Studies on the Sabbath by R. A. Underwood

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Feb 21, 1911

Studies on the Sabbath

By R. A. Underwood

VII. What About the Change of the Sabbath?

Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven. Ps. 119: 89.

IT is often asked, "Who changed the Sabbath?" We might better inquire, "Who has attempted to change the Sabbath?" During the "falling away" of the early church from apostolic teaching and practise many innovations were introduced into the church by the pagan converts, and as a result of these corrupting influences a change of practise by many in the observance of the Sabbath was brought about. However, in reality, no change has been made by the Author of the Sabbath, and no other could make a change. Any change made by man could only lead men to forsake the command of God, and to accept a man-made substitute for a divine institution. Of Christ, the Author of the Sabbath, it is said, "He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isa. 42: 21. Christ could not magnify and make honorable a law by changing or abolishing any part of it.

Of that law we read in the Scriptures:

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Luke 16: 17. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Prov. 28: 9. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips. Ps. 89: 34. And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6: 46.

Christ made the law and constitution of the government of the great God, including the Sabbath, most honorable by dying to satisfy its demands upon the transgressor.

A Fearful Assumption

One has set up the claim that he is able to make a change in the law, and has undertaken the task. Man was warned of this long ago by the prophets.

And he shall speak words against the High One, and shall crush the saints of the Most High; and he shall THINK HIMSELF ABLE to change times and laws, and they shall be delivered into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time. Dan. 7: 25, Douay Version.

In assuming the right and the power to forgive sins, the papal church has in this placed itself on an equality with Christ (Luke 5: 24). Christ and His Word are the only source of salvation.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4: 12. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name. John 20: 31.

But in the claim of possessing the power to change the Sabbath law, the papal church exalts itself above the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Author of the Sabbath of the Decalogue. Listen to the prophecy:

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. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 2 Thess. 2: 3-5.

The apostle refers to his previous warning of this apostasy which would develop into the man of sin.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Acts 20: 29, 30.

A power was to arise out of the very church, that would exalt itself above Christ, and assume the authority of God, "showing himself that he is God." Listen to the claim put forth in the name of the pope by Archbishop Manning:

"I claim to be the supreme judge and director of the consciences of men, of the peasant that tills the field, and the prince that sits on the throne; of the household that lives in the shade of privacy, AND THE LEGISLATURE THAT MAKES LAWS FOR KINGDOMS. I am the sole last supreme judge of what is right and wrong."— Vide Letters of Quirinus, Appendix 1, page 322.

Hear Antoninus, the archbishop of Florence: "The pope's power is greater than all other created power, in some sense reaching unto things in heaven, things in earth, and things in hell; so that of that power the words may be verified which are written by the prophet David, 'THOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET.'" Hear the voice of the Lateran councils: "All power is given to thee [the pope] in heaven and in earth." Hear the decretals from popes themselves: "It is idolatry to disobey his commands." "We, who, according to the plentitude of our power, have right to dispense above law or right." "We declare, say, define, pronounce it to be necessary to salvation for every human creature to be subject to the Roman pontiff." And, finally, hear Cardinal Bellarmine himself: "If the pope should err by enjoining vices or forbidding virtues, the church should be BOUND TO BELIEVE THE VICES TO BE GOOD AND THE VIRTUES TO BE EVIL, unless it would sin against conscience."—"Romanism and Anglo-Catholicism," J. Sortain, A.B., London, 1841, pages 84-87.

[For the above the author quotes the original Latin, but we omit it as not necessary to the general reader.— Ed. S. of T.]

It is a remarkable fact that the papal church sets up the claim to have changed the Sabbath law, and presents this as an evidence of its power to institute laws that the church must observe under the penalty of sin.

Note what Cardinal Gibbons says:

"A rule of faith, or a competent guide to heaven, must be able to instruct in all the truths necessary for salvation. Now the Scriptures alone do not contain all the truths which a Christian is bound to believe, nor do they explicitly enjoin all the duties which he is obliged to practise. Not to mention other examples, is not every Christian obliged to sanctify Sunday, and to abstain on that day from unnecessary servile work? Is not the observance of this law among the most prominent of our sacred duties? But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and YOU WILL NOT FIND A SINGLE LINE AUTHORIZING THE SANCTIFICATION OF SUNDAY. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify."—"Faith of Our Fathers," page 111.

I quote from "Doctrinal Catechism:"

"Q. Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept? A. 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."—Page 174.

Again, in the Douay Catechism we have the following:

"Q. How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holydays? A. 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. Q. How prove you that? A. Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the Church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin: and by not keeping the rest by her commanded, they again deny, in fact, the same power."—Page 58.

Many similar statements from the standard works of the Catholic Church can be found, but this is sufficient to show the source of the authority for keeping Sunday as a Sabbath.

Reader, what would be your verdict if you were called to act as a juror or judge in a case where a man was accused of the crime of theft, and the following points were proved?

The theft had been committed.
Numerous witnesses pointed out the guilty man.
The accused did not deny the charge, but confessed he had done the deed.
The guilty party, instead of being penitent, gloried in the crime, and defied any State or court the right to judge the case.
The guilty party set up the claim that the very fact of his committing the theft was proof in itself of the right to steal.

Regardless of our desire to act as judge in the case of controversy between the Creator and the one who exalts himself above the Lord Jesus Christ, we are compelled to decide to whom we will give our allegiance. There is no way of evading the responsibility of our decisions, nor is it possible for us to be neutral in the controversy. The lines are drawn, and the nature of the case is such that every living soul must decide for himself to whom he will give loyal support. The Papacy asks the world to concede to its claim to the right to change the Sabbath and to dictate in matters of conscience, regardless of the Word of God.

Reader, are you undecided as to whom you will obey? If so, "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him."