Purpose of This Section…
Help you Pass Earth’s Final Test
How?
By Helping You Know the Bible’s View of Sabbath Sacredness –
Does the Bible teach that Sunday is Sacred?
Has the Original Sabbath Been Lost? (Tracing the Identical 7th day from Eden to Eden)
Eden
(1) Creation: Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:11
Check Point 1: Manna
(2) Manna: Ex. 16:4, 22-30
(3) Mt. Sinai: Ex. 20:8-11
46 BC – Julian Calendar
(4) Jesus’ custom: Lk. 4:16, 31
Check Point 2: The Cross
(5) The Cross: Lk. 23:54-56
(6) Resurrection: Mt. 28:1-7
(7) Disciples: Acts 13:14-16, 42, 44; 17:2; 18:4, 11
(8) On Thursday, October 4, 1582, the Calendar was changed from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar…
…and 10 days were removed from the calendar:
But the weekly cycle was not changed.
If Sabbath changed to Sunday (or became unknowable) in 1582, would . . . not Sunday become Monday or unknowable also?
Check Point 3: Our Day
(9) Our Day: Easter weekend, conclusive check
Second Coming
(10) New Earth: Isa. 66:22, 23
Eden
Some May Ask…
“Can we know what day the Bible Sabbath is with certainty?” Yes, the 7th day of the week (Ex. 20:8-11). If we question our ability to know what day the Bible Sabbath is with certainty, we must also question our ability to know what days Good Friday & Resurrection Sunday are, for Sabbath is the day between them (Lk. 23:54 – 24:1).
Others May Say…
“We keep Sunday holy because Christ rose on that day.” So if a special event’s happening on another day than Sabbath in salvation’s plan qualifies that day to have Sabbath’s sacredness transferred to it, why didn’t the majority of Protestants choose Friday to worship God on since an equally important event happened on that day in salvation’s plan: Christ died in our place (1 Cor. 5:7; Panel D)? So which is more important: Christ’s death or resurrection? Neither. Without His death, we would die; without His resurrection, we wouldn’t rise to newness of life. Then which day is more eligible for humanity to choose from to transfer Sabbath’s sacredness to: Friday or Sunday? Neither. Instead, we should remember & keep holy the day God sanctified: the 7th day Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11).
Then Who Said They Transferred Sabbath Sacredness to Sunday?
“Question: Which day 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, in the Council of Laodicea (AD 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” Peter Geiermann, The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, Second Edition, 1910, p. 50.
Why Keep Sabbath?
The One we love (Jn. 14:15, 21) asks us to (Ex. 20:8-11).
What Does the Protestant World Say About This Transfer?
(Here are 3 leading USA’s denominations’ answers):
Baptist
“There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will however be readily said, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week, with all its duties, privileges and sanctions. Earnestly desiring information on this subject, which I have studied for many years, I ask, where can the record of such a transaction be found: Not in the New Testament – absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week.” Dr. Edward T. Hiscox (author of the Baptist Manual), New York Examiner, Nov. 16, 1893
Lutheran
“The observance of the Lord’s day (Sunday) is founded not on any command of God, but on the authority of the church.” Augsburg Confession of Faith, quoted in Catholic Sabbath Manual, Part 2, Chap. 1, Sec. 10.
Presbyterian
“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.” T. C. Blake, D.D., Theology Condensed, pp. 474, 475.
Only 9 First Day Texts in the Bible
OT = 1; NT = 8
…and none authorize a change of sacredness from the 7th day Sabbath to Sunday.
1. Gen. 1:5 = the 1st day of Creation week with God’s rest day at the other end of Creation week (Gen. 2:1-3) = No change.
2. Mt. 28:1 says the Sabbath was ended as it dawned toward the 1st day of the week, “Resurrection Sunday” = No change. In fact, baptism commemorates Christ’s resurrection, not Sunday sacredness (Rm. 6:1-12).
3. Mk. 16:1, 2 say the Sabbath was past when Sunday began = No change.
4. Mk. 16:9 says Christ rose early on the 1st day = No change.
5. Lk. 24:1 says some women gathered at the tomb instead of in a church to put spices on the body of Christ they thought was dead, not risen. Also, they paused on Friday & rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment to do this work after the Sabbath (Lk. 23:54-56; Ex. 20:8-11; 34:28) = No change.
6. Jn. 20:1 says Mary came early Sunday morning to see the tomb = No change.
7. Jn. 20:19 says the disciples assembled, not for worship, but for fear of the Jews, & didn’t believe Jesus had risen yet. So how could they gather to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection since they didn’t believe He had risen yet, which was going to change in that room? = No change.
8. Acts 20:7 seems, at first glance, to support Sunday services. But take a closer look. This verse says the disciples came together to break bread – the Lord’s supper. However, Acts 2:46 says they broke bread every day. Then, to be consistent, if we use this verse to support a transfer of sacredness from the Sabbath to the day they broke bread on, we must also believe that Christ transferred Sabbath sacredness to every day of the week. If so, why do most Protestants limit this sacredness to the 1st day of the week? Also notice the Biblical day begins at evening or sundown (Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Lev. 23:32) & ends with the light portion of the day. This indicates this meeting took place Saturday night: “Paul preached…until midnight” & “there were many lights in the upper chamber” (Acts 20:7, 8). Consequently, this meeting began Saturday night & continued into the early morning hours of Sunday, an odd time to have church, much less to set a precedence for Sunday services. Some translations recognize this, “On Saturday evening we gathered together for the fellowship meal.” Todays English Version = No change.
9. 1 Cor. 16:2. Paul tells the Corinthians to take their contributions & “…lay [them] by him in store.” Does that sound like taking an offering in church? No. They saved their money on Sundays for Paul until he came for it to alleviate the financial burden of Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30; Rm. 15:26, 27) = No change.
Note: “the Lord’s day” occurs once in the Bible (Rev. 1:10) = the 7th day Sabbath (Mt. 12:1-8), with Jesus as its Lord. Read The Great Controversy, p. 588, paragraph 1, by Ellen G. White.