God is Love...He Loves You!

God is Love. He loves you.

Do you love Him?

John 3:16

 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Matt 22:37‑40

37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'   38 This is the first and great commandment.  39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'   40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

  

To be sure that the Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, loves you personally may sound impossible. But it is true. God said so in His word and He proved it in His Son Jesus. Believe it, and the abundant life that He promised will be yours as a gift. He knows everything about you. And He loves you anyway. His will is always His love. He has a most wonderful future for you. Once you get to know Him, you cannot help but fall in love with Him. Loving Him will be the most pleasant priority of your life. To live in His will is a constant eternal blessing. To know God with our limited three dimensional, five sensory perceptions may seem impossible. But it is His pleasure to reveal Himself to you while He transforms you into His image. Just do not limit Him. Live in His light. Let every ray of truth transform you heart and mind. If you reject just one, your progress will be halted and you will miss a blessing. God wants to bless you always 100%, never less. Only you can stop them by being selective.         

    

Introduction:

In considering some of life’s most important revelations, as well as the most universally accepted deceptions, it must be understood that the “Word of God” and the “Faith in Christ” is the basis for this study.

Only with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with your mind open and submissive to His word, will you be able to find the truth and blessings in the following message.

1 Cor 2:14

14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 God, the origin of absolute wisdom and knowledge, in His love and mercy, communicated with mankind through His Son who is The True Word, The Truth, The Way and The Life. He is our Revelation and Savior from error and its consequences.

John 8:31-33

If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 16:13

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;

 Please consider the thoughts that I present to you with an open mind and love for truth. I hope they will bring you greater freedom by living more fully in the Will of God and help you to experience the abundance of His blessings.

So in this communication with you, I will let Him, the Word, do the revealing and I shall keep my commentaries to a minimum. My only motive for writing to you is love. There is no profit consideration, for there is no charge. No denominational agenda, for there is no solicitation of any kind..

The great spiritual battle of the universe

When the curtain of ignorance is lifted from our minds through divine revelation, we are first shocked to see the enormous network of spiritual forces  battling for influence and control of our minds.  How confused we must often be, being influenced from all directions with philosophies, religions, advertisements, politics, propaganda, education, etc. through books, magazines, papers, radio, television, telephone, computer, schools, churches etc. How do we determine what is good or bad, beneficial or damaging, true or false? Is there a standard, are there absolutes by which we can judge? We would be hopelessly lost in the ocean of world views, doctrines, traditions, and opinions, unless we accept the gracious guidance of the spirit of our Savior and Lord.

 The minds of all humanity are the theaters of battle. Who is winning in your life?

With Christ lifting the curtain,  our minds begin to see the spiritual forces as the real players behind physical pawns.

Eph 2:1-2

2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

The course of this world is inspired by Satan. His deceived live in disobedience to God

John 8:44

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Please note, this was spoken to religious leaders. They taught and preached from the word of God but not the word of God. They were deceived and became deceivers, doing the work of the devil in the temple of God and in the name of God.

Rom 6:16‑18

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

The two Fathers or Originators:

Christ introduced to mankind two fathers and their children. One is His Father, The God of Love and Justice and His children who love Him and bear His character. The other is the devil, Satan, the origin of evil and his children who are inspired by his spirit bearing his characteristics of disobedience to God.

Rev 12:9

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev 13:4

4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast [secular government]; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

Rev 13:8

8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

 Please note: the Greek word “proscuneo” translated “worship” means to be submissive in obedience.

Satan is a very successful deceiver. He does not only deceive the “whole world” but he deceived also one third of the angels.

Rev 12:4

4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.

Are you immune from his deceptions? Could part of your mind be in captivity? Are you free to let the

Light of The Word dispel every error?

This world disorder is his kingdom and all deceived are his citizens. All governments have adopted his policies of violence, force, coercion, lies, physical warfare, disobedience, self centered ambitions and misuse  of power etc. 

Matt 20:24-26

 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you;

1 John 5:19

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

In order to bring the whole world under his influence, he has many helpers.

2 Cor 11:14

14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Mark 13:22-23

22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect-if that were possible. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

Acts 20:29-31

9 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard!

Religion and philosophy have always been Satan’s favored instruments of deception. Theology has become the science of making the simple ways of God and His good news complicated. Satan tries to distort our perception of God. He wants us to believe that God’s truth, His good news, is so complicated that you need theologians, priests, rabbis or ministers to reveal it to you.

This says the Lord.

Luke 10:21

21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure

1 Cor 1:19-24

19 For it is written

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Truth is simple. Whoever loves it, understands it and lives it.

We may trade our ignorance for God’s wisdom, free of charge. It is His delight to personally lead us into all truth.

Luke 11:9-13

9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

If our salvation and understanding of truth would depend on human agencies, denominations with their hierarchies and representatives, then God could not hold us individually responsible for what we believe and do. Our Lord saves and guides us individually. Our relationship with Him is a very personal matter.

God’s servants bring the “good news” to the world. Changing one’s mind and life, is the work of His spirit.

What a privilege; God loves you. He is your father. He gives you personal attention.

John 14:23

23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

John 14:24

24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

1 Tim 2:5

5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

Has God and Christ made their home with you?

Is it save to follow the majority?

.

The devil’s children have always been the majority in this world.

Matt 7:13-14

13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Why are there only few that find the way? The majority likes their own ways more than the way of God.

Matt 7:21-24

21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Please note that “lawlessness”or disobedience to God’s laws is a characteristic of many religious leaders and their followers.

Also remember the time of Noah. Of the millions that inhabited the earth, only eight were saved. At the time of Elijah only seven thousand remained faithful of all the millions of pretending believers.

 At the beginning of the Christian area we find the religious world in the same dilemma.

Rom 11:2-6

2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 "LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?  4 But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."  5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace

.

Rom 9:27

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only a  remnant will be saved.

If the number of confessing Christians be like the sand by the sea, only a remnant will be saved..

So we must keep in mind that it is not safe to believe and do what the majority does.

Christ also established His Spiritual Kingdom on earth and all who believe in Him and His Word are his citizens. They live by His policies of love, obedience, humility, and service. They manifest all the fruit of His spirit.

Gal 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Matt 7:20

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them

2 Cor 10:4-6

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity  to the obedience  of Christ,

 

Children of God take every thought captive under the obedience of Christ. Their minds, their thoughts are not in captivity of another spirit. Christ is their highest authority.

Eph 6:12

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places..

In the beginning God instructed His new creation, that harmony with Him, who is The Life, is abundance of life.

Disharmony with the God of Life is called sin, it is death.

Rom 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How does God define what sin is?

1 John 3:4

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:4

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

KJV

Intentional, persistent disobedience to Gods laws is rebellion against God, an act of selfish unloving unbelief, which leads to separation from God with its destructive consequences, and final cessation of life.

What are the schemes of Satan?

In the beginning in the most beautiful environment with all abundance and comfort, the parents of humanity were tempted to disobey God. Satan the deceiver prevailed in his strategy of mind control.

Ever since his strategy remains the same. He leads man into temptations to disbelief and disobedience.

2 Cor 2:11

11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

2 Cor 11:3

3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

John 14:15

15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:21

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

John 15:10

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

Is selective obedience loving obedience?

How many of God’s commandments do we keep? How many does our “Christian” world keep?

In practice, not many. Some repeat the satanic lie:”No one can keep God’s commandments”. How about in theory? What do most churches teach about keeping Gods commandments?

I pray that the spirit of God will enlighten your mind so you will understand how Satan has deceived the majority of our “Christian” world to believe and teach, that selective obedience and situational obedience is acceptable to God.

Satan and his human agents teach us how to justify sin, which by God’s definition is breaking one or more.

of His laws. It is disobedience that brings death. The satanic strategy is to justify sin. Even to make us think that sin is right.

Consider the Ten Commandments. Satan’s agents would have a difficult job to convince you that killing is good, unless you have a concept of situational morality. That is, if your government or church asks you to do it, than it is alright.

Than you will obey your government or church rather than God. The purpose sanctifies the means. Politically correct terminology is invented, like collateral damage for killing, or diplomacy for lying etc. But religious people would recognize that killing and lying is not acceptable. Most theologians teach that. So Satan would have to choose a commandment he could easier change, distort or eliminate.

What did Satan through his human instrument do to the forth commandment?

 The forth commandment

Ex 20:8‑11

8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

When did the Sabbath originate? When did God bless it and made it a holy day?

Gen 2:1‑3

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Since the Sabbath was made for men at creation, it could not have been made just for the Jewish people, as some have taught, because the first Jew was not born until 2000 years later.

Mark 2:27‑28

27 And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

Please note: it was Christ as the co-creator God, who instituted the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the day of the Lord.

When He gave the Ten Commandments through Moses 2500 years after He first blessed and sanctified the Sabbath after finishing creation, He commanded the people to “remember” the seventh day Sabbath to keep it holy. So the Sabbath was always a holy day to God’s people. 

Fifteen days before the Israelites reached Mount Sinai, before they received the Ten Commandments, they knew about the Sabbath and God expected them to keep it holy.

Ex 16:22‑30

 23 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD.

Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.'" 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.

25 Then Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none."

27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

Is our Lord not wonderful! He knew that men needed rest but would not take the time, So He commanded it.

Later, the people had to learn a very important lesson. Open rebellion, disregarding a commandment of God leads to death.

Num 15:32‑36

Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. 34 They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him.

35 Then the LORD said to Moses,"The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp." 36 So, as the LORD commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died.

Moses, Aaron and the people of Israel did not know what to do with this man who deliberately disobeyed God, the Law Giver. What answer did they expect from Him who taught man from the beginning of creation? Disobedience is sin and the wages of sin is death. “You will surely die” if you disobey. Would He change this principle in this case? No, God is consistent. He does not confuse His people. Now everyone knew for sure,

That willful disobedience to any law of God is deadly.

If you would have witnessed this horrifying event, you could never forget that God the Lawgiver Himself pronounced judgment over the willful sinner and you participated in his execution. You would never again question or outguess God’s position on the validity of His commandments. Willful disobedience is suicide with eternal consequences.

It is hard to understand that a human being would defy the Almighty God. He certainly did not love the Lord with all his heart. Saying no to God, is saying no to life. Consequences of disobedience are not always swift, but they are certain.   Consider the precedence of this case. God forgives the sin of a repenting sinner, but not when he or she continues to disobey God. Precedence is a legal term. Before judged pronounce punishment in guilty cases, they often look through court records to see how other judges have judged in like cases. Consider that this execution sentence was made by Jesus. It was He who led the Israelites out of slavery into the promised land.

1 Cor 10:1-12

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.   5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

6 Now these things occurred as examples  to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."   8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did — and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did — and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel.

11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Heb 10:26-31

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"  and again, "The Lord will judge his people."   31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

This is not just having religion or relying on church membership. It is life 24/7 in the presence of God. Your choices in matters of righteousness and sin are between life and death. Please do not take it lightly.

Only the spirit of the Devil would dare to add or take away from God’s law or word. Christ said, not even one letter shall be taken away.

Deut 12:32

32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Matt 5:17-18

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Ezek 20:12

 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

Ezek 20:20

20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'

Deut 28:1‑3

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.

2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:

3 "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

Deut 28:6

6 "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

Deut 28:12

12 The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand.

Deut 28:13‑14

13 And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.  14 So you shall

 not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Other Gods can be other authorities that we submit to.

Acts 5:29

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said:"We ought to obey God rather than men.”

God in His loving kindness always tried to lead His children on the way of life in peace and joy.

But repeatedly they have been mislead to disobey the commandments of God. So He sent His Word of rebuke and encouragement through His prophets.  

Ezek 20:8,13

8 But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me.

13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them

Ezek 20:16‑17,21,24,25

16 because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

21 "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments,'which, if a man does, he shall live by them'; but they profaned My Sabbaths

24 because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols.

25 "Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live

Please note: God called the Sabbath His Sabbath. Any other day, even if we would give it a religious name, it never would be His Sabbath. Those that persisted in disobedience and rejected His word, He had to finally give up to statues that were not good, they lived in error with its life destroying consequences.

Isa 3:12

O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths."

Isa 9:16

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.

 Gods Sabbath in the new testament and the new covenant

First we should look at an old testament prophecy relating to the new covenant.

Jer 31:31

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Jer 31:33     

33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people

                                                                                  

Heb 8:10

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

In the New Testament book of Hebrews, God’s word quotes the prophecy in Jeremiah.

 What is the difference between the old and new covenant?

First we note what is consistent and the same in both covenants: God is the writer and it is His Laws that He writes. If it is another law or changed law that we believe in and keep, it is not His. What makes the big difference is the place where He writes His laws. The Ten Commandments where written by God on tablets of stone in the old covenant and the people said:

Ex 19:8                                                               

"All that the LORD has spoken we will do."

In the new covenant, God writes His laws in our minds and on our hearts. After we Christians are born of God, resurrected in to the new life, the law or whole will of God becomes our nature, we live and rejoice in the will of God. Whoever loves God, loves His will and in whom God lives all His will is alive and reality, because it is no longer I with my good but fallible intentions that lives, but it is He whose workmanship we are. Pray and mean it: “Your will be done on earth [by you] as it is in heaven.” That means without exception.

    

Rom 8:3‑4

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Please remember: the only scripture that Christ and His apostles quoted was the Old Testament.

Before we leave God’s word of the Old Testament prophecies, we need to take heed of a very important revelation in the book of Daniel. Here God gives us a glimpse of world history as it unfolds.

The first eight chapters of Daniel where inspired during the Babylonian empire, 625-539 BC. His statue vision of chapter two deals with the succession of the world empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia 539-331 BC, Greece 331-168 BC, Rome 186BC - 538 AD, The European States 538 AD - The End, when God will establish His eternal kingdom.

Dan 2:44

44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

In chapter eight, the four beast vision, covers the same time period. But during the ten horns of the European area, he was shown a peculiar little horn, a religio-political power that would subdue three kings namely the Heruli in 493, Vandals in 534, Ostergoths in 538, and than become the supreme power over the European nations.    

This power will change God’s law and time.

Dan 7:23‑25

23 "Thus he said:

'The fourth beast shall be

A fourth kingdom on earth,

Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,

And shall devour the whole earth,

Trample it and break it in pieces.

24 The ten horns are ten kings

Who shall arise from this kingdom.

And another shall rise after them;

He shall be different from the first ones,

And shall subdue three kings.

25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,

Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,

And shall intend to change times and law.

Then the saints shall be given into his hand

For a time and times and half a time.

Later in this study we will identify this little satan inspired horn. 

 Also the apostle Paul was inspired to write about this “anti Christian” spirit that began in his days

and became later the strongest influential power to deceive the world in the name of God.

 2 Thess 2:2‑12

 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains, will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness

I would like to encourage you to study prophecies more in depth, because they are given to us to enlighten our minds.

 2 Peter 1:19‑21

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation

   21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Our Lord is delighted to lead us into all truth. He is the truth. But if we have not received and accepted the

“love of the truth” we will fall for strong delusions and be deceived by the “lawless one”.

                                                                                                                                           
A word to the shepherds and their followers

This says the Lord. He who has a perceptive mind, listen and understand the word of the Lord.

Matt 5:17‑21

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Do you obey this commandment of Christ: “Do not think that even one letter of the law can be deleted or changed”? If you think that way, you disobey Christ, you do not believe Him nor love Him.

John 14:21,24

21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Matt 7:21-23

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers

All your religiosity is in vain, because you practice and teach lawlessness.

Gal 1:6-9

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

There is only one gospel, comprised of every word and deed of Christ. If you delete Matt.5:17-21 from it, you have a different gospel with dire consequences.

Many of you have been taught to think, in disobedience to the Lord, that His laws can be used selectively, or that your church hierarchy has the authority to change God’s law. He said “not one tittle or jot will pass away till heaven and earth pass away”. Heaven and earth are still here. This means that neither one dot nor the smallest letter has been deleted or changed by Him or His servants.You may be deceived to think that the fourth commandment regarding the Sabbath is the least relevant of the ten. Then you began to break God’s law. Law breaking and disobedience to God became your custom.

Then you began teaching it to others in “the name of Christ”. You have already the judgment of Christ: ”you shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven”. Citizens of God’s kingdom regard you as the lowest. If your righteousness does not exceed that of your deceived teachers, you will by no means understand nor enter the kingdom of heaven.

Yes, you are the lowest of the low, if you dare to tamper with the law of the Almighty and teach others to sin.

Can you still hear the voice of the Lord: “Repent and sin no more”??? Please do!!!

                      

Matt 7:21‑23                                                                                              

 "Not everyone who says to Me,'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

You may preach well prepared beautiful sermons and have a massive congregation. But so does the devil.

If uncompromised, unconditional love to God and men is not in your heart, nothing will have lasting value.

You pray and teach others to pray:”Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Than why do you not do

the will of god and teach others to do so including all of God’s commandments of God, including the fourth?

When God speaks, who would dare to contradict Him? Only Satan and his deceived servants do so.

 

Luke 6:46

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?

Luke 11:52

52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to the Kingdom of God. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." 

Matt 15:7‑9

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 

8 "These people draw near to Me with their mouth,

And honor Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me. 

9 And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

 

When God says “remember to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy”, you say no, we keep the first day of the week Sunday. In this respect it is also true what Jesus said:

Matt 15:6‑7

Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

You teach that one bite of the forbidden fruit brought death to mankind. How then can you teach that disobedience to God’s commandment is harmless? How can you be so inconsistent? What a responsibility you have. You are standing in the court of God, judged by His word.

John 12:48

48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.

Christ will not justify your rebellion. Confess, repent, relent, and His grace and blessings will abound in you.

Jer 23:30‑32

30 I am against those prophets who take each other's words and proclaim them as my message. 31 I am also against those prophets who speak their own words and claim they came from me. 32 Listen to what I, the LORD, say! I am against the prophets who tell their dreams that are full of lies. They tell these dreams and lead my people astray with their lies and their boasting. I did not send them or order them to go, and they are of no help at all to the people. I, the LORD, have spoken."

Jer 22:21

1 I spoke to you in your prosperity,

But you said, 'I will not hear.'

This has been your manner from your youth,

That you did not obey My voice.

Isa 56:10‑11

10 His watchmen are blind,

They are all ignorant;

They are all dumb dogs,

They cannot bark;

Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

11 Yes, they are greedy dogs

Which never have enough.

And they are shepherds

Who cannot understand;

They all look to their own way,

Every one for his own gain,

From his own territory.

Isa 24:5

5 The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants,

Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Isa 5:20

0 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;

Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

2 Chron 7:13‑14

 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

You teach that one bite of the forbidden fruit caused the death of mankind. How than can you teach that disobedience to God’s commandment is harmless? How can you be so inconsistent? What a responsibility you have! You are standing in the presence of Almighty God, judged by His word. Christ will not justify your rebellion. Confess, repent, relent and His Grace and Blessings will abound in you.

May I, as your fellow servant, talk to you for a moment personally? Please be reconciled with our Father. You know that religion and theology, or should I say theonology, has always been Satan’s favored and most successful means to deceive. You know that transgression of any moral law of God is sin, which has so many destructive side effects and ultimately is the cause of death. Than why would you teach one of his little ones to sin. You know our Lord’s mind in this matter:

Matt 18:6-14

6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 

12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

I pray that you may find humility and repentance to live in all the will of our Lord. If He is your Lord, respect and obey Him. Live and teach His word, even if you lose your position. Do not be just a self indulgent hireling. Be a good shepherd who is willing to give his life for the Lord’s flock. If you do not love the truth, than God will permit “strong delusions” to cloud your mind. 2.Thes. 2. 10,11.

What does the Word of God say about the first day of the week?

Some Christians have asked: Does the bible talk about first day of the week meetings

of the early Christians?

We will list all passages that contain this wording and you will see that none of them

indicates that Christ or His Apostles attempted to change God’s holy Sabbath from the

Seventh Day to the first day of the week.

The wording: “first day of the week” would not even be found in our bibles if the translators would not

have taken the liberty to interpret rather than to translate. All seven passages dealing with this wording

say in the Greek text: “the first after the Sabbath.” The Sabbath is always the day of reference in naming days. All other days are only numerically named after the Sabbath, with the exception of the sixth day which is also named preparation day for the Sabbath.

We will first look at the passages in Mark according to the Interlinear Transliterated Bible so that you can see the Greek text.  

Mark 16:2

2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

2 Kaí lían prooí teé miá toón sabbátoon érchontai epí tó mneemeíon anateílantos toú heelíou

(from Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright  1994, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.)

sabbaton

a. singular sabbaton and to sabbaton: Mark 6:2; (15:42 Lachmann, Tregelles); Mark 16:1; John 5:9 f, etc.;

equivalent to the institution of the sabbath, the law for keeping holy every seventh day of the week: Matt 12:8; Mark 2:27 f; Luke 6:5;

(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 2000 by Biblesoft)

As you can see:”mia toon sabbatoon”,  translated verbatum, means “first after the Sabbath”

Please see Vine’s Dictionary under “First”          

protos) as an adjective, e. g., Mark 16:9, used with "day" understood, lit., "the first (day) of (I. e., after) the Sabbath," in which phrase the "of" is objective, not including the Sabbath, but following it(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright )1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

NT:9999 Number for day according to Strongs Concordance:

NOTE: inserted word (x); This word was added by the translators for better readability in the English. There is no actual word in the Greek text. The word may be displayed in italics, or in parentheses or other brackets, to indicate that it is not in the original text.

(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek‑Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright  1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

SABBATH      

1. sabbaton NT:4521 or sabbata: the latter, the plural form, was transliterated from the Aramaic word, which was mistaken for a plural; hence the singular, sabbaton, was formed from it. The root means "to cease, desist" (Heb., shabath; cf. Arab., sabata, "to intercept, interrupt"); the doubled b has an intensive force, implying a complete cessation or a making to cease, probably the former. The idea is not that of relaxation or refreshment, but cessation from activity.

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Translators can make the important day of reference less important by not even mentioning it.

The job of a translator is to translate exactly from the original without his interpretation. It does not

take a theologian to understand that the “first after the Sabbath” is the first day of the week.

Now we will look at the other texts that deal with this subject:

Matthew 28

28:1 Opsé dé sabbátoon teé epifooskoúsee eis mían sabbátoon eélthen Mariám hee Magdaleeneé kaí hee állee María theooreésai tón táfon

(from Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright  1994, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.)

Matt 28:1

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

Translated from the Greek, this text would read:

After the Sabbath was past and the first after the Sabbath began to dawn.

This text just states that on Saturday evening after sunset when Sunday began, Christ arose from His tomb.

No indication of any change of God’s commandment.

Matt 28:1

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

Luke 23:56

56 hupostrépsasai dé heetoímasan aroómata kaí múra Kaí tó mén sábbaton heesúchasan katá teén entoleén

(from Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright  1994, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.)

Luke 24:1

24:1 Teé dé miá toón sabbátoon órthrou bathéoos epí tó mneéma eélthon férousai há heetoímasan aroómata

(from Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright  1994, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.)

Luke 23:56

56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Luke 24:1‑2

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

Here we find confirmation, that Christ’s followers rested on the Sabbath after His crucifixion.

John 20

20:1 Teé dé miá toón sabbátoon María hee Magdaleeneé érchetai prooí skotías éti oúsees eis tó mneemeíon kaí blépei tón líthon eerménon ek toú mneemeíou

(from Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright  1994, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.)

John 20:19

19 Oúsees oún opsías teé heeméra ekeínee teé miá sabbátoon kaí toón thuroón kekleisménoon hópou eésan hoi matheetaí diá tón fóbon toón Ioudaíoon eélthen ho Ieesoús kaí éstee eis tó méson kaí légei autoís Eireénee humín

(from Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright  1994, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc.]

John 20:1

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

John 20:19‑20

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."

When Christ appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He did not announce any changes of God’s commandments. If He would have made such a revolutionary announcement, He also would have had to confess that He was in error, when He said:

Matt 5:17,18

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 

Acts 20:7

Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

Acts 20:7

7 En dé teé miá toón sabbátoon suneegménoon heemoón klásai árton ho Paúlos dielégeto autoís mélloon exiénai teé epaúrion paréteinén te tón lógon méchri mesonuktíou

On the first after the Sabbath [after sunset] in the evening after the brethren had supper, Paul extended his message till late. He rested and worshiped with his fellow Christians on the Sabbath. They continued into early Sunday, because Paul was leaving for Assos in the morning.

Some may say: “The Christians broke bread on Sunday. Is this not an indication that they had a Sunday meeting?” Please note that the Christians broke bread daily.

Acts 2:46

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

1 Cor 16:2

2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.

ASV

There is nothing in this text that suggests a public assembly. The funds for the poor in Jerusalem were to be set aside by himself or at his home, storing it up until the arrival of Paul. The first day of the work week was a good time to start saving for this project.

One that tries to read into these texts a justification for changing the fourth commandment of God, transferring the Sabbath to the first day of the week, would have to be most desperate in support of the “lawless one.” 

What is the biblical definition of sin?                                                                                                                                                                   

1 John 3:4‑9 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

1 John 3:10

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

No one that knows and loves God can justify selective or partial obedience.

James 2:10‑12

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

If breaking of Gods law is sin, who would dare to place himself above God and say: if you break the fourth commandment, you do not sin. Only satan and his servants have invented such tragic lies. 

If you keep nine commandments and break the fourth, you are a transgressor, you commit sin. Christ had to die for your sin, How could you choose to continue to live in sin when you love your Lord?

Heb 10:26‑29

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
1 John 2:3‑6                                  

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

 How did Christ walk, how did he keep His commandments?

Christ lived in a legalistic society. How to keep the Sabbath holy was in details put into laws.

The Mishna lists thirty nine forms of labor which are forbidden on the Sabbath. No broken bone could be set, nor poultice could be applied.

Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath taught by His word and example what was lawful to do on the Sabbath.

 Luke 4:16

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

                          

Matt 12:9‑13

Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying,"Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  that they might accuse Him.

11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?  12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."  13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored

If Jesus would have broken just one of His laws, He would have sinned and He would have had to die for His sin. He could not have been the savior that died for us.

He taught the importance of keeping the ten commandments.

Matt 19:17‑19

17 So He said to him,  "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 

18 He said to Him, "Which ones?"

Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,'  19'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  

Christ did not even think of changing His laws. That is why we do not find a single word about a transfer of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day. When He predicted the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem in seventy AD, He said:

Matt 24:20‑21                                                                                                          

20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

He obviously encouraged Christians who lived in seventy AD to be concerned not to desecrate the Sabbath.

And why should they not. This is the specially blessed holy day of the week, made for men to fill their need

to rest, to be refreshed and edified, being reminded that the almighty creator and redeemer loves them.

Did His disciples obey Him and follow His example?

Luke 23:56

56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Acts 13:42‑47

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said,"It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us:

Here we find Paul and Barnabas preaching on the Sabbath. Please note: the Gentiles, eager to hear the good news did not say: preach to us tomorrow on our day of rest, but they expected to wait until the next Sabbath when the next service was scheduled.

Acts 16:11‑15

Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.  14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us.

Acts 17:1‑4

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

Acts 18:1‑4

After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

Acts 18:11

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Just in the city of Corinth we find that Paul conducted 78 Sabbath worship services for Jews and Greeks.

[ One year and six month = 78 weeks.]

Acts 24:14‑16

14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. 15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, in his confession of faith, stated clearly his harmony with the word of his Lord:

Matt 5:17‑18

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled

Neither Christ nor His Disciples authorized any changes of God’s law. And there is no other foundation for the faith and life of a Christian.

                                                                                                                           Eph 2:19‑20

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

1 Cor 3:11‑12

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 Christ, the corner stone gives direction in all three dimensions. Whoever is not in alignment with Him is not

built on Him.

Heb 4:4

4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works";

Heb 4:11

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

If one is not in Christ and He in him or her, rest and peace will be only a dream even if one refrains from work on the Sabbath. But every one who is in Christ will also keep the Sabbath holy as He did. Disobedience is the fruit of the spirit of Satan.

How does God identify His children in the end time of our world’s history?

Rev 12:17

17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  

Rev 14:12

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 22:14

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city

Matt 4:4

4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"  

Do you keep God’s commandments? All of them? Without reservation? Have traditions and commandments of man taken your mind captive in disobeying God? Are you willing to love and obey God rather than man. If you do, than God will be your strength.

Matt 10:37‑39

37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it

.

Ps 118:14

14 The LORD is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation.  

Since Christ and His disciples did not change God’s moral law, who did?

God revealed in His word that a religio-political power would arise, deceiving the “Christian world”.

As the Jewish nation with their leadership was under the invisible power of Satan to the extent that in the name of God, they executed the God they confessed to believe in. So it would be in the “Christian” area. In the name of Christ and under the cloak of “Christianity” truth will be distorted and true Christians will be persecuted and killed.

Matt 24:9

9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake

John 16:2

 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Identification of the “lawless one”the religious power which began in Paul’s time and ends at the coming of Christ.

2 Thess 2:7‑8

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

In order to identify the “mystery of the lawless one” the power that would “change God’s law and time”and will “persecute the saints,” we will have to analyze historic events with their players and the effects on the developing “Christian” world.

I will only touch on some highlights in this investigation.

As we already saw from biblical records, first century “Christianity” was split by many ideas and traditions..

Hebrew, Greek and Roman philosophies combined into a potpourri of “Christian” syncretism.

Profiteering and politicking for authority found its way into some “Christian” communities.

Jews, the original persecutors of Christians, became the persecuted by the Romans.

In 70 A.D. when the roman armies destroyed the temple and parts of Jerusalem. According to Tacitus

[33-120 A.D], 1,000,000 jews lost their life”s and 97,000 were taken captive. Later in the Barkokeba revolt   135 A,D., led by the Jewish pseudo messiah Barkokeba, the emperor Hadrian ordered Jerusalem to be completely destroyed According to Dio Cassius [150-235] 580,000 Jews were, killed in action, besides the many that died of starvation and disease. All of Judea became almost like a desert. At the site of former Jerusalem the Roman city of Elia Capitolina was built. Under penalty of death, no Jew was permitted to enter the area. The Jewish religion was outlawed. Circumcision and Sabbath keeping was forbidden.[1]  

Not only Christians of Jewish decent suffered under persecutions, but also Roman Christians had to endure imprisonment and death. Under pressure many Christian” communities conformed to Roman customs.

Many saw the need to differentiate themselves from the Jews. Some “Christian” leaders disseminated strong anti Semitic ideas. Marcion an influential leader in Rome [144]  taught that Jaweh is the evil God of the Jews and Justin wrote: “God imposed the Sabbath solely on the Jews as a mark to single them out for punishment they so well deserved for their infidelities.”

Romans worshiped the sun God. They observed Sunday, the first day of the week. The emperor was revered as God. Other religions were considered to be atheism, because they did not regard and obey the emperor as God.

Some of the “Christian” leaders began to “Christianize” Roman symbols and customs. The day of the Sun-God Sunday received the name “The Lord’s Day” in order to replace the Sabbath day. This would differentiate Christians from Jews and facilitate conversions. The Goddess Diana could be named St. Mary and the God Jupiter could be named St. Peter etc. This way Roman converts could even keep their idol statues. The false apostles became very popular and prominent.

Hyslop, in his Book “The two Babylons” states: “This tendency of Christians to meet Paganism half-way was very early developed; and we find Tertullian, even in his day, about the year 230, bitterly lamenting the inconsistency

of the disciples of Christ in this respect.... To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated.” P. 93+105

In his book Mediaeval and Modern History Myers wrote under the heading of “Paganizing of Christianity”.

“The subjects of the Roman Empire in adopting the new religion in exchange for their own, had mingled with it many of their heathen notions and rites... The result was that the mediaeval Church became very different from that of the primitive age of Christianity....Many of our religious ideas, festivals and ceremonies...may be traced back to an origin in the practices and beliefs of our heathen ancestors.” P. 42

   

 Neander the distinguished church historian writes:

“Opposition to Judaism introduced the particular festival of Sunday very early indeed in place of the Sabbath. The festival like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance and it was far from the intention of the apostles to establish a divine command in this respect, far from them, and from the early apostolic church to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday. Perhaps by the end of the second century, a false application of this kind had begun to take place, for men appear by that time to have considered labouring on Sunday sin"[2]

By the middle of the third century, the main teachings of Christianity were a matter of universal knowledge and discussion.

Christianity had reached the upper classes of society. Emperor Constantine realized that the Christian religion was more progressive and viable than the old Roman cults. In order to unify his empire, he legalized the Catholic church in agreement with the Roman bishops. He took the title of Pontifex Maximus, the supreme bishop of Roman religion and conscience. He told the Catholic bishops at his court:”You are appointed by God over the internal matters of the church, and I am appointed as bishop over the external affaires”.[3]

Religion has always been the foundation and backbone of empires. The emperor was revered as the representative of God on earth, had total control of mind and demanded unwavering loyalty

.

In 321 A. D Emperor Constantine authored the first Sunday law:

IMP. CONSTANT. A. ELPIDIO.

1.               1.         Omnes Judices, urbanaeque plebes, et cunctarum artium officia venerabili die solis quiscant. Ruri tamen positi agrorum culturae libere licenterque inserviant: quoniam frequenter evenit, ut non aptius alio die frumenta sulcis, aut vineae scrobibus mandentur, ne occasione momenti pereat commoditas coelesti provisione concessa. Dat, Nonis Mart. Crispo.2 & Constantino 2. Coss. 321. Corpus Juris Civilis Condicis lib. iii tit. 12.3.

"Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun; but let those who are situated in the country, freely and at full liberty attend to the business of agriculture; because it often happens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines; lest, the critical moment being let slip, men should lose the commodities granted by Heaven. Given the seventh day of March; Crispus and Constantine being consuls, each of them for the second time.”[4]

It was now the part of popery authoritatively to effect its transformation into a Christian institution; a work which it was not slow to perform. Sylvester was the bishop of Rome while Constantine was emperor. How faithfully he acted his part in transforming the festival of the sun into a Christian institution is seen in that, by his apostolic authority, he changed the name of the day officially, giving it the imposing title of LORD'S DAY.

Omnium vero dierum per septimanam appellationes (ut Solis, Lunae, Martis, etc.), mutasse in ferias: ut Polydorus (li. 6, c. 5) indicat. Mataphrastes vero, nomina dierum Hebraeis usitata retinuisse eum, tradit; SOLIUS PRIMI DIEI APPELLATIONE MUTATA, QUEM DOMINICUM DIXIT. Historia Ecclesiastica per M. Ludovicum Lucuim, cent. iv. cap. x. pp. 739, 740, Ed. Basilea, 1624.

Gibbon the historian testifies:

1.      1.   "The devotion of Constantine was more peculiarly directed to the genius of the sun, the Apollo of Greek and Roman mythology; and he was pleased to be represented with the symbols of the god of light and poetry. . . . The altars of Apollo were crowned with the votive offerings of Constantine; and the credulous multitude were taught to believe that the emperor was permitted to behold with mortal eyes the visible majesty of their tutelar deity. . . The sun was universally celebrated as the invincible guide and protector of Constantine."[5]

"At a LATER PERIOD, carried away by the current of opinion, he declared himself a convert to the church even though he was not baptized until just before his death. Christianity, then, or what he was pleased to call by that name, became the law of the land, and the edict of A.D. 321, being unrevoked, was enforced as a Christian ordinance."

Faithful Christians regarded God’s authority higher than the emperor’s. They lived by the apostolic creed:”We need to obey God rather than men.” 

Prynne thus testifies:

1.      1.   "It is certain that Christ himself, his apostles, and the primitive Christians for some good space of time, did constantly observe the seventh-day Sabbath; . . . the evangelists and St. Luke in the Acts ever styling it the Sabbath day . . . and making mention of its . . . solemnization by the apostles and other Christians, . . . it being still solemnized by many Christians after the apostles' times, even till the council of Laodicea [A.D. 364], as ecclesiastical writers and the twenty-ninth canon of that council testify, which runs thus: `Because Christians ought not to Judaize, and to rest in the Sabbath, but to work in that day (which many did refuse at that time to do). But preferring in honour the Lord's day (there being then a great controversy among Christians which of these two days . . . should have precedency) if they desired to rest they should do this as Christians. Wherefore if they shall be found to Judaize, let them be accursed from Christ.' . . . The seventh-day Sabbath was . . . solemnized by Christ, the apostles and primitive Christians, till the Laodicean council did in a manner quite abolish the observation of it. . . . The council of Laodicea [A. D. 364] . . . first settled the observation of the Lord's day, and prohibited . . . the keeping of the Jewish Sabbath under an anathema."[6]

Socrates, speaks on the same point as follows:

1.      2.   "The people of Constantinople, and of several other cities, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the next day; which custom is never observed at Rome, or at Alexandria. There are several cities and villages in Egypt where, contrary to the usages established elsewhere, the people meet together on Sabbath evenings; and although they have dined previously, partake of the mysteries.”[7]

Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, about 372 A.D. uses this expostulation:       

"With what eyes can you behold the Lord's day, when you despise the Sabbath? Do you not perceive that they are sisters, and that in slighting the one, you affront the other?" [Dialogues on the Lord’s day, P.188]

In the following centuries, ecclesiastic and secular powers made many Sunday laws and persecuted and executed

Christians who obeyed God rather than man. 

  

                                                   An open ecclesiastic admission:

James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of our Fathers, 88th ed., pp. 89.

1.      1.   "But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify."

Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism 3rd ed., p. 174.

"Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?

"Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her-she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority."

 John Laux, A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies (1 936), vol. 1, P. 51.

1.      1.   "Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the day of worship in the New Law, that He Himself has explicitly substituted the Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is now entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His Church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days."

Daniel Ferres, ed., Manual of Christian Doctrine (1916), p.67.

"Question: How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holy days?

"Answer. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of, and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same Church.'

James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921), in a signed letter.

"Is Saturday the seventh day according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh day -Saturday - for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes . Did Christ change the day'? I answer no!

"Faithfully yours, J. Card. Gibbons"

The Catholic Mirror, official publication of James Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893.

1.      1.   "The Catholic Church, . . . by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday."

Catholic Virginian Oct. 3, 1947, p. 9, art. "To Tell You the Truth."

"For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the[Roman Catholic] church outside the Bible."

Peter Geiermann, C.S.S.R., The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1957), p. 50.

"Question: Which is the Sabbath day?

"Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.

"Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

"Answer. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."

Peter R. Kraemer, Catholic Church Extension Society (1975),Chicago, Illinois.

1.      1.   "Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:

"1) That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies them in the eyes of every thinking man.

"2) We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say, this Church, instituted by Christ to teach and guide man through life, has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws.

"It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible."

Catholic Priest T. Enright, one-time president of Redemptorist Father's College (Kansas City), in one of his lectures, as published in the Industrial American, Harlan, Iowa, referred to this decision made at the Council of Laodicea in the following excerpt:

1.                  2.         "My brethren, look about the various wrangling sects and denominations. Show me one that claims or possesses the power to make laws binding on the conscience. There is but one on the face of the earth -the Catholic Church -that has the power to make laws binding upon the conscience, binding before God, binding under the pain of hellfire. Take, for instance, the day we celebrate - Sunday. What right have the Protestant churches to observe that day? None whatever. You say it is to obey the commandment, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' But Sunday is not the Sabbath according to the Bible and the record of time.

"Everyone knows that Sunday is the first day of the week, while Saturday is the seventh day, and the Sabbath, the day consecrated as a day of rest. It is so recognized in all civilized nations. I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to anyone who will furnish proof from the Bible that Sunday is the day we are bound to keep, and no one has called for the money. If any person in this town will show any Scripture for it, I will tomorrow evening publicly acknowledge it and thank him for it. It was the Holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday, the first day of the week. And it not only compelled all to keep Sunday, but at the Council of Laodicea, A.D. 364, anathematised those who kept the Sabbath and urged all persons to labor on the seventh day under penalty of anathema.

Which church does the whole civilized world obey? Protestants call us every horrible name they can think of - anti-Christ, the scarlet-colored beast, Babylon, etc., and at the same time profess great reverence for the Bible, and yet by their solemn act of keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the power of the Catholic Church" (December 19, 1889).

Also Protestant leaders have made similar admissions:

Anglican/Episcopal

1.      1.   Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism , vol. 1, pp.334, 336.

"And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day .... The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the church has enjoined it."

Baptist

1.      1.   Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, a paper read before a New York ministers' conference, Nov. 13, 1893, reported in New York Examiner , Nov.16, 1893.

"There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will be said, however, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week .... Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament absolutely not.

"To me it seems unaccountable that Jesus, during three years' intercourse with His disciples, often conversing with them upon the Sabbath question . . . never alluded to any transference of the day; also, that during forty days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated.”

"Of course, I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history . . . . But what a pity it comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god, adopted and sanctioned by the papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism!"

Congregationalist

1.      1.   Dr. R. W. Dale, The Ten Commandments (New York: Eaton &Mains), p. 127-129.

" . . . it is quite clear that however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath - . . 'Me Sabbath was founded on a specific Divine command. We can plead no such command for the obligation to observe Sunday .... There is not a single sentence in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday."

Timothy Dwight, Theology: Explained and Defended (1823), Ser. 107, vol. 3, p. 258.

" . . . the Christian Sabbath [Sunday] is not in the Scriptures, and was not by the primitive Church called the Sabbath."

Disciples of Christ

1.      1.   Alexander Campbell, The Christian Baptist, Feb. 2, 1824,vol. 1. no. 7, p. 164.

"'But,' say some, 'it was changed from the seventh to the first day.' Where? when? and by whom? No man can tell. No; it never was changed, nor could it be, unless creation was to be gone through again: for the reason assigned must be changed before the observance, or respect to the reason, can be changed! It is all old wives' fables to talk of the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day. If it be changed, it was that august personage changed it who changes times and laws ex officio - I think his name is Doctor Antichrist.'

First Day Observance , pp. 17, 19.

"The first day of the week is commonly called the Sabbath. This is a mistake. The Sabbath of the Bible was the day just preceding the first day of the week. The first day of the week is never called the Sabbath anywhere in the entire Scriptures. It is also an error to talk about the change of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. There is not in any place in the Bible any intimation of such a change."

Lutheran

1.      1.   The Sunday Problem , a study book of the United Lutheran Church (1923), p. 36.

"We have seen how gradually the impression of the Jewish sabbath faded from the mind of the Christian Church, and how completely the newer thought underlying the observance of the first day took possession of the church. We have seen that the Christians of the first three centuries never confused one with the other, but for a time celebrated both."

Augsburg Confession of Faith art. 28;

"They [Roman Catholics] refer to the Sabbath Day, a shaving been changed into the Lord's Day, contrary to the Decalogue, as it seems. Neither is there any example whereof they make more than concerning the changing of the Sabbath Day. Great, say they, is the power of the Church, since it has dispensed with one of the Ten Commandments!"

Methodist:

John Wesley, The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., John Emory, ed. (New York: Eaton & Mains), Sermon 25,vol. 1, p. 221.

1.                  1.         "But, the moral law contained in the ten commandments, and enforced by the prophets, he [Christ] did not take away. It was not the design of his coming to revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be broken .... Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind, and in all ages; as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other."

Dwight L. Moody

D. L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting (Fleming H. Revell Co.: New York), pp. 47, 48.

The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word 'remember,' showing that the Sabbath already existed when God Wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding?"

Presbyterian

1.      1.   T. C. Blake, D.D., Theology Condensed, pp.474, 475.

"The Sabbath is a part of the decalogue - the Ten Commandments. This alone forever settles the question as to the perpetuity of the institution . . . . Until, therefore, it can be shown that the whole moral law has been repealed, the Sabbath will stand . . . . The teaching of Christ confirms the perpetuity of the Sabbath."

John Wesley, The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, A.M., John Emory, ed. (New York: Eaton & Mains), Sermon 25,vol. 1, p. 221.

1.                  1.         "But, the moral law contained in the ten commandments, and enforced by the prophets, he [Christ] did not take away. It was not the design of his coming to revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be broken .... Every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind, and in all ages; as not depending either on time or place, or any other circumstances liable to change, but on the nature of God and the nature of man, and their unchangeable relation to each other."

Dwight L. Moody

D. L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting (Fleming H. Revell Co.: New York), pp. 47, 48.

The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word 'remember,' showing that the Sabbath already existed when God Wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding?"

Protestants claimed that the foundation for their faith is the bible only. Tradition and the theology of the church fathers was not to be included. In fact Luther said: “ When the word of God comes to us through the fathers, it is like poring a glass of milk through a bag of coal.” 

Since God blessed and sanctified the Sabbath after He finished creation, God’s children have kept the Sabbath as a holy day of rest. In fact, the Sabbath was a part of creation.The weekly cycle with the seventh day of rest continued unchanged throughout history. If there would have been an error, Christ would have corrected it. By His example and teachings, He confirmed that the Sabbath observance at that time in history was the correct day. History also shows us that in every century, including ours, faithful Christians, in loving obedience to God, enjoyed the blessings and rest of the Sabbath. Millions of Christians in denominational and none-denominational congregations abide in the word of God observing His chosen holy day

                      .

How about you? Do you live by traditions of men or by every word of God. To live in the will of God, in harmony with His word, is abundance of life. Reservations, incomplete surrender of body, soul and spirit, and selective obedience, rob you of blessings and the power of Gods spirit. To know to do what is good and right, and not doing it, is sin. Sin causes interference and separation from God. When Gods law is written by God in your heart and mind, it will be your new nature. God, His will, lives in you. Any sin will be unnatural to you and you will not rest until it is removed.

Matt 4:4

4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"  

2 Cor 10:4‑6

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Acts 3:17

17 "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

Acts 17:30

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,

If your mind perceives what the spirit reveals, than  listen:

1 John 2:20‑21

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.   21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth

1 John 2:24

Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

What these early Christians had heard from the beginning was the gospel, the good news of Christ.

If Christ is your Lord, His word will abide in you. It will be the only foundation for your faith and life.

Your mind will be conformed to the whole will of God.

Rom 12:2

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Let Christ give you that new heart and His mind. He will be your life with all the abundant blessings of heaven.

God bless you with His wisdom in bringing every one of your thoughts into obedience of Christ.

If you would like to have more information on the history of the Sabbath, you can find several sources on the internet under “History of the Sabbath”.

Bible references are from several versions, but mostly from the NKJV.

Emphases are mine.

Bibliography:

[1] Tacitus, Historiae 5, 13. Dio Cassius, Historia 69, 13.

[2] Neander, Church History P. 186

[3] The Life of Constantin

[4] Original Edict at Library of Harvard College

[5] Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. CH. 18

[6] Dialogues on the Lords day. P. 188

[7] Socrates Book 5, 22  

[8] Dupin, Eccles. History Vol. 2, P. 211