The Jewish “sabbath” is called Shabbat, which means “to cease, to end, to rest” and any kind of work, or deliberate activity, is prohibited during Shabbat. For example:
Any activities that contribute to personal profit or gain are forbidden. Jewish rabbinical tradition lists 39 categories of acts forbidden on Shabbat: plowing earth, sowing, reaping, binding sheaves, threshing, winnowing, selecting, grinding, sifting, kneading, baking, shearing wool, washing wool, beating wool, dyeing wool, spinning, weaving, making two loops, weaving two threads, separating two threads, tying, untying, sewing stitches, tearing, trapping, slaughtering, flaying, tanning, scraping hide, marking hide, cutting hide to shape, writing two or more letters, erasing two or more letters, building, demolishing, extinguishing a fire, kindling a fire, putting the finishing touch on an object, and transporting an object (between private and public domains, or over four cubits within public domain). Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/shabbat.html
However, Shabbat means much more than simply ceasing from manual labour. The purpose of Shabbat is to focus attention of God, to worship Him and to concentrate purely on spiritual things. The basis for this “day of rest” comes from Genesis 2:2 where God ceased from his creative activity on the seventh day. In Exodus 20:8 God commanded the Israelites to “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”:
This four-word phrase in English is only one word in Hebrew. It means “consecrate,” “set apart,” or “sanctify.” The Israelites were to make a distinction between the seventh day and the rest of the week. The Sabbath was different. It was to be dedicated to the Lord. The priests were to double the daily sacrifices on the Sabbath (Numbers 28:9–10), marking the day with increased sacred activity. The rest of the Israelites were to mark the day with decreased activity—no work at all—in honour of the Lord. The penalty for desecrating the Sabbath with work was death (Exodus 31:14; Numbers 15:32–36).
Keeping of the Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between Israel and the Lord: “You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come” (Exodus 31:13). As Israel kept the Sabbath set apart, they were reminded that they were also being set apart: “So you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy” (verse 13). Believers today, being under the New Covenant, are not bound to keep the sign of the Old Covenant. Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/remember-the-Sabbath-day.html
Christians are no longer under the requirements of the Hebrew Law but are under the law of Grace:
“But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference [between Jew and Gentile], for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-25).
The point is that no Christian is under any obligation to adhere to the Mosaic Law because we are no longer constrained by the Old Covenant. We have been set free and are in the New Covenant. When it comes to Sabbath keeping, or keeping one day more sacred than another, the principle in Romans 14:5-12 applies:
Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord... You then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
Hebrews chapter 4 describes how all believers have entered into God’s rest through faith:
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest”
That is not a call to earn one’s salvation by works, but is an exhortation to enter salvation-rest by faith and not follow Israel’s sad example in the desert. Source: NIV Study Bible Notes
Resting from physical labour/work on the seventh day of the week is good for the body and the mind. Focusing our attention of God and on spiritual matters is good for our mind and our soul. But there is no law demanding we “do this” or “not do that”. It is a matter of conscience. If a Christian is able to dedicate the seventh day of the week to worshipping God, by going to church and by reading the Bible, then that is fine. But no Christian has any right to judge or condemn a brother or a sister in Christ who does not adhere strictly to what they think is “right”.
Your conscience should tell you whether or not your actions are pleasing to God and bringing Him honour. Everything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
