A "Sabbath" for a "Sun God"

What follows is a study of scripture and history. Many of the points in the first part of the study have been made into a 4x6 tract, which is available for FREE in our "Library." In the second section there are select quotes from History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week, a 297 page book by J.N. Andrews and also some other sources in my personal library. Together, these two sections form what is a brief monograph that examines some reasons why I believe Saturday is the Sabbath and should be observed by Christians, and also the connection between the worship of the “Blessed Trinity” and Sunday worship. First, we will look at the Scriptural case for Sabbath keeping. Second, we will look at some quotes related to its history.

Thus saith the Almighty

This section is simply a point-by-point explanation of what I believe is the truth. Statements will be made and scripture will be cited. It is up to you, dear reader, to use a Bible and look up the verses.

• God made the Sabbath at creation for mankind, not only Jews (Gen 2:2,3; Ex 20:11; Mrk 2:27)

• The Sabbath was observed before the Law was given at Sinai (Ex 16:23-30)

• The Sabbath is one of nine other moral commands given by God that do not change (Ex 20:1+)

• It is a sign between God and his people (Ex 31:17; Eze 20:20)

• Christ observed the Sabbath (Mrk 1:21)

• Christ is Lord of the Sabbath (Mrk 2:28)

• Christ worshiped in the synagogue on the Sabbath (Lk 4:16)

• The disciples rested on the Sabbath while Christ was in the tomb (Lk 23:56)

• Gentiles observed the Sabbath (Acts 13:42-44)

In scripture, there are only eight mentions of the first day of the week, the supposed “Christian” Sabbath as Catholics and Protestants widely believe and teach. But could that be what those eight passages mean?

• Matthew 28:1 — the women came to the tomb as the first day began (dawn).

• Mark 16:2,9; John 20:1 — the resurrection was discovered. It does not say the resurrection occurred on that same day or that a specific change to the Sabbath happened.

• Luke 23:56 — the disciples were resting on the actual Sabbath; the day following (the supposed “Christian Sabbath”) the women brought spices…not resting.

• John 20:19; Mark 16:14 — the disciples were eating dinner (not holding a church service) when Christ appeared to prove he had risen. Not all the disciples were there; consequently, not every disciple believed he was resurrected.

• Acts 20:7 — Paul preached once on the evening of the first day (our “Saturday night”) until midnight. He travelled the next morning.

To get a grasp of what an evening is, I looked at Gill’s commentary on Genesis 1:5. He notes, “The Jews begin their day from the preceding evening; so many other nations: the Athenians used to reckon their day from sun setting to sun setting…” In Webster’s 1828, we find “Evening” is defined the following way:

The latter part and close of the day, and the beginning of darkness or night; properly the decline or fall of the day, or of the sun.

The evening and the morning were the first day. Gen 1.

The precise time when evening begins, or when it ends, is not ascertained by usage. The word often includes a part at least of the afternoon, and indeed the whole afternoon; as in the phrase, “The morning and evening service of the sabbath.” In strictness, evening commences at the setting of the sun, and continues during twilight, and night commences with total darkness. But in customary language, the evening extends to bed-time, whatever that time may be. Hence we say, to spend an evening with a friend; an evening visit.

Some say when the evening comes to a close and night falls then it is said to be the begging of the Sabbath Day. Others say that the Sabbath is from the time the sun rises Saturday until it goes down (from sun rise to sun set). Some will keep track of the Sabbath according to lunar cycles. The Scriptures are clear, though, that the Sabbath Day concerns the hours of work-able daylight. The Sabbath would begin at sunrise "Saturday" (seventh-day) and end at sunset (after evening). This is simple.

What saith history?

As already mentioned, many of the quotes used in this section are taken from a book titled History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week by J.N. Andrews.

Please note that J.N. Andrews was a Seventh-Day Adventist. While I do not agree with much of what the Adventists believe and teach, one thing is for certain regarding Mr. Andrew’s work, which is that it's a very comprehensive study on the history of both the seventh and first days of the week and the controversy surrounding the observances of them both.

The work is very informative and thorough, but I want to call the reader’s attention to several select quotations taken from Andrew’s work, which I'll provide some commentary on. The sources which he cites in the footnotes of his book are given at the end of each quotation. The quotes are italicized. Lastly, as a disclamer, don't mistake my frankness and zeal for the truth with hatred. My intention is to lovingly and boldly proclaim the truth so those still entangled in these false doctrines will repent. 

“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.”[1] 

Constantine actually never left paganism but instead redefined terms in order to regain control of a failing empire. Fearful that the persecuted, yet never extinguished Christians, would eventually overtake the empire, Constantine seemingly adopted the attitude, “If you cannot beat them, join them.” He had a satanically inspired vision in which a crucifix appeared in the sky with a banner (or voice, depending on the account) that read, “In this sign, conquer.” Conquer he did—not only with sword but with a fresh worldview called that eventually became known as Roman Catholicism.

Given the fact Constantine was an unconverted sun-worshipping pagan, he hated true Christianity and determined to change it for political reasons. This was accomplished in two primary ways: one, redefine God; two, redefine the worship of God. If he could be successful in these two things, and pawn the system off as something “Christian,” he could control the threat of true, primitive Christianity. In a sense, he was right. He successfully used Greek philosophy to redefine the nature of God and turn the one true God of the Hebrews into three distinct gods who shared a mystifying essence—his god was a mystery that only correctly trained theologians could teach to un-initiated “laymen” who were told to unquestioningly accept the new dogma by faith. He also changed times and laws as prophesied would happen by Daniel: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”[2] This has happened and the fruit of it is evident now. All one has to do is inquire into scripture and history. Let's consider other quotes:

• The primitive Christians had a great veneration for the Sabbath, and spent the day in devotion and sermons. And it is not to be doubted but they derived this practice from the apostles themselves, as appears by several scriptures to that purpose; who, keeping both that day and the first of the week, gave occasion to the succeeding ages to join them together, and make it one festival, though there was not the same reason for the continuance of the custom as there was to begin it.[3]

• In Lombardy, which was the principal residence of the Italian heretics, there sprung up a singular sect, known, for what reason I cannot tell, by the denomination of Passaginians, and also by that of the circumcised. Like the other sects already mentioned, they had the utmost aversion to the dominion and discipline of the church of Rome; but they were at the same time distinguished by two religious tenets which were peculiar to themselves. The first was a notion that the observance of the law of Moses, in everything except the offering of sacrifices, was obligatory upon Christians; in consequence of which they circumcised their followers, abstained from those meats the use of which was prohibited under the Mosaic economy, and celebrated the Jewish Sabbath. The second tenet that distinguished this sect was advanced in opposition to the doctrine of three persons in the divine nature.[4]

To understand who Mosheim is referring to, we turn to this segment taken from elsewhere in Andrew’s book to learn who the Passaginians were.

The ‘Passaginians were that portion of the Waldenses who lived in the passes of the mountains. He says: ‘It is very credible that the name Passageros or Passagini . . . was given to such of them as lived in or near the passes or passages of the mountains, and who subsisted in part by guiding travelers or by traveling themselves for trade.’[5]

Other historians cite Mosheim’s claim that the Passaginians circumcised their followers as a false, railing accusation that he made because he, like many others even today, connected Sabbath keeping with circumcising. One such historian Andrew cites is Benedict who said,

The account of their practicing circumcision is undoubtedly a slanderous story forged by their enemies, and probably arose in this way: because they observed the seventh day they were called by way of derision, Jews, as the Sabbatarians are frequently at this day; and if they were Jews, it followed of course that they either did, or ought to, circumcise their followers. This was probably the reasoning of their enemies; but that they actually practiced the bloody rite is altogether improbable.[6]

So with the matter of circumcision settled--or at least put to the side for now--, knowing now that it was likely a rumor and slander, I now want to draw the connection between Sunday worship and the Holy Trinity, which was designed by the Roman church but also believed by her Protestant daughters. It appears that the Passaginians, at least the ones mentioned here, observed the “Jewish” Sabbath and also disputed the Romish “Trinitarian” concept of God. These two doctrines actually fit nicely together because they originate from the same Constantinian agenda. Considering the fact that Rome had dogmatize the Trinity at the Council of Nicea, circa A.D. 325 using Platonic philosophy, which was based on Babylonian and other pagan concepts of the sun god they worshiped, it comes as no surprise Constantine, a pagan and one very familiar with the philosophy of his day, would change the Sabbath from the seveth-day to the first, or from "Saturday" to "Sunday" to worship his sun god "Sol Invictus"—of course, under the ruse that he'd converted to Christianity. 

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, another book that's been very useful to me in my discoveries, we find these important facts about the Trinity. The first fact we'll look at was a defense of the doctrine of the Trinity at the Council of Constantinople II (553):

In order to articulate the dogma of the Trinity, the Church had to develop its own terminology with the help of certain notions of philosophical origin: ‘substance,’ ‘person’ or ‘hypostasis,’ ‘relation,’ and so on. In doing this, she did not submit the faith to human wisdom, but gave a new and unprecedented meaning to these terms, which from then on would be used to signify an ineffable mystery, ‘infinitely beyond all that we can humanly understand.'[7]

In their very own words they admit to a couple of damning things such as using philosophy to develop what they claim are their own “new” and “unprecedented” terms. Shockingly, they lie and say that by doing so they “did not” submit the faith to human wisdom. But such a reliance on philosophy is just that. This, friend, is startling; are you of such things? If you find yourself denying the very facts set forth here, then the answer is not very. Please consider these things and repent!

Now we'll look at what the catechism says concerning Sunday and the Sabbath. Keeping in line with Emperor Constantine and his edict, the catechism says, 

Sunday is expressly distinguished from the Sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ’s Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man’s eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ.[8]

In the footnotes of this section of the catechism, we find 1 Corinthians 10:11 is cited. The passage reads, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Does that verse express what the writers of the catechism presented? Hardly. What verses in scripture can they cite proving that since Christ rose from the grave, there was a specific change in the Sabbath? None. Remember that this same catholic church who used philosophy to coin special terms in order to carve Constantine’s sun god into a morbid image worshiped in the imaginations of men is the same church that threatened followers of Christ under penalty of death to worship on Sunday, practice infant baptism, take Mass, swear oaths, worship images, pray to dead saints, venerate Mary (Semiramis), among other abominations! Remember the words of Daniel: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” Don't think this is limited to issues over “mere days on a calendar”—this concerns changing the very laws of God! Dear reader, don't continue in the lies of Jezebel! Repent and come out from the world. In love, I plead with you! 

Conclusion

In closing, we continue reading one more of these fascinating quotes on the history of the Anabaptists found in Andrew’s book:

They which maintain the Saturday Sabbath to be in force, comply with some Anabaptists.[9]

The key here is “some.” Throughout history there have been various sects of God’s people. Some, likely due to immense persecution, succumbed to the whims of the Whorish Church and began Sunday observance instead of the Sabbath. Should we despise those brethren? I think we should consider the possibility that we might find ourselves in the same position if we're not careful. If wide-spread persecution began anew against anti-Trinitarians and anti-Sunday keepers, would we be able to withstand the pressure? Surprisingly, we have evidence that others observed both as a way to appease the Mother of Harlots. Should we ridicule them as well? What we must definitely do is instruct our friends. Still, some came out from the vengeful glare of the Beast and began to observe the Sabbath as they saw it from Scripture. This is the true goal. Either way, various groups of Anabaptists, from the time of Christ to this present day, have at one point or another observed the Sabbath. To gainsay this is to willingly join the enemy and defy Christ who said he was Lord of the Sabbath.[10] If he is Lord of the Sabbath, then how can he be the destroyer of it? Some say, “But the apostles teach that old things are passed away!”[11] Rather than live a life without God's law as Paul and his later champion Constantine suggest, we should  understand that those who've been born again actually love and desire the commandments of Christ: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous”[12]; “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"[13] There's no excuse for a disciple to not know who and what God is and what his commands are. The Trinity and Sunday worship definitely mar our understandings and obedience. 

The reality is that Satan is the enemy of Christ and everything hallowed by God. It's become my conviction that Sabbath is to be observed as a day of thankfulness and worship toward God and good works toward the brethren and fellow man. Certainly, I write this essay knowing well that persecution, slanders, and railings against me may arise, but this is no surprise because God’s way has always been despised by the world. May God help us all to have grace in our hearts and love for our enemies as we seek to obey him and unlearn the manifold lies we've been told.

__________

[1] Constantine, A.D. 321

[2] Daniel 7:25, KJV

[3] Morer, Dialogues on the Lord's Day, p. 189

[4]  Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. cent. xii. part. ii. chap. v. sect. 14

[5] Elliot, Eccl. Researches, chap. x. pp. 305, 306

[6] Benedict, General Hist. Bapt. Denom. vol. ii. p. 414, ed. 1813

[7] Catechism of the Catholic Church, p. 66

[8] Catechism of the Catholic Church, p. 524, 525

[9] White, Treatise of the Sabbath day, p. 132. He cites Hist. Anabapt. lib. 6, p. 153 

[10] Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5

[11] Citing the lawless apostate Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” See why he's a lawless apostate by reading my free online book Doubting Paul.

[12] 1 John 5:3, KJV

[13]  Luke 6:46