Posted on 03/24/2007 3:10:20 PM PDT by NYer
Contrary to the teaching of Seventh Day Adventists the early Church gathered for worship on the Lord’s Day (Sunday), not Saturday, in honor of the day our Lord rose from the dead.
The Didache
But every Lord's day . . . gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]).
Ignatius of Antioch
[T]hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e., Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death (Letter to the Magnesians 8 [A.D. 110]).
The Didascalia
The apostles further appointed; On the first day of the week let there be service, and the reading of the holy scriptures, and the oblation [sacrifice of the Mass], because on the first day of the week [Sunday] our Lord rose from the place of the dead, and on the first day of the week he arose upon the world, and on the first day of the week he ascended up to heaven, and on the first day of the week he will appear at last with the angels of heaven (Didascalia 2 [A.D. 225]).
Victorinus
The sixth day [Friday] is called parasceve, that is to say, the preparation of the kingdom. . . . On this day also, on account of the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ, we make either a station to God or a fast. On the seventh day he rested from all his works, and blessed it, and sanctified it. On the former day we are accustomed to fast rigorously, that on the Lord's Day we may go forth to our bread with giving of thanks. Let the parasceve become a rigorous fast, lest we should appear to observe any Sabbath with the Jews . . . which Sabbath he [Christ] in his body abolished (The Creation of the World [A.D. 300]).
Eusebius
They [the early saints of the Old Testament] did not care about circumcision of the body, neither do we [Christians]. They did not care about observing Sabbaths, nor do we. They did not avoid certain kinds of food, neither did they regard the other distinctions which Moses first delivered to their posterity to be observed as symbols; nor do Christians of the present day do such things (Church History 1:4:8 [A.D. 325]).
[T]he day of his [Christ's] light . . . was the day of his resurrection from the dead, which they say, as being the one and only truly holy day and the Lord's day, is better than any number of days as we ordinarily understand them, and better than the days set apart by the Mosaic Law for feasts, new moons, and Sabbaths, which the Apostle [Paul] teaches are the shadow of days and not days in reality (Proof of the Gospel 4:16:186 [A.D. 319]).
Athanasius
The Sabbath was the end of the first creation, the Lord's day was the beginning of the second, in which he renewed and restored the old in the same way as he prescribed that they should formerly observe the Sabbath as a memorial of the end of the first things, so we honor the Lord's day as being the memorial of the new creation (On Sabbath and Circumcision 3 [A.D. 345]).
Cyril of Jerusalem
Fall not away either into the sect of the Samaritans or into Judaism, for Jesus Christ has ransomed you. Stand aloof from all observance of Sabbaths and from calling indifferent meats common or unclean (Catechetical Lectures 4:37 [A.D. 350]).
Council of Laodicea
Christians should not Judaize and should not be idle on the Sabbath, but should work on that day; they should, however, particularly reverence the Lord's Day and, if possible, not work on it, because they were Christians (canon 29 [A.D. 360]).
John Chrysostom
When he said, "You shall not kill" . . . he did not add "because murder is a wicked thing." The reason was that conscience had taught this beforehand, and he speaks thus, as to those who know and understand the point. Wherefore when he speaks to us of another commandment, not known to us by the dictate of conscience, he not only prohibits, but adds the reason. When, for instance, he gave commandment concerning the Sabbath — "On the seventh day you shall do no work"— he subjoined also the reason for this cessation. What was this? "Because on the seventh day God rested from all his works which he had begun to make" [Ex. 20:10]. And again: "Because you were a servant in the land of Egypt" [Deut. 21:18]. For what purpose then, I ask, did he add a reason respecting the Sabbath, but did no such thing in regard to murder? Because this commandment was not one of the leading ones. It was not one of those which were accurately defined of our conscience, but a kind of partial and temporary one, and for this reason it was abolished afterward. But those which are necessary and uphold our life are the following: '"You shall not kill... You shall not commit adultery... You shall not steal." On this account he adds no reason in this case, nor enters into any instruction on the matter, but is content with the bare prohibition (Homilies on the Statues 12:9 [A.D. 387]).
You have put on Christ, you have become a member of the Lord and been enrolled in the heavenly city, and you still grovel in the Law [of Moses]? How is it possible for you to obtain the kingdom? Listen to Paul's words, that the observance of the Law overthrows the gospel, and learn, if you will, how this comes to pass, and tremble, and shun this pitfall. Why do you keep the Sabbath and fast with the Jews? (Homilies on Galatians 2:17 [A.D. 395]).
Apostolic Constitutions
And on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's Day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent him to us, and condescended to let him suffer, and raised him from the dead. Otherwise what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day . . . in which is performed the reading of the prophets, the preaching of the gospel, the oblation of the sacrifice, the gift of the holy food (Apostolic Constitutions 2:7:60 [A.D. 400]).
The Church is Christ's. Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath. He said so himself. Do you deny it?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
But there's no question of changing the law here. The Sabbath Law was part of the old covenant. It never applied to Gentiles, and still doesn't.
You guys are completely illogical. Why do you think you're bound by the Sabbath ("God's law") and not think you're bound by circumcision, kashrut, or the laws against mixing fibers in clothing or cutting your hair? Those are also "God's laws," so why don't you keep them?
Jas 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Gal 5:3-4 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace
Yes or no, and then we can continue.
Your claim that "only one can be true" is false, thus I reject your question as a false dichotomy.
Besides, you don't answer my questions, so why should I answer yours?
I do not know how valid this next statement is so take it with a grain of salt I have been told that the early Christians began to worship on Sunday to blend in with the pagans who worshiped on the day of the Sun. Not to say that they worshiped together but it would be a cover for a meeting.
Can anyone give light to this possibility of the origin of Sunday for Christians?
"Reason and sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday or Catholicity and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible." James Cardinal Gibbons, Catholic Mirror, Dec. 23, 1893.
I am trying to not do any servile work on Sundays.....I had let that slide evr since I was young, and then I heard a sermon about it and it re-kindled what I am supposed to do, and it's really been nice. It makes ALL Sunday special.
Wow....not at all accurate!
The 10 commandments are nowhere anywhere in the NT or Christian doctrine.
That law was given to OT Isreal, people who did not have the capability to have ' agape' love. The 10 commandments are for fleshly minded man, not those that walk the walk of agape love. The laws are only rules for sense knowledge man who doesn't understand God's love and the working of holy spirit.
Agape love goes far beyond the law. The law is for sense knowledge man who doesn't know God in his heart.
Thus the 10 Commandments are not for Christians.
Very well done.
Having been in the IT field for over 20 years, I am very much aware of that. :-)
The citation I used is from the NASB version of the bible. It uses caps to identify when a verse is being quoted from the old testament.
Well, seeing as how I used ample scriptural examples to support my viewpoint and you didn't, that means I win. :-)
But I notice that none of what I said was refuted.
God never changed the Sabbath....man did! Error immediately began creeping into the early church and by the time it had gained some respectability....and recognition (Nicaea) 325 A.D., it was a different Church from that the Apostles had given us at Pentecost.
Many Christians were still celebrating the Sabbath on the seventh day and special canons had to be written and enforced to prevent this practice from continuing. The Church by that time had officially declared the Pagan Roman Day of the Sun (Sunday)...(Sol Invictus) to be the official day of worship for the new Imperial State Church sanctioned by Constantine.
Nicaea took place in 325 A.D. and yet by 364 A.D. at the Council of Laodicea you will see these canons published requiring Christians not to associate with or celebrate the Sabbath with the Jews.
Canon #XXIX deals with the abolishment of the Sabbath as the day of worship.
Forty years earlier, at Nicaea the church in it's anti-Jewishness moved the celebration of Passover to the first Sunday after Passover and began calling it Easter. Yes...the early church still celebrated Passover on the 14th of Nisan as the scriptures directed. [Leviticus 23] This move laid the groundwork for much more Anti-Jewishness in future councils.....such as the Council of Antioch (341 A.D.). This council absolutely forbade Christians from celebrating Passover with the Jews.
Polycrates, an early Church Father (130-196 A.D.) was a disciple of Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna. Polycarp in turn had been a disciple of The Apostle John....the last living Apostle. This is some of what Polycrates had to say about Passover!
Please refer to my earlier post #86 with regards to the crucifixion and death of Our Lord on the 14th. Also, the direction received from God as to the correct date for this celebration in [Leviticus 23:5]. Then ask yourself this simple question. If God directed it....and the Apostles and the Early Church celebrated it....why don't I?
Barnabas 15:8
Finally He saith to them; Your new moons and your Sabbaths I cannot away with. Ye see what is His meaning ; it is not your present Sabbaths that are acceptable [unto Me], but the Sabbath which I have made, in the which, when I have set all things at rest, I will make the beginning of the eighth day which is the beginning of another world.
Barnabas 15:9
Wherefore also we keep the eighth day for rejoicing, in the which also Jesus rose from the dead, and having been manifested ascended into the heavens.
Of course, we know that this did not take root, as there had to be a civil law to enforce this heresy over 200 years after it was penned.
Which is the same reason my church has services on Thursday nights. Shift workers are often working on Sunday morning. When I was working shifts, I was very thankful for that service. Otherwise I would not have been able to go to Communion.
Set up an automatic bank withdrawal. The problem would be to locate a bank somewhere on the planet that would date the transaction appropriately allowing for time zone. Set up a webcam in the sanctuary and there it is!
Armstrongism was/is most certainly a cult. But, to the glory of God, the Worldwide Church of God repented of this apostasy in 1995 and are considered by most Biblical scholars as being a Christian church. More, from their own mouth, here: http://www.wcg.org/lit/AboutUs/history.htm
(No, - I don't belong to this church)
Is this book about as valid as the baby gospels and the other books that have been determined as to be not inspired by God?
Diego is far smarter than I am on these things. However, Barnabas is purportedly the same guy as Matthias from Acts 1 who won the Apostle Lottery. I only quote this Epistle to show how early the Sabbath switch started. I usually stop reading all things theological once they cross into the "false teaching" realm to try to keep from corrupting my data base.
When I was a heathen and was still into all that I never has anyone come to my door and try to evangelize me. As soon as I came to Christ I had more people knocking on my door and recommending books than you could shake a stick at.
By the grace of God He keep them people away from me and I was compelled to read the bible only for the first year or so of my walk.
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