WEBVTT
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The Bible teaches that Christians should keep the
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Sabbath, but what day is it?
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The Sabbath is the
seventh day of the week.
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Just look for the seventh
day on your calendar.
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That's the Sabbath.
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Today, we call the
seventh day Saturday.
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But in the Bible, it's
called the Sabbath.
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It's a day of rest.
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It's a day to cease
from our normal labors.
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And it's a day to worship
God, to assemble with
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other Christians.
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It's holy time,
made holy by God.
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Jesus Christ kept the Sabbath.
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He taught His followers to keep it with the other Commandments.
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The apostles also kept it,
and taught its observance.
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The Bible never says
that Sunday is holy.
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The Bible never tells us
to worship God on Sunday.
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And yet, most mainstream
Christians do just that.
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So, if Jesus and the apostles kept the Sabbath on the
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seventh day, why don't most people keep it today?
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What happened?
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Who changed the Sabbath?
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This is an important question that strikes at the very heart
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of the worship of God.
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It's something we need
to know the answer to.
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So, let's dig into this and
see what we can find together,
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in this edition
of Tomorrow's World.
01:13.973 --> 01:16.209
And be sure to get a pen
and paper, because later
01:16.276 --> 01:18.845
on we'll give you an
opportunity to order your
01:18.912 --> 01:23.216
free copy of the study guide,
God's Church Through the Ages.
01:23.283 --> 01:25.718
So, "Who Changed the Sabbath?"
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I'll be right back
with the answer.
01:28.054 --> 01:34.594
♪
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Welcome to Tomorrow's World, where we help you make
01:37.263 --> 01:40.366
sense of your world, through
the pages of the Bible.
01:40.433 --> 01:44.037
From time to time, viewers
ask us, "If the Bible says
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the seventh day is holy, why don't most churches keep it?"
01:47.807 --> 01:49.309
You might be wondering, too.
01:49.375 --> 01:52.445
Maybe you've asked your
pastor or your priest.
01:52.512 --> 01:55.748
It's a really good question,
and it deserves an answer.
01:55.815 --> 02:00.286
Not just a "oh, you know, Christ came and did everything for us."
02:00.353 --> 02:02.055
But a real answer.
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From the Bible.
02:03.323 --> 02:05.258
And from documented history.
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And as we always say on Tomorrow's World, don't believe
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us, open your Bible and believe
what you see written in the
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pages of that Bible.
02:14.067 --> 02:17.136
You see, after the death of the original apostles, the church
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underwent radical changes.
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What happened?
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The late pastor and evangelist John Ogwyn summed it up
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this way in the study guide we're offering today,
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God's Church Through the Ages.
02:29.449 --> 02:31.184
On page 2, he writes:
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"When we look at the story of the mainstream, professing
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Christian church throughout
the centuries, it appears to
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be a vastly different church from the one described in the
02:40.727 --> 02:42.595
pages of your New Testament.
02:42.662 --> 02:45.331
In the book of Acts we find
that God's Church celebrated
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"Jewish" holy days....
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Yet less than 300 years later, we find a church claiming
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Apostolic origin but observing the "venerable day of the Sun"
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instead of the
seventh-day Sabbath....
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How could such an amazing transformation have taken place?
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What happened?"
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How do you go from a
Church keeping the Sabbath
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to worshipping on an
entirely different day?
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Does it make sense that Christ would lead His Church to observe
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one day, and then a few years later direct that an entirely
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different day is to be kept?
03:15.728 --> 03:18.698
After all, as Paul
said in Hebrews 13:8...
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"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
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It's important to note that Jesus Christ taught and kept
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the Sabbath.
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In fact, in Luke 6:5 He said...
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"The Son of Man is also
Lord of the Sabbath."
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So, when we speak of the
"Day of the Lord," the
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Day of the Lord is not Sunday.
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By Jesus' own testimony,
the Day of the Lord,
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the Day that He is the Lord
of, is the seventh Day.
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The Sabbath.
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Another important key to keep
in mind is we have a record
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of Christ's Church keeping
the seventh-day Sabbath
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years after His death
and resurrection.
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In Acts 13, we read about Paul teaching the Jews in Antioch,
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in Pisidia, on the Sabbath day.
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But notice what happened at
the conclusion of His teaching.
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This is found in Acts 13:42...
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"So when the Jews went
out of the synagogue,
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the Gentiles begged that
these words might be preached
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to them the next Sabbath."
04:17.857 --> 04:19.926
Wouldn't this have been a
beautiful opportunity
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for Paul to tell these
Gentiles the Sabbath
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wasn't required for them?
04:24.130 --> 04:25.798
But he didn't.
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Instead, notice.
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In Acts 13:44...
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"On the next Sabbath almost
the whole city came together
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to hear the word of God."
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Now, we're not going to go
into all the proofs of the
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Sabbath on this program.
04:39.712 --> 04:41.914
That's covered in other
telecasts and articles
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on TomorrowsWorld.org.
04:43.950 --> 04:46.853
Just type in the word
"Sabbath" in the search bar.
04:46.919 --> 04:50.623
Or, you can go on our Tomorrow's World YouTube channel.
04:50.690 --> 04:54.761
So, again--how did the Church
go from keeping the seventh-day
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Sabbath, to keeping Sunday
only three centuries later?
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To understand what happened, we'll examine three
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basic points.
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These three points describe
what was happening in the first
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few centuries after Christ.
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Let me share them with you now.
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And then, we'll discuss
each of them, one by one.
05:13.913 --> 05:17.383
So what happened to the church
from the first century to
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the fourth century?
05:18.651 --> 05:23.489
1. False teachers introduced
heresies against the
05:23.556 --> 05:24.691
laws of God.
05:24.757 --> 05:29.095
2. Anti-Jewish sentiment
grew, leading many to
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abandon the Sabbath.
05:30.963 --> 05:35.802
And 3. Sunday-keepers became
the majority; Sabbath-keepers
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the minority.
05:37.336 --> 05:40.073
So, let's take these points
one by one, and see what
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we can find, from the Bible
and the record of history.
05:43.543 --> 05:49.015
1. False teachers introduced
heresies against the
05:49.082 --> 05:50.616
laws of God.
05:50.683 --> 05:53.586
Jesus warned of false teachers when He was yet alive.
05:53.653 --> 05:57.590
He said in Matthew 7:15-16...
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"Beware of false prophets,
who come to you in sheep's
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clothing, but inwardly
they are ravenous wolves.
06:04.530 --> 06:07.033
You will know them
by their fruits...."
06:07.100 --> 06:10.703
That warning was repeated by the last living apostles as well.
06:10.770 --> 06:14.373
In fact, in some instances,
they warned that false teachers
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were already beginning to infiltrate the Church.
06:17.143 --> 06:22.014
Notice what the apostle Jude wrote in Jude verses 3 and 4...
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"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you
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concerning our common
salvation, I found it
06:27.987 --> 06:30.890
necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend
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earnestly for the faith
which was once for all
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delivered to the saints.
06:35.628 --> 06:39.332
For certain men have crept
in unnoticed, who long ago
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were marked out for this
condemnation, ungodly men,
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who turn the grace of our
God into lewdness and deny
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the only Lord God and
our Lord Jesus Christ."
06:50.910 --> 06:54.614
Jude said false teachers were already introducing the idea
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that grace meant you don't
have to keep the law.
06:58.284 --> 07:01.387
But God does require
us to keep His Law.
07:01.454 --> 07:04.157
In Romans 7:12 the
apostle Paul said...
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"The law is holy,
and the commandment
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holy and just and good."
07:09.829 --> 07:12.632
That law defines how to love.
07:12.698 --> 07:15.101
But what we're seeing is
even in the first century,
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there were men who were trying to do away with that law.
07:18.538 --> 07:21.941
The apostle John was the
last living apostle of
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the original Church.
07:23.276 --> 07:25.444
He died in the 90s AD.
07:25.511 --> 07:28.247
But before his death,
he also warned against
07:28.314 --> 07:31.951
false teachers claiming to
be followers of Christ.
07:32.018 --> 07:34.554
Notice what he said
in 1 John 2:4...
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"He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments,
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is a liar, and the
truth is not in him."
07:41.394 --> 07:44.430
So, toward the end of John's life, false teachers were
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already infiltrating the Church.
07:46.399 --> 07:48.201
And John called them liars.
07:48.267 --> 07:51.804
If this was already happening during the lifetime of John,
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imagine what would
happen after his death.
07:55.274 --> 07:58.544
And we'll find out what did
happen in the next segment.
07:58.611 --> 08:01.414
But before that, I want to
offer you our free study guide,
08:01.480 --> 08:03.983
God's Church Through the Ages.
08:04.050 --> 08:06.886
It's written by the late
John Ogwyn, who served
08:06.953 --> 08:09.856
for decades as a pastor
and evangelist.
08:09.922 --> 08:12.658
In this booklet, you'll find out "what happened to the Church"
08:12.725 --> 08:14.093
that Christ built.
08:14.160 --> 08:16.996
You'll see that "a new
gospel" and "new truth"
08:17.063 --> 08:20.132
crowded out the clear
teachings of the Bible.
08:20.199 --> 08:22.969
And you'll see how "truth
was abandoned in favor
08:23.035 --> 08:24.770
of unity and tradition."
08:24.837 --> 08:28.441
This is a hard-hitting booklet that pulls no punches.
08:28.507 --> 08:30.509
You need this study guide.
08:30.576 --> 08:33.312
So be sure to call,
write or order online.
08:33.379 --> 08:34.480
Order now.
08:34.547 --> 08:35.348
♪
08:35.414 --> 08:42.955
For today's free
offer call...
08:43.022 --> 08:47.760
Or go to...
08:47.827 --> 08:50.663
This clear and straight-
forward resource will
08:50.730 --> 08:52.999
help you understand
this vital truth--
08:53.065 --> 08:56.168
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
08:56.235 --> 08:58.271
If you're calling
for the first time,
08:58.337 --> 09:01.240
you will also receive a
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Tomorrow's World magazine.
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Six inspiring issues
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and modern culture will
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Call today and join
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Or go to...
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♪
09:35.041 --> 09:36.375
Welcome back.
09:36.442 --> 09:39.211
In the first segment of our program, we saw that even
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during the time of the apostles, false teachers were already
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teaching against God's law.
09:44.750 --> 09:47.987
But other forces were also
at work that were going to
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lead many to compromise
on keeping the Sabbath.
09:51.223 --> 09:52.758
So how did that happen?
09:52.825 --> 09:54.961
That brings us to
our next point.
09:55.027 --> 09:58.898
Over time, after the death
of the original apostles:
09:58.965 --> 10:04.437
2. Anti-Jewish sentiment grew, leading many to abandon
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the Sabbath.
10:06.038 --> 10:09.742
The 1st century AD was a
tumultuous time for Jews
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under the Roman rule.
10:11.410 --> 10:14.880
Multiple uprisings against
the Romans had occurred.
10:14.947 --> 10:18.951
One of them, from 66 to 70 AD, resulted in the Temple being
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destroyed and Jerusalem overrun.
10:22.154 --> 10:24.023
But that was not the end of it.
10:24.090 --> 10:27.126
As the website christianhistoryinstitute.org
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points out:
10:28.361 --> 10:33.299
"After the Jewish War
(66-70), progressively more
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disastrous uprisings followed: the Kitos War of 115-117
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and the Bar Kochba
revolt 20 years later.
10:43.342 --> 10:47.279
After each conflict Rome
leveled punitive taxes and
10:47.346 --> 10:50.182
other restrictions on Jews, regardless of whether they
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had supported the revolts
(many had not)."
10:53.552 --> 10:57.957
These restrictions grew more severe, until, in 135 AD,
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in exasperation, the Romans expelled all Jews from
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Jerusalem on pain of death.
11:04.196 --> 11:07.033
This had a huge impact
on the church.
11:07.099 --> 11:10.803
Many Christians in Jerusalem completely stopped keeping
11:10.870 --> 11:12.171
the seventh-day Sabbath.
11:12.238 --> 11:13.506
Why?
11:13.572 --> 11:16.542
Because they didn't want to
be mistaken for Jews in the
11:16.609 --> 11:18.344
eyes of the Roman authorities.
11:18.411 --> 11:20.279
As the article concludes:
11:20.346 --> 11:23.349
"Non-Jewish Christians
now had reason to avoid
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calling attention to their
relationship with this
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potentially seditious sect...."
11:29.622 --> 11:32.725
The renowned historian
Edward Gibbon describes how
11:32.792 --> 11:35.461
the Jerusalem church changed dramatically under the
11:35.528 --> 11:40.666
leadership of their new Latin bishop, Marcus, after 135 AD.
11:40.733 --> 11:43.035
This is detailed in
his famous work
11:43.102 --> 11:46.872
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire:
11:46.939 --> 11:50.643
"At his persuasion the most considerable part of the
11:50.709 --> 11:54.013
congregation renounced the Mosaic law, in the practice
11:54.080 --> 11:57.149
of which they had persevered above a century.
11:57.216 --> 12:01.053
By this sacrifice of their
habits and prejudices, they
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purchased a free admission
into the colony of Hadrian,
12:04.657 --> 12:07.560
and more firmly cemented
their union with the
12:07.626 --> 12:09.095
Catholic church."
12:09.161 --> 12:12.598
Understand, when it says they "renounced the Mosaic law,"
12:12.665 --> 12:14.733
they're talking about
the Ten Commandments.
12:14.800 --> 12:17.303
They're talking about the
keeping of the Sabbath.
12:17.369 --> 12:19.071
Gibbon continues:
12:19.138 --> 12:22.875
"...the crimes of heresy and schism were imputed to the
12:22.942 --> 12:26.445
obscure remnant of the
Nazarenes which refused to
12:26.512 --> 12:28.581
accompany their Latin bishop....
12:28.647 --> 12:31.817
In a few years after the return of the church of Jerusalem,
12:31.884 --> 12:35.521
it became a matter of doubt
and controversy whether a man
12:35.588 --> 12:38.724
who sincerely acknowledged
Jesus as the Messiah,
12:38.791 --> 12:41.861
but who still continued to observe the law of Moses,
12:41.927 --> 12:44.296
could possibly hope
for salvation."
12:44.363 --> 12:45.631
Wow.
12:45.698 --> 12:48.300
The bulk of these church-goers turned their back on the
12:48.367 --> 12:49.635
Law of Moses.
12:49.702 --> 12:52.338
And that includes the Ten Commandments, which includes
12:52.404 --> 12:53.672
the seventh-day Sabbath.
12:53.739 --> 12:55.040
But why?
12:55.107 --> 12:58.210
Because they didn't want
to be mistaken for Jews.
12:58.277 --> 13:01.580
This was not the only time that
Jews were expelled from their
13:01.647 --> 13:03.415
homes in the Roman empire.
13:03.482 --> 13:07.653
In Acts 18:1, we find a record of it happening in Rome...
13:07.720 --> 13:10.923
"After these things Paul departed from Athens and
13:10.990 --> 13:12.191
went to Corinth.
13:12.258 --> 13:15.294
And he found a certain Jew
named Aquila, born in Pontus,
13:15.361 --> 13:19.298
who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because
13:19.365 --> 13:23.369
Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome)...."
13:23.435 --> 13:27.039
So, we see tensions between
the Jews and Roman authorities
13:27.106 --> 13:29.975
were flaring up again and again throughout the Roman empire
13:30.042 --> 13:31.443
during this time.
13:31.510 --> 13:34.413
And that had an impact
on the church, in creating
13:34.480 --> 13:38.083
a desire to distance
themselves from the Jews.
13:38.150 --> 13:41.921
Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi
explains this in his book
13:41.987 --> 13:43.923
From Sabbath to Sunday:
13:43.989 --> 13:47.059
"The adoption of this negative attitude toward the Jews
13:47.126 --> 13:50.329
can be explained (but not necessarily justified!)
13:50.396 --> 13:54.166
by several circumstances existing particularly at
13:54.233 --> 13:55.668
the time of Hadrian.
13:55.734 --> 13:58.771
First, the relationship
between Rome and the Jews
13:58.837 --> 14:00.606
was extremely tense....
14:00.673 --> 14:03.976
Such circumstances invited Christians to develop a
14:04.043 --> 14:07.413
new identity, not only characterized by a negative
14:07.479 --> 14:10.950
attitude toward Jews, but
also by the substitution of
14:11.016 --> 14:15.321
characteristic Jewish religious customs for new ones....
14:15.387 --> 14:19.525
Not only was Sunday worship urged there, but concrete
14:19.592 --> 14:23.529
measures were also taken to
wean Christians away from any
14:23.596 --> 14:25.497
veneration of the Sabbath."
14:25.564 --> 14:26.865
Think about it.
14:26.932 --> 14:29.168
How powerful is peer pressure?
14:29.235 --> 14:31.971
And how difficult it is
to do the right thing,
14:32.037 --> 14:33.939
in the face of persecution.
14:34.006 --> 14:35.874
But what did Jesus say?
14:35.941 --> 14:39.612
In Matthew 7:13-14...
14:39.678 --> 14:43.282
"Enter by the narrow gate;
for wide is the gate and
14:43.349 --> 14:45.584
broad is the way that
leads to destruction,
14:45.651 --> 14:48.254
and there are many
who go in by it.
14:48.320 --> 14:51.257
Because narrow is the gate
and difficult is the way
14:51.323 --> 14:55.060
which leads to life, and
there are few who find it."
14:55.127 --> 14:57.997
What did the apostle Paul
teach the disciples, after
14:58.063 --> 15:00.966
he had been stoned for
the gospel of Christ?
15:01.033 --> 15:04.770
We read that in Acts 14:22...
15:04.837 --> 15:07.940
"We must through many tribulations enter the
15:08.007 --> 15:09.275
kingdom of God."
15:09.341 --> 15:12.745
So, what we're seeing is the beginning of Sunday worship.
15:12.811 --> 15:16.548
Compromise in an attempt
to avoid persecution.
15:16.615 --> 15:19.118
But God has not called
us to compromise.
15:19.184 --> 15:22.421
God has called us to believe what's written in His Word,
15:22.488 --> 15:25.524
and follow the truth
no matter what.
15:25.591 --> 15:28.661
And with God's help,
if we ask for His help,
15:28.727 --> 15:33.198
we can give our lives to Him,
and obey this Book.
15:33.265 --> 15:35.334
So again, many of the
Christians in the early
15:35.401 --> 15:39.271
decades of the second century were intimidated into
15:39.338 --> 15:41.240
compromising on the Sabbath.
15:41.307 --> 15:44.443
And they were deceived by
teachers teaching contrary
15:44.510 --> 15:45.678
to Scripture.
15:45.744 --> 15:48.781
Dr. Bacchiocchi refers to
church leaders who urged
15:48.847 --> 15:53.018
members to abandon the
Sabbath on page 186:
15:53.085 --> 15:56.588
"While prior to him
[that is, Justin Martyr]
15:56.655 --> 16:02.494
Ignatius in Asia Minor (ca. A.D. 110) and Barnabas in Alexandria
16:02.561 --> 16:07.299
(ca. A.D. 135) explicitly upbraided Sabbath-keeping,
16:07.366 --> 16:11.503
it is Justin who provides the
most devastating and systematic
16:11.570 --> 16:15.641
condemnation of the Sabbath and the first explicit account of
16:15.708 --> 16:17.543
Christian Sunday worship."
16:17.609 --> 16:19.878
What a remarkable transformation.
16:19.945 --> 16:23.215
From the teaching of Paul to
the Gentiles on the Sabbath,
16:23.282 --> 16:25.984
to Christians being questioned as to whether they could
16:26.051 --> 16:28.387
even be saved, if they
kept the Sabbath.
16:28.454 --> 16:30.089
Do you get the picture?
16:30.155 --> 16:31.990
But it doesn't stop there.
16:32.057 --> 16:33.992
There was much more to come.
16:34.059 --> 16:36.895
But before we move on,
let me pause again to
16:36.962 --> 16:38.630
offer you our free
study guide,
16:38.697 --> 16:40.933
God's Church Through the Ages.
16:40.999 --> 16:43.569
In it you'll see the
"dramatic transition"
16:43.635 --> 16:46.939
that took place in the church
calling itself Christian.
16:47.005 --> 16:49.641
Not just the Sabbath was abandoned, but other
16:49.708 --> 16:51.110
doctrines as well.
16:51.176 --> 16:54.680
During this remarkable time, pagan ideas and Greek
16:54.747 --> 16:58.884
philosophy replaced the clear,
plain truths of the Bible.
16:58.951 --> 17:00.819
You may be shocked
at what you'll find.
17:00.886 --> 17:03.021
You need this study guide.
17:03.088 --> 17:05.491
So ask for God's Church
Through the Ages.
17:05.557 --> 17:07.926
Call, write or click today.
17:07.993 --> 17:08.961
Order now.
17:09.027 --> 17:10.028
♪
17:10.095 --> 17:12.030
This clear and
straight-forward resource
17:12.097 --> 17:14.833
will help you understand
this vital truth--
17:14.900 --> 17:17.536
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
17:17.603 --> 17:18.504
Call now!
17:18.570 --> 17:22.241
Or go to...
17:22.307 --> 17:24.576
♪
17:24.643 --> 17:25.744
Welcome back.
17:25.811 --> 17:28.480
In the previous two segments
we saw that by the early
17:28.547 --> 17:31.850
to mid second century AD,
many Christians were
17:31.917 --> 17:33.819
abandoning the Sabbath.
17:33.886 --> 17:36.789
By the end of the second century, Sunday-keeping was
17:36.855 --> 17:40.526
even more entrenched among
the mainstream, visible
17:40.592 --> 17:41.660
Christian church.
17:41.727 --> 17:44.797
And soon it would become
the enforced doctrine in
17:44.863 --> 17:48.667
the official religion of
the entire Roman Empire.
17:48.734 --> 17:51.136
And that brings us
to our next point:
17:51.203 --> 17:55.107
3. Sunday-keepers
became the majority;
17:55.174 --> 17:57.876
Sabbath-keepers the minority.
17:57.943 --> 18:01.513
Tertullian was an author and theologian from Carthage,
18:01.580 --> 18:05.517
who wrote in the late second century and early third century.
18:05.584 --> 18:08.153
He was one of the primary
defenders of mainstream
18:08.220 --> 18:10.556
Christianity of his day.
18:10.622 --> 18:14.493
In one of his works,
"Ad Nationes" he defends
18:14.560 --> 18:18.831
Sunday worship against an unlikely foe--the pagans.
18:18.897 --> 18:20.399
Notice what he wrote:
18:20.466 --> 18:24.703
"Others... suppose that the sun is the god of the Christians,
18:24.770 --> 18:28.607
because it is a well-known fact that we pray towards the east,
18:28.674 --> 18:32.845
or because we make Sunday
a day of festivity..."
18:32.911 --> 18:34.780
Now, stop and
think for a moment.
18:34.847 --> 18:38.183
Why would worldly, idol-
worshipping pagans get
18:38.250 --> 18:41.687
confused that Christians were actually sun-worshippers?
18:41.753 --> 18:45.757
Well, because those Christians were worshipping on a day set
18:45.824 --> 18:50.195
aside by the pagans to honor and give deference to their sun-god.
18:50.262 --> 18:53.098
Now, these Christians were undoubtedly keeping Sunday--
18:53.165 --> 18:56.869
in their minds--to honor Christ's resurrection.
18:56.935 --> 19:00.539
But, by the way, Jesus wasn't
resurrected on Sunday.
19:00.606 --> 19:02.741
He was actually resurrected toward the end of the
19:02.808 --> 19:05.177
previous day, on the Sabbath.
19:05.244 --> 19:06.578
But that's a different story.
19:06.645 --> 19:09.081
If you'd like to explore
that topic, go to our
19:09.147 --> 19:14.319
TomorrowsWorld.org website, and in the search bar type "Easter."
19:14.386 --> 19:16.054
But back to Tertullian.
19:16.121 --> 19:19.791
What we see is that mainstream Christianity was distancing
19:19.858 --> 19:21.560
itself from the Jews.
19:21.627 --> 19:24.663
And at the same time, it was moving closer to the pagans
19:24.730 --> 19:28.634
and their traditions,
including keeping Sunday.
19:28.700 --> 19:32.070
This point is even more
bluntly made by the respected
19:32.137 --> 19:34.473
historian Will Durant.
19:34.540 --> 19:38.877
In The Story of Civilization, Volume III he writes:
19:38.944 --> 19:44.283
"Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it....
19:44.349 --> 19:47.619
Christianity became the
last and greatest of
19:47.686 --> 19:49.655
the mystery religions."
19:49.721 --> 19:52.958
Is it any wonder, then,
a century later, when
19:53.025 --> 19:56.662
Constantine wanted to unify
the Empire, that he astutely
19:56.728 --> 20:00.232
chose Christianity as
his new religion?
20:00.299 --> 20:02.734
He saw some Christians
worshipping on the day
20:02.801 --> 20:06.071
set aside by the pagans
to honor the Sun.
20:06.138 --> 20:10.375
And so, it fit well for him
to even issue an edict for
20:10.442 --> 20:15.080
all Christians, to honor the "venerable day of the Sun."
20:15.147 --> 20:18.216
Notice what Paul Johnson,
a devout Catholic,
20:18.283 --> 20:19.851
said about this:
20:19.918 --> 20:23.755
"Many Christians did not make
a clear distinction between
20:23.822 --> 20:26.425
this sun cult and their own.
20:26.491 --> 20:30.495
They referred to Christ 'driving his chariot across the sky';
20:30.562 --> 20:34.299
they held their services on Sunday, [they] knelt towards
20:34.366 --> 20:38.670
the East and had their
nativity-feast on 25 December,
20:38.737 --> 20:42.541
the birthday of the sun
at the winter solstice...
20:42.608 --> 20:45.811
Constantine never abandoned
sun-worship and kept the
20:45.877 --> 20:47.346
sun on his coins.
20:47.412 --> 20:50.782
He made Sunday into
a day of rest."
20:50.849 --> 20:51.984
Wow.
20:52.050 --> 20:55.120
From the Sabbath being
kept and taught by Christ
20:55.187 --> 20:58.423
and the apostles, to a
pagan, sun-worshipping,
20:58.490 --> 21:02.961
political Emperor embracing Christianity as his own.
21:03.028 --> 21:07.065
What a profound change
in only three centuries.
21:07.132 --> 21:09.901
And now with the stamp
of approval from the
21:09.968 --> 21:11.937
mighty Roman empire.
21:12.004 --> 21:15.974
In fact, this was prophesied
in Daniel chapter 7.
21:16.041 --> 21:20.178
In a vision, Daniel saw a prophecy of four successive
21:20.245 --> 21:22.014
world-ruling kingdoms.
21:22.080 --> 21:24.883
But notice what he saw
regarding the final kingdom,
21:24.950 --> 21:26.985
identified as the Roman Empire.
21:27.052 --> 21:29.588
In Daniel 7:25...
21:29.655 --> 21:33.225
"He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
21:33.291 --> 21:35.994
shall persecute the
saints of the Most High,
21:36.061 --> 21:39.331
and shall intend to
change times and law."
21:39.398 --> 21:41.767
The Roman empire was
prophesied to be part
21:41.833 --> 21:45.804
of a system intended to
change times and law.
21:45.871 --> 21:49.341
What "time" is included
in a "law" of God?
21:49.408 --> 21:50.575
Well, the Sabbath.
21:50.642 --> 21:54.646
But did Constantine's decree really change the Sabbath?
21:54.713 --> 21:57.182
Did the Roman Empire,
in concert with the
21:57.249 --> 22:01.253
mainstream church really
change the day to worship God?
22:01.319 --> 22:02.254
No.
22:02.320 --> 22:03.889
No one can change it.
22:03.955 --> 22:06.725
You can't change something
that God has ordained.
22:06.792 --> 22:10.128
Exodus 20 outlines the
Ten Commandments given
22:10.195 --> 22:11.396
at Mount Sinai.
22:11.463 --> 22:14.466
And one of those commandments,
the fourth, is the command
22:14.533 --> 22:17.669
to remember and
observe the Sabbath.
22:17.736 --> 22:21.406
Notice, in Exodus 20:8-10...
22:21.473 --> 22:24.476
"Remember the Sabbath
day, to keep it holy.
22:24.543 --> 22:27.379
Six days you shall labor
and do all your work,
22:27.446 --> 22:31.183
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
22:31.249 --> 22:33.919
In it you shall do no work..."
22:33.985 --> 22:36.955
But how and when was
the Sabbath instituted?
22:37.022 --> 22:39.858
Read on, in Exodus 20:11...
22:39.925 --> 22:43.395
"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the
22:43.462 --> 22:47.399
sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.
22:47.466 --> 22:52.070
Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
22:52.137 --> 22:55.874
God hallowed the seventh
day by resting Himself.
22:55.941 --> 22:57.042
He made it holy.
22:57.109 --> 22:59.811
And all the councils and all
the canons of man cannot
22:59.878 --> 23:02.547
change what God purposed.
23:02.614 --> 23:05.083
So, who changed the Sabbath?
23:05.150 --> 23:06.485
Nobody.
23:06.551 --> 23:09.354
And in fact, even after
Constantine's edict,
23:09.421 --> 23:11.957
there were faithful
Christians still adhering
23:12.023 --> 23:14.426
to the true Sabbath,
the seventh-day.
23:14.493 --> 23:18.463
So much so that forty years later, the Council of Laodicea
23:18.530 --> 23:20.999
was convened to address,
among other questions,
23:21.066 --> 23:23.368
the keeping of the Sabbath.
23:23.435 --> 23:26.438
Canon 29 of the
Council of Laodicea:
23:26.505 --> 23:29.908
"...Forbids Christians
from Judaizing and resting
23:29.975 --> 23:32.744
on the Sabbath day, and
actually enjoins them
23:32.811 --> 23:34.980
to work on that day."
23:35.046 --> 23:37.115
Why was that canon published?
23:37.182 --> 23:39.785
Because true followers
of Christ were still
23:39.851 --> 23:41.219
keeping the Sabbath.
23:41.286 --> 23:43.889
They were harassed, they
were persecuted, and they
23:43.955 --> 23:46.525
often had to flee to the
outer parts of the Empire,
23:46.591 --> 23:48.727
but they were faithful.
23:48.794 --> 23:52.130
Evangelist John Ogwyn explains this in the study guide
23:52.197 --> 23:54.533
God's Church Through the Ages:
23:54.599 --> 23:58.904
"After Constantine began the
systematic enforcement of
23:58.970 --> 24:03.008
compliance with Roman
theology in 325 AD,
24:03.074 --> 24:06.545
the remnants of the true
Church were in large part
24:06.611 --> 24:09.548
forced to flee the bounds
of the Roman Empire into
24:09.614 --> 24:12.417
the mountains of Armenia,
and later into the Balkan
24:12.484 --> 24:14.085
areas of Europe.
24:14.152 --> 24:17.155
They were few in number,
utterly lacking in prestige
24:17.222 --> 24:20.358
or wealth, and labeled as enemies of the state by a
24:20.425 --> 24:23.328
supposedly "Christian"
Roman Empire..."
24:23.395 --> 24:27.199
And over the next 1,000 years, we have faint historical
24:27.265 --> 24:30.502
traces of Christians who obediently followed God,
24:30.569 --> 24:34.139
keeping His Sabbath,
in spite of persecution.
24:34.206 --> 24:36.308
Mr. Ogwyn continues:
24:36.374 --> 24:39.945
"In God's sight...
they were precious.
24:40.011 --> 24:42.914
It was not God's purpose
that His true Church grow
24:42.981 --> 24:45.984
into a great, powerful organization that would
24:46.051 --> 24:47.719
"Christianize" the world....
24:47.786 --> 24:51.156
Its continuity would be
measured not by a succession
24:51.223 --> 24:54.926
of proud, powerful, presiding
bishops in a particular city...
24:54.993 --> 24:58.630
but by a succession of
faithful, converted people--
24:58.697 --> 25:01.933
who, though scattered and persecuted, continued to
25:02.000 --> 25:05.670
worship the Father in
spirit and in truth..."
25:05.737 --> 25:08.306
Again, let me pause
to offer you your
25:08.373 --> 25:10.075
free copy of the
study guide,
25:10.141 --> 25:12.477
God's Church Through the Ages.
25:12.544 --> 25:16.281
This powerful booklet will guide you through the historical
25:16.348 --> 25:18.917
path of God's faithful people.
25:18.984 --> 25:22.320
It's a fascinating story,
as God watches over
25:22.387 --> 25:25.590
His little flock, as the
"Church in the Wilderness,"
25:25.657 --> 25:28.493
and as they "Take Root
in a New World."
25:28.560 --> 25:31.997
It's straight from the Bible, and the pages of history.
25:32.063 --> 25:33.298
You don't want to miss it.
25:33.365 --> 25:35.834
So order your
free copy today.
25:35.901 --> 25:37.969
Call, click or
write to us.
25:38.036 --> 25:39.237
Order now.
25:39.304 --> 25:40.105
♪
25:40.171 --> 25:47.112
For today's free
offer call...
25:47.178 --> 25:52.684
Or go to...
25:52.751 --> 25:55.620
This clear and straight-
forward resource will
25:55.687 --> 25:58.223
help you understand
this vital truth--
25:58.290 --> 26:00.992
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
26:01.059 --> 26:03.128
If you're calling
for the first time,
26:03.194 --> 26:06.097
you will also receive a
free annual subscription to
26:06.164 --> 26:07.966
Tomorrow's World magazine.
26:08.033 --> 26:11.603
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
26:11.670 --> 26:14.172
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
26:14.239 --> 26:17.943
your world from a
biblical perspective.
26:18.009 --> 26:20.979
Call today and join
millions around the world
26:21.046 --> 26:23.348
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
26:23.415 --> 26:29.287
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
26:29.354 --> 26:30.522
Call now!
26:30.588 --> 26:34.259
Or go to...
26:34.326 --> 26:39.864
♪
26:39.931 --> 26:43.234
"You may read the Bible
from Genesis to Revelation,
26:43.301 --> 26:47.105
and you will not find a
single line authorizing the
26:47.172 --> 26:49.040
sanctification of Sunday.
26:49.107 --> 26:52.744
The Scriptures enforce
the religious observance
26:52.811 --> 26:54.179
of Saturday."
26:54.245 --> 26:56.548
So, who changed the Sabbath?
26:56.614 --> 26:58.216
No one.
26:58.283 --> 27:01.653
The Scriptures reveal the
Sabbath as the seventh day,
27:01.720 --> 27:05.523
and all the councils and
canons of man cannot change
27:05.590 --> 27:07.225
what God purposed.
27:07.292 --> 27:10.628
When we observe the Sabbath
each week, we are honoring
27:10.695 --> 27:13.798
and remembering God's
work at Creation.
27:13.865 --> 27:17.969
And, we're recognizing His loving guidance in our lives.
27:18.036 --> 27:21.439
The Living Church of God
continues to keep God's
27:21.506 --> 27:25.543
holy Sabbath day, looking
to Christ and His apostles
27:25.610 --> 27:27.078
as our examples.
27:27.145 --> 27:29.781
If you're interested in
finding out more about the
27:29.848 --> 27:32.851
teachings and practices of
the Living Church of God,
27:32.917 --> 27:35.553
we have representatives
all over the world who'd
27:35.620 --> 27:37.288
love to hear from you.
27:37.355 --> 27:39.290
And don't forget to
order your copy of
27:39.357 --> 27:41.726
God's Church Through the Ages.
27:41.793 --> 27:45.630
Be sure to join us next time,
as Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith,
27:45.697 --> 27:49.234
and I explain the Good news of Tomorrow's World, and the
27:49.300 --> 27:53.438
truth, comfort and hope it can bring to you and your family.
27:53.505 --> 27:54.305
♪
27:54.372 --> 28:00.678
For today's free
offer call...
28:00.745 --> 28:05.817
Or go to...
28:05.884 --> 28:08.920
Call today and join millions around the world who are
28:08.987 --> 28:13.558
turning to Tomorrow's World
for truth, prophecy, and hope
28:13.625 --> 28:15.493
in these confusing times.
28:15.560 --> 28:18.696
The preceding program
is produced by the
28:18.763 --> 28:19.998
Living Church of God.
28:20.065 --> 28:24.536
♪