The reader might be wondering why we are spending so much time gathering for worship on “the first day of the week,” well, it is because most denominational churches and the churches of Christ all gather to worship on “the first day of the week.” This would appear to make this a settled question. However, the question we are addressing is one of authority; where is the authority to gather to worship on “the first day of the week?” This is not a settled question!
Seeing that there is no commandment for God’s children to gather on “the first day of the week,” just how does God establish authority, that is binding upon his children today? How does God, through Jesus Christ, establish authority for something, when there is no commandment authorizing it? I submit to the reader, that the denominational folks do not have a clue! Other than, it just has always been this way! Well, tradition is good, when there is authority for it! But, just because denominational churches have always done it, and they do it because those before them get it, as in the Roman Catholic Church did it! Get this now, there is no authority in the fact that the Roman Catholic Church did/does something! They are not, the church the Lord Jesus Christ said, “… I will build my church; …” (Matt. 16:18). So, this being true, where is and how do we get authority for “the first of week” assembly of worship?
Friends, it is by implication! The church of the first century, under the oversight of the apostles of Christ, did in fact, gather to worship God “in spirit and in truth,” upon “the first day of the week!” Luke wrote this: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7). But this is not the only place such evidence is seen. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, even so as I have given order to the churches of Galatia do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Cor. 16:1-2). Here Paul gave a commandment concerning the collection and it was to be done on “the first day of the week.” The Greek words used here should be translated, “on each first day of the week” (Meyer, New Testament commentary) and the Expositor’s Greek New Testament also reads, “the rule previously laid down for Galatia: “On every first (day) of the week.” Then, there is this: “Κατα has a distributive force, every first day” (Vincent’s Word Study). Thus, the church in Corinth had a commandment but notice that Paul wrote: “even so as I have given order to the churches of Galatia do ye.” Therefore, the commandment was not limited to the church in Corinth! However, this is not all!
We must not forget the action of those who first obeyed the gospel on the first Pentecost after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! What did they do? Luke wrote: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Taking the words, “breaking of bread” and putting it with the action of the church in Troas; as Luke wrote: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7).
There we have one of the ways authority is seen by implication. Let it be known, and attention is here called, we as children of God, do not establish authority! No church on earth has the right to “establish” authority! No, we simply recognize it as God’s established authority! As to his children gathering to worship “upon the first day of the week,” we submit to his authority! Yes, it is true, that such authority in the case of what day God’s children are to gather for worship, God has established that his children gather to worship him today, do so “upon the first day of the week!” He did this, not because he gave them a commandment, but he did so by implication, approved action of the first century church, under the oversight of the apostles of Christ!
If this is not so, then by what authority do we gather to worship God “upon the first day of the week?” Seeing there is no commandment, the authority must be seen by some other means! Keep in mind, the authority must come from the New Testament, of which Jesus said: “For this is my blood of the new testament;” as he gave the fruit of the vine to the disciples, introducing unto them the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:28).
In conclusion, keep in mind this old saying: “If the church under the oversight of the apostles did it, then, the church today can also do it by the same authority!” This being true, it means that this is also true: “If the church under the oversight of the apostles did not do it, then, the church of today may not do it!” This is not addressing method! As that is a totally different subject! Finally, let it be understood, that any implication found in a New Testament statement; being implied by the inspired writer, is just as true, as the statement that implies it!
Frank R. Williams