Sabbathless Christianity by Abram Herbert Lewis

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 26, 1913

Sabbathless Christianity

By Abram Herbert Lewis

ABRAM HERBERT LEWIS, D. D.

So long as the early church followed Christ’s example, and kept the Sabbath as He left it to them, the spiritual life of the church remained at “full tide.” After the time of the New Testament when pagan philosophy and prejudice against the Jews began to teach the falsehood that the Sabbath was only a “Jewish affair,” and that it was not binding on Christians, the spiritual life and power of the church declined in swift and increasing ratio. This was especially true after Christianity became a religion of the Roman Empire, by civil law, and Sunday and other festivals appeared.

These influences culminated in the papal power and the long midnight of the dark ages. Other influences contributed to this decay, but first and foremost was the falsehood which pushed God, His law, His Sabbath, and hence communion and fellowship with Him, out of the hearts and lives of men. All that was given in return was the authority of the church, backed by the law of the state. The dark years of the wilderness life of Christianity between the middle of the fifth century and the time of the German Reformation, are crowded with lessons showing that a Sabbathless Christianity is correspondingly a godless Christianity, and one from which all the better elements of spiritual life are driven.—Sabbath Recorder.