Some say that we should take Sunday as our day of worship in order to celebrate Christ's resurrection. However, we already have such a celebration: baptism.

The seventh-day Sabbath was instituted to commemorate Creation (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:17). We rest on the seventh day to honor our Creator and our Saviour. However, many Christians defend Sunday as the day for worship on the grounds that they are celebrating Christ's resurrection from the grave after His death on the cross.

But nowhere does the Bible tell us that we should modify the Sabbath. It is the special day God designed to honor His creative act both in the world and in our lives. In fact, honoring the seventh-day Sabbath is actually a sign that we do not believe in righteousness by works, but rather in the saving grace of Jesus to cleanse us from all sin and to make us right with Him.

Every aspect of our salvation is possible only through Christ: both justification and sanctification. Justification is the legal side of our relationship with God. We are declared innocent, even though we are guilty, because Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Sanctification is the active side of our relationship with God. It is the little-by-little, daily process of the Holy Spirit making us more like Him. Even our ability to repent is given to us through Christ (Romans 2:4).

Participation in the Resurrection

When we consider Christ's resurrection from the dead, we must realize that it was possible only because of His sinless life. Because He had not sinned once during his entire life on this earth, Christ was not defeated by Satan, and was able to rise again from the death on the cross. Death could not hold Him because He was unconquered by the Enemy. The way we celebrate Christ's resurrection is by participating in the rite of baptism.

Baptism is, among other things, our own participation in Christ's death, and our own resurrection to a new life in Christ. When we are submersed under the water, it is a sign that we are choosing to let our old life die. And when we rise from the water that symbolizes a watery grave, we are choosing and receiving on a daily basis a new life in Christ—trusting in the merits of Christ to save us, and choosing to daily slay the old selfish desires that fight against Christ's principles. The new birth experience celebrates Christ's resurrection by applying the power of His resurrection to our lives through our own choice. Read more about the meaning, process, and history of baptism

When Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, He was not declaring Himself a sinner that needed to be saved. He was baptized as an example for us to follow, and as a substitute for those who have, for one reason or another, been unable to demonstrate their choice to follow Jesus through the rite of baptism. Perhaps they were invalid, on their deathbed, or simply far away from any other Christian that could assist them in this rite. In those cases, Jesus Christ was baptized on their behalf. But for us who are able to freely make the decision to live for Christ it is a privilege and a duty.

In the next article, read testimonies from Protestant denominations who have chosen Sunday instead of Satuday as their Sabbath

If you are considering baptism and would like to discuss this with someone, speak to your pastor, or contact us at info@amazingdiscoveries.org with the subject line "I am considering baptism."