Have You Ever Asked Yourself Why?

Someone was travelling to New York at night. He knew the way so clearly but unfortunately after travelling for so long, his car picked up a signed board ‘’Belle Glade 14 miles’’. What! He was going on opposite direction from New York and if not for the unexpected signboard, he would have ended up totally lost.

Sometimes with our sincere motive, we may think that we are on the right track heading the right way but eventually ending up totally lost. Sincerity in what we are doing or partaking is not enough to make us reach our goal or the right place but apart from sincerity we require constant knowledge of where we are and the path we are taking, no wonder God says ‘’My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee,’’Hosea 4:6. God’s word has a lot to say to those people who are willing to be corrected. The people to be the most pitied are those who have closed minds. There sincere minds are made up, and they do not want to be bothered by the facts.

Many of the people know that one of the Ten Commandments require keeping of the seventh day of the week. They also know that the seventh day is Saturday yet they tenaciously follow the tradition of observing another day (Sunday) (First day of the week). Why do they do this the answer is always the same ‘’I was born a_________and found people going to church on Sunday. They follow the majority and yet they have a bible, which they believe in gathering dust in their houses. They forget this ‘’Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leaded to destruction, and many there be which go in threat: Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leaded into life, and few be that find it, Math 7:13, 14 .The fact that we have a popular majority, great scholars, pastors, theologians and professors keeping Sunday, that is not enough evidence as compared the bible itself. One writer once said’ ’Stupidity is stupidity even when done or said by the famous scientist’ ’The most unfortunate, heart-breaking and saddening thing is that people have the bibles in their drawers while they are following false doctrine and suggestions, to them it is said ‘’Thus saith the lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm…’’ Jeremiah 17:5.

EXAMINATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

Math 28:1’’In the end of  the Sabbath, as it begun to dawn towards the first day (Sunday in Good News Bible) of the week, came Mary Magdalene and other Mary to see the sepulcher’ ’Here just some very interesting proof the Sabbath could not be possibly on the first day of the week. According to the record Sabbath was ending and the first day was beginning.

Mark 16:13: Speaking of the same account as Mathew Mark says ‘’and when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, Salome had bought spices that they might anoint him. And very early in the morning in the first day of the week (Sunday in Good News) they came unto the at the rising of the sun (dawn in Matthew 28:1)

Luke23:52-54: This man (Joseph of Arimathea) went unto Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus and he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it down in a sepulcher that was hewn in a stone, wherein no man ever before was laid. And that day was preparation day (Friday in Good News Bible) and the Sabbath drew on

• Many Christians agree that this event (Christ death) transpired on a ‘’Friday’’ (namely today by many Christians as Good Friday). The bible as we have seen calls it ‘’preparation day’’.

• Luke 23:55-56: – “And the women also, which came with him (Joseph of Arimathea) from Galilee, followed after and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments and rested on the Sabbath according to the commandant. (Commandment of God Exodus 20:8).
• Luke 24:1, 2:’’Now upon the first day of the week (Sunday) (that is after the Sabbath.) very early in the morning they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared and certain others with them. And found stone rolled away from sepulcher’’ (Modern Christians know this day as the Resurrection Day).

**NB** IN NONE OF THE SCRIPTURES ABOVE HAVE WE NOTICED GOD ATTACHING ANY SUNDAY SACREDNESS TO THE DAY OF RESSURECTION ** (In Fact that modern view has no biblical evidence).

SUNDAY KEEPERS SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE

• The Disciples were gathered on Sunday not because they wanted to celebrate, commemorate resurrection of Christ and proclaim Sunday as sacred but because they feared the Jews. John 20:19” Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week (Sunday), when the doors were shut. Where the disciples were assembled for ‘fear of the Jews’, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you”. (They feared to be charged of stealing Christ body (Math 27:64), they had received news that Christ had resurrected)

• The breaking of bread on Sunday at Troas by Paul on a Sunday was just a normal supper in the evening and not the Lord’s Supper.
• First we Know it was in the late evening ‘’and there were many lights in the upper       chamber where they were gathered together’’ Acts 20:8(lamps had been lit because it was late in the evening and there was dark)
• They broke bread and eat Acts 20:11, breaking of break also refers to partaking of a normal meal Acts 2:46
• Col 2:14  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;

Col 2:15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holiday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Col 2:17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

•  Let me start by saying that they were two types of laws, first the ordinances written by Moses in the book of the law and this book was placed beside the ark of the covenant and which contained the shadows or antitypes pointing to Christ including yearly feasts referred to as sabbaths, these laws were to cease upon Christ crucifixion.

Deu 31:24  And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, Deu 31:25  That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Deu 31:26  Take this book of the 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.(Christ blotted out the handwriting of the ordinance that was against us)

• Secondly, we have the Ten Commandments, which were written by God himself on a stone tablet, this is the law that defines sin.

• 1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the  transgression of the law. Even Christ himself quoted from the ten commandments Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: Christ himself kept the sabbath Luke4:16 And he 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.

• Even years, after Christ death many of his followers still kept the sabbath
• Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: Act 17:2  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

• Even years, after Christ death Paul says he had no had not known sin except by the law  And even gives an example of such sin in relation to the ten commandments Rom 7:7 what shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

• Paul concludes that the law (Ten Commandments) is Rom 7:12 wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good.
•  The grace argument – many of the Sunday keepers argue that since you are saved by God’s grace you are no longer under the law and often misquote the book of Romans in defend to this thinking, in almost all the cases many quote verses without reading the whole book or chapter in order to understand the context. (I will not go into this in detail but the bible clearly states that we ought to be saved by grace and grace alone, but why should we be saved by grace?)
• Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;(The grace of God should enable you to live righteously…soberly…) and what is righteousness,Psa 119:172  My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

NB: THE GRACE OF GOD SHOULD ENABLE US TO KEEP GOD’S COMMANDMENTS ,THAT IS LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY.IF THE GRACE THAT YOU EXPERIENCE DOES NOT ENABLE YOU TO LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE THEN WHAT KIND OF GRACE IS THAT?

CONCLUSION

A story is told of a Russian king who was walking around a beautiful garden in His palace one morning only to realize a soldier guarding a small garden. He asked the soldier why he was doing so and the soldier said that he was just following orders, so he consulted the captain ant the captain too said the was following the generals order and so he consulted the general too and the general also said he was following rules and orders in scripted in the law books. Finally, the king disappointed, he ordered a search in the dusty military records and good enough the mystery was unfolded. Years and years before the Queen’s mother had planted some rose bushes in the garden corner and a soldier was sent to protect the tender plant from being trampled but later even after the plant removed someone had forgotten to cancel the order and the daily ritual had continued through the years, soldiers with their guns guarding nothing in an empty plot.

Today there are millions of sincere Christians who are religiously trying to protect the sanctity of Sunday. They do not realize they are really guarding nothing. Sunday is devoid of God’s approval of holiness and sanctity as the Sabbath. I call you to make wise decision and follow the truth for only the truth will set you free John 8:36