Day of worship Saturday or Sunday? Christians to observe the Sabbath?

Deuteronomy 5:12 - 15 is cited by Seventh Day Adventist to prove that it is righteous to worship God on the day of Saturday in which according to them is the day of Sabbath. According to most of their member that I already have a conversation it  is of the devil to have worship service on the Sunday which happen to be the first day of the week, and not the seventh day or the Sabbath day.  They even criticized the Church of Christ or Iglesia ni Cristo for having a Thursday worship service, or having a twice a week worship service.  Are we against the verse cited? The answer is NO!  It is true that the Israelites  were commanded to observe the day of the Sabbath (Deuter.5:12-15). Our  Lord God gave this commandment to His servant Moses.  “ There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord” (Lev.23:3 NIV).  Those who did not observe this at that time were punished (Numbers 15:32-35).  Thus, during the time of Moses, this commandment of God was carefully observed.

But time came when the observance of the Sabbath became meaningless to our Lord God.  The Prophet Isaiah clarify this in his writings, “Stop bringing meaningless offering! Your incence is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbath and convocations  I cannot bear your evil assemblies” (Isa. 1:13 Ibid.)

It is made clear to us that the Israelites observance of the Sabbath became meaningless before God and thus, should be stopped (Hos.2:11).  Even our Lord Jesus Christ did not observe the day of rest as what is written in Luke 13:14-16: “ Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people; ‘there are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath”. The Lord answered him, you hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?  Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her”(NIV)

In this light, let us understand that in the Christian Era, the observance of the Sabbath as decreed in the Law of Moses is no longer commanded to be practiced.  Furthermore, it is clarified by the bible that people will not be justified by the Law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)

But man’s obligation to serve and worship God never ceases because this is his primary duty to his creator (Psalms 100:2-3)  Even during the time of the apostles, the Christians continued to gather together to fulfill this sacred commandment: “ Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7NKJV).  It must be noted that in this verse, the day the first century  Church of Christ performed their congregational worship service was on “the first day of the week”  or  Sunday.  For this same reason the Iglesia ni Cristo holds worship services during Sundays.  How about other days?  Is it forbidden by God to holds worship services on other days? Again, the Acts of the Apostles 2:46 states that:  “They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful” (The Message).  We must realize that there was even a time when the early Christians held their congregational services daily.

 This is why  the Iglesia ni Cristo  holds worship services during Thursdays or Wednesdays and Sundays or Saturdays.  Whatever  the day  or time,  whenever  the worship service comes,  whatever the hindrances  maybe, Church Of Christ members give utmost importance to worshipping God because it is a commandment that   His true servants always fulfill.