Why I Believe The True Sabbath Is The Seventh (Saturday) Day
Is Sunday the correct day for Christians to hold as the Sabbath? It looks like the day of choice, but is it the correct day? The truth about the rest day of God is in the Law that was written by the hand of God on stone tablets, and was spoken to the Hebrew people. The Ten Commandments (Deut 10:1-4), the Law of God is found in Exodus 20:
Exodus 20:1: And God spake all these words, saying,
Exodus 20:2: I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
(1) Exodus 20:3: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
(2) Exodus 20:4: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:5: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exodus 20:6: And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
(3) Exodus 20:7: Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(4) Exodus 20:8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exodus 20:10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 20:11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
(5) Exodus 20:12: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
(6) Exodus 20:13: Thou shalt not kill.
(7) Exodus 20:14: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
(8) Exodus 20:15: Thou shalt not steal.
(9) Exodus 20:16: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
(10) Exodus 20:17: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
The Seventh Day, and all of its honor, is rooted in the creation. God created the Seventh day, and honoring it honors God. It is God's sabbath, not the sabbath of the Jews. Why do I believe the Sabbath is Saturday, and not Sunday, especially for followers of Jesus, the Son of God? Read the instructions in the Bible.
Gen:2:2: And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen:2:3: And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
In the law handed down by Moses, we are reminded why we should keep the Sabbath.
Ex:20:11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
For those that keep the true Sabbath, God has said of them:
Isa:56:2: Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
Rv:14:12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The Bible warns us to watch for those that would lead us away from the true faith, and even told us that it would be tried, and who to look out for.
2Thess:3: Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Thess:4: Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God
My personal (limited to resources) research into the history of the Church has shown me that Sunday Sabbath was installed by man and is not the correct day for Christians to hold as the Sabbath of God, and that this current practice will not be in effect when Jesus comes back to establish God's kingdom. The Ten Commandments will be the Law of the Kingdom.
Throughout the Bible there are warnings, signs, and examples given to a great Day of the LORD, or the true "Lord's Day", and to the workings of the great deceiver. Daniel, John, and the other prophets saw visions that describes the future of the church and the world up to the end of the government of man, and the coming of the kingdom of God. Paul talked about the "man of sin", and his exposure while discussing the coming of Jesus (Thess 2:1-17). And the same entity is what Daniels vision points to, when the word and will of God is being disregarded by those that say they are worshiping Him.
Dan:7:25: And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Are We in big trouble? Yes, we are. Why do I say that? Well, I was taught to read and understand my Bible. Some practices of Christian churches today are not sanctioned in the Bible. The churches today, including the Protestants, all pay allegiance to Rome and the Pope, because this is the entity that established the current practices used by Christians today, including Sunday as the "Lord's Day".
Why do I say this? Because the early church was controlled by Rome and it's institutions changed the Sabbath Day from Saturday to Sunday, instituted the birthday of Mithra as the birthday of Jesus, and has established the religious foundations for Protestant (Non Roman Catholic) Christian Churches. When you display the ways and actions of something, you are usually associated or identified by that action. For instance, as an American, I am "marked" by the cultural independence in thoughts, love of freedom, etc. The Christian Churches of today have the mark of Rome, and the practices of the Catholic Church.
The early Church fell under the power of Rome, and Rome during the times of Paul was a pagan society of sun god worshippers. During the reign of Constantine, Rome and the Roman Empire became "Christian", and everyone had to attend the church (see the history of the Church and the Roman Empire, esp. the Nicaea councils of 325 a.d.). Two hundred years later (around 500 ad) the official day of worship for Christians was changed from the "Jewish" Sabbath to Sunday in order to reduce confusion with the newly converted pagan people (who worshiped on Sunday) that Rome ruled over. At that point, anyone worshipping on the true Sabbath was branded as heretics to the faith, and punished.
This change was not made by the authority of God, but by the authority of men, ie, the Pope and the Vatican Council. The Roman Church proudly claims that the fact that they changed the Sabbath duties from a Saturday to Sunday, is a sign that all churches follow them because everyone uses their holidays, including Sunday as the Sabbath. For instance, the following holidays, along with making Sunday the Sabbath of the Roman Christians, were created at the Council of Nicea in 325 a.d.:
Easter was the rites of Ester or Aster, goddess of fertility, symbolized by eggs, celebrated the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. This was intended to tie in with the Passover.
Halloween (All Saints Eve), was an holiday of pacifying the spirits by dressing as demon and begging for goodies, collecting for the spirits going door to door, and people had to give or risk reprisals by the "gods".
Christmas (Christ's Mass), was celebrated as the birth of Mithra every December 25, the Sun god, who was widely worshipped in Rome during the early Christian era, and whose religious practices and elements (Mithrism) appears to have been used in place of Christianity as practiced by the first Christians of Jerusalem. Nowhere in the Bible is there a record of Jesus or his followers celebrating his birthday.
And some very curious creeds were sanctioned by that early church, such as Mary being the Mother of God (big trouble!), keeping of relics, and other practices that are not based on the Bible. But read what Jesus himself said about his mother and brothers:
Matt:12:48: But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Matt:12:49: And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Matt:12:50: For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
I have asked many pastors, bishops, and other Christian leaders, who, what, when, and why the Sabbath duties were switched, and most of them don't know, and don't care to find out or to change their teachings. They site traditions and doctrines of the Church as the reasons for the change. Some use the fact that Jesus arose from the dead on Sunday as the reason. (If you use the method of determining the start of the next day as 'dusk' defined in Genesis Chapter 1 and 2, then the time described for the resurrection in the Gospels would really be what we now call 'Saturday night').
"The reason we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observer many other things, not because the Bible, but because the church has enjoined it", Issac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism, vol.1, pp334, 336
"We have made the change from the seventh day to the first day, form Saturday to Sunday, on the authority of the one Holy Catholic Church", Bishop Seymour, "Why We Keep Sunday"
Our "shepherds", the preachers have taught us the "sheep", we the lay people, to break the Law of God, and they have served their own purposes instead of feeding the sheep. (See Ezekiel chapter 34 for God's pronouncement for the preachers of his word that don't teach the truth.)
The preachers don't know their Bible or their history, because, if they did, then they would know that Jesus did not change the Sabbath. They would know that the Sunday as Sabbath was officially sanctioned by Rome. They go along with the way things are because it's easy to follow the status quo, and have don't have the courage to do what is right. They would follow the established rules, and teach others to do so. Jesus saw it coming, that's why he said:
Matt 5:17: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matt 5:18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matt 5:19: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
And James, being inspired by God, wrote:
James 2:10: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
James 2:11: For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
So, does that mean that if you don't commit adultery, don't kill, don't steal, and don't lie, but forget the Sabbath, that you could still be guilty of sin and violating the law of God? YES! Maybe the definition of 'sin' is in order. John wrote:
1 John 3:4: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
This means that not keeping God's law is a sin. Jesus died because of our transgressions, so what he says carries more weight than what some preacher or any other human says.
Isaiah:53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah:53:7: He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Jesus used parables as foretold in Psalm 78:2, when he also said about the law and how long it would be good for:
Luke:16:16: The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Luke:16:17: And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Luke:16:18: Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
Luke:16:19: There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luke:16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luke:16:21: And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke:16:22: And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke:16:23: And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke:16:24: And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luke:16:25: But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke:16:26: And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luke:16:27: Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luke:16:28: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luke:16:29: Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luke:16:30: And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke:16:31: And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
In church circles, the same things are said to justify why Sunday is used, and we have Bibles in our hands to find out the truth. If the Bible is indeed the word of God (and the Bible states that God made all there is) why do we take the traditions of man and make the commandants of God null by our actions?
Matt 15:8: This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matt 15:9: But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
So what does this mean exactly? This is what Jesus Christ said, and it is still true today. Those churches that are "Christian" should be following the Law of God and keeping the true Sabbath. Paul wrote of this condition and pronounced:
2Thes:2:11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
No one has been able to tell me why, what, who, when, or how using proof from the Bible in support of this change, and I say that the Bible and it's teachings is where the proof of God is. He created everything, and by His authority only can the Sabbath duties be changed. If you believe in the whole Bible, then we should practice what we read, not practices from some fable or tradition of man that is based on sin and breaking the law of God.
There are plenty of examples in the Bible of God wanting us to obey him and keep his commandments. As a matter of fact, the first since was Adam's disobedience to God. In the old and new Testaments, the Bible gives us warning and hope, and says what we should do.
Ecclesiastes 12:13: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Acts:14:15: And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
Rev:14:7: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Clearly, our instructions are in the Bible regarding things we need to be doing. Since I am a living man, created by God, I can not and will not follow the dictates of man when it is contrary to God's word. So...
Josh:24:15: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
This paper/page is the sole product of one man (me), whose opinions are mine. I am not a member of the Seventh Day Adventist. This page isn't sponsored, funded, or approved by any church organization. I seek neither money nor any gratuities. I only hope that you will read your Bible, and understand that every word in it is good for instruction, and is the inspired word of God the Creator of All Things, and without Him, there would be nothing.
2Tim:3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
If you feel compelled to do something, read your Bible, especially the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, and find for yourself the truth. Get a computer readable Bible, and you still will not find any reference to when, how, or why God or Jesus changed the Sabbath, and a whole host of things practiced today in Christian churches (such as image worship, worship of Mary as the Mother of God, praying to saints, etc). Then question why! Ask your preacher. If you can't get the right answer, you might want to review what's going on.
May God bless you. Read your Bible, and pray that you find the truth.
Thank You for your interest and your time. Please Read Your Bible.
By Clarence Wm. Jackson, with my web site at Ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/CJac