.
Christadelphians do not typically restrict Sunday activity in a Sabbatarian way. Members may work, play, or engage in ordinary activities on Sundays, provided they gather with the community for the breaking of bread. The focus is on faithfully attending and participating in the communal service, not on regulating all Sunday behavior according to Mosaic Sabbath law.
Key Distinctions
- Day observed:
- Sunday (Lord's Day) for breaking of bread
- Observance theology:
- first day of the week for memorial and worship; not strict Sabbatarian
- Binding on christians:
- not legally binding; observed in spirit
Scripture References
Sources
- Christadelphian BASF; Robert Roberts, 'Christendom Astray from the Bible' (1884)