The New Testament church began on a Sunday in Acts 2 (the day of Pentecost was 50 days after Passover, Lev. 23:15-16). From its beginning, the Bible says that “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (2:42). Numerous scholars have readily identified the words of Acts 2:42 as a description of New Testament worship (along with congregational singing in 2:47). “The apostles’ doctrine” indicated there was preaching; “the breaking of bread” was a synecdoche for the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; Matt. 26:26).
Included in this description of New Testament worship is the word “fellowship.” This is one of the joys of Christian worship. What does the word “fellowship” involve? No doubt, there is the mutual participation, mutual interaction and mutual satisfaction in worshiping God, but there is more to it. Interestingly, the beautiful Greek word for “fellowship,” koinonia, is twice translated “contribution” (Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 9:13). The worship of the New Testament church, in which they “continued steadfastly,” included the blessing of contributing to God.
Take special consideration of God’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. These are “orders,” i.e., commandments from God which are not optional but are “musts.” These instructions are universal—for the church at Corinth (1:2; 16:1), for the churches of Galatia (16:1) and for “all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord” (1:2). Obedience to these commands is directed to be fulfilled “on the first day of every week” (16:2). This is a specific act to be done by “each one” at a specific time on a specific day in a specific place. Each Christian is to “lay by…as he may prosper.” Giving of our prosperity is to take place every first day of the week, when the church assembles together. The ASV says to “lay by in store.” The word for “store” indicates a common treasury, into which each Christian would “put something” “every first day of the week,” according to how he had “prospered.” This was not at home but in the assembly.
If this had nothing to do with the first-day-of-the-week, Christian worship, then (1) why command it to be done? (2) why command each person to do it? (3) why command each person to do it on the same day? (4) why command each person to put their prosperity in the same place? (5) and what was the significance of the first day of the week anyway?
The universal command of God to His church is to continue steadfastly in doing that which they started doing on the day the church began in Acts 2 — give to God in worship!