Why Protestant churches dont keep the Sabbath.

[Hobie]

The Roman Catholic Church says it has the authority to change Gods Law, even if there is nothing in scripture. But what reason would Protestant churches have for not following what God made for man at Creation and gives as the day of rest in His Law.

So what happened at creation, did God make the Sabbath just for one race, I dont think so? In Genesis 1:26 did God say let us make a Jew in our image? No! He said let us make man in our image. Then it is quite obvious with just this text that Adam was the father of the human race and he was not a Jew. Nowhere is the term Jew or Israel spoken of before the flood. We have to come down to Jacob before we find Israel, which is what God changed his name to; and well after this the term Jew came along. Let us look at a few texts on the Sabbath.

Mark 2:27 "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

Isaiah 56:4 - 7 "For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

Acts 13:42 - 44 "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God."

The idea that the Sabbath is a Jewish Sabbath falls apart when we see that God made the Sabbath for man, that is all mankind, including eunuchs, gentiles and Jews.

 

[Hobie]

Almost the whole Christian world reverences Sunday, did God know that this attempt to change His holy Sabbath would occur? Scripture gives us a answer...

"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. " Daniel 7:25

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20:28-30

Yes, long ago God predicted that, from within the church itself, misguided men would arise who would attempt to change His holy law. So the prophecy was true, and it has come to fruition as the Sabbath and those who kept it were swept away, and a substitute put in.

 

[Hobie]

Here are some statements showing which show who the Protestant churches are following and its not the Bible:

"Protestants ... accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change... But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that ... in observing Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the Church, the pope." Our Sunday Visitor, February 5th, 1950. This Rock

Question: Which 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 transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday. -Rev. Peter Geiermann C.SS.R., The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50

Q. Should not the Protestant doubt when he finds that he himself holds tradition as a guide?
A. Yes, if he would but reflect that he has nothing but Catholic Tradition for keeping the Sunday holy; ... Controversial Catechism by Stephen Keenan, New Edition, revised by Rev. George Cormack, published in London by Burns & Oates, Limited - New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: Benzinger Brothers, 1896, pages 6, 7.

"The Church, on the other hand, after changing the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the first, made the Third Commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as the Lord's Day. The Council of Trent (Sess. VI, can. xix) condemns those who deny that the Ten Commandments are binding on Christians." The Catholic Encyclopedia, Commandments of God, Volume IV, © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company, Online Edition © 1999 by Kevin Knight, Nihil Obstat - Remy Lafort, Censor Imprimatur - +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York, page 153.

''The [Roman Catholic] Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter the Seventh-day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant.'' The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p. 4.

"All of us believe many things in regard to religion that we do not find in the Bible. For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church outside the Bible." The Catholic Virginian, "To Tell You The Truth,” Vol. 22, No. 49 (Oct. 3, 1947).

"... you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify." The Faith of Our Fathers, by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, 88th edition, page 89. Originally published in 1876, republished and Copyright 1980 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., pages 72-73.

'Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday in the Third - Protestant Fourth - Commandment of God... The Church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.'' Catholic Record, September 1, 1923.

"But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn't it curious that non-Catholics who profess to take their religion directly from the Bible and not the Church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Yes, of course, it is inconsistent; but this change was made about fifteen centuries before Protestantism was born, and by that time the custom was universally observed. They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible. That observance remains as a reminder of the Mother Church from which the non-Catholic sects broke away - like a boy running away from home but still carrying in his pocket a picture of his mother or a lock of her hair." The Faith of Millions

"Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday. "The Day of the Lord" (dies Dominica) was chosen, not from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church's sense of its own power. The day of resurrection, the day of Pentecost, fifty days later, came on the first day of the week. So this would be the new Sabbath. People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy." Sentinel, Pastor's page, Saint Catherine Catholic Church, Algonac, Michigan, May 21, 1995

'If Protestants would follow the Bible, they would worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church.' Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal, in a letter dated February 10, 1920.

'It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church.'Priest Brady, in an address, reported in the Elizabeth, NJ on March 18, 1903. This Rock

'The observance of Sunday by the Protestants is homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church.' Monsignor Louis Segur, 'Plain Talk about the Protestantism of Today';, p. 213.

 

[Hobie]

So why does any Protestant follow a change that is claimed to be done by the authority of the Catholic Church and follow its false tradition and not God and His word. Some say, well Gods Law is done away but if the Ten Commandments were done away with, no one could sin! Because sin is transgression of the Law.

1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

So anyone could kill, steal, commit adultery, or break any of the Ten Commandments without sinning! If one is done away with, they all arem you cant choose and pick your law. I dont think you want freedom to kill, steal and commit adultery, and you should feel the same about keeping the Sabbath, it is part of the same Law, the Moral Law.

The Bible is very clear, I think trying to defend mans traditions and ancient sun worship gains nothing, that might give you pause and maybe let you read the scripture to find the truth. When Christ died on the cross, he fulfilled the Ceremonial Laws (or was the anti-type of the ceremonies) in that He was the one that died to take away the sins of the world. So when Christ died the sacrificial system ceased to be the means of salvation. This is clearly shown in that when Christ cried "It is finished" the curtain that separated the Holy from the Most Holy place was torn from top to bottom.

Matthew 27:51 "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

The Most Holy Place, which is where God used to meet the High Priest, was laid wide open. When we follow the disciples after the crucifixion, we find that they were still keeping the Ten Commandments, including the Sabbath, so they could not have been nailed to the cross. And we find this..

Acts 13:14, 15 "But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on."

Acts 16:13 "And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither."

Acts 17:2 "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures."

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

Psalms 89:34 "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

Luke 16:17 "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail."

Exodus 31:16 "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant."

The above Bible texts tell us that God's Law, the Ten Commandments, are unchangeable. They will still be there in the new earth.

The fourth commandment (the seventh day Sabbath), which evil has endeavored to set aside, is the only precept of the Decalogue that points to God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and thus distinguishes the true God from all false gods. The Sabbath was instituted to commemorate the work of creation, and thus to direct the minds of men to the true and living God. The fact of His creative power is cited throughout the Scriptures as proof that the God of Israel is superior to heathen deities. Had the Sabbath always been kept, man's thoughts and affections would have been led to his Maker as the object of reverence and worship, and there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel.

That institution which points to God as the Creator, is a sign of His rightful authority over the beings He has made. The change of the Sabbath is the sign, or mark, is a false tradition of the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false in place of the true Sabbath, are thereby paying homage to sun worshiping and false "traditions" of man, so we must look and carefully discern whose authority we should follow, God or man...

 

[Right Divider]

Col 2:16-17 KJV Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Rom 14:5-6 KJV One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

 

[musterion]

sabbaths = law
tithing = law
water rites = law
good work to get saved or to stay saved = law

All will send the sincerest soul straight to Hell.

 

[Derf]

They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible.

Acts 20:7

 

[Wick Stick]

Hi Hobie!

The Sabbath commandment is for rest. Not worship. Not church services. (Services are actually the opposite of rest).

Most Protestants rest on Saturdays.

Jarrod

 

[Hilltrot]

So, Hobie - Why don't you keep the Sabbath?

 

[Hobie]

Well lets go over my buddy palehorses study on Colossians 2:14-16:

Col 2:14-16 "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; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days:"

This verse is referring to the Mosaic Law (some say Sinaic Law or Levitical Law, some say ceremonial law) and this is evident by the inclusion of the "new moon" phrase as well as reference to the meat and drink offerings that would take place (compare to Leviticus 23:37). There are two sets of laws in play here, two types of sabbaths; one was described as being grievous to us (Col.2:14-16), and the 10 Commandments which were not grievous to us (1 John 5:3). How can the same law be grievous and not grievous at the same time? It cannot; clearly there are two sets of laws. Additionally, there isn't a single "ordinance" in the 10 Commandments. See definition of "ordinance" in any dictionary - it discusses festival regulations and the like.

I. DEUT. 31:26 Take this book of the law (Moses' Law), and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee

By comparison Moses' Law was written in a book on paper; God's Law was written with His finger on stone - don't let the symbology there escape you either. Also, the Commandments were put 'inside' the ark (Exodus 40:20) not 'in the side' (Deut 31:26) of it.

II. Hebrews 4:4 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. 5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7 Again, he limiteth (limited to) a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

III. Leviticus 23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: 38 Beside(in addition to) the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.

Notice the verse in Leviticus 23:37; the word 'beside' means in addition to, these feasts were the sabbaths that were in addition to the weekly seventh-day Sabbath. It is these sabbaths, not the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, that Col 2:14 is talking about, this is verified when one looks at the descriptors of 'meat'a nd 'drink' which are in reference to the offerings that would take place under Mosaic Ceremonial Law. So, again we see that the seventh-day Sabbath was different than these ceremonial sabbaths and it was the ceremonial sabbaths that were done away with according to Col. 2-14.

 

[Hobie]

sabbaths = law
tithing = law
water rites = law
good work to get saved or to stay saved = law

All will send the sincerest soul straight to Hell.

So what law tells us what is moral in the sight of God?

 

[Hobie]

Acts 20:7

And lets look close at it in this study from palehorse on Acts 20:7:

The apostles broke bread on the first day of the week.

Acts 20:7 "And upon the first day of the week (yup, that's Sunday), when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."

The disciples broke bread every day (see Acts 2:46) - that is not a reason for observing a different day of worship anyway and only shows lack of Biblical scholarship of someone using this argument. Furthermore, the term "breaking bread" here does not mean communion; otherwise the disciples were taking communion every single day. Does Acts 20:7 say that breaking bread constitutes a change to Gods day of rest? Nope.

Something that most miss is that if you read the story further you'll find that Paul starts out on Sunday morning for his trip; he travels about 30 km and then buys a boat ticket! Now, if Sunday had been any kind of holy day then Paul would not have been traveling nor purchasing anything on that day.

 

[Hobie]

Hi Hobie!

The Sabbath commandment is for rest. Not worship. Not church services. (Services are actually the opposite of rest).

Most Protestants rest on Saturdays.

Jarrod

Notice only the Sabbath is made holy and not only rest from the six day of work:

Genesis 2:2-4 King James Version (KJV)
2 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.
3 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.
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

We cannot trust the traditions of men on the Sabbath vs. Sunday issue, for this is not safe, nor in just mere human opinions. Instead we need to know what scripture actually says, and above all, what Jesus Christ Himself taught, so we accept His pure teaching as our final authority.

Jesus Christ is “Lord even of the Sabbath day” as the Creator. Jesus said,“For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.” Matthew 12:8. By identifying Himself as “Lord even of the Sabbath day,” Jesus of was showing that He was the One who originally created Earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day. And the New Testament makes clear that Jesus is the Creator...

"All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that has been made." John 1:3

"He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not". John 1:10

"God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." Eph. 3:9

"For by Him [Jesus] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." Col. 1:16

So scripture makes clear Jesus Christ is our Creator and also gave us the Sabbath for man not just the Jews.

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:"Mark 2:27

Not only did Jesus create the Sabbath but He makes clear it was the seventh day and Holy...
"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." Exodus 20:11

"And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning." Exodus 16:23

Now you can check the scriptures and it will make clear the Sabbath is on Saturday, while Sunday is "the first day of the week". Jesus Christ regularly kept the Sabbath, taught much about the Sabbath, and clearly stated that He is "Lord even of the Sabbath day" (Mat. 12:8). Jesus Christ never mentioned "the first day of the week" even one time. He taught nothing about it. The Sabbath continues after the cross (Luke 23:54-56) and was kept in the book of Acts by both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 13:42-44). There is no biblical authorization for the change of the Bible Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

God made the Sabbath at the beginning of the world before any Jews existed, to be a blessing to all people. Most importantly, it is a special sign that Jesus Christ is the true Creator of heaven and earth, and He confirmed it when He was on earth.

 

[Hobie]

So, Hobie - Why don't you keep the Sabbath?

How does the world keep Sunday, shopping or watching football or basketball. Instead of abolishing the Sabbath, Jesus taught how it should be observed.

"1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other." Matthew 12:1-13.

 

[Hobie]

The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, foretold the great apostasy which would come into the church. He declared that before the return of Christ would, "come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who exalteth himself above all that is called God;" Even at that early date he saw, creeping into the church, errors in belief that would prepare the way for the false teachings to come in.

Little by little, and then more openly as it increased in strength and gained control of believers, paganism and idol worship came into the church. The customs of heathenism began to find their way into the early Christian church and compromise and conformity to paganism was held back for a time by the fierce persecutions by the Roman Emperors. But as persecution ceased, and Christianity was accepted and entered the courts and palaces of the Emperors and Kings, the true church laid aside the humble simplicity of Christ for the pomp and pride of priests and pagan leaders and in place of the truth from God, it substituted human theories, rites and traditions.

It started slowly, a change here a compromise there, but the then with acceptance the gates to apostasy were fully opened by Emperor Constantine, who tried to politically not to leave out or alienate those who practiced paganism after he claim to convert to Christianity. He declared the bishop of Rome as the enforcer of truth and forced the merger of paganism into the church, and the heathen religion now cloaked with a form of righteousness, walked into the church. Paganism, while appearing to be vanquished by the church, became the conqueror. Pagan doctrines, ceremonies, and superstitions were incorporated into the faith and worship of the professed followers of Christ.

This compromise between paganism and Christianity resulted in the development of "the man of sin" foretold in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God.

In the early church, the bishop of Rome now became regarded as a Patriarchate, i.e. an autonomous diocese along with Alexandria and Antioch. Then the patriachates of Constantinople and Jerusalem was added in the fifth century. This group of five was regarded as leading the church as a whole. However, gaining political influence and claiming "historical events" (the tradition that Peter and Paul had been martyred in Rome) the Bishop of Rome made himself first among equals. To secure worldly gains and honors, the church was led to seek the favor and support of the political and secular leaders, and the church as a whole was forced to yield allegiance to the bishop of Rome.

 

[Hobie]

What happened next can only be the "Great Apostasy" as we read from Wikipedia.
'The Great Apostasy is a term used by some religious groups to describe the perceived fallen state of traditional Christianity, especially the Roman Catholic Church, because they claim it allowed traditional Greco-Roman culture (i.e.Greco-Roman mysteries, deities of solar monism such as Mithras and Sol Invictus, pagan festivals and Mithraic sun worship and idol worship) into the church. That it is not representative of the faith founded by Jesus and promulgated through his twelve Apostles: in short, in their opinion, the church has fallen into apostasy.[1][2] They feel that to attract the pagans to nominal Christianity, the Catholic Church took measures to amalgamate the Christian and pagan festivals so pagans would join the church;[3] for example, bringing in the pagan festival of Easter as a substitute for the Pasch or Passover, although neither Jesus nor his Apostles enjoined the keeping of this or any other festival.[4][5]

They consider the Papacy to be in full-blown apostasy for allowing pagan rituals, the worship of Mary and idols[6], and pagan beliefs and ceremonies to come into the church, having those who pointed out its apostasy persecuted and killed and never repenting of or fully admitting the true extent of its actions.[7][8][9][10]'

Many pagans worshiped the sun and other pagan gods as they thought that their sun gods and fertility goddesses died at the winter solstice and came back to life at the spring equinox. Baal worship is sun worship, and Ashtoreth / Ishtar / Astarte is the queen of heaven. These pagan gods had spread through Egyptian/Greek influence and spread throughout the known Roman world.

Note what it says in Judges:
"Judges 2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth."

It is the apostasy of sun and idol worship of Baal and Ashtaroth that started to come into the church.
The pagans fashioned Madonna and child icons and placed them in sacred shrines. With the rise of Christianity it seemed that the goddess would slowly disappear and fade away. But instead the names and the images of the Madonna and child have changed, but we find them again, the blending of their ancient goddesses with christianized idols was a major part of what allowed the pagans to keep their pagan gods but get in the church. The church leaders thought if they forbid worship of the images and graven idols, but that quickly broke down as something they could see was more enticing than a invisible deity.

Then we have the following in the first Sunday Law enacted by Emperor Constantine for which he is so well known.

March, 321 A.D.
On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost. (Given the 7th day of March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time [A.D. 321].)
Source: Codex Justinianus, lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3 (5th ed.; New York: Scribner, 1902), p. 380, note 1.

Transition of "Day of the Sun"
[p. 122] This legislation by Constantine probably bore no relation to Christianity; it appears, on the contrary, that the emperor, in his capacity of Pontifex Maximus, was only adding the day of the Sun, the worship of which was then firmly [p. 123] established in the Roman Empire, to the other ferial days of the sacred calendar
[p. 270] What began, however, as a pagan ordinance, ended as a Christian regulation; and a long series of imperial decrees, during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries, enjoined with increasing stringency abstinence from labour on Sunday.
Source: Hutton Webster, Rest Days, pp. 122, 123, 270. Copyright 1916 by The Macmillan Company, New York.

So was he really 'Christian' or just following his well documented pattern of positioning himself even in religious matters to his own advantage.

 

[Derf]

And lets look close at it in this study from palehorse on Acts 20:7:

I don't get the palehorse references. Is that just an insult, or does it serve a valid purpose?

For comparison:
Acts 20:7 "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."
And:
Acts 2:46
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

The disciples broke bread every day (see Acts 2:46) - that is not a reason for observing a different day of worship anyway and only shows lack of Biblical scholarship

The disciples had a lack of biblical scholarship? That's a funny way to view that passage.

But you can see a change from meeting every day to meeting once a week between those verses. This was likely rooted in pragmatism and a clearer understanding that Jesus wasn't coming back as soon as they supposed, so they needed to get back to their regular jobs.

You can also see a change between breaking bread separately ("in homes" plural) to breaking bread all together. And you can see that Paul preached to them. These are not all of the elements of worship, but they are most of them. And you were saying there are no references in scripture to support Sunday as the day the church was supposed to meet. This is evidence that they did meet the first day of the week, with an apostle, so it is at least something to be condoned.

Does Acts 20:7 say that breaking bread constitutes a change to Gods day of rest?

Is it possible that a new interpretation of "day of rest" has dawned? Of all the 10 commandments, keeping the Sabbath was the only one not reiterated in some way after Jesus' resurrection. And Paul tells us it was something that could be on the believer's conscience.

So you are welcome to keep the 6th day as the sabbath, and we should be welcome to keep the 1st.

Its definitely not a changing of times and seasons if the apostle condoned it.

I hope this wouldn't be something to divide over and call each other harbingers of death (pale horses).

 

[Hilltrot]

How does the world keep Sunday, shopping or watching football or basketball. Instead of abolishing the Sabbath, Jesus taught how it should be observed.

"1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other." Matthew 12:1-13.

Where does Jesus say "go to church on sunday" or "force other people to work for you on Sunday". BTW, according to your own beliefs you have just condemned yourself to hell for breaking the Sabbath.

 

[Right Divider]

Paul knew what he was talking about, Hobie does not.

Rom 14:5-6 KJV One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

 

[Hobie]

I don't get the palehorse references. Is that just an insult, or does it serve a valid purpose?

For comparison:
Acts 20:7 "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."
And:
Acts 2:46
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

The disciples had a lack of biblical scholarship? That's a funny way to view that passage.

But you can see a change from meeting every day to meeting once a week between those verses. This was likely rooted in pragmatism and a clearer understanding that Jesus wasn't coming back as soon as they supposed, so they needed to get back to their regular jobs.

You can also see a change between breaking bread separately ("in homes" plural) to breaking bread all together. And you can see that Paul preached to them. These are not all of the elements of worship, but they are most of them. And you were saying there are no references in scripture to support Sunday as the day the church was supposed to meet. This is evidence that they did meet the first day of the week, with an apostle, so it is at least something to be condoned.

Is it possible that a new interpretation of "day of rest" has dawned? Of all the 10 commandments, keeping the Sabbath was the only one not reiterated in some way after Jesus' resurrection. And Paul tells us it was something that could be on the believer's conscience.

So you are welcome to keep the 6th day as the sabbath, and we should be welcome to keep the 1st.

Its definitely not a changing of times and seasons if the apostle condoned it.

I hope this wouldn't be something to divide over and call each other harbingers of death (pale horses).

Christ made clear that the Sabbath was from Creation and it wasnt a problem of keeping it that was the question, but how strict as the Pharisees has made it a burden not a joy.