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THE LAW OF GOD

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 9, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 35.

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THE LAW OF GOD.

The Authority for the Change of the Sabbath.

(Lesson 23.—Sabbath, September 25.)
1. What did Isaiah say of Christ’s relation to the law of God?
“The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.” Isa. 42:21.
2. What did Christ himself say of it?
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 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.” Matt. 5:17, 18.
3. What have we found to be the practice of Christ and the apostles?
4. Did Sunday-keeping originate in the days of the apostles?
“We hear less than we used to about the apostolic origin of the present Sunday observance, and for the reason that while the Sabbath and Sabbath rest are woven into the warp and woof of Scripture, it is now seen, as it is admitted, that we must go to later than apostolic times for the establishment of Sunday observance.”—Christian at Work (Presbyterian), Feb. 13, 1886.
5. Is there any direct command for this Sunday observance?
“The change from the seventh to the first day of the week appears to have been gradually and silently introduced, by example, rather than by express precept.”—Dr. Scott; comment on Acts 20:7.
6. When and by whom was the first Sunday commandment given?
“Whatever may have been the opinion or practice of these early Christians, in regard to cessation from labor on Sunday, unquestionably the first law, either ecclesiastical or civil, by which the sabbatical observance of that day is known to have been ordained, is the edict of Constantine, A. D. 321.”—Chambers’s Encyclopedia, art. “Sabbath.”
7. Did this edict require the observance of Sunday as a sabbath?
“Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun; but let those who are situated in the country, freely and at full liberty attend to the business of agriculture; because it often happens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines.”—Part of the decree of Constantine.
8. When and by what authority was abstinence from agricultural labor on Sunday first recommended?
“It was not till the year 538 that abstinence from agricultural labor on Sunday was recommended, rather than enjoined, by an ecclesiastical authority (the third council of Orleans), and this expressly that the people might have more leisure to go to church and say their prayers.”—Chambers’s Encyclopedia, art. “Sabbath.”
9. When was liberty to labor on Sunday fully taken away?
“Nor was it till about the end of the 9th century that the Emperor Leo, the Philosopher, repealed the exemption which it [agricultural labor] enjoyed under the edict of Constantine.”—Ib.
10. How did Paul describe the Papacy?
“Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2:3, 4.
11. How was it to exalt itself above God?
“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.” Dan. 7:25.
12. Does the Roman Catholic Church acknowledge this charge?—She does, and boasts of it. Thus:—
“Ques. Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?”
“Ans. Had she 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.”—From the Doctrinal Catechism.
13. What does the Catholic Church claim as the proof of her authority?
“Ques. How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?”
“Ans. 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.”—From “Abridgment of Christian Doctrine.”
14. Upon what foundation do all festivals of the church rest?
“Sundays and holy days all rest on the same foundation, namely, the authority of the church.”—Catholic Christian Instructed.
15. Do professed Protestants concur in this statement?
“We rest the designation of Sunday on the church having set it apart of its own authority. The seventh-day rest was commanded in the fourth commandment. . . . The selection of Sunday, thus changing the particular day designed in the fourth commandment, was brought about by the gradual concurrence of the early Christian Church, and on this basis, and none other, does the Christian sabbath, the first day of the week, rightly rest.”—Christian at Work, Jan. 3, 1885.
16. What is the only position that the true follower of Christ can take on this question?
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts. 5:29.
17. And what does God say?
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, 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.” “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” Ex. 20:8–10; 23:2, first clause.