THE ORIGIN OF SUNDAY WORSHIP IS NOT OF GOD THE TEACHINGS OF BISHOP DAVID HILL/ THE LORD ELIJAH.PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR GOSPEL ON YOUTUBE. @ youtu.be/Hno97cYl-hA -------------- The cycle of six working days and one for worship and rest, though the legacy of Hebrew history, has in time prevailed throughout almost all the world. In fact, Jewish and Christian worship find their concrete expression in one day, recurring weekly, wherein adoration of God is made possible and more meaningful by the interruption of secular activities. In recent times, however, our society has undergone much radical transformation, because of its technological, industrial, scientific and spatial achievement. Modern man, as Abraham Joshua Hesehel asserts, “lives under the tyranny of things of space.” The growing availability of leisure time, cause by shorter work weeks, tends to alter not only the cycle of six days of work and one of rest, but even traditional religious values, such as the sanctification of the Lord’s day. The Christian today therefore is tempted to consider time as a thing that belongs to him, something which he may utilize for his own enjoyment. Worship obligations, if not totally neglected, are often reduced to easy dispensability according to the whims of life. The Biblical notion of the “Holy Sabbath,” understood as a time to cease from secular activities in order to experience the blessings of creation-redemption by worshipping God and by acting generously toward needy people is increasingly disappearing from the Christian view. Consequently, if one contemplates the pressure that our economic and industrial institutions are exerting to obtain maximum utilization of industrial plants by programming work shifts to ignore any festivity, it is easy to comprehend how the pattern transmitted to us of the seven –day week, with its recurring day of rest and worship, could undergo radical changes. The problem is compounded by a prevailing misconception of the meaning of God’s “holy day.” Many well meaning Christians view Sunday observance as the hour of worship rather than as the holy day of the Lord. Having fulfilled their worship obligations, many will in good conscience spend the rest of their Sunday time engaged wither in making money or in seeking pleasure. Some people concerned by this widespread profanation of the Lord’s day, are urging for a civil legislation that would outlaw all activities not compatible with the spirit of Sunday. To make such legislation agreeable even to non-Christians, sometimes appeal is mad to the pressing need of preserving natural resources. On day of total rest for man and machines would help safeguard both our power resources and precarious environment. Social or ecological needs, however, while they may encourage resting or Sunday, can hardly induce a worshipful attitude. Might not more hopeful results be expected from educating our Christian communities to understand both the Biblical meaning and experience of God’s “holy day?” To accomplish this however it is indispensable first of all to articulate clearly the theological ground for Sunday observance. What are the Biblical and historical reasons for Sunday-keeping? Can this day be regarded as the legitimate replacement of the Jewish Sabbath? Can the fourth commandment be rightly invoked to enjoin its observance? Should Sunday be viewed as the day of worship rather than the holy day of rest to the Lord? It is a fact generally admitted by Protestants that the Scriptures given no authority for the change of the Sabbath. This is plainly stated in publications issued by the American Tract Society and the American Sunday School Union. One of these works acknowledges “the complete silence of the New Testament so far as any explicit command for the Sabbath [Sunday, the first day of the week] or definite rules for its observance are concerned.” --- George Elliott, the Abiding Sabbath, page 184. Another says: “Up to the time of Christ’s death, no change had been made in the day;” and, “so far as the record shows, they [the apostles] did not . . . give any explicit command enjoining the abandonment of the seventh-day Sabbath, and its observance on the first day of the week.” --- A.E.Waffle, The Lord’s Day, page 186-188. Roman Catholics acknowledge that the change of the Sabbath was made by their church, and declare that Protestants by observing the Sunday are recognizing her power. In the Catholic Catechism of Christian Religion, in answer to a question as to the day to be observed in obedience to the fourth commandment, this statement is made: “During the old law, Saturday was the day sanctified; but the church, instructed by Jesus Christ, and directed by the Spirit of god, has substituted Sunday for Saturday; so now we sanctify the first, not the seventh day. Sunday means, and now is, the day of the Lord.” As the sign of the authority of the Catholic Church, papist writers cite “the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; . . . because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the church’s power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin.” To provide an answer the these vital issues it is indispensable to ascertain, first of all, “when,” “where,” and “why”. Sunday rose as a day of Christian worship. Only after reconstruction this historical picture, and having identified the main factors which contributed to the origin of Sunday, will it be possible to proceed with the task of reassessing the validity and significance of Sunday observance. For more information please call-592-219-0430/676-6798/231-5546, after reading please SHARE.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 12:42:44 +0000
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