Your answer may determine your destiny!
There are only two powers on earth. One is legitimate, one is illegitimate. One is the great deceiver, a master counterfeiter. The other is the creator and the rightful ruler of the universe. Like it or not, believe it or not, we find ourselves serving one or the other; but the choice is ours!
Satan, the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), has succeeded in deceiving the whole world (Rev. 12:9). For the Christian Church we could say it started with Constantine’s edict of 321 AD. “On the venerable day of the sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed….”
Thus, Sunday was introduced into a compromised Christian Church. Even though claiming to be a Christian, Constantine was a devout sun worshipper and continued in his wicked and cruel ways. However, just before his death he asked to be baptized. The cult of sun worshipping predates Christianity by decades.
Under threat of death He expelled the Jews and anyone who appeared Jewish from Rome. Thus Jews as well as true Christians went underground or left Rome. Later, the Catholic Church jumped on board claiming they had changed The Lord’s Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.
Self-condemning quotes
“The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under a vail of flesh” (The Catholic National, July 1895). Weren’t we warned about those claiming to be Christ? Are we being shown a false Christ? See Matthew 24:3-24.
Another one, “…the church is above the Bible, and the transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact” (Catholic Record of London, Ontario, Sept. 1, 1923). Is that by God’s word or man’s word? Gathering followers is not proof. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim. 3:16). Is the Catholic Church claiming to be above God?
One more, “The Bible says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ The Catholic Church says: ‘No, by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week.’ And lo! The entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the Holy Catholic Church” (T. Enright, C.S.S.R., in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, Feb.18, 1884). Thus, the civilized world has adopted the day of the sun god. Is this not the making of human rules?
Does this quotation from Daniel raise any questions? “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws” (Dan. 7:25).
We are warned: “…Come out of her my people…” (Rev. 18:4).
Arrogantly claiming (but mistakenly) that Christ was resurrected on Sunday they declared Sunday to be the Lord’s Day. It truly is a lord’s day as it is the day of the sun god, whose symbol is a disk (representing the sun) with radiating rays originating out from it. It is often seen above entrances on certain church buildings. Again, we are warned. “…Come out of her my people…” (Rev. 18:4).
God’s people tested and proven by His Sabbath!
“…Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no” (Ex. 16:4). The wonderful account of the miracle of manna in Exodus 16 illustrates the importance of God’s Sabbath to Him and His people.
Manna from heaven
“I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God. 13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground” (Ex. 16:12-14).
The people gathered all they wanted; some more, some less. They were strictly instructed not to keep it overnight, but some disobeyed and it bred worms and stank. However, on the sixth day they were instructed to gather twice as much, eat what they wanted and save the rest for the next day, for that day is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord. The people did so and the manna neither stank nor bred worms. Our lesson, therefore, is that we should do our gathering and preparing on Friday not Saturday and the Lord will deliver.
Then Moses said: 26“Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 28 And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.’ 30 So the people rested on the seventh day” (Ex. 16:26-30). 35 “And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited…” (Ex. 16:35). The lesson: obey God and He will provide! Even today, God proves His people by His Sabbath.
The identifying sign
“And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying: ‘Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you’”. And in verses 16-17, “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and in the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed” (Ex. 31:12-13, 16-17). The true God did not need millions of years of evolution to make heaven and earth. Incidentally, if you are a Christian you are a spiritual Israelite (Gal .3:7, Gal. 6:16, Eph. 2:12-13, Rom. 10:12).
Thus, God’s chosen people have been given a sign whereby they may know their God and God may know His people.
Jesus told us which day is His day. “…the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5). The seventh day, not the first!
Where it started
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Rev.12:7-9).
And Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
That roaring lion
“Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” (Rev.12:12). Satan became the god of this world, and consistently succeeds in deceiving the world, including Christianity (Rev. 12:9).
Paul warns of Satan’s infiltration into the ministry,
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:13-16).
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Do Satan’s ministers usually appear to be very righteous? (2 Cor. 11:15). What is the danger of not receiving the love of the truth? (2Thes. 2:9-12).
But what about the very elect?
Certainly they are not deceived, are they? According to Jesus, they are very much in danger of being deceived (Matt. 24:24). That danger being so, it is imperative that we examine ourselves, because, though hard to believe, if you are deceived you won’t know it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be deceived.
Some ways to determine if you are deceived:
Are your religious beliefs based on truth, or the traditions of men? (Matt. 15:9).
Have you mixed pagan rituals with God’s unadulterated and clearly defined system of worship?
Jesus said He would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, (Matt.12:40) but man says He died Friday and rose Sunday. Do you believe man or God?
Was it the commandments or your sins (certificate of debt) that were nailed to the cross? (Col. 2:14).
Are you still holding to the day of the sun god over God’s seventh day Sabbath? God’s Sabbath is proven by the miracle of manna in Exodus 16.
(It’s been said, “the New Testament is in the old concealed, the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed”) how true!
Why are you told to believe Jesus rose on Easter Sunday morning? Could it be to give the pagan god Easter a (stolen) bit of respectability?
Was it Jesus or the sun god that (supposedly) rose on Easter sun-day? (Note, Easter was the consort of Baal in the sun worshipping religion of Mithra)
Will doing wonderful works, prophesying, and casting out demons count for obedience and win approval by Christ? (Matt.7:21)?
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies…” (2 Pet. 2:1-2).
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).
Del Leger©