Sunday worship; no Sabbatarian requirement; Lord's Day as resurrection celebration
The Church of God (Anderson) celebrates Sunday as the Lord's Day, the Christian day of worship commemorating Christ's resurrection. The church does not impose strict Sabbatarian requirements on its members nor does it bind believers to the Mosaic Sabbath laws. Sunday worship has replaced Saturday Sabbath observance as the pattern for Christian practice since apostolic times, reflecting the eschatological shift introduced by the resurrection.
The church affirms the principle of rest and worship while rejecting legalistic observance of specific days. Believers are encouraged to set apart time for worship, prayer, and spiritual renewal, but the manner and extent of such observance is left to individual conscience and cultural context. The Lord's Day is celebrated with freedom and joy as the day of resurrection, but the church does not teach that violating particular Sunday practices constitutes sin.
Key Distinctions
- Observance theology:
- rest and worship principle preserved; Mosaic law abrogated
Scripture References
Sources
- Church of God (Anderson) Official Statement on Worship
- Daniel S. Warner, Christian Practice Writings
- Church of God (Anderson) Statement on the Lord's Day