In November of 2004 I was attending a Baptist church in my hometown. It was during this time that the Holy Spirit began to convict my heart on the Sabbath issue. Being a protestant church naturally they observe Sunday as their Sabbath and it bothered me that being a fundamental Bible believing church, they failed to miss the command from God regarding His Sabbath day. Therefore, I spoke to the pastor and this letter is a result of his answer, and I must say he still does not get it. We must obey all the commandments not just 9, but all 10. And not the 10 that man switched around but the ones God gave Moses at Sinai.
Dear Mrs. Prue,
Regarding your letter concerning the Sabbath, I want to say first of all that I am always glad to know of Christians with a sincere desire to please the Lord. Those who search the Scriptures, such as the believers at Berea, are held in high regard by our Lord. I also believe that those who search the Scriptures will come to the knowledge of the truth. (That cannot be said however about the Internet, which is a dangerous place for those wishing to find truth, God wrote the Bible not the Internet.) On the point about the internet I will say I agree with him there.
You have drawn the conclusion that the most of what we believe is the fault of the Catholic church, While I have no love or respect for catholic doctrine, I believe we must be careful not to “throw the baby away with the bath water” either. Allow me to address several areas that you brought up in your letter.
“I think the man protests too much,” even though he says he has no respect for the catholic doctrine, his church is still a daughter of the great harlot called Babylon.I had asked the pastor why do you go to church on Sunday and he said as all protestant and catholic churches do that it was because of the death and resurrection of Christ. Sorry to say he is very misguided here. God never changed the Sabbath for that or any other reason. Romans 6:3-5 says “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also into the likeness of his resurrection.”
When we go UNDER the water in baptism we remember His DEATH. When we come UP from the water we remember His RESURRECTION.
You are very concerned with the Sabbath day. You are correct that the Law was given to the Jews. Galatians tells us that the Law was “our school master” designed to bring us to Christ. It does not save us, cannot save us, and will never save us. It was given to show us our inability to save ourselves.
What that said, Galatians 5:3-4, referring to the matter of circumcision, another matter of the Jewish Law, states that if you are going to insist on keeping one point of the Law then you are debtor to keep the whole law. If you are going to insist on observing the Jewish Sabbath as part of the righteousness, then you must be consistent and observe all the law. Are you observing the Feasts? Are you observing the dietary laws? Are you breaking the Sabbath by traveling or laboring even to the preparing of meals? These are question that must be answered if observing Jewish ways is to be the basis of your belief system.
(Ok back up now, he missed the point big time on this one. The Sabbath was not just for the Jews, and the Sabbath was begun in the Garden of Eden even before there ever was a Jewish nation. As to the feasts and I might add the ceremonies of the Mosaic Law they were tack onto the cross when Christ died, they were done away with.)As far as meeting on Sunday as opposed to Saturday, it was not the result of Roman Catholicism. There was no “established church” until after 313 AD when Constantine legalized the Christian religion. The council of Nicea, called in 325 AD made the first mention of the “holy catholic church” when it published what is know as the Nicene Creed. Yet, it was still another 100-150 years before the established church gained the status of the “universal church.”
(Hello! It was Constantine who brought in the Pagan error when he merged both truth with error in order to get the pagans to change and by doing so he accepted their god the sun = Sunday as their day of worship).He went on to say,
In the years prior to 313 AD, and in all the years following there have been the independent churches whether they were called Paulicians, Donatits, Novations, Anabaptists, Albigenses, Waldenses, etc. The writings of the church leaders from the 1st and 2nd centuries tell us that believers met on the first day of the week, as was referred to by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. The meeting of the first day was universally referred to as being done in honor of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus upon the first day. (Again he has gotten it all wrong and so blinded is he by the great deceiver Satan. God never gave His permission to change the day. In addition, the reason they met with the Apostle Paul on the first day was to collect the tithes they had for him for his missionary work.)He also said,
By the way, it is interesting that of the: 10 Commandments” as given in Exodus 20, all of them are repeated in the New Testament except for the one concerning the Sabbath Day. In fact, Colossians 2:14-17 says, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Again he fails to see that the blotting out of the handwriting is the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic Law and not the 10 commandments).Again in referring to the controversies about the observing of days, Paul wrote in Romans 14:5, 6 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike.
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. (Again this is not saying anything about changing the Sabbath day).Roman Catholicism did not establish the first day of the week as the day when believers met for worship. It was done in New Testament days as testified by Paul in 1 Corinthians. Just because Catholics do something does not mean we should cease doing it. Just because Catholics believe in Heaven does not mean we will cease believing in Heaven does it?
(He gave me a royal headache with this one. How can he say that Rome did not establish the first day, they did just that again in order to get the pagans to turn and bring them into the church, Constantine compromised and let the error in).You are right that there is no Christmas in the Bible. However there is the event of the virgin birth of our Savior that brings “good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” The virgin birth was a miracle of God and set in motion the plan of God that would bring salvation to a lost and dying world. To remember such an event, to rejoice in such an event, to honor such an event is nowhere condemned or forbidden in Scripture and if someone does not wish to honor such an event, then according to Romans 14 that is fine. If another believer wishes to remember and honor such an event he has that privilege.
(Ok, every person has free will and choice that I will not disagree with, but nowhere does it say that December 25th was the Lord’s birthday either and it was to remain secret because God did not want the people committing idolatry which is exactly what they are doing today by observing Christmas).By the way, there was no command from God that the Jews establish a “feast of Purim,” but they did after Haman’s plot against the Jews was foiled In the Book of Esther. The Scripture honors their decision to set that day aside to remember God’s great victory. The feast of Hannukah or the Festival of Lights is not included in any Scriptural mandate. Yet the Gospel record indicates that our Lord Jesus celebrated that occasion. How can God be dishonored by rejoicing in His first accomplishments? (since no one knows the exact day on which God became flesh, one day is as good as another if our desire is simply to set aside a day and reflect in God’s great gift to us!) The giving of gifts is the following of a Biblical precedent that was mentioned often in the Old Testament when they “sent portions” to one another. It was a way of sharing the blessings of God.
(He missed the point again, the reason they gave gifts to Jesus was because He was a King, and the gifts were for Him alone. They did not exchange gifts that day did they? No. This gift giving was a creation of man and not endorsed by God. In addition, I would like to know where in the Bible it says Jesus celebrated Hannukah or Purim both Man Made celebrations not approved by God).
You are absolutely right that there is no Santa Claus, no Easter Bunny, no eggs, etc. in the Bible. You will not find them at Heritage Baptist church either. You also will not find anything even remotely like Halloween at Heritage Baptist church.
While I applaud your obviously heartfelt and sincere desire to do right, I fear that you have fallen into a subtle trap of the enemy of our souls. While you claim a desire to live by the Bible, may I ask what you are doing about Hebrews 10:25? May I also ask how you are fulfilling Matthew 28:19-20 sitting at home with your Bible and the Internet? May I ask you how you are fulfilling Malachi 3:10? May I ask how you are following the example of Acts 2:41-47?
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Mat 28:19
Mat 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Act 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Act 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men,
as every man had need.Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
In getting you to “major” on “minors” the enemy has separated you from the fellowship of believers and the abandonment of the local church for which Christ died. (Ephesians 5:25) and lest you fall prey to the temptation of believing in a “universal church”, the Bible does refer occasionally to all believers as “the church”, but most of the time the word “church” in the Bible refers to a local, called out assembly of believers.
(He fails to see that he IS going to become part of the “Universal Church” very soon if he does not see the light regarding the True Sabbath).
Again, I appreciate your sincerity and your passion, but passion does not necessarily mean that God is in it. The Muslims are passionate and sincere, yet they are dead wrong. I hope you will prayerfully consider what I have shared with you in this letter. My prayers are certainly with you. What ever you decide, I want you to know that you are always welcome at Heritage Baptist Church and that if I can be a help or blessing to you please do not hesitate to let us know.
Sincerely,
Pastor Thomas Bish
So I ask you my family, what do you think of this letter?
There is much error here and so you can see why I left.