Sunday Worship CANNOT EQUAL the ‘Mark of the Beast!’

“And it (the second beast) was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.” (Revelation 13:15–17, ESV)

These verses describe the Mark of the Beast as something imposed on “the right hand or the forehead,” enabling participation in economic activities, buying and selling. However, the passage has no explicit connection between this mark and a specific day of worship, such as Sunday. Instead, Revelation’s primary focus is on allegiance and worship directed toward the Beast, which symbolizes oppressive systems of power that oppose God’s authority. The symbolism of the mark echoes earlier biblical texts, such as Deuteronomy 6:6-8, where God’s commandments are metaphorically described as being “on your hand and forehead.”

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 6:6–8, ESV)

This parallel suggests that the Mark of the Beast represents a symbolic, not physical, allegiance to anti-God forces—a deliberate choice to follow these powers rather than God—rather than a specific practice like Sunday worship.

One might ask a few simple question: - Are we, as Christians, able to worship God on any day? - Does God only accept worship on specific days?

Worship and loyalty are at the center of Revelation 13. While the Sabbath was set apart as holy in the context of the Jewish culture, there are clear Biblical texts that point to Christians worshiping and honoring God on other days of the week. (Acts 2:46-47, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46–47, ESV)

Remember, we are talking about praising and worshiping God on other days. Paul seems to be pretty clear that we should be doing this EVERY day:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, ESV)

I shouldn’t need to remind the reader of Paul’s arguement in Romans with regards to the observancec of Jewish Sabbath’s, Jewish Christian worship days, or other Gentile Christian worship days:

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.” (Romans 14:5–6, ESV)

Not to mention that even in the context of the Judaic system, many of the ‘Sabbaths’ didn’t even fall on Saturday

Revelation was written to Christians living under Roman rule in the first century, addressing their immediate concerns about loyalty to God versus participation in Roman imperial worship. Remember, if we are following the historical-grammatical method of interpretation, the ONLY approved method of interpretation by the SDA Church, the original audience was primarily focused on resisting the pressures to conform to the emperor’s cult and idolatrous practices, rather than issues related to Sabbath observance. At that time, Sunday worship was not universally enforced within the Roman Empire. Although Emperor Constantine issued the first civil decree mandating Sunday rest in 321 CE, this occurred several centuries after Revelation was written and was not universal but only affected Constantine’s empire. Therefore, linking the ‘Mark of the Beast’ to Sunday worship retroactively imposes a historical development that did not exist in the context of the first-century audience.

As a point of reference, Constantine’s ‘Sunday’ mandate isn’t even a mandate for the type of worship that Seventh-day Adventists advocate for. Historically speaking it was actually Rabbi Hillel II that changed the Jewish Sabbath in 359 AD from the Lunar Calendar to the fixed week Sabbaths.

These events are well-documented in both Roman and Jewish historical records. Denying them would be similar to denying major historical events like World War II or the fall of the Roman Empire simply because you didn’t personally witness them. In 359 AD, Hillel II made adjustments to the Sabbath calendar because the Sanhedrin, the official Jewish body responsible for determining the start of each new month based on the first sighting of the New Moon, had recently been disbanded. [https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:b79d4e7d-cc8c-4458-a3ff-ca871b9a6a8e]

So, to be clear, claiming that the Mark of the Beast is Sunday Worship overlooks the original message of Revelation, which emphasizes allegiance to God over allegiance to oppressive worldly powers and seeks to reassure persecuted Christians of God’s ultimate victory over evil. In its historical context, the Mark of the Beast symbolizes spiritual allegiance rather than specific practices or regulations imposed in later centuries.

The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) position upholds Sunday observance as a human tradition and the Sabbath as a divine institution, consistent with their theological framework. However, no biblical evidence suggests that the Sabbath serves as the sole litmus test of loyalty to God. In the New Testament, Jesus emphasized the spirit and purpose of the law over strict, rigid observance, famously stating,

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27–28, ESV)

Paul further reinforced this perspective by teaching that the observance of specific days of worship is a matter of personal conviction rather than a universal requirement, advising believers not to judge one another regarding such practices.

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV)

Paul’s comments on these teachings highlight the importance of individual faith and devotion over external ritual, challenging the idea that a particular day of worship could be the decisive mark of allegiance to God or the Beast. Instead, the biblical emphasis remains on the broader principles of worship, faith, and loyalty to God.

Revelation 13 associates the Mark of the Beast with economic control and political power, exemplified by the inability to buy or sell without the mark.

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.” (Revelation 13:16–17, ESV)

This aligns with the book’s broader apocalyptic theme of oppressive systems, persecution, and enforced allegiance to anti-God powers, rather than focusing on a specific day of worship. Linking the mark exclusively to Sunday observance oversimplifies the complex socio-political dynamics described in Revelation. The text critiques global systems of oppression, idolatry, and coercion, emphasizing the struggle between allegiance to God and submission to worldly powers. By reducing the mark to a single issue like Sunday worship, the larger narrative of systemic injustice and spiritual deception is overshadowed, missing the rich, multi-faceted message of the apocalyptic vision. Revelation calls readers to recognize and resist these broader forces of oppression, maintaining loyalty to God in every aspect of life.

The Mark of the Beast in Revelation is best understood as a symbolic representation of loyalty to the Beast’s anti-God agenda, starkly contrasting the “seal of God” described in Revelation 7:2-3, Revelation 9:4, and Revelation 14:1.

“Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:2–3, ESV)

Interestingly, in this passage, the angel that is ‘ascending’ has the seal of the living God. This couldn’t be the Sabbath if the angel is bringing it and using it to seal the servants of our God on their foreheads.

If you move to Revelation 9, where we read about these crazy half-locust-half-scorpion-looking supernatural beings that are released from the bottomless pit, you will find that these beings can torment anyone who doesn’t have the seal of God.

“They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.” (Revelation 9:4–5, ESV)

If the Adventist perspective is correct, then during this time period of chaos and mass destruction, Adventists would NOT be allowed to be tormented or killed. Instead, it would be those who DO NOT have the seal of God that would be tormented.

In context, this idea doesn’t follow the overarching concept of Revelation, which focuses on allegiance. In fact, the seal of God signifies allegiance to God, marked by a life of worship of God and reflecting His character and values, rather than being limited to outward practices such as Sabbath observance. Similarly, the Mark of the Beast represents a commitment to opposing God’s authority, demonstrated through worship and actions that align with the Beast’s oppressive and idolatrous systems.

Revelation emphasizes that allegiance to God or the Beast is ultimately determined by the heart’s orientation, as evidenced in worship, faith, and obedience, rather than by adherence to a specific day. This focus on a specific day, Sabbath or Sunday, underscores the spiritual and moral dimensions of loyalty, inviting those reading Revelation to consider the more profound implications of their choices and the impact of their actions in the cosmic conflict between good and evil.

Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) interpretation of the Mark of the Beast and related eschatological themes reflect the denomination’s theological emphasis on Sabbath observance, projecting this belief onto the text of Revelation rather than deriving it organically from the biblical narrative. This insight raises important questions about the balance between upholding denominational distinctives and adhering to sound exegetical principles. As an apocalyptic book, Revelation demands careful interpretation to avoid imposing external frameworks that may obscure its original message to its first-century audience.

It would seem abundantly clear that the Mark of the Beast cannot be simplified down to all those who worship on Sunday once a National (gone Global) Sunday Law is enforced, making those who have this ‘mark’ seek out and kill those who worship on Sabbath, aka Seventh-day Adventist’s. Matthew Halsted rightly points out in his book The End of the World as You Know It:

“Whatever the mark of the Beast is, it seems to be connected with overt worship of the Beast. There is no hint that the mark is something people can accidentally accept. Revelation doesn’t teach a person can take the mark without knowing what they are doing. To the contrary, accepting the mark of the Beast is tantamount to worshiping the Beast—which is something you do on purpose. Again, the mark of the Beast is a mark of identification: it marks out those who worship the Beast. Similarly, the mark of the Lamb marks out those who reject the ways of the world and accept Christ. The wicked are marked for destruction, and the righteous are marked for protection from destruction. At the end of the day, both marks are all about worship.” [1]

I’d like to point out a specific method through which the Beast is worshiped: through the image. Notice in Revelation 14:11, 16:2, and 19:20 the reference to worshiping the Beast “and its image.” Notice that the second Beast instructs people to create “an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived,” and then gives life to this image so that it can speak and command the execution of those who refuse to worship it (Rev. 13:14–15; see also Rev. 16:2; 19:20). In the context of John’s time, the use of images in worship was a common practice. The seven cities to which Revelation was addressed were filled with pagan temples and statues dedicated to gods and goddesses. Additionally, images of the Roman emperor were prominently displayed throughout these cities, reinforcing the imperial cult. When John refers to the image of the Beast, his original audience would have naturally associated it with the widespread worship of the Roman emperor and the pervasive idolatry in their society.

In the Roman world, it was common to find coins bearing the image of the emperor, much like modern nations—including the United States—stamp images of past leaders on their currency. Such images serve to remind citizens of shared history and values. However, ancient Rome took this practice a step further, striking coins that Christians and Jews found blasphemous due to their references to the emperor’s divinity. For instance, during the reign of Tiberius, Roman coins often included the phrase “son of the divine Augustus,” alluding to the deification of Caesar Augustus. This trend continued with emperors like Nero and Domitian, who ruled when Revelation was written. [2] Domitian’s coins frequently carried inscriptions associating him with divinity, reinforcing the connection between imperial imagery and claims to worship.

The association between the emperor’s image and worship extended beyond coins. Statues of Caesar were prominent and often used in acts of worship. John’s depiction of the Beast’s image in Revelation aligns with this cultural context, as his readers would have recognized the parallels between Caesar’s image and the enforced worship it symbolized. Historical records confirm that this form of idolatry was not just symbolic. For example, in AD 112, the Roman governor Pliny the Younger described his interrogation of Christians in Bithynia. He required them to recant their faith by paying homage to Trajan’s statue. Those who refused were executed for their “obstinacy,” illustrating how allegiance to the emperor’s image was a literal and enforced act of worship. Pliny goes on to describe the test that he used for the Christian cursed, which determined if Christians would honor a Trajan Statue or not.

“These accusations spread (as is usually the case) from the mere fact of the matter being investigated and several forms of the mischief came to light. A placard was put up, without any signature, accusing a large number of persons by name. Those who denied they were, or had ever been, Christians, who repeated after me an invocation to the Gods, and offered adoration, with wine and frankincense, to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for that purpose, together with those of the Gods, and who finally cursed Christ—none of which acts, it is said, those who are really Christians can be forced into performing—these I thought it proper to discharge. Others who were named by that informer at first confessed themselves Christians, and then denied it; true, they had been of that persuasion but they had quitted it, some three years, others many years, and a few as much as twenty-five years ago. They all worshipped your statue and the images of the Gods, and cursed Christ.” [3]

This integration of political and religious imagery finds echoes even in modern times. While not as overt, national monuments sometimes blend political leadership with quasi-religious reverence. For instance, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, is modeled after a Greek temple, with an imposing statue of Lincoln seated on what resembles a throne. The inscription behind the statue refers to the structure as a “temple” and speaks of enshrining Lincoln’s memory “forever,” blending elements of political honor with religious undertones. Such examples highlight the enduring power of imagery in connecting political authority with a deeper, almost sacred significance, a theme deeply resonant with Revelation’s warnings about idolatry and misplaced allegiance.

As we close out this series, while it hasn’t dealt with all the different nuances of the mark of the Beast, we have shown enough evidence to assure the reader of one thing. The only way one would choose to interpret the mark of the Beast as a National Sunday Law and the Seal of God to be the Sabbath is if you impose your 19th-century Ellen White narcigesis interpretation into the text and altogether avoid the historical-grammatical method of interpretation. And let’s not forget, this is the ONLY method of interpretation approved by the SDA Church. Thanks, Ted Wilson, for reminding us of this method that the SDA Church doesn’t even follow!

Symbol of Allegiance: Many scholars see the Mark of the Beast as a metaphor for loyalty to oppressive systems or idolatrous practices, contrasting with the “seal of God” that represents fidelity to divine principles. Economic Oppression: The Mark of the Beast may symbolize corrupt powers’ control of economic systems, forcing people to compromise their faith to participate in society. Universal Principle: The mark could represent any system or practice prioritizing human authority over God’s sovereignty rather than a specific religious observance.

While the Sabbath does hold importance in the Jewish Culture and biblical context, there is insufficient evidence to equate it with the mark of the Beast. The text of Revelation does not directly associate the mark with a particular day of worship but instead emphasizes loyalty and allegiance in the context of global oppression and idolatry. A more balanced interpretation considers Revelation’s message’s historical, symbolic, and spiritual dimensions without narrowing its scope to specific denominational teachings. But then again, if you have to align your teachings with the statements of your denominational prophetess, well, you must keep going on claiming false and erroneous beliefs. And as a result of this, the Adventist Church persecutes and defames the whole of Christianity by teaching that Christians will be the ones to persecute them for their desire to worship on the Sabbath.

[1] Matthew L. Halsted, The End of the World as You Know It: What the Bible Really Says about the End Times (And Why It’s Good News) (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2023), 69.

[2] “Many first-century Roman coins bore legends such as ‘Emperor Caesar Domitian Augustus, Son of the Divine Vespasian, Pontifex Maximus [Chief Priest].’ Coins of Nero and Domitian sometimes portrayed those emperors with the spiked crown associated with divinity. Jewish rebels, known as Zealots for their claim of radical obedience to God, refused to carry or even look at such money” (Kraybill, Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation, pg. 149 – 150).

[3] Pliny, Letters, Vols. 1 & 2, ed. T. E. Page et al., trans. William Melmoth, vol. 2, The Loeb Classical Library (London; New York: William Heinemann; The Macmillan Co., 1931), 403.

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Bipolarbob

We’ve been over it before. Roman’s 14:5,6 has nothing to do with the Sabbath. These were celebratory days. They may have been declared by the king/emperor or the priests or leftovers from Leviticus. For example. Do you celebrate Christmas? I do not. Easter? Not me. I celebrate Passover. No bunnies or Easter eggs. Let each be convinced in their own mind.

The Sabbath has continually been understood as God’s time. Very obvious reading the Bible it is in perpetuity

Bob, your argument that Romans 14:5–6 completely excludes the weekly Sabbath is a classic example of inserting an arbitrary theological restriction into a text that explicitly uses all-inclusive, universal language. You are forcing a distinction between "celebratory days" and "God's time" that the Apostle Paul himself flatly refuses to make.

In Romans 14:5, Paul does not write, "One person esteems one ceremonial day above another, while another person esteems every ceremonial day alike."

He uses absolute, unconditional terms:

“One person esteems one day [ἡμέραν] above another, while another esteems every day [πᾶσαν ἡμέραν] alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5)

By using the Greek word πᾶσαν (pasan, meaning "all," "every," or "without exception"), Paul explicitly groups every single day on the calendar into the exact same category of Christian liberty. If the weekly Sabbath were an eternal, moral absolute that could never be regarded as "alike" to other days, Paul would be actively misleading the Roman church by telling them that an individual could look at every day alike as long as they were "fully convinced in their own mind."

Paul completely de-escalates the calendar from a matter of salvation or moral commandment to a matter of personal conscience. If a believer chooses to observe a day to the Lord, they may; if they choose not to, they are not in sin:

“The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord.” (Romans 14:6)

You claim that there are merely "celebratory days leftovers from Leviticus." -- howevever, the entire context of Romans 14 revolves around a specific dispute between Jewish believers ("the weak") and Gentile believers ("the strong") regarding asceticism, food laws, and days of fasting/abstinence.

In first-century Second Temple Judaism, the weekly Sabbath was inextricably tied to specific regulations regarding food preparation and fasting. The Jewish treatise Megillat Taanit and early Christian documents like the Didache demonstrate that the surrounding debate in the early church was specifically over which days to fast (e.g., Tuesdays and Thursdays vs. Mondays and Wednesdays) and how these related to the weekly Sabbath and Jewish feast days.

And, bipolarBob -- delchiante will tell you clearly that the Old Testament consistently categorized holy days throughout by a specific, repeating three-part formula, moving in order from yearly, to monthly, to weekly:

Annual Feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles)
Monthly New Moons
Weekly Sabbaths

Look at how these are CONSISTENTLY linkedd together as a SINGLE package:

1 Chronicles 23:31: "...and whenever burnt offerings are offered to the Lord on Sabbaths, New Moons, and feast days..."
2 Chronicles 2:4: "...for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the New Moons and the fixed feasts of the Lord our God..."
Nehemiah 10:33: "...the continual grain offering, the continual burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the New Moons, the set feasts..."
Hosea 2:11: “And I will put an end to all her mirth, her feasts, her New Moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts.”

Now, look at how the Apostle Paul uses this exact same, well-known scriptural triad in the New Testament to declare them all fulfilled and obsolete under the New Covenant:

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival [Annual] or a New Moon [Monthly] or a Sabbath [Weekly]. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16–17)

Paul uses the exact plural/collective Greek construction for Sabbath (σαββάτων, sabbaton) that is used throughout the Septuagint and the Gospels to denote the weekly Sabbath day. He explicitly states that the weekly Sabbath belongs to the exact same category as the New Moons and Annual Feasts: they were shadows pointing to a reality. Now that the Reality (Jesus Christ) has arrived, the shadow has no binding authority over the believer's conscience.

Revelation 14:7 is language taken directly from the 4th commandment. Verse 12...those who DO NOT receive the MOTB keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. The Sabbath commandment is clearly implied and connected with the MOTB. Eccl 12:13-14 also CLEARLY states that commandment keeping (or lack of) is DIRECTLY related to God's judgment. Your church thinks it can change God's law/commandments. Daniel 7 already warned the world about that. Those who willfully break God's law will not be in heaven.

Rev 14:6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

9And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Exodus 20:8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But 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: 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Eccl 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Oh Cronos, I’d tell you Christ died on Passover (14th Day) in accordance with the scriptures, and was buried.

Rested in the tomb on the Day of Unleavened Bread (15th Day) in accordance with the scriptures.

And raised the 3rd Day from Passover, which is First Fruits (16th), in accordance with the scriptures.

Paul’s first Chief importance of the gospel are those 3 days, and I know you couldn’t buy any of that.

Probably because there is Not a Friday, Saturn Day, Sun Day in the lot. And I know SDAs can’t buy any of that either for the same reason.

The three days that the scriptures teach are not Beast Days, but because of the influence and power of the Beast, Truth is counterfeited and changed to reflect an almost completely different Jesus with a completely different gospel. (at least a completely different first importance of the gospel)

And Islam, Judaism and Christianity can’t see it because they think they are incapable of being deceived..

The three days that Islam, Judaism and Christianity teach and follow are Beast Days, but it’s the only days they know because they either reject the Son, or have created a completely new story for the Son using their own system.

How does one avoid buying and selling what the Beast sells?

Buy gold, refined by fire, from the Word Made Flesh.

It isn’t found in any store or market place.
It won’t be stamped literally on ones hands or foreheads.

Almost like they’d have to be written on ones heart, hand and mind symbolically/spiritually.

Something religion has a really hard time in the Days of Daniel’s 4th Beast.

Truth is in short supply and it may not be found in places that consider themselves authorities of Truth.

Your squabbles with harlot daughters affiliated in Islam, Judaism or Christianity are interesting to observe but they all start with false premises that begin the arguments, and carry all the way through, with neither side giving up, or winning.

He wins.

Passover will win.
It will defeat Friday

Unleavened Bread will win.
It will defeat Saturn Day

First Fruits will win.
It will defeat Sun Day

Untill that day, we wait and watch and maybe proclaim Paul’s first importance the gospel from time to time.

Good day!

Sunday is the Day of the Lord’s Resurrection.

Therefore, we celebrate Pascha, and a week later “Antipascha”, which means “instead of Pascha”.

AI Overview Antipascha, also known as Saint Thomas Sunday or New Sunday, is the first Sunday after Easter (Pascha) in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic liturgical calendars. It marks the conclusion of Bright Week and the eighth day of the Paschal celebration, symbolizing the eternal eighth day of the Resurrection.The term Antipascha does not mean “opposed to Pascha,” but rather “in place of Pascha.” It serves as a renewal of the Easter celebration, ensuring that the mystery of the Resurrection remains the focal point of the Christian faith........

The “Eighth Day”: In Orthodox theology, the number eight represents eternity and the life to come. By commemorating this event on the eighth day, the Church begins its year-round cycle of dedicating every Sunday to the Resurrection....

That is the reason for Sunday worship! The Orthodox Church also celebrates Vespers on Saturday evening. Vespers in the prelude to each Sunday’s Divine Liturgy.

As I already pointed out, verse 7 specifically quotes from the 4th commandment. Before Christ: keep God’s commandments. After Christ: Keep God’s commandments AND THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.

Revelation 12:17And the dragon was enraged at the woman and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

God/Jesus

Revelation 14:12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

God/Jesus

God

Romans 7 proves we are no longer under the law.

6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

This specifically calls the tenth commandment part of the law. We have died to the law. 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

——>Romans 7 proves we are no longer under the law.

No, we are no longer CONDEMNED under the law. The New Covenant of Jesus Christ clearly puts his laws into our hearts and minds. We keep them out of love for Him.

Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

So, a Christian CONTINUES IN SIN (lawlessness) after Grace. What then?

Hebrews 10:26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

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