THE ORIGIN OF SUNDAY WORSHIP THE TEACHINGS OF BISHOP DAVID HILL/THE LORD ELIJAH.PLEASE LISTEN TO OUR GOSPEL ON YOUTUBE. @ youtu.be/294t2Dssj2k BY BISHOP DAVID HILL The cycle of six working days and one for worship and rest,through 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 achievements.Modern man,as Abraham Joshua Heschel 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 with he may utilize for his own enjoyment.Worship obligations,if not totally neglected,are often reduced to easy dispensability according to the whims in life.,The Biblical notion of the 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 reccuring 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 christian 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 wether 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 need of preserving natural resources.One day of total rest for man and machines would safeguard both our power resources and precarous 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 house of worship rather than the holy day of rest to the Lord?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 piccure,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. THE PROBLEM AND OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY The problem of the origin of Sunday observance in early christianity has aroused in recent times the interest of scholars of differing religious persuasions.The numerous scientific studies,including several doctoral dissertations,which have appeared over the last decades are clear evidence of renewed interest and effort put forth to find a more satisfactory answer to the ever intriguing question of the time,place,and causes of the origin of Sunday –keeping. 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.”for more information please call -592-231-5546/592-676-6798. After reading please SHARE.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 15:17:37 +0000
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