THE SUNDAY by A. Smith

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 13, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 33.

THE SUNDAY.

By A. Smith

Is It a Growth of God's Planting? or Is It a Usurping Weed?

"Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Matt. 15:13.

THE scribes and Pharisees had complained to Jesus that His disciples had transgressed the tradition of the elders by eating with unwashed hands, but Christ in turn charged them with transgressing the command of God by their traditions, and said concerning the people who followed such traditions, "In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Verse 9. And immediately after, He said to His disciples, with reference to such traditions, "Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."

Judging from this reasoning, every tradition or commandment of men, which in its meaning or application renders of no effect any one or more of the commandments of God, is a plant not of the Father's setting, and it will most certainly be rooted up. Such a plant is the doctrine of the first-day sabbath. It is wholly based upon the traditions and commandments of men, thus making the commandment to sanctify the seventh day of no effect with a vast majority of the professed Christian people of the world.

In Matt. 15:9, 13, are recorded two of the "sayings" of Jesus, and in John 14:24 He says, "He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings; and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent me."

Another saying of Jesus was, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law [of God], or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil [to keep, to obey]. 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. Heaven and earth have not yet passed away, and therefore the Sabbath precept, as part of that law, has not been changed in a single point. The commandments and traditions of men can only mislead such as can be deceived by them; but those who love Jesus with a fervor deeper than a mere profession will show their love by respecting His sayings concerning God's law in a practical way, and will return to the observance of the Sabbath, which by the Father's will was planted in Eden for all mankind.

In the coming "harvest," or end of the world, the Sunday-sabbath weed will be rooted up and burned in the fire. If then our spiritual life be identified with the obnoxious growth, we shall share its destiny. How much better to ripen as the precious wheat, and be gathered into the heavenly garner. A. SMITH. Grandville, Mich.