IS SUNDAY IN THE NEW COVENANT?
By George B. Thompson
BY ELDER GEO. B. THOMPSON. The observers of Sunday, when asked to assign a reason why they sabbatize upon that day, sometimes reply that they are living under the new covenant, and under this covenant the first day of the week should be kept to commemorate redemption. We would like some of our Sunday-keeping friends to tell us how Sunday became a part of the new covenant. They will confer an everlasting favor upon us by citing us to the chapter and verse which will substantiate this assertion, and show when and by whom the thing was done. We are familiar with the scriptures (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12) which declare that God will place his law in the hearts of men under the new covenant, but have never found the place as yet where it is written that he will write Sunday in the heart of anybody. We fail to utterly comprehend how Sunday became a part of this covenant. Nowhere in all the ministry of Christ is there any mention that he ever kept the day, or took its name upon his lips. How, then, did it become a part of this covenant? Oh, say they, it was at the resurrection! Let us see. The covenant called the "new covenant" is the same one that was made with Abraham. That was an everlasting covenant and contained169blessing for the whole human family. Gen. 17:6-8; 22:15-18; Gal. 3:16, 29. The blood of Christ, which confirmed and ratified this covenant, was shed on the cross. Luke 22:18-20. The blood of this covenant being shed after the blood of the old covenant is why this covenant is called the "new." When the Saviour's blood was shed upon the cross, this covenant was sealed up and made forever sure. Now listen to what Paul says in Gal. 3:15: "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." Every man knows this to be true. When a man makes a will, while rational, and then dies, there is no power on earth that can legally change this "last will and testament." It is of no force while the testator lives, but takes effect immediately after his death (Heb. 9:17), and nothing can be added to it. Now we ask how could Sunday, in commemoration of the resurrection, become part of the new covenant after the death of its testator? If no changes or additions can be made in the last will of a man after his death, how can there be any changes or additions to the last testament of the Son of God, after his death? We leave the advocates of Sunday sacredness to grapple with the problem, and when they have solved it to give us the answer. It has never been solved, and we augur that it never will be. If Sunday could be traced back to its resurrection, it would even then find itself too late. But, unfortunately for its adherents, it can find no Bible sanction for even this. Viewed from every possible standpoint, Sunday, as a sacred day, is shown to be a base counterfeit, and the sooner we exchange it for the genuine Sabbath which God made, the sooner we will possess the blessing which is on that day. Isa. 56:1, 2.