Throughout Paul’s writings, the Sabbath is explicitly mentioned only once. Let that reality settle in for a second. Paul, the most prolific Apostolic writer in the New Testament, only mentions Sabbath once.

Here is the text:

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV)

In the preceding verses (Col. 2:8–15), Paul explains that the ordinances which stood against believers have been removed through the death of Christ. Because of this, the obligations of the Mosaic Law, including dietary laws, festival observances, and the Sabbath, are no longer binding. Paul categorizes these practices as “a shadow of things to come”—a temporary system that pointed toward Christ. Similarly, Hebrews 8:5 states that the entire Tabernacle system was a shadow, one of the reasons it is no longer obligatory. Likewise, Hebrews 10:1 declares that the law, particularly its sacrificial system, was also a shadow that has now been fulfilled. The same principle applies to the Sabbath: it once served as an obligatory observance, but now that the true fulfillment has come in Christ, it is no longer a requirement. If Sabbath-keeping were still mandatory, then failing to observe it would result in divine judgment. However, Colossians 2 explicitly states that believers should not be judged regarding Sabbath observance, making it clear that it is no longer a binding command.

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV)

R. de Lacey affirms this interpretation, noting:

“As with the law, Paul’s attitude to the festivals (including the Sabbath) here seems to be that they have lost their intrinsic value but may yet be enjoyed by those who wish so to use them. However we interpret the situation, Paul’s statement “Let no one pass judgment on you,” indicates that no stringent regulations are to be laid down over the use of festivals.” [1]

Other Pauline Passages Related to the Sabbath

Although Paul does not frequently mention the Sabbath directly, two other passages are relevant to the discussion:

Romans 14:4–6

“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.” (Romans 14:4–6, ESV)

This passage warns against judging fellow believers over differences in practice, particularly regarding the observance of “days.” While this could include various holy days, it certainly encompasses the Sabbath. Paul states that some believers may set apart one day as special (such as Saturday or Sunday), while others may treat all days as equal. Both perspectives are valid, as long as they are done with the right motives before the Lord.

This passage strongly opposes the idea of mandatory Sabbath-keeping for either Jews or Gentiles. Those who choose to observe the Sabbath should not be judged for doing so, but neither should they impose their practice on others. Jewish believers who keep the Sabbath should not question the Jewish identity or faithfulness of fellow Jewish believers who do not observe it. Similarly, Gentile believers should not be criticized for refraining from Sabbath observance. Paul’s argument makes it clear that Sabbath observance is a matter of personal conviction rather than a requirement under the New Covenant.

It is this very issue that the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s stance on the topic steps outside the Scripture.  To claim that the Sabbath is binding on all humanity and then interpret the mark of the Beast in Revelation to be a National (Global) Sunday Law observance puts them outside of Christian thought and makes them what I call a ‘severed appendage’ of the Body of Christ.  Making it practically and doctrinally impossible to unite with Christianity under the teachings of the New Testament.

Galatians 4:10

“You observe days and months and seasons and years!” (Galatians 4:10, ESV)

In the broader context of Galatians, Paul is addressing the issue of Gentile believers being pressured to adopt the Law of Moses as part of their faith (Gal. 2:16, 19–20; 3:2, 5, 10–29; 4:4–5, 21; 5:3–4, 14; 6:13). The “days” mentioned here likely refer to the Sabbath, while “months” refer to New Moon festivals, “seasons” to Israel’s seven appointed feasts, and “years” to the Sabbatical Year and possibly the Year of Jubilee.

“While there has been some debate over what these terms express, most agree that Paul references here the Jewish cultic calendar. In any case, Paul may not be striving for exactitude here so much as he has in mind the celebration of all types of days and periods observed by the Jews. A slavish dedication to any or all of these observances is not what maturity in Christ should develop. Paul would save the Galatians from taking up such a lifestyle.” [2]

Paul’s tone in this passage is one of strong disapproval, indicating that he views the return to such observances as a regression rather than spiritual progress. He warns that relying on the observance of Jewish holy days is a step backward in understanding salvation by grace through faith. To my Seventh-day Adventist readers, I hope Paul’s stern rebuke properly comes across the page.

De Lacey reinforces this interpretation:

“Paul viewed any attempt to impose Sabbath keeping (or indeed the keeping of any of the regular festivals of the Jewish or astrological calendars) upon Gentiles as wrong, and any tendency on the part of converts to submit to this coercion as a retrograde step.” [3]

In Conclusion

In none of his writings does Paul ever mandate Sabbath observance for all believers, nor does he suggest that Jewish believers must continue keeping the Sabbath while Gentiles are exempt. Instead, he consistently treats the Sabbath as part of the Mosaic Law, which has been fulfilled in Christ.

De Lacey summarizes Paul’s stance well:

“What does this tell us about Paul’s attitude to the Sabbath? The clear implication is that he refuses to dogmatise one way or the other. An individual may keep the Sabbath or not; presumably, in general Paul might have assumed that a Jewish Christian would do so and a Gentile convert would not. The important factor was not which practice one adopted, but one’s motives; to convert for inadequate reasons is reprehensible. Thus Paul was probably content to allow a wide variety of practice in the churches.” [4]

Ultimately, Paul’s writings establish that Sabbath observance is neither commanded nor forbidden under the New Covenant. While individuals are free to observe it if they choose, it is not a requirement for believers. The emphasis in the New Testament is not on external observances but on faith in Christ and walking in the Spirit.

In Christian Love,

[1] D. R. De Lacey, “The Sabbath/Sunday Question and the Law in the Pauline Corpus,” in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Investigation, ed. D. A. Carson (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1999), 183.

[2] Robert K. Rapa, “Galatians,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans–Galatians (Revised Edition), ed. Tremper Longman III & Garland, David E., vol. 11 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 609.

[3] D. R. De Lacey, “The Sabbath/Sunday Question and the Law in the Pauline Corpus,” in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Investigation, ed. D. A. Carson (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1999), 181.

[4] D. R. De Lacey, “The Sabbath/Sunday Question and the Law in the Pauline Corpus,” in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Investigation, ed. D. A. Carson (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 1999), 183–184.