2 -- REPAIRING THE BREACH

Isaiah 58:12

Today we as Christians know the Old Covenant was done away with at the cross and that we must be under the New Covenant in order to be saved. The problem is that it is very hard to find even one professed Christian that really understands what the New Covenant is and why the Old Covenant had to be done away with.

In order to understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation we must first understand the Old and the New Covenants. After we have a clear understanding of the importance of our relationship to the New Covenant, we will then identify the Beast, the Image of the Beast, the Mark of the Beast, the Number and Name of the Beast.

The scriptures teach of Two Covenants. One covenant was promised and ratified at the foot of Mount Sinai between God and the Nation/Church of Israel. The other covenant (Everlasting Covenant) was formed between Adam and God in the Garden of Eden (Ge. 3:15) but not ratified until Christ (The Testator - Heb. 9:13-17) died upon the cross. The covenant between God and Israel is called the Old Covenant because it was ratified before the Everlasting Covenant was ratified. See Ex. 24:8.

The promise of eternal life given in both the Old and New Covenants required perfect obedience. That's right! Even New Covenant Christians are required to keep God's law. You see, God's covenant is not just a law and it is not just a promise of a gift. A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties that they will perform certain duties or responsibilities for each other.

The New Covenant is this: We promise to love God, have faith in His Son and keep His commandments then He will forgive our past sins, call us His children, place His law in our hearts and give us His robe of righteousness and the gift of eternal life. This is the New Covenant that all Christians must accept and perform. This is the Covenant that Adam and Eve accepted, Abraham and Sarah accepted and Noah accepted. They looked forward to the ratification of the Everlasting Covenant while we look back to it. Their salvation came through faith in the promised Messiah just as ours comes through faith in the crucified Messiah. Every person that has ever been saved and ever will be saved received their salvation by means of the Everlasting Covenant.

Israel's covenant with God only included obedience to God's law. You see, Israel thought that their obedience to God's law made them righteous in and of itself. They did not understand that once a man sins he is under the penalty of death, and no matter how many good deeds he performs, he can never do away with his past sins. The blood of bulls can not purify anyone, only faith in the blood of Christ can cover our past sins. This is part of the free gift. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Rom. 3:23-24.

Israel's covenant did not include the love and faith that is also necessary. That is why their covenant had to be done away with. God wanted to give them another opportunity to be a part of His Everlasting Covenant. Let's let the Scriptures explain.

"For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. but he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh: but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants: the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children... Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." Gal. 4:22-25, 28-31. This allegory teaches us that when a person or a people work for God in their own way as was the works of Abraham and Hagar, contrary to God's commands, they are born after the flesh and are in an Old Covenant relationship with God.

When a person or a people do the works of God according to His commands, showing their faith, then they are born of the Spirit and are in a New Covenant relationship with God.

Let's look a little further at the meaning of being born of the Spirit or born of the flesh. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies.Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Gal. 5:19-23.

Being born of the flesh means that you have not died to fleshly desires -- temptations of Satan. Being born of the Spirit means that you have died to the desires of the flesh and that with Jesus' strength and grace you can and will overcome the temptations of Satan. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:5-6. "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:20,21. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Rom. 2:13. "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?...Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Ja. 2:22,24.

Cain and Abel are a good example of self-righteous works versus Godly works. "And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door...And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and slew him." Gen. 4:3-8. "He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit." Gal. 4:29.

Abel worshiped God according to God's instructions. This was proof that Abel had faith in God's Word. This is being born of the Spirit. Cain had faith in what he thought was right, in his self-righteous works and in worshiping God his own way. Cain was also required of God to bring of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof, but he chose to bring of the fruit of the ground for an offering. Cain believed that the fruits of the ground would serve the same purpose as a fleshly sacrifice, but his faith or belief didn't save him These disobedient religious works of Cain were proof that he had faith in himself more than in the God that created him. This is being born of the flesh.

In this study we will see that most professed Christians are born of the flesh, worshiping God in their own way instead of God's way. This is Old Covenant worship - worship and works of Cain. These professed Christians bear the Mark of Cain and they must be warned.

In Galatians 4:22-31 and Genesis 16-18 we find the story of Sarah and Hagar. God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah and that He would make Abraham the father of many seed. Sarah had no faith in this promise of God so she began to deify her own reasoning. She tempted Abraham to know her maid Hagar and bear this promised child through the maid. Again we see the works of the flesh, the Mark of Cain and a lack of faith in God's word. This is the Old Covenant. The New Covenant was the works of faith - Abraham bearing his promised son through his wife Sarah. The promised son could not come through disobedience. Only evil can result when we worship and serve God in our own way, according to our own selfish plans and intelligence. This is being born of the flesh.

A covenant is made effective or ratified only when blood has been shed or the death of the testator occurs. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament (New Covenant), that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament (Old Covenant), they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." Heb. 9:13-17.

In other words, the New Covenant could and did exist by promise prior to the death of Christ the Testator. But once the Testator died, the covenant or last will and testament was ratified and can not be altered or changed. The conditions can not legally be added to or be taken away from.

By promise the New Covenant or Everlasting Covenant has existed since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, immediately after their fall (see Ge. 3:15). It was offered to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 17:1-22. It was offered to David in 2 Samuel 23:5. Throughout the entire New Testament as well as the Old Testament we see the promise of the New Covenant offered to all mankind. According to Heb. 9:13-17 the promise of the Everlasting Covenant was not confirmed or ratified until Christ shed His blood upon the cross.

Keep this in mind: a covenant is only ratified or made effective after the shedding of blood. In the case of Israel the blood shed to ratify the covenant between Israel and God was at the foot of Sinai (see Ex. 24:8). This was the blood of oxen. So Sinai is represented as the Old Covenant. There are two reasons one would call it the Old Covenant:

(1). It was the covenant that was abolished, while the Everlasting Covenant is still binding.

(2). It was ratified fifteen-hundred years before the Everlasting Covenant was ratified.

Q: Can a covenant or last will and testament be changed?

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing [Covenant] of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto." Ga.3: 13-15.

A: When a person has an attorney draw up a last will and testament, that covenant between the testator and heir is not binding until the testator dies. The testator can change the conditions of the will, he can add to it or take away from it. He can even completely abolish it. But once the testator dies, no one can add to the will or take away from it. As long as the heir lives according to the conditions set out in the will he will receive exactly what was stipulated in it. But remember, according to scripture NO ONE can change the last will and testament or its conditions once the testator dies. "If it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto." Gal. 3:15.

With this in mind, let's consider if we have been living our Christian lives under the Old Covenant or the New Covenant. Have we been worshiping God as did wicked Cain or faithful Abel? Worshiping in our own way or according to God's Word? Have we been obeying the traditions and commandments of men or the traditions and commandments of God?

We have seen that Christ the Testator could add to or take away from the requirements of His last will and testimony prior to His death, but not even He could add to or take away from it after His death.

Q: What did Christ do away with prior to His death?

A: "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances..." Eph. 2:15.

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;...Let no man judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come..." Col. 2: 14-17. Also see Heb.10:1-6.

"For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disanulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." He. 7:12-18.

"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their

mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Heb. 8:6-10.

The blood of Jesus took away the law of commandments contained in ordinances, sacrificial and ceremonial laws, feasts days, the sabbaths of the feasts days, new moon sabbaths, animal sacrifices, circumcision, and the Levitical priesthood. There was no fault found in these laws or the covenant of God; the fault was found in Israel. They hastily made a promise to God that they would keep all of His commandments, believing that their keeping of His laws would make them righteous. "...Going about to establish their own righteousness...Christ is the end of the law for righteousness..." Rom. 10:3-4.

Q: Were the laws contained in ordinances, sacrificial and ceremonial laws, circumcision, priesthood, the laws of types and shadows, done away with because they were Old Covenant laws or because they were faulty?

A: These laws were no more Old Covenant Laws than are the two great laws of Matthew 22:36-40. These laws simply met their anti-type (Christ) of whom they pointed forward to and of Whom Israel rejected. To the Nation/Church of Israel all laws were Old Covenant laws while to Adam, Abel, Noah and Abraham these same laws were New Covenant laws. The only difference was that these faithful men looked forward to the promised Messiah for their righteousness while Israel looked to their keeping of the law for their righteousness. All were bound by the Word of God to keep these laws but none were made righteous by their works unless they had faith in the promised Messiah combined with their works.

It doesn't matter what God has commanded us, it only matters how we respond to His command that places us under an Old or New Covenant relationship. Abel was under the New Covenant Promise before the Old Covenant of Sinai, yet he was commanded to sacrifice animals. Abraham was under the New Covenant Promise before the Old Covenant of Sinai, yet he was commanded circumcision. They were both saved by faith, under the New Covenant Promise, while serving the laws contained in ordinances and the laws of types. Yet to be saved under the New Covenant Promise they had to be obedient to the laws of types and ordinances; circumcision representing the conversion of the heart (Heb. 8:10; 10:16; Jer. 31: 31-33; Rom. 2:28, 29) and sacrifices representing the blood of the Savior (Rev. 13:8).

They also had to obey the ten commandments. Obedience to these laws-the Ten Commandment laws, the Laws of Types and Ceremonies and the Levitical Laws-showed their faith in Christ the promised Messiah. They knew these laws in and of themselves could not make them righteous. It was their faith and obedience to these laws that gave them the righteousness of Christ. "Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" (Ja. 2:17; Ro. 2:13). Through these laws of types and shadows the gospel of the Savior was preached unto Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses (see Rom. 4:3 and Heb. 10:36 - 11:29).

The sacrificial and ceremonial laws were only types, but they were glorious laws (2 Cor. 3:10, 11) pointing forward to the One and only Savior. When these glorious laws met their Anti-type they had to be abolished, for they had served their purpose. There was no fault found in these laws (Heb. 7:12). The fault was found in Israel; the covenant (Old Covenant) made by Israel to God was faulty (Hebrews 8:8, 9). This is why it had to be done away with. The fault was not in God or His covenant to Israel. The fault was in Israel and their promise to God. Over and over again, Israel worshiped God in their own way thinking this made them righteous. They did not realize that worshiping God does not make a person or a nation righteous. A person and nation are made righteous only by faith in the Savior, faith in His grace, faith in His power, faith in His righteousness and faith that through His strength they are able to keep His commandments. See Phil. 4:13.

The New Covenant is that Christ wishes our hearts to be circumcised whereupon He can write His laws. He needs an inward conversion instead of an outward show of man-made religious works. See II Cor. 3:1-3. His Ten Commandment laws are still binding, they are simply written upon our hearts instead of being forced upon us by a national church for self-righteousness. The Ten Commandments were not types or shadows, they were not ceremonial or sacrificial. They are a perfect reflection of the character of Christ and His Father. This can not be changed or abolished. If it could, why would Christ have had to die upon the cross?

If the Law of God could have been changed or abolished Jesus would have abolished it and never have needed to die. His willingness to die upon the cross because the law had been transgressed by man shows how important and unchangeable the Ten Commandments are. They are no more changeable than is the character of Christ.

Christ was "the end of the law for righteousness." Rom. 9:4. Christ was the end of the legalistic system of the Jews who did good works to make themselves righteous. This system of works for righteousness proved to be impossible. This system was the Old Covenant.

Do you remember Galatians 3:13-15 where we are told that once the Testator dies nothing can be changed in the covenant? Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. To do so would be an illegal act. Has the Christian world added to or taken away from the last will and testament of Christ since He died and sealed the covenant?

Christ also came to take away the traditions and commandments of men. "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mat.15:27. Here Christ is speaking of the Jews and their worship to God. It was a worship built upon man's traditions and man's laws, mixed in with God's laws and requirements, an Old Covenant Worship like that of Cain.

Q: What did Christ add to His Covenant before His death on the Cross?

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Mat. 28:19.

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Mat. 26:26-28.

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day...He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." John 6:53,54,56. See I Cor. 11:23-33.

"If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." John 13:23-33.

A: Christ added to the requirements of His New Covenant, Baptism, the Lord's Supper and the Ordinance of Humility.

Let's look at one of the traditions and commandments of men that almost the entire Christian world has accepted. It is very important not to close your eyes and ears to the next portion of this book. It will cut across everything you know as a Christian, but without understanding this, you will never be able to understand what the Mark of the Beast represents. You will never be able to properly understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Even if you can't accept it now, at least read the book and later you will see it's importance and how it helps you to fit the puzzles together.

In Genesis 2:1-3 we read: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." NOTICE: the Seventh-day Sabbath was given to man before there was ever a nation of Israel, thus proving it is not only a Jewish law.

In Exodus chapter twenty we find the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God. This was not the law contained in ordinances that was done away at the cross. In Exodus 20:8-11 we find the fourth commandment where God reminds Israel of the Seventh-day Sabbath. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

According to Jesus, this commandment is hung upon the Two Great Commandments of Matthew 22:36-40. "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

One should notice that the first four commandments teach us how to "love the Lord thy God" and the last six teach us how to "love thy neighbour as thyself." The Ten Commandments simply teach us how to keep the two greatest commandments. The Ten Commandments are hung upon the two great commandments.

The Ten Commandments were not just for the Nation of Israel. It has always been wrong to lie, cheat, steal and murder. Most Christians will admit that it is wrong to worship other gods, to have idols, to use the name of the Lord in vain, to lie, cheat, steal, covet, dishonor parents and commit adultery. What is amazing is that they pick out the fourth commandment and say that it was for the Jews and was done away with. Where is a plain "thus saith the Lord?" Don't true Protestants take the Word of God above the laws and traditions of men?

Q: THE QUESTION IS: Where does one find the Seventh-day Sabbath done away with prior to the shedding of the blood of Christ? Remember, all changes in the New Covenant must be made prior to the death of the Testator.

"And he (Jesus) 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. "And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an hounourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus...And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at

the rising of the sun" (Mark 15:42-43; 16:1-2). Also John 19:31-20:1.

"And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath." Acts 13:42,44.

"And he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Acts 18:4.

A: Nowhere in the Holy Bible can one find the change of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day. It wasn't changed in the scripture prior to His death or after His death. It was the custom of Jesus to keep the Sabbath. Even in His death on the cross the Sabbath was kept. And after the cross His disciples, the Jews and the Gentile Christians kept the Seventh-day Sabbath.

However, the Bible does tell us that the Antichrist will think to change the Sabbath. Speaking on this subject Daniel says: "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." Daniel 7:25. There is only one law that has anything to do with time and that law is the Seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth commandment, the law that reminds us that God is the Creator of heaven and earth. The only law in which God says "REMEMBER." He must have known we would forget!

Revelation 14:6,7 says, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

We are to worship God as the Creator of heaven and the earth by obeying His Word, by worshiping Him the way He tells us to worship. This is the only way to show that we fear Him and wish to give glory

to Him. Remember, it is the mark of Cain to worship God in your own self-righteous way. The Seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the only commandment that tells us who the Creator is. This is why Satan has deceived the world into accepting a spurious sabbath-Sunday Worship, the tradition and commandments of men, Old Covenant!

Isaiah 8:5 says, "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant."

God has offered us a New Covenant with His law written in our heart. Satan offers us the Old Covenant, a covenant based upon lies. "Ye shall not surely die." Gen. 3:4. Satan says, "Go ahead and eat of the forbidden fruit." Satan also offers us laws, but his laws are the traditions and commandments of men. "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.

Catholics go to church on Sunday, the first day of the week because, "We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic church [in the Council of Laodicea A.D. 336] transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." -- Rev. Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R., The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1946), p.50.

"We Catholics, then have precisely the same authority for keeping Sunday holy, instead of Saturday, as we have for every other article of our creed; namely, the authority of 'the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth' (1 Timothy 3:15); whereas, you who are Protestants have really no authority for it whatever; for there is no authority for it in the Bible, and you will not allow that there can be authority for it anywhere else. Both you and we do, in fact, follow tradition in this matter; but we follow it, believing it to be a part of God's word, and the church to be its divinely appointed guardian and interpreter; you follow it denouncing it all the time as a fallible and treacherous guide, which often makes the commandment of God of none effect.' " - "A Question for All Bible Christians," Clifton Tracts, vol. 4, p. 15.

"Had she (the Catholic Church) 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." -- Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism (1851), p. 174.

"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...

"Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin; and by not keeping the rest [of the feasts] by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power." -- Rev. Henry Tuberville, C.D. (R.C.), An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine (1833), p. 58.

"You will tell me that Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, but that the Christian Sabbath has been changed to Sunday! but by whom? Who has authority to change an express commandment of Almighty God? When God has spoken and said, Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day, who shall dare to say, Nay, thou mayest work and do all manner of worldly business on the seventh day; but thou shalt keep holy the first day in its stead? This is a most important question, which I know not how you can answer.

"You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and the Bible only; and yet in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day, you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of that day which the Bible has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the ten commandments; you believe that the other nine are still binding; who gave you authority to tamper with the fourth? If you are consistent with your own principles, if you really follow the Bible and the Bible only, you ought to be able to produce some portion of the New Testament in which this fourth commandment is expressly altered." - Library of Christian Doctrine : Why don't You Keep Holy the Sabbath Day? (R. C.), pp.3, 4.

"They [the Catholics] allege the Sabbath changed into Sunday, the Lord's day, contrary to the decalogue, as it appears; neither is there any example more boasted of than the changing of the Sabbath day. Great, say they, is the power and authority of the church, since it dispensed with one of the ten commandments." -- Augsburg Confession, Art. 28.

Modern day Catholics say they go to church on Sunday because, " 'We hold the Lord's Day in reverence and celebrate it solemnly, because on that day our Savior, like the rising sun, shone in the light of his glorious resurrection after conquering the darkness of hell; this day is called Sunday, because Christ, the rising Sun of Justice, fills it with light' (St. Maxim of Turin)...

"On feast days or holidays (holy days) the church celebrates the various mysteries of our redemption, and keeps the memory of Mary and other saints. The oldest and greatest of all feasts is that of Easter, the day of our Lord's resurrection. The more important feasts and holy days of obligation which must be celebrated by all the faithful. The Church orders this in the first of her commandments: 'You are to observe the Sundays and holy days of obligation.'...

"It is the second commandment of the Church that we must go to Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, and the law is binding on everyone who has reached his seventh birthday. Only very serious reasons excuse us from this obligation...

"If anyone, without sufficient reason, fails to attend Mass on Sunday he commits a mortal sin. He commits a venial sin if he arrives late through his own fault, or deliberately pays no attention at Mass or de- liberately disturbs others..." A Catholic Catechism, 1957, pp. 329-331.

Protestants say they go to church on Sunday, the first day of the week because, "The Seventh-day Sabbath is a Jewish Law that was nailed to the cross, so we keep Sunday, the Lord's Day, to honor the resurrection of Christ."

The Catholics claim the change of Saturday to Sunday to be the mark of her authority. Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that Sunday is the Lord's Day. How can one honor Jesus by disobeying Him and illegally changing His covenant after His death by adding the pagan's day of worship and taking away His day of worship?

Think about it! The resurrection occurred after the blood of the Testator. How then can one legally change the covenant, last will and testament, after the blood of the Testator? You can't! This is the Mark of Cain and it will also be the Mark of the Beast. Participation in baptism and the Lord's supper is the proper way to honor the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Denying His law and disobeying His commands is not the proper way to honor Him and it does not show faith in Him.

If God intended Sunday to be the Lord's Day, Christ would have changed it prior to His death. If God could have done away with the Ten Commandments, Christ would not have had to die on the cross. The Ten Commandments are a perfect picture of the character of Jesus and it can not change. The love Jesus had for God the Father and for mankind fulfills the Ten Commandments, it does not abolish them. Our character should also fulfill this law and reflect His image. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Mat. 5:17.

Comments from pre-twentieth century Protestants: "It is quite clear that, however rigidly or devoutly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath...The 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." R.W. Dale, M.A. (Congregationalist), The Ten Commandments (1871), pp. 106, 107.

"And where are we told in Scripture 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." - Rev. Isaac Williams, BC (Church of England), Plain Sermons on the Catechism (1882), vol. 1, pp. 334-336.

"It is impossible to extort such a sense from the words of the commandment; seeing that the reason for which the commandment itself was originally given, namely, as a memorial of God's having rested from the creation of the world, cannot be transferred from the seventh day to the first; nor can any new motive be substituted in its place, whether the resurrection of our Lord or any other, without the sanction of a divine commandment." -- The Christian Doctrine, book 2, chap. 7, in Prose Works of John Milton (1853), vol. 5, p. 70.

"For if we under the gospel are to regulate the time of our public worship by the prescriptions of the decalogue, it will surely be far safer to observe the seventh day, according to the express commandment of God, than on the authority of mere human conjecture to adopt the first." - John Melton, A Treatise on Christian Doctrine; cited in Robert Cox, The Literature of the Sabbath question (1865), vol. 2, p. 54.

"I conceive the celebration of this feast [Easter] was instituted by the same authority which changed the Jewish Sabbath into the Lord's day or Sunday, for it will not be found in Scripture where Saturday is discharged to be kept, or turned into Sunday; wherefore it must be the church's authority that changed the one and instituted the other; therefore my opinion is, that those who will not keep the feast [Easter] may as well return to the observation of Saturday, and refuse the weekly Sunday."--Extract from the Query to the Parliament Commissioners by King Charles II, April 23, 1647; cited in Robert Cox, Sabbath Laws and Sabbath Duties (1853), p. 333.

THE LORD'S DAY:

The verse I am about to quote will very plainly indicate to the reader

if he has been one of those that simply take the teachings and traditions

of men to be the gospel or if he studies and proves all things to make himself approved before the Lord. It is often quoted to me that John was in vision on the Lord's day -- Sunday. But what does this scripture actually say about Sunday or the first day of the week?

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." Rev. 1:10. Have you been accepting the teachings and traditions of men? Does this verse say anything about Sunday or the first day of the week? No! This verse does not indicate in any manner what day the Lord's day is. It simply states that John was in vision on the Lord's day. Since this is the case we must discover from scripture what day is actually the "Lord's day."

Sunday is mentioned no where in the New Testament. The first day, which is Sunday, is mentioned only eight times and no where does it say that it is the Lord's day, a holy day, or that it takes the place of the Sabbath.

Mark 4:16 does identify which day is the Lord's. "Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." We see here that the Sabbath is the Lord's day. But let's look into the meaning of this verse a little deeper. "The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." Many have been deceived into thinking that since the Sabbath is made for man that he can do as he wishes in regards to the Sabbath, once again believing the traditions and doctrines of man. Let's look at another verse and see if it doesn't make things more clear. Remember, we must compare scripture with scripture in order to get a proper understanding. "Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man" (1 Cor 11:9). If we choose to understand that Mark 4:16 is implying that since the Sabbath was created for man he can treat it any way he wishes then we must take 1 Cor. 11:9 to mean that man can treat woman any way he wishes and the Lord will be pleased. Friends the Sabbath and woman were both created as a blessing to man and to be a pleasure to him. He is to honor and respect both as the creation of God. They were not created to be neglected and forgotten by man. "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Isa. 58:12-14.

"And he (Jesus) 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." Lk.4:16. It was the custom of Jesus to go to church on the true Sabbath, the true Lord's day, the seventh day of the week. It is the custom and tradition of man to go to church on Sunday, Satan's day, the first day of the week. Whose foot steps will you follow? Who are you serving?

The eight "first day" texts recorded in the New Testament can be found in the following verses: Mat. 28:1; Mark 16:1,2,9; Lk. 24:1; Jn. 20:1,19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1,2. The first six text all refer to the resurrection of Christ and indicate in no way that His resurrection made Sunday holy or would take the place of the true Sabbath. Remember, from His own Word, nothing can be added to or taken away from the New Covenant once Christ shed His blood.

In Acts 20 the reference is made to a meeting on Saturday night. Then they departed on Sunday morning without entering the synagogue. In Jewish reckoning a day began at the sitting of the sun or in the evening. See Gen.1:5,8,13,19,23; Lev. 23:32; Mark 1:21,32; Neh. 13:19.

In 1 Cor. 16:2 reference is simply made to a collection for the poor saints and had no relationship to a church service or a change of the Sabbath.

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1 Thes. 5:21. "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15. It's time to stop trusting in man and following the ways of the world.

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Mat. 5:18.

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." James 2:10,11.