Christians' holy day
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from June 1999.
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Some people think that if they are sincere in what they believe, God will accept and save them, but sincerity alone is not enough - one can be sincere and be sincerely wrong. The Bible, God's word, has a lot to say to those who are willing to be corrected. Many have closed their minds and resist any information which varies from their personal views. This is especially true concerning the subject of the Sabbath.
One of the ten commandments requires the keeping of the seventh day of the week. Yet they tenaciously follow the tradition of observing different day from the one God commanded. They worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, for which there is no Biblical command.
Why do they do it? Because most have simply accepted the practice of the religious majority in the community where they were raised. But we who keep the Sabbath the seventh day of the week in the light of God's word will know that tradition will try to take the place of sound Biblical doctrine. Daniel 7:25 says that they would think to change times and laws. So then what should be the test of the Sabbath? Just one thing and one thing only - the word of God. The very basis of the Sabbath was God's act of creating the world in six days and resting upon the seventh. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day wherefore (for this reason) the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11; Genesis 2:1-3.)
Notice this language carefully and see if it does not designate a definite and particular day not merely one in seven or simply one seventh part of our time. The Lord says "Remember the Sabbath Day". And the Sabbath day upon which God rested. Until we find some indication in the Bible that God retracted that law which he introduced to the world with such a fanfare of power and grandeur, we will accept the ten commandments as still relevant and binding today,
God said what he meant and he meant what he said. So the real secret of keeping the Sabbath of the Lord is to have the Lord of the Sabbath in our hearts. Jesus says "If ye love me keep my commandments." John 14:15 and I John 5:3 says "For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments."
It is not so much the question of a day as it is of a way the way of obedience through love or disobedience through lack of love. Mark it down and never forget it. Keeping the Sabbath even the true seventh day Sabbath, is an operation in futility if it does not proceed from a heart full of love and devotion to God. Without love all law-keeping becomes mechanical and miserable, but with love, every commandment becomes a joy and delight.
It is very true that the great majority of Christians today, including many famous evangelists and theologians, are keeping Sunday instead of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
That fact alone should not overimpress us. Taken by itself in the light of Christ's word it should raise a flag of warning. Truth has never been popular with the masses. And many in the majority today as in past ages are not really looking for truth as much as they are looking for a smooth easy comfortable religion which will allow them to live as they want to live. I am not looking for the most popular way or the most convenient way, I am looking for the Bible way and I have found it. In all honesty I must declare that the prevailing custom of keeping a different day from the one commanded in the great handwritten law of God is contrary to the word which will finally judge us. So no amount of popular majority opinion can annul the weighty testimony of a plain, thus saith the Lord.
Matthew 7:13-14 says enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in there. Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leads unto life and few there. be that find it.
The most honest way I know to approach this subject is to take a look at absolutely everything that the Bible says about the first day of the week. There are only eight texts in the New Testament that make any reference to Sunday or the first day of the week. Matthew 28:1, Mark 16: 1-3, Mark 16:9, Luke 24: 1&2, John 20:1, John 20:19, 1 Corinthians 16: 1&2-, Acts 20: 6-13.
None of these text have given us any indication that God changed the Seventh Day Sabbath to the first day.
Personally I do not care which day is found to be the Sabbath. If the Bible teaches it I will gladly keep Monday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday. It makes no difference to me which day I keep holy as long as it is the one commanded in the Bible. I hope there are more people in the Cayman Islands who feels the same way
