WCF 21.7

21.7. Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath-day

As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in His Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, He hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto Him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s Day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.

Proof texts

• Exod. 20:8, 10, 11 — [8] “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. [11] For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
• Isa. 56:2, 4, 6, 7 — [2] Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [6] “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant — [7] these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
• Gen. 2:2, 3 — [2] And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. [3] So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
• 1 Cor. 16:1, 2 — [1] Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. [2] On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.
• Acts 20:7 — [7] On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
• Rev. 1:10 — [10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet
• Exod. 20:8, 10, with Matt. 5:17, 18

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Exod. 20:8, 10, 11 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 7 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q57 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WSC Q58 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q57 · WSC Q58 · WSC Q59 · WSC Q60 · WLC Q115 · WLC Q116 · WLC Q117 · WLC Q118 · WLC Q119 · WLC Q120 · WLC Q121 · 1689 22.1 · IAR 6.1 · SHC 4.1 · SHC 4.2 · SD 22.1