SPECIAL ALERT!
THE GREATEST DECEPTION IN HISTORY!
TEN COMMANDMENTS SUNDAY
Sponsored by the Ten Commandments Commission.
They say: "Finally, a day in which we can come together and celebrate God's eternal moral law."
The Ten Commandments Commission is inviting all Christians, churches, synagogues, ministry leaders, religious bookstores and everyone who is interested in preserving traditional values to join them in a national and global movement to put forward the Ten Commandments to the nation.
The focal point of this movement is the Ten Commandments Day. The first annual Ten Commandments Day gathering was Sunday, May 7, 2006.
Some of the many Christian leaders involved include: Dr. Paul Crouch, Founder and President of the Trinity Broadcasting Network; Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ); Benny Hinn, Founder of Benny Hinn Ministries; Ted Haggard, President of the National Association of Evangelicals; Richard Shakarian of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship; Dr. Charles Phillips, Official Representative to the United Nations; and many more.
The Ten Commandments Commission appeals to leaders, pastors, rabbis, educators and heads of denominations to take part in this movement. Many churches have already announced that they will celebrate the Ten Commandments Day in their community.
On the Ten Commandments Commission's Internet homepage, they have posted the Ten Commandment law of God and the wording closely resembles the wording as found in the NKJV (New King James Version) of the Bible. However, they have also posted on their homepage their own shortened version of the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments Commisssion refer to their shortened version on their Internet homepage like this:
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
· Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
· Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
· Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
· Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
· Honour thy father and thy mother.
· Thou shalt not kill.
· Thou shalt not commit adultery.
· Thou shalt not steal.
· Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
· Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Let us now take a look at God's Ten Commandment Law as it is written in the Bible, in Exodus 20:1-17.
Exodus 20:1-17:
20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
1) 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2) 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
20:6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3) 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4) 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5) 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
6) 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
7) 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8) 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
9) 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
10) 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
In their shortened version, the Ten Commandments Commission is quoting only part of God's Ten Commandment Law, because they are only including parts of the second, third, fourth, and fifth commandments.
Exodus 20:1 says: «And God spake all these words, saying, …»
Why is the Ten Commandments Commission not speaking ALL God's words?
By deviating from the wording of the Ten Commandment Law of God as found in Exodus 20:1-17, are they not misleading the people, and violating the Word of God by taking words away from God's law, that God has spoken?
In designing their own version of the Ten Commandment Law - by picking and choosing what they want to include, have they not, in reality, created another law and shown defiance of Divine authority?
Over a thousand years ago the Roman Catholic Church did the same thing, designing their own version of God's Holy Law, as found in their Catechism, and this falsehood, sad to say, was accepted and adopted by most of the (fallen) protestant churches. As a consequence, this falsehood, perpetrated upon the Christian world EVER SINCE — has exerted its influence. Its influence has been leading the minds of the people AWAY FROM the TRUE WORSHIP OF GOD by not teaching them God's HOLY LAW, and the importance of KEEPING HIS LAW!
Perhaps this is the greatest spiritual deception in history, as it lays the foundation in the minds of the people, to continue to accept MAN-MADE VARIATIONS of God's HOLY LAW, as we see proposed by the Ten Commandments Commission.
In the Ten Commandments Commission's long version of the commandments, surprisingly they have included a part of God's second commandment. This commandment is entirely missing in the Catholic version of the Ten Commandments, according to their Catechism. But «God spake all these words» in regard to His second commandment, as found in the Bible:
«Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.» (Ex. 20:4-6.)
The shortened version of the fourth commandment, according to The Ten Commandments Commission, is like the Catholic version was for over a thousand years:
«Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.»
However, in 2005 - something very interesting happened! The Catholic church CHANGED their version of the fourth commandment, according to their Catechism. It now reads:
«Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work.»
In addition to the change, they make a subtle adjustment of the wording. The original phrase: «… the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord …» is changed to: «the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord ...»
This altered sentence: «The seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord», the Ten Commandments Commmission has adopted and is using in their long version of the Ten Commandments law as posted on their internet homepage (April 27. 2006).
But «God spake all these words ...» in regard to the fourth commandment:
«Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.» (Ex. 20:8-11).
In the Biblical wording of the Sabbath Commandment, God speaks to the reader in regard to the six-day creation week, and then about the seventh day Sabbath as the day of rest. God's seal of authority, as the lawgiver, is found in this commandment. A seal identifies the lawgiver by giving his name, his domain or kingdom, and his title. The fourth commandment of God's moral law gives His name («The LORD»), His domain («Heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is»), and His title («The Lord made,» or Creator). All of these are found only in the fourth commandment as written in the Bible.
Furthermore, in the last sentence of the fourth commandment we read that the Lord blessed the seventh day, the Sabbath, and hallowed it.
What is left out of the fourth commandment by the Ten Commandments Commission is the identity of who the lawgiver is, what day of the week is the true Sabbath, and the blessing connected with keeping His seventh-day Sabbath holy.
The Biblical Sabbath day is the seventh day of the week, Saturday, not Sunday. It is from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday (Leviticus 23:32, Nehemiah 13:15-21).
While it appears as if The Ten Commandments Commission is promoting the Biblical Ten Commandment Law of God, they are, in fact, exalting by omission a subtle counterfeit of that law, which PAVES THE WAY for a continued exaltation of the counterfeit, spurious Sabbath (Sunday), instituted and promoted for over a thousand years by the Roman Catholic Church.
Perhaps a large number of people think the aim of the Ten Commandments Commission is to strengthen the Biblical day of worship, and that this is a good thing. But let us take a closer look, and examine what is happening.
The Ten Commandments Commission refers to their shortened version of the Ten Commandments, which they are promoting, as the commandments of God's «eternal moral law.» This is not true. Anyone that compares God's Ten Commandments, as found in the Bible, with the shortened version of the Ten Commandments of the Ten Commandments Commission will discover that there is a big difference between these two sets of Ten Commandments.
We also see that Jay Sekulow, at The American Center for Law and Justice, is supporting the Ten Commandments Commission in uplifting their shortened, and therefore changed, version of God's Ten Commandment Law.
Is it a serious matter when the Ten Commandments Commission excludes parts of God's Ten Commandment Law, and says that this is GOD'S LAW!
The Bible says: «Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.» (Deut. 4:2)
Jesus himself said that nobody should take away even one jot or one tittle from the law! (Matt. 5:17). But what has the Ten Commandments Commission done with God's Ten Commandment Law? They have not only taken away one jot or one tittle, but most of the text in the second, third, fourth, and fifth commandments. They have taken away about 170 words, or about 680 letters.
THEY HAVE CHANGED THE TEN COMMANDMENT LAW OF GOD.
THEY HAVE, in reality, CREATED a different law - a «TEN COMMANDMENT LAW OF MAN,» if you please - just as the Catholic Church did, according to the commandments found in their Catechism. How sad that this falsehood has been so widely accepted and adopted by most of the (fallen) protestant churches as found in their Catechism.
The Ten Commandment Commission is, in essence, REFERRING TO AND QUOTING FROM the Ten Commandment Law of God as found in the Bible, BUT IS PROMOTING, AND SEEKING SUPPORT FOR, THEIR SHORTENED, INCOMPLETE, AND THEREFORE CHANGED VERSION OF THAT LAW. This is very subtle. It is A GREAT SPIRITUAL DECEPTION!
This GREAT SPIRITUAL DECEPTION is also in reality leading the people away from the true Ten Commandment Law of God, as we have seen the Catholic version of the Ten Commandments do! For again, it was the Catholic Church that started this apostasy when they changed God's Ten Commandments in their Catechism more than a thousand years ago. At that time they removed the Second Commandment, removed nearly all the text in the fourth commandment, and divided the Tenth Commandment in two, in order to get ten commandments.
Recently we have done some inquiry in regard to the Ten Commandments pin. It is recommended to be worn by all who support traditional values, and in connection with the Ten Commandments (Sun)day by the Ten Commandments Commission. On April 19, 2006, we contacted the Ten Commandments Commission's office in the United States, and inquired about the written design on the pin, as seen on their Internet homepage. (We had magnified it many times on the computer, and were not able to discern what it was.)
We were informed the display on the pin was the Ten Commandments written in Hebrew. When we inquired as to whether it was their long or short version of the Ten Commandments that was displayed on the pin in Hebrew, I, Abel, was told that they did not know.
Since our first inquiry into the Hebrew writing on the pin, we have received help in interpreting the Hebrew writing by a group of Jewish scholars. They informed us that only the first couple of words in each of the Ten Commandments are displayed on the pin, in Hebrew.
After further investigation we have discovered that the commandments displayed in Hebrew on the pin represents yet another man-made variation of the Ten Commandments. Below, on the left, is the wording on the pin, translated from Hebrew to English, supposedly displaying God's Ten Commandment Law, according to the Ten Commandment Commission. On the right is the Ten Commandments according to the Bible. Words in bold print correspond with the wording on the pin.
DISPLAY ON PIN TRANSLATED FROM HEBREW:
1 I am the Lord
2 You shall not have
3 You shall not take
4 You shall remember
5 Honour
6. You shall not murder 7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not lie
10. You shall not covet
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE (Exodus 20:1-17)
(Introduction) And God spake all these words, saying, I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
1 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Can you see what they have done? By comparing the two columns, it makes it a little easier to see what has taken place. They have taken a few words from the introductory text of Exodus 20:2 of the Ten Commandments in the Bible, and presented them as being the first commandment. Then they have taken a few words of the Biblical first Commandment and presented them as the second commandment. The Biblical second Commandment is completely missing! Thereafter, from the third commandment to the tenth, the commandments are in the same order as in the Bible. Again, THE BIBLICAL SECOND COMMANDMENT IS ENTIRELY MISSING!!
Why would anyone leave the second commandment out, and substitute something else to make it resemble ten commandments? We are aware that in the past the Catholic Church has removed the second commandment, which they did to accommodate their image worship.
Why has the Ten Commandment Commission also removed the Biblical second commandment as seen in the display on the Ten Commandment pin? This change is in harmony with the Catholic Church's version of the Ten Commandments as found in their Catechism! As we have already seen, the Catholic Church has, in their version of the Ten Commandments, also removed nearly all the text of the fourth commandment, the Sabbath commandment!
The Ten Commandment pin, as we have discovered, represents in its display another man-made variation of the Ten Commandments, and this version also has similarities to the ten commandments of the Papacy. On the Ten Commandment pin, the Ten Commandment Commission is seeking to exalt yet another man-made variation of the Ten Commandment Law, and NOT the Ten Commandment Law of God! The people are encouraged to wear this pin!
Most people are not familiar with the Hebrew language, nor are they aware of the falsification of the Ten Commandment Law of God. By wearing the pin, they will unknowingly - in principle - give homage to a man-made ten commandment law, while believing that they are promoting and honoring God's Ten Commandment Law as found in the Bible. It is a very subtle deception, and another example of the systematic disregard of the true, complete Ten Commandment Law of God.
The Ten Commandments Commission is outwardly, on their Internet homepage, referring to a shortened version of the Ten Commandments, but on their Ten Commandments pin they are displaying a new man-made version of the Ten Commandments in Hebrew _ with similarities to the papal version of the Ten commandments.
It is clear that much time and effort has been put forth to create and promote multiple versions of man-made ten commandments, while God's holy Ten Commandment Law, as written in the Bible, is rejected.
Unless the people study and read the Bible for themselves, and have a knowledge of what has taken place in past church history, they can be misled in regard to the Ten Commandment issue. They can become confused by the multiple man-made versions, this Babylonian confusion of versions, presented to them!
As we have discovered by our investigation, the Ten Commandment Commission's Ten Commandment pin does not display in Hebrew, the Ten Commandment Law of God!! It displays in Hebrew characters yet another man-made variation of the Ten Commandments. In truth, the pin therefore represents man's continual effort to change God's Law! It does NOT represent man's effort to keep and honor it, as they would like us to believe.
Unfortunately, the Catholic Church and The Ten Commandments Commission both have part in the greatest spiritual deception and falsehood in history, by changing the Ten Commandment Law of God, as found in the Bible, in Exodus 20:1-17. Their united efforts to that end reveals a persistent disregard for God's Holy Word, a self-exalting rebellion against the Most High God, and His carefully expressed will, as found in the Ten Commandment Law of God.
The Bible says, «It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.» Psalm 119:126.
The law of God as presented in the Scriptures, as He spoke it on Mount Sinai, and as He wrote it with His own finger, on tables of stone, lays man under obligation to God! A loving Creator, God, deserves our expression of loving obedience, devotion, and worship! His law contains His careful instruction that reveals to us our selfishness and sins, and seeks to lead us to our Creator for forgiveness and a new life, free from sin.
By faith, through the new birth, we can be reconciled to our God, and the claims of His precious Holy Law. By just surrendering our life to Jesus Christ, and receiving from Him the forgiveness of our sins, and by faith accept the gift of His sinless life, and His death on the cross on our behalf,we can, by God's grace and the power of His Spirit, live a life abiding in Christ.
We can bear fruit in our lives to His name's glory — by the help of the law! We will learn to love to live in harmony with His law, and have great peace. We will learn to love His law, for it is the law of love — Holy Love — and good and just and perfect, and makes us wise. Like a friend that brings us happiness! Happiness from God! It is like God! For «… God is love.» (1 John 4:8).
«O how love I thy law…» Psalm 119:97.
«The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.» Psalm 19:7. (Emphasis added).
The Ten Commandments Commission writes:
The objectives of the Ten Commandments Commission are as follows:
· To restore the supremacy of the tenants, precepts, and principles contained in the Ten Commandments.
· To provide a global symbol that expresses our submission and commitment to the values found in the Ten Commandments.
· To create a mechanism by which the Word of God can be restored in every aspect of society peacefully and without violation of the legal system.
· To give opportunity for identification with millions who adhere to the supreme, universal law of God.
They further write: «At such a time when God is being pushed out of our schools, the sanctity of life is ignored, and the Ten Commandments are thrown out of courtrooms, it is our moral duty and obligation to unite and demonstrate our stand for divine authority. We cannot let those who wish to remove all vestiges of Judeo-Christian morality from our society succeed. History has shown that no civilized society or government can exist successfully without recognition, acceptance, adherence, and submission to an absolute authority. «
How sad to hear them speak of standing «for divine authority,» and «adherence and submission to an absolute authority,» when they themselves, in essence, are doing the opposite! How sad it is to discover their lack of integrity, in saying one thing, and doing another!
The Bible says:
«This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.» Matthew 15:8,9.
«We ought to obey God rather than men.» Acts 5:29
Jesus Himself said, «If ye love me, keep MY commandments.» John 14:15. (Emphasis supplied).
The question is: «Which authority will you and I be loyal to?»
If the Ten Commandments Commission really mean what they say, why do they not respect and follow the Biblical Ten Commandments? — The fourth Commandment says that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, and is the day of worship! Why do they not respect that commandment as it reads? Why do they promote Sunday worship instead of the Biblical day of rest, from Friday evening to Saturday evening?
They say that a government cannot exist successfully without recognition, acceptance, adherence, and submission to an absolute authority. But by honoring the unbiblical Sabbath, which is Sunday, they submit to, and give authority to, the Catholic Church, and not to God. Why are they speaking with two tongues? Why are they not respecting the content of God's Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments Commission says: «At such a time when God is being pushed out of our schools, the sanctity of life is ignored, and the Ten Commandments are thrown out of courtrooms, it is our moral duty and obligation to unite and demonstrate our stand for divine authority.»
The Ten Commandments Commission is, in reality, not respecting and giving authority and honor to God's Holy Ten Commandment Law, as they pretend to do. Are they not - in principle - submitting to another authority — the unbiblical authority of the Roman Catholic Church?
Are not they themselves, in a way, casting Gods Ten Commandments out of the school-rooms, the courtrooms and leading the people to man-made commandments? While they are saying that we should follow divine authority, they promote man-made authority.
Here is something to think about for all of us. The Bible teaches that if we break one commandment, it is the same as if we broke all (for we broke the law). «For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.» (See James 2: 10-12.)
If we know the truth, and teach the Ten Commandments in any other way than what Christ and the Bible says, then we are leading the people away from the will of God.. It is a very serious thing to make light of God's Word, and His Ten Commandment Law, the Divine Law, the Constitution of the universe, taught by the sovereign God, in His Holy Word. Let us patiently uphold it, and be found faithful, by His grace, to all its precepts.
«Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.» Revelation 14:12.
Because of the urgency of this matter, the Ten Commandments Commission is calling on all supporters of traditional values to unite and let their voices be heard. They appeal to all supporters to do this primarily through the wearing of the Ten Commandments Pin that they have made available and by celebrating the annual Ten Commandments (Sun)day. They are calling on all churches, synagogues, ministry leaders, Christians, and all that care about traditional values to celebrate Ten Commandments Sunday by hosting local community events in support of the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments Commission has assembled a massive coalition of cross cultural interdenominational community leaders, pastors, rabbis, educators, and heads of denominations who are committed to standing up for traditional values. They further say: «By making our voices heard in support of the Ten Commandments, we believe we will make a major societal impact by restoring God's eternal moral code to the heart of our nation. Will you join us as we call our nation back to the divine standard upon which it was founded?»
In summary: The Ten Commandments Commission called on all supporters of traditional values to unite and let their voices be heard by wearing «The Ten Commandments pin.» This pin, we have discovered, has a display in Hebrew representing the unbiblical, man-made version of the Ten Commandments as found in their catechism, that makes provision for celebrating the unbiblical day of rest, Sunday.
«The Ten Commandments pin,» as it is called, therefore DOES NOT represent The Ten Commandment Law of God. Most people will naturally tend to think that it does, and are led to believe it does. It represents - in priciple - the false ten commandments of the Catholic church, promoted for over a thousand years, creating man-made traditional values.
They appeal to all the leaders in the nation who care about traditional values to celebrate the Ten Commandments Sunday. While this is a clear attempt to uplift Sunday as a national day of rest in the United States, they also want to make it a global movement.
The «Ten Commandments Day» is the «Ten Commandments Sunday.» Do you recognize that?
The traditional values mentioned in their statements includes the Sunday tradition, a tradition from Rome. They do not uplift Biblical values, but traditional values - Sunday as the day of rest - a traditional falsehood!
Let us take a close, brief look at the Sunday tradition! From a Roman Catholic book of creed we read the following:
«Question: Which is the Sabbath day?
Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D.336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.
Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church (Roman Catholic) has power to institute festivals of precept?
Answer: Had she no such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her - she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.» («Doctrinal Catechism», p. 147, and «The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine» (1977 edition), p. 50.
Appeal: By God's grace you can now understand a little better the bigger picture of the movement promoted by The Ten Commandments Commission. We are in an intense spiritual battle, the battle between truth and error, between Christ and Satan! It is important that we stay informed so we can make the right choices in regard to the issues at hand, and take our stand accordingly. Stand for God and the truth!
THE SUNDAY TRADITION AND THE TRUE SABBATH
In this connection we refer to John Paul II. In his encyclical Dies Domini (The Lord´s Day), published in May 31st 1998, the Pope admits that the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week in the Bible, is the Scriptural day of rest. But then, he gives the impression that Jesus liberated the day, showing how it was to be used, and then draws this conclusion: «This is why Christians, called as they are to proclaim the liberation won by the blood of Christ, felt that they had the authority to transfer the meaning of the Sabbath to the day of the Resurrection.» (Point 63). Can you see the weakness in his reasoning? The Pope defends the transfer of the Sabbath to Sunday, and the fact that the Christians felt they had the right to make this change. In his document, he also admits that Sunday, as a rest day, is a tradition.
This question arises: Are we to make our decisions and determine our faith based on emotions and traditions?
The Pope, therefore, is of the opinion that they had the right to change the day of rest from the Sabbath to the Sunday. Indeed, they consider Sunday the mark of their authority. The Catholic Church confirms through many statements that she has a mark.
We read: «Sunday is our mark of authority. The church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance (to Sun-day) is proof of that fact.» («Catholic Record,» London/Ontario, Sept. 1, 1923). (Emphasis supplied). Let us look at another: «Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act... And the act is a MARK of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things.» (H. F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons). (Emphasis supplied).
So the Catholic Church has a mark of their authority, and that is the introduction of the Sunday, the unbiblical day of rest. This is the Mark of the Beast. For more in-depth study on this subject, go to the web page www.endtime.net, in the document «666, the Beast, the Mark of the Beast,» or contact us.
It is astonishing, and at the same time very sad, that the Lutheran Church with all her branches have joined with the Catholics in accepting the false day of rest and the false commandments promoted in the Catechism. They have accepted a counterfeit of a God-given commandment. Those who are acquainted with the facts and accept the falsehoods, and do not turn away from them, also break Gods law.
It is even more astonishing that forces within the land of liberty, the United States, have started to openly uplift the unbiblical Catholic day of rest. The Bible, in Revelation 13:11-16, tells us this will happen:
13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Now we see the first clear steps to gather people in all branches of society to uplift Sunday as the day of rest, even though it states in the American Constitution that Congress shall make no law concerning religion.
PROPHECY FULFILLED
Prophecy is being fulfilled. It seems that this is a clear step forward towards implementing the Mark of the Beast, the false unbiblical day of rest in the United States. We will soon see Congress make laws concerning Sunday as the day of rest, and that those who refuse to follow this law will be punished as lawbreakers. Ultimately, according to Revelation 13:15-16, there will be a law enforced that will carry a death decree against everyone that violates the law of Sunday sacredness. It is at this time that Christ will return with all His holy angels in the clouds of heaven, and deliver His faithful people.
However, in spite of the efforts to uplift the false Ten Commandments and the spurious Sabbath, Scripture states: «The sabbath was made for man. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath» (Mark 2:27-28). In other words, the day of rest was made for mankind, for all of us, irrespective of race and nationality.
If anyone was to change the Ten Commandments and the day of rest, it would, therefore, have to be Jesus. This He has not done. The Bible states: «Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever» (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore, all Christians should keep God's and Christ's holy rest day, the seventh-day Sabbath.
Christ says: «If you love me, keep MY Commandments. John 14:15. (Emphasis supplied).
Do you love Christ? Which day of rest will you then keep?
The Bible always speaks about the Sabbath day as the day between the Biblical sixth day of the week and the first day of the week. In connection with the death of Jesus, His burial and resurrection, the Bible calls the day Jesus died «the preparation day,» or «the day before the Sabbath.» (Luke 23:54-56). We also call it Good Friday. The day Jesus arose from the grave is called the first day of the week, our Sunday. (Luke 24:1-3). The day between these two days is called «the Sabbath,» «the seventh day,» Saturday. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, rested in the tomb on Saturday, and arose to a new workday on Sunday.
Therefore Sunday is — according to the Bible — the first of the six workdays of the week, and the followers of Christ will accept this. (Gen. 1:1-5; Neh.13:16-21). The disciples continued to keep the Sabbath as the day of rest also after the resurrection of Jesus, which is in the new covenant. (Acts 13:42-44; 16:11-15; 17:2; 18:4, 11).
The Bible describes the Sabbath as the Lord's holy day (See Isaiah 58:13). «The Lord's day» is therefore NOT Sunday, but the Sabbath (Saturday). Sunday means «the day of the Sun,» and not the Son's day.
There are countries that have adjusted the days of the calendar. In some countries of Europe this was done as of January 1, 1973. Before that date Saturday was the seventh day of the week, according to their calendar. Ever since that date Saturday has been the sixth day of the week. Sunday, which previously was listed as the first day, now stands as the seventh day of the week.
This is misleading. The impression can be given that Sunday is the seventh day of the Bible. Some people, including the Catholic Church, have started to mention Sunday as Sabbath. But those who are willing to do a little investigation, will soon discover that Sunday is a false Sabbath. Sunday was originally the first day of the week, and according to Biblical reckoning it is still the first work day of the week (Luke 24:1-3).
Therefore, because of the change that has taken place in regard to the day of rest, we have to make a decision. Do we want to obey God and keep His precious Sabbath day holy, or obey man and keep Sunday?
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
Many Christians observe the first day of the week as the day of rest, in memory of the resurrection of Jesus. But even if someone decided to celebrate the day of the resurrection, it is wrong to jump to the conclusion that we therefore have a new day of rest.
Jesus created this world and He also instituted the day of rest. (Gen. 2:1-3). It is even written that «All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.» (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. (Is. 58:13). If the day of rest were to be changed, Jesus would be the one to make that change. This He has not done. It is the Papacy (the beast) that is responsible for this change.
The Bible says that God blessed and hallowed the seventh day, the Sabbath, not Sunday, the Biblical first day of the week. (Luke 24:1-3). Are you able to find — in the Bible — that Jesus has asked us to stop keeping the seventh day holy, and instead commanded us to keep the first day? Are you able to find that He has changed the Ten Commandments, including the commandment to keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy, the commandment which God wrote with His own finger? Are you able to find that God or Jesus has made holy and blessed the first day of the week? Be honest with yourself and answer these questions. It is quite clear that the Bible tells us that God set aside the seventh day for a holy purpose and blessed it. It is the day that in a special way has been set aside for spiritual and physical renewal. It is the true day of rest, God's day for us.
God gave us the day of rest because He loves us and wants to bless us in a special way by His presence. If we love God, we want to show our faith and obedience to Him by keeping holy the day of rest He has instituted for our good. Only then will we receive the full blessing of the day of rest. (Mark. 2:27-28; Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:11; 1 John 5:3).
THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY
The United States is symbolically represented in Bible prophecy. In Revelation Chapter 13, verse 11, it says that this nation rises like a lamb, but that it would speak as a dragon. Yes, the Bible makes it clear that this very nation, the United States, will be the power leading in the exaltation of what is called «the Beast,» and it will finally enforce «the Mark of the Beast.»
Most people will be surprised when they discover that the United States, which is known as a nation of religious liberty, will suppress the conscience and force people to worship a religious authority, through strict religious laws, enforced by the state (Rev. 13:11).
The Bible reveals that this nation - (that should stand for religious liberty and never enforce laws concerning religion) - will eventually issue a death decree in order to destroy those who will not accept «the Image of the Beast» and «the Mark of the Beast.»
Those who have warned the people from the Bible, in regard to this prophecy, have been looked upon as «prophets of doom.» However, after the United States started the arrests of terrorists all over the world, many thinking people realize the implication this could have in the context of religious intolerance, or loss of religious freedom.
Eventually, this expression, «terrorists,» could possibly be applied to those considered to be «Christian Fundamentalists,» those who will obey God rather than man. These faithful ones will find themselves in opposition to the laws of the land, when those laws conflict with the law of God. Therefore the question today is; Do we see that the United States has begun to speak as a dragon? Will the United States be our authority in every aspect of life?
A SUNDAY MOVEMENT
A Sunday movement is presently in progress all over the world. Strong religious groups exist in the United States, such as «The Lord's Day Alliance,» «The Christian Coalition,» «The Ten Commandments Commission» and others, working hard in order to establish traditional values, which includes Sunday as a national and universal day of rest. Because of moral decay, threatening economic collapse and reduced interest in Christianity, they firmly believe the people and the nation must get back to the Ten Commandments in order to receive the blessing of God. It is in this connection that they want to restore Sunday as the day of rest.
Today we see how bishops and priests are uniting with Christian alliances, the business world, trade unions and other organizations to give life to Sunday as the day of rest. They are trying to give life to the Mark of the Beast. Today the Catholic Church and the fallen Protestant Churches try to find common points to agree upon to have unity, and Sunday, as a common day of rest, is something both Catholics and most Protestants can agree upon. This is a smart move by the Catholics, because the exaltation of Sunday is in reality an effort by the Catholic establishment to strengthen the mark of their authority -Sunday - in all the nations.
The celebration of the Ten Commandments Sunday is a clear attempt to uplift Sunday as a national day of worship in the United States, and soon the next steps will be taken in order to establish Sunday as a national day of worship. Then other countries will follow their example. Bible prophecy reveals that this nation (United States) will enforce the Mark of the Beast (Sunday, as a day of rest) by law. The last events will be rapid ones (Rom. 9:28). They will happen «as travail upon a woman with child» (1 Thess. 5:1-3).
OBLIGATORY SUNDAY OBSERVANCE
Today both Catholic and Protestant nations have dormant Sunday laws incorporated in their legal system. When these and new laws are enforced, it will be obligatory to keep Sunday as a day of rest. At that time the prophecy of «the Mark of the Beast» will be fulfilled.
The Bible says that in the end the whole world will be drawn into this last great conflict. We will either choose to worship God and honor Him as the Creator of heaven and earth - by keeping holy God's and Jesus' day of rest, which is the Sabbath - or we will be loyal to «the Beast» (the Papacy) and take its mark, which is Sunday. Those who love the Saviour and are filled with the Holy Spirit, will prove their loyalty to God by observing His law. They will refuse to accept a counterfeit Sabbath, and will rank under the banner of the Lord. They are the ones who will receive the seal of the living God.
Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday Sabbath, will receive the Mark of the Beast.
Those who choose to receive the Mark of the Beast, will receive the mark in their foreheads (representing decisions made in their mind) or receive it in their right hand (representing their actions or power). But not one person is made to feel the wrath of God until the truth has been brought in contact with his mind and conscience, and has been rejected.
Even though the Sunday - Sabbath conflict is just ahead of us, decisions to be faithful must be made today. We know the facts concerning the violation of the law of God and the forgery of the testament that has taken place concerning the day of rest. It is therefore important that we take a stand against the false Sabbath now. We should choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus now, and He kept the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week - from sunset Friday till sunset Saturday.
We believe there are honest and sincere people in the different denominations, including the Catholic Church. When these individuals discover the deceptions that have taken place in regard to God's Ten Commandments, including the Sabbath commandment, a number of them will deal with these falsehoods. They will cut the bands that bind them, and become powerful tools for God in the closing work at the end time.
When we, through this document, reveal what has taken place, that the Catholic system is behind the change of the day of worship, it is not to condemn the Catholic believers as individuals, but to enlighten and help them, and all of us, to arrive at the right conclusion on this subject.
The Ten Commandments Commission is an instrument that is working to uphold Sunday as a national and global day of rest, starting in the United States. This is just as prophecy has foretold in Revelation chapter 13. But as we have seen, Sunday is a false Sabbath day. Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right before our eyes, and soon we will be tested whether we will worship God on His Sabbath day, or be loyal to the Catholic Church and the fallen Protestant Churches and keep the spurious Sabbath! (Rev. 13:15-16).
CHURCH AND STATE
It is worth noting that Jay Sekulow, the chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, is also in favour of joining church and state. This is a Catholic model, and the Bible calls it «the Image of the Beast,» a picture or a model of the Papacy, where the church uses the state to enforce religious laws, as they did during the Dark Middle Ages.
In the United States there has always been a separation between the church and state. In the American Constitution it says: «Congress shall make no laws regarding the establishment of religion.» This has been upheld until our time. However, as we have seen in Revelation 13, the Bible tells us that there will be a change in America. This nation will set up an image to the Beast, an image to the Papacy, where church and state work together. An individual's religious conviction will not be respected, but trampled upon by the laws of the land.
The Bible tells us that America will use all the power from the first Beast (the Papacy) in order to:
1. Enforce the image of the Beast (when the church in the United States will receive help from the state to enforce religious laws.
2. Enforce the mark of the Beast (the Papal spurious Sabbath, Sunday).
It is also interesting to note that in 1958 the Court asserted, for the first time, that «the federal judiciary is supreme in the exposition of the law of the Constitution.» And «it is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.»
We know that when five of the nine Supreme Court members in the United States are Catholics, then they will tell the American people how they shall interpret and understand the laws and the constitution. In this connection we remember the Apostolic Letter from Pope Leo XIII:
«We exhort all Catholics to devote careful attention to public matters, and to take part in all municipal affairs and elections and all public services, meetings and gatherings. All Catholics must make themselves felt as active elements in the daily political life in the countries where they live. All Catholics should exert their power to cause the constitution of the states to be modelled on the principles of the true church.» - Pope Leo XIII, Apostolic Letter 1890.
A Catholic Judge is bound to obey Church Law instead of State Law. Here is the official Papal pronouncement:
«A judge may never oblige any person to perform an act contrary to the law of God or of His Church (Catholic Church)… Wherefore he cannot pronounce a penal sentence which would be eguivalent to approval of such a law.» _ Pope Pius XII, Nov. 6. 1949.
«In other words, Catholic judges, whether citizens of a communist, democratic, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, or even non-Christian nation, are explicitly forbidden to obey the laws of their country if such laws do not harmonize with those of their church.»
In short, «he (the Catholic Judge) must bow before the laws of the Church by forsaking those of the State, thus acting as a Catholic first and as a citizen second.» (Avro Manhattan, Vatican Imperialism in the Twentieth Century, p. 119, 120 and 128).
A country speaks through its laws, and as we already have seen, the Bible says that this nation (United States) will speak as a dragon. But the true followers of Christ will be loyal to Christ. They will keep God's day of rest. They will follow their conscience and not the laws of men, when their laws are going against God's law.
This will be the great battle in the end time, and God's Ten Commandments and the Sabbath will be the great test, because in the Sabbath Commandment God, the Lawgiver; reveals himself as the Creator of heaven and earth. It is He we shall worship and be loyal to, and not to the papacy and the fallen protestant churches. It is in this time of trouble that Christ will come and deliver His people, and the world will come to an end. God will create a new heaven and a new earth, where the righteous will live in peace and liberty. (1. Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 15:2; Rev. 21:1-4).
The Holy Word of God proclaims:
«Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto
these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city,
and from the things which are written in this book.» (Rev. 22:14-19).
APPEAL:
Take a stand for Christ NOW and follow Him! Signs of the times tell us that Christ soon will return. It is important for each one of us to take a stand for Christ NOW! Then we can be witnesses for Him, help other people to take a stand for Him, and be ready when He returns to take the faithful ones to Heaven. By God's grace and by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will be ready!
In the blessed hope,
Bente and Abel Struksnes