Great Questions And Answers
About Sabbath Keeping
Part 1
source:
http://www.remnantofgod.org/askgod.htm
Approved By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
On this page is a conversation
between a Sunday keeper and the Lord. It is a VERY powerful evangelistic tool
for those Sunday keepers on the verge of making that final decision as to
whether or not to keep the Seventh-day Sabbath as the Christian God has
prophesied His children will do. I pray you are blessed by this wonderful
compilation of Scriptures. I know I was the first time I read it.
Q. Tell me, Lord, Do you have a special day of rest for Your
followers?
A. "I was in the Spirit on
the Lord's day." Rev. 1:10
Q. But which day is the Lord's Day? Which day are You Lord
of?
A. "The Son of man is Lord
even of the Sabbath day." Matt. 12:8
Q. There are seven days in the week. Which day is the
Sabbath day?
A. "The seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord thy God." (Fourth Commandment) Ex. 20:10
Q. Which day, according to our reckoning, is the seventh
day, Saturday or Sunday?
A. "And when the Sabbath
was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James,...very early in the
morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising
of the sun...And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man...And he
saith unto them, be not affrighted; Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was
crucified; he is risen." Mark 16:1-6. (Note: everybody knows that
Sunday was the resurrection day. The Sabbath was past when it dawned. Thus it
is evident that the Sabbath is Saturday, the day before Sunday.)
Q. But, Lord, didn't you abolish the law which contains the
Sabbath commandment?
A. "Think not that I am
come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."
Matt. 5:17
Q. Well, at least, didn't you change one of the commandments
so that today your followers may keep another day than the seventh day?
A. "For verily I say unto
you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from
the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5:18
Q. But, Lord, isn't Saturday a Jewish day? Isn't the seventh
day the Sabbath of the Jews?
A. "The Sabbath was made
for man." Mark 2:27 (The Sabbath was made and given to man 1500 years before
the existence of a Jew. See Gen. 2:1-3)
Q. Someone told me that after Your crucifixion, Lord, your
followers no longer kept the seventh-day Sabbath according to the commandment.
Is this true?
A. "And that day was the
Preparation day and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with
Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the Sepulchre, and how His body
was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the
Sabbath day according to the commandment." Luke 23:54-56
Q. But didn't the apostle Paul always meet with the early
Christians on Sunday in honor of the resurrection? What was his manner in
regard to a day of worship?
A. "And Paul, as his manner
was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the
Scriptures." Acts 17:2
Q. Did he meet with the Gentile converts on the Sabbath,
too? Perhaps he met with the Jews on the Sabbath and the Greeks on Sunday. What
about that?
A. "And he reasoned in the
synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Acts 18:4
Q. What did Paul teach in regard to Sabbath keeping?
A. "There therefore
remaineth a keeping of the Sabbath (margin) to the people of God. For he that
is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did
from His." Heb. 4:9,10
Q. But, which day did Paul mean when he spoke of resting as
God did?
A. "For He spake in a
certain place of the seventh day on this wise, 'And God did rest the seventh
day from all His works'" Heb. 4:4
Q. Is this, then, your instruction in regard to Sabbath
keeping?
A. "For I have not shunned
to declare unto you all the counsel of God." Acts 20:27 (In the New
Testament there are no less than 59 references to the Sabbath. The book of Acts
records 84 Sabbaths on which the Apostle Paul and his associates held religious
services. Yet there is not one word in the entire Bible authorizing Sunday
keeping.)
Q. Then why is it so many people keep Sunday instead of
Saturday? If the Bible teaches Sabbath keeping, how and by whom was Sunday
keeping introduced into Christianity?
A. "And he (the 'little
horn' power) shall speak great words against the Most High,...and think to
change times and laws." Dan. 7:25
Q. The Roman Catholic Church is the little horn of Daniel 7;
Do you mean that it should think to change the law of God?
A. "Ask now the priests
concerning the law." Haggai 2:11
Q. Very well, I will ask Stephen Keenan, a Catholic Priest:
Does your church think it has the power to change the law of God?
A. "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 of the week, a change for
which there is no Scriptural authority." Doctrinal Catechism, page 174 This
is abomination!
Q. When was this change made?
A. "We observe Sunday
instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church in the Council of Laodicea (364
A.D.) transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." The Converts'
Catechism, Peter Geirmann, page 50. (This catechism received the pope's
blessing on Jan. 25, 1910.) This is abomination!
Q. Do you feel this is your MARK of authority?
A. "Of course the Catholic
Church claims that the change (Saturday Sabbath to Sunday) was her act...
And the act is a MARK of her ecclesiastical authority in religious
things." H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons This is
abomination!
Q. Is this Rome’s way of counterfeiting your
mark? Do you have a mark too?
Ezekiel 20:12 & 20, "Moreover also I
gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know
that I am the LORD that sanctify them. And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall
be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your
God." (Note: the word “sign” is the same as the word
“mark.” In fact you can use the words, sign, seal, mark, or stamp
interchangeably in almost every instance. In fact, it’s confirmed in Romans
4:11 where it says, "...he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of
the righteousness of the faith ")
Q. Do Protestant ministers agree with this?
A. Congregationalist:
"It is quite clear that however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday,
we are not keeping the Sabbath." Dr. R.W. Dale, The Ten Commandments, page
106.
Methodist:
"Sabbath in the Hebrew language signifies rest and is the seventh day of
the week,...and it must be confessed that there is no law in the New Testament
concerning the first day." Buck's Theological Dictionary.
Baptist:
"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 transfer be found? Not in the New
Testament - absolutely not...Of course, I quite well know that Sunday did not
come into use in early Christian history...But what a pity that it comes
branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god,
when adopted and sanctioned by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred
legacy to Protestantism." - Dr. E.T Hiscox, author of the Baptist Manual.
Q. Since all the protestant religions agree the Sabbath was
never changed, why do they do as Rome does?
A. "...all the world
wondered after the beast. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world." Revelation 13:3,8
Q. What difference does it make which day I keep? A day is a
day isn't it?
A. "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? Romans 6:16
Q. Then what shall I do, obey the Sabbath of God's
commandment or keep the Sunday of man?
A. "We ought to obey God
rather than men." Acts 5:29
Q. Well, Lord, what do You think of Sunday keeping?
A. "Thus have ye made the
commandment of God of none effect by your tradition...But in vain they do
worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew
15:6,9
Q. But surely the millions of people who keep Sunday can't
be wrong, can they?
A. "Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to
destruction and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate
and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find
it." Matt. 7:13,14 (Only a few obeyed God in the days of Noah, in
the days of Lot, in the days of Christ. The majority were lost.)
Q. But Dr. So-and-so is a very wise man: Why doesn't he and
all the great preachers keep the Sabbath?
A. "For ye see your
calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble, are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world
to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to
confound the things which are mighty." 1 Cor. 1:26,27. (Note: The
great religious teachers in Christ's day rejected the truth also. His followers
were of the common people.)
Q. But I have accepted Jesus; I know He is my Saviour; I
know He has accepted me and I have been keeping Sunday. Surely I would not be
lost if I did not keep the Sabbath now, would I?
A. "A time of this
ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent."
Acts 17:30
Q. I know you, Lord. You wouldn't condemn me for breaking
the Sabbath, would you?
A. "He that saith, I know
Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him." 1 John 2:4
Q. But isn't it sufficient that I love the Lord and live by
the law of love?
A. "If ye love Me, keep My
commandments." John 14:15
Q. Does that mean all ten of them?
A. "For whosoever shall
keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
James 2:10
Q. Well, I think that if we try to follow Jesus, that is all
that is necessary. Isn't that right, Jesus?
A. "He that saith he
abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk even as He walked." 1 John
2:6
Q. How did you walk, Lord, what was your custom?
A. "And 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 for to read." Luke 4:16
Q. But, Lord, that was over 1900 years ago. Wouldn't you
keep some other day than Saturday if you should come to earth today?
A. "I am the Lord, I change
not." Mal. 3:6 "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for
ever." Heb. 13:8
Q. Does my salvation depend upon my obedience to this
Sabbath injunction?
A. "And being made perfect,
He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."
Heb. 5:9
Q. Do you think it would be absolutely necessary to keep the
commandments to receive eternal life?
A. "If thou wilt enter into
life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17
Q. But I still can't see why You insist on the seventh day,
Lord. Isn't Sunday as good as Saturday?
A. "God blessed the seventh
day and sanctified it." Gen. 2:3 "He hath blessed and I cannot
reverse it." Num. 23:20. "For Thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be
blessed for ever." 1 Chron. 17:27
Q. Well, it seems to me that if I keep one day in seven,
regardless of which one, that ought to be good enough.
A. "There is a way that
seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death."
Prov. 16:25 "Spiritual things...are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor.
2:13,14
Q. But, Lord! Lord! Can't I do something else? Won't my
profession get me to heaven?
A. "Not every one that
saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that
doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven." Matt. 7:21
Q. But I pray.
A. "He that turneth away
his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov.
28:9
Q. But, Lord, look at the people who work miracles in Your
name. Some heal the sick, others talk in tongues and do many wonderful things;
yet they do not keep the Sabbath. What about them?
A. "Many will say to Me in
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have
cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from Me." Matt. 7:22,23
Q. Yes, I know the Sabbath is right; but my business would
suffer if I closed on Sabbath. I might lose my job. I wouldn't get ahead in the
world!
A. "For what shall it
profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Mark 8:36
Q. Well, for myself I wouldn't care; but what about my
family? Wouldn't it be better for me to work on the Sabbath than to let my
family starve?
A. "Your heavenly Father
knoweth that ye have need of all these things; but seek ye first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matt. 6:32,33. I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread." Ps. 37:25
Q. My friends will laugh at me and ridicule me.
A. "Blessed are ye, when
men shall revile you,...and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely
for My sake; rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in
heaven." Matt. 5:11,12. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated
Me before it hated you." John 15:18
Q. But suppose my own family does not agree with me. Should
I go against their wishes, which would mean in some cases a division in the
home?
A. "He that loveth father
or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: And he that loveth son or daughter
more than Me is not worthy of Me: And he that taketh not his cross, and
followeth after Me is not worthy of Me." Matt. 10: 37,38. "So
likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot
be My disciple." Luke 14:33
Q. I am afraid I won't be able to withstand all these
trials. I am too weak.
A. "My grace is sufficient
for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness....When I am weak, then
am I strong." 2 Cor. 12:9,10. "I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me." Phil. 4:13
Q. Then, Lord, what is the reward for being faithful to You
and the commandments?
A. "There is no man that
hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom
of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in
the world to come, life everlasting." Luke 18: 29,30. "Blessed are
they that do His commandments that they may have a right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14
Q. Lord, I'm looking forward to a home in the earth made
new, will we keep the Sabbath there too?
A. "For as the new heavens
and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me, saith the Lord, so
shall your seed and your name remain; and it shall come to pass that from one
new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to
worship before Me, saith the Lord." Isa. 66: 22,23
Q. Then, Lord, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
With Your help, I will keep the Sabbath.
A. "Well done, good and
faithful servant." Matthew 25:21