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Q. Did Catholics change the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday?

1. The first mention of the Sabbath's being kept by man  is Ex. 16:23. 
The formal giving of this requirement is recorded in Ex. 20:8. This is 
further seen in Neh. 9:13,14. The Sabbath was a "sign" between God
 and Israel (Ex. 31:13,17). It was not given to other nations. It was never
given to the church.
2. The Bible makes no distinction between the 10 commandments and
the ceremonial law. The ten commandments were done away (2 Cor.
3:1-18; Col. 2:14-17. The Old Law itself foretold that it would be
replaced by a "new covenant" (Jer. 31:31ff; Heb. 8:6ff.) Man is
discharged from that law (Rom. 7:4,6).
3. NT passages: On the first day of the week, Christ rose from the
dead (Jno. 20:1); on this day by the resurrection Jesus was
declared to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4); appeared to His disciples
that day (v. 19) and also on the following Sunday (v.26). The
church was established on Pentecost (Acts 2:1ff.), which always
came on the first day of the week (Lev. 23:16). Christians met to
observe the Lord's Supper and engage in other activities of worship
on Sunday (Acts 20:7). On that day they were commanded to give into
the treasury of the local congregation; Grk text: "the first day of
every week" (1 Cor. 16:1,2) (see rendering of NASB). The apostle
John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10). 
4. Early Christians Speak: "Incense is a vain abomination unto me,
and your new moons and Sabbaths I cannot endure. He has, therefore,
abolished these things." Wherefore, also, we keep the eight day
with joyfulness, the day, also, on which Jesus rose again from the
dead" (Barnabas-120 A.D.) "But every Lord's day do ye gather
yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving"
(Didache-125 A.D.). "And on the day called Sunday, all who live in
cities or in the country gather together to one place...But Sunday
is the day on which we all hold our common assembly..." (Justin
Martyr-140 A.D.). "We passed this holy Lord's day, in which we read
your letter, from the constant reading of which we shall be able to
draw admonition" (Dionysius-170 A.D.). "On one day, the first day
of the week, we assembled ourselves together, and on the days of
the readings we abstain from sustenance" (Bardesanes of Sayri-180
A.D.). "He, in fulfillment of the precept, keeps the Lord's
day...glorifying the Lord's resurrection in himself" (Clement of
Alexandria-194 A.D.). "The old law is demonstrated as having been
consummated at its specific times, so also the observance of the
Sabbath is demonstrated to have been temporary." "We neither accord
with the Jews in their peculiarities in regard to food, nor in
their sacred days" (Tertullian-200 A.D.). These, and other
quotations (see Wayne Jackson, Courier XVIII.3.9.) certainly refute
the assertion that the Pope changed the Sabbath from Saturday to
Sunday. Christians were worshipping God on Sunday, the first day of
the week, for centuries before there was a Pope.---Leon Mauldin

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