"It is a big idea: a New World Order, where diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve the universal aspirations of mankind: peace and security, freedom and the rule of law." -USA's president George Bush in his State of the Union address on January 29, 1991
The rulers of the world come together and make their plans - behind closed doors. They are about to unite the world through strong confederations and alliances. They are strong advocates of European and Global unity. Why? Who is actually behind these plans? What are they up to?
THE RIGHT HAND OF THE CATHOLICS:
THE JESUITS AND OPUS DEI
You see, the Catholic Church works hard to get its men and women into positions where important decisions are made, because they know that it is through a centralized system they can lead the development best according to their goals. In this way they can break down Protestantism, destroy the independent nations and change the constitution. You will find this goal or purpose in the oath of the Jesuits (the Catholic Church's frontline wariors). In the complete Jesuit oath you find that they will work for the pope in the countries they come to: "I do further declare that I will help, assist and advise all or any of his holiness` agents, in any place wherever I shall be, in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, England, Ireland or America, or in any other kingdom or territory I shall come to, and do my utmost to extirpate the heretical Protestant or Liberal doctrines, and to destroy all their pretended powers, regal or otherwise."[45]
Today we see that the borders of the independent nations are about to be torn down and that Protestantism is destroyed, and that is the goal of the Catholics. We should also be aware of the fact that the Jesuits for several hundred years have focused on education, and is today infiltrating many important positions in society both politically and religiously all over the world. Today the Vatican optains information also through another similar Catholic order, "Opus Dei", which is receiving orders and giving observation and information directly to the prelates of Opus Dei in Rome, (not via the priests and the bishops). Opus Dei has taken over much of the role and function of the Jesuits. "The lust for power between these two powers within the Catholic Church has been hard and ugly. Opus Dei believes that the Jesuits have become too soft without any strength or will power to use force and authority in order to reach the goals of the church. Not without reason Opus Dei is called the Vatican's secret intelligence and a "holy mafia".... During the last decades the Opus Dei has often been accused of not having any scruples of conscience in the struggle to obtain its goals. Under the leadership of John Paul II, Opus Dei has become the most influential and feared organization in the central administration of the Vatican. Commentators in the Italian papers have wondered which dramatical plans the pope has, since he needs such a brutal power elite to lean heavily on."[46]
In the complete Jesuit oath we read about how these specially trained Catholics are encouraged to "among the Calvinists to be a Calvinist; among the Protestants generally to be a Protestant.... and even to descend so low as to become a Jew among the Jews, that you might be enabled to gather together all information, for the benefit of your orders (the pope's) as a faithful soldier of the Pope."[47] As a Lutheran, a Pentecostal, an Adventist or a Baptist the infiltrators of the Vatican will have great possibilities to obtain influential positions in these churches. As time goes on it will give them an opportunity to influence the development in a Catholic direction. Do we see this trend in the churches today?
Today we also see how school books with a certain protestant character constantly are renewed and replaced with books that have a more Catholic direction. This we see in the plans for expanding the teaching of Religion, proposed by the Norwegian Department of Religion, Education and Research, as of July 10 1995. This proposal was accepted by the Norwegian Parliament October 31, 1995. The new subject is going to be called:"religious knowledge and information about religions and different views of life." According to this plan the children on the lower levels of primary school and in secondary school (junior high school) will be taught a mixture of religions. They have to learn about Greek mythology, foreign religions and philosophies and ethics, which is then incorporated into the curriculum, without an increase in school hours. We also notice that the children are going to learn about several Catholic saints, about Peter's death and pilgrimage to Rome. This is an attempt to indirectly lead up to the unbiblical doctrine that the pope of Rome is Peter's successor. Besides this, the pupils are going to "acquire knowledge and get experience through time spent with" the subjects of the Jesuits and the spiritualistic founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola, Catholic history, Catholic traditions, the spreading of the Catholocism and its religious characteristics.
Pure Protestantism has for a long time been gradually broken to pieces, in harmony with the Jesuits' strategy and plans, and now the children are going to be seduced.
THE PROTESTANTS ARE LOWERING THE STANDARD
The word Protestant is very seldom heard today. Have we who live in the artificial, electronic age, forgotten that the reformers protested against the papal system, who says among other things that the Pope is the vicar of Jesus Christ on earth? The same system exists today, but in today's society it is considered a plus to be a "good boy" and not protest against other systems. If you protest, you are very soon branded as a critic or a fundamentalist. Today you should declare your solidarity with the power elite and be ecumenical in both your attitude and your conduct in order to be accepted. You will also see this trend in the Christian world today. The great world preachers, like Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, Harold Bredesen, Chuck Colson, Paul Crouch, Robert Schuller and others, try to be on ecumenical terms with the papal church. Benny Hinn and Harold Bredesen is running a campaign in order to give the present pope The Prince of Peace Prize. They are counting with - perhaps all the great leaders of the countries of the world, will be present at such an international peace party. Pat Robertson, Billy Graham and others are sympathetic towards this initiative.
The well known preacher, Robert Schuller says: "It is time for us Protestants to go to the Holy Father in Rome and ask him how we can come home."[48]
Paul Crouch: "Protestantism has come to an end. I am eradicating the word Protestant even out of my vocabulary. I am not protesting anything anymore. It is time for Catholics and nonCatholics to come together as one in the spirit and one in the Lord."[48]
Billy Graham was educated at a Catholic university, the Belmont Abbey College. When he completed his education there in 1958, he received a doctorate of honour from this Catholic institution. In that connection he said: "The gospel that founded this college is the same gospel I preach today."[49]
The positive attitude of Billy Graham to the Catholic Church was expressed a short time ago in Time Magazine, January 1994, where he named pope John Paul II as "the Man of the Year." Time quoted Graham, as he said this about the pope: "He will go down in history as the greatest of our modern popes. He has been the strong conscience of the whole Christian world."[49]
When Billy Graham was going to North Korea having a campaign there, he first went to visit the pope at the Vatican. In North Korea he conveyed greetings from the pope to the North Korean people. He was like an ambassador of the pope. We also notice that Billy Graham is often invited to Catholic universities, and also that he has Catholic priests and nuns on his ecumenical team.[48]
For a number of years Billy Graham through his campaigns all over the world has been instrumental in bringing Protestants back to Catholicism. Billy Graham has possibly been the best Catholic missionary in protestant garment.
When the pope travels around the world, we see how Protestant priests, members of government and kings greet him as "His Holiness the Pope".
WOLVES IN SHEEP"S CLOTHING
"With the help of agents and smokescreens the Jesuits have secretely infiltrated churches, theological faculties and seminars, Christian TV stations and publishing houses, and have been accepted as teachers, pastors and evangelists. Through the message of love and unity they lead many Protestants into the bosom of the church of Rome. The Protestants are no longer looked upon as heretics, but "separated brethren". The Jesuits have been in the chair of organizations like Catholic Youth Action, Legion of Mary (by the help of Kathryn Kuhlman) and The Knights of Colombus to work together with priests and nuns in ordinary clothes, and they assert that the Catholic system is a Christian church. Longstanding infiltration and the idea of compromise have led to the fact that Protestant pastors are afraid of speaking out against the Catholic Church. If they do, planted agents will see to it that they will have a hard time. Therefore there are many priests and pastors today that do not have a sharp pointed message, and they speak what the people like to hear, without mentioning the Protestant "apostasy".[50]
We are now going to look into a clear example of how the Catholic Church infiltrates the Lutheran Church in Denmark. "A number of Danish priests in the Danish State Church worked through an exclusive closed brotherhood lodge, determined to systematically introduce Catholic thoughts, philosophies and theology into that church. The Danish media calls the priests "closet Catholics", and gives the names of 25 of them. They are now openly admitting that they secretly signed an agreement, where they committed themselves to be missionaries for the Catholic faith within their own ranks and country.
The priests involved are high ranking, including chaplains and decons, and everyone is organized in the association named Church Renewal. At the present time, the chairman of this priesthood assosiation is Parish priest, Poul Exner in Albertslund.
According to the prominent Danish newspaper, Extrabladet, Tuesday, February 22, 1994 the recently revealed facts, which until now has been the secretly kept "clause of object", shows that the fellowship's purpose of the lodge is to spread the Catholic faith and obtain influence from within.
In the "clause of object" you will find among other things that the fellowship "Church Renewal" is a working fellowship for renewal of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark by crystallizing the Danish Church's true Catholic heritage in creed and faith, that has been preserved in the continual and unbroken celebration of the mass.
In addition to the 25 priests that are mentioned by name, there are a number of other theologians and students of theology and laymen, who are members of this brotherhood.»[51]
In a prominent Norwegian newpaper, Aftenposten, Wednesday, March 16, 1994, a Norwegian organization is referred to under the headline: "Mediashy order for priests and laymen. Wants to renew the church from within." The motto is the Latin "ordo Crucis" (The Order of The Cross). They also work to introduce confession and a practice of the Lord's Supper that opens the door for a more Catholic content.
"Former Parish priest in Gamle Aker, Torgeir Haugar, was elected as the new leader of the order, consisting of about 120 members priests and laymen. Other members mentioned in the notice in Aftenposten are Parish priest Einar Ims in Holmen church and cand.theol. Øystein Lund, Oslo. Among others the list includes Professor Inge Lønning, professor of Philosophy Egil A. Wyller and the Bishops Per Lønning, Sigurd Oseberg and Fredrik Grønningsæter."[51] This is ecumenism on a high level.
HISTORICAL CHURCH AGREEMENT
Here is another clear example on how different religious communities unite. "With STANDING OVATIONS and following hymn singing, the synod carried unanimously (Nov. 15 1994) that the Norwegian Church is going to sign the so-called Porvoo-agreement. This agreement implies an extensive cooperation between the Lutheran churches in The Nordic countries and The Baltic countries as well as the Anglican churches in Great Britain and Ireland.
The agreement also implies full theological and practical recognition of each other's churches and offices. In practical terms this means that priests can officiate in divine services at each other's churches. In the same way ordinary church members have full rights in churches that have signed the agreement."[52]
SPIRITUALISM
The Bible also tells that there is another seducing factor we have to be aware of, and that is spiritualism. Spiritualism is the teaching of the immortality of the soul. You can trace it all the way back to the world's oldest and most believed lie, when Satan (through the snake) told Eve: "Ye shall not surely die"[53] God, on the other hand, had told them that they
surely die". This lie is the foundation of the doctrine regarding the immortality of the soul and spiritualism. |
In other words, they believe that there is a soul or a spirit that disappears out of man. This may happen while they are alive or at the latest when they die. But the truth is that Satan can materialize. He can transform himself into an old grandfather that died long ago, just as he can materialize and become a dead dog or a cat. He can also manifest himself through UFOs, as well as in the guise of small, strange men that so many have seen with their own eyes. Several of the Eastern mystical rituals and methods of healing are also built on spiritualism.
The teaching of the immortality of the soul we find in paganism, in Eastern mysticism, in New Age, in several branches of the Charismatic Movement (among others the Toronto Movement), in the Catholic Church and elsewhere.
In this philosophy it does not matter much if the body is destroyed because the soul or spirit is going to live on in another existence (they believe). If Satan makes us believe this that it does not matter how we live now, that we can do something about this in our next existence, in another life, then he has fooled us. Others who believe in the immortality of the soul try their best to live as good as possible now so that they can steadily reach a higher level, and finally become as gods themselves.
But man is not split, he is a whole. It is this life that determines our "destiny" for eternal life or for eternal death.[56]
The teaching about the immortality of the soul collides with the teachings of the Bible. The Bible tells about only one who is immortal, and that is God.[57] Men are mortal. Man was formed of the dust of the ground. Then the Lord God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Thus the man became a living creature. When he dies the opposite process is taking place. The Spirit (life, breath of life) goes back to God who gave it, and man becomes dust again.[58]
The Speaker in the book of Ecclesiastes says that "... the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." [59]
The Bible speaks about life and death as two great contrasts. "Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live," the Lord said to Ezekiah.[60]. The one who is dead, doesn`t live any longer. That is the Word of God. Satan, on the other hand, argues and pretends that life really starts when you die. Because nearly the whole world and so many within Christendom believe more in this old lie of the snake (Satan) than they believe in the Word of God, many are seduced by Spiritualism.
The Bible tells us that Satan in the endtime will seduce people through the teaching of the immortality of the soul. It is written: "Even Him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders"[61] The Bible also reveals that just prior to the coming of Jesus, Satan will through Spiritism, The Papacy and apostate Protestantism seduce men by miracles and wonders. But it is the spirits of the Devil that are behind it all. So the Bible tells us plainly.[62]
THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT
Spiritism (the teaching of the immortality of the soul) play a part in the charismatic movement. From Bible times and also in the rituals of the primitive African tribeceremonies we find that men affected by or posessed of evil spirits were thrown down, in the same way we find it in charismatic circles today.[63]
The Catholics were the first to introduce the charismatic movement. Ignatius de Loyola the founder of the Jesuit order developed his "spiritual exercises" through systematic transcendental meditation, prayer, visualizing and illumination. He went into trance and ecstasy, and was observed levitating (flouting in the air). Through these exercises the Jesuits came under Satanic influence.
Today it is not only the Catholic Church that uses such spiritual experiences within the charismatic movement. You will also find similar manifestations in New Age, in the Toronto Movement with Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard Browne, Kenneth Copland, Kenneth Hagin and others. Also in Scandinavia the movement has its roots through "The Word of Life" and its leader Ulf Ekman, and "Oslo Christian Center" and Åge Åleskjær.
proofs of having received the Spirit of God? (See the sources of the reference no.67) |
Within the charismatic movement it is the spiritual manifistations that is very importent. "Through a message that proclaim that we should all be one in Love and Unity, preached at ecstatic massmeetings, a growing number of Christians are fooled into thinking that the Holy Spirit is speaking to them and that all Christians are really comunicating the same thing."[64] A rather new video about the "Torontoblessing" by Alan Morrison, shows that the "Torontoblessing" has deep roots in New Age.[65]
Another videotape from "Livets Ord" (the Word of Life) in Uppsala, Sweden, and "Oslo Kristne Senter" (Oslo Christian Center) in Norway, shown on NRK TV (Norwegian Television Network) in 1991, gives you a good idea how effective these mass meetings are. A strong leader with a powerful appeal and with great charisma, led by rythmical music, seems to be the recipe used in order to have an ecstatic effect on the masses. "Hitler used the same technique, and parallels can be found at the huge rock concerts today. What very few know is that the technique that leads to speaking in tongues and ecstatic outbursts are known exercises, mastered by the Jesuits for several hundred years having deep roots in the occult."[64]
The masterpeice of the Jesuits, which they call the third power is the introduction of the charismatic movement. We here talk about "hyperchristianity", a supernatural existence and things like that. The devil is an expert on debauched experiences, and therefore tries to bring the spiritualism and the occult into the church.
At charismatic meetings one may experience wonders, healings and miracles, yelling and shouting, incoherent speech, faintings at command by symbolic touching, hypnotic repetitions and tranceproducing words, hysterical shaking of the body, ecstatic and uncontrolled laughter, outstretched arms as well as ecstatic behaviour. The strong emotional feeling is by the followers interpreted as proof of the presence and working of the spirit.[66]
Since God also is able to heal and do miracles by His human instruments, we therefore are faced with this choice: What is from God and what is from Satan? The Bible also in this connection gives us the answer. . The best answer we have is directly from Jesus himself. He says that we are going to know them by the fruits they bear.[67] Their lives will reveal if they follow in the footsteps of Jesus. It is only those who follow Jesus who are His ambassadors. Healers, seers, fortune tellers and others are often labelling themselves as having their power from God to do these signs and miracles.
Jesus knew that these manifestations of the spirit would increase in the end of time, and that they would claim that the signs and wonders they performed were done in the name of Jesus. The reason why Jesus did not recognize and accept them, is mentioned in Matthew chapter 7, verses 21-24. Jesus says there: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Those who say they are being used by God must not only put a label on themselves and say that it is from God, but they must do God's will. Furthermore the Bible says that it is those who obey God that receives His Spirit.[68] It is God who decides who is to receive His Spirit. Those who are used by Him will "let all things be done decently and in order."[69] and if they heal anyone, they will of course not require payment for the help provided, but rather direct thanks to God.870]
Charismatic leaders talk about surrender. Surrender to what? To surrender to Jesus has definitely something to do with obedience. The result of a true surrender is to walk in obedience according to the truths of the Bible. It has nothing to do with faintings (something we see at several of these meetings). We must let the Spirit of God fill our minds, but not give up our common sense.
I have quoted names in this paragraph, but I do not want to expose people as such, or gloat over them. I wish to inform about the dangers involved in spiritualism and the charismatic movements. We are admonished to test the spirits, and the individual person has to take his own stand. It looks like God is permitting this movement to break out in full bloom, so that people may easier see the contrast between the true and the false revivals. Everything is contributing towards purifying, removing the dross from the gold, so that Christ can have a pure people when He comes to take His children home.
BECAUSE SPIRITUALISM AND THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT PROBABLY ARE THE STRONGEST UNIFYING FACTORS IN THE WORLD TODAY, I have set aside much space on these subjects.
Unfortunately the charismatic movement is one of the means which Satan takes advantage of in order to unite the ungodly and the Christian. Protestants that have thrown away their shield of faith, will unite together with Catholics and worldly people, as time comes to a close. Satan will strengthen his cause by seduction and gather them into the camp of spiritualism. Many will look upon this alliance as a grand movement that is going to convert the world and proclaim the much longed for millenium. This will be a fulfilment of the Bible's prophecy that tells about how the world will unite through spiritualism, and we see the beginning of this fulfilment now.[71]
TRADE UNIONS
Trade unions also have a strong hold on people. "Men are seeking to bring those engaged in different kinds of employment, to unite under the bondage of certain unions. This is not after God's plan, but the planning of a power that we should in no wise acknowledge."[72]We must be free in Christ, and choose God as our authority, and not be ruled by pressure groups that use man-made laws and rules that are far beyond the guidelines of the Bible. Already we see how trade unions favour their members, and we can expect that the controlling power from the trade unions will become more and more oppressive.[73]
Trade unions and alliances tie people together in bundles, and we must make ourselves free from these groups as soon as possible, because "know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?"[74] Today we observe that trade unions make alliances with church leaders (the church) to stop Sunday shopping. Later on in this pamphlet we are going to see what this alliance will lead to.
THE WORLD UNITES
Don we not see today that the world's political and religious powers are about to unite? The Bible tells us that just prior to the return of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world the powers of the world will unite. "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."[75] I think we now see the prelude to this unification.
The peace process in the Middle East is also a part of this unity. We see that both Israel and the Arab countries do not make their own decisions when it comes to importent matters in the Middle East. They have to take into account the UN and the international decisions.
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WHO IS THE HARLOT?
The Bible describes the powers in the end of time as a harlot sitting on a terrible beast from the bottomless pit, having seven heads and ten horns.[76]
The ten horns are a description of all the earth"s corrupt and demoralized forces that will participate in this final battle against the Lamb, Christ.[77] A harlot is a whore. This harlot is described as the mother of the prostitutes, a description of the "Mother church", as the Catholics call their church. All the Bible's indentifying marks of this Antichristian power, the harlot, answers to the description of the Catholic Church.[78] Further you can read that the kings and rulers of the earth practice sexual immorality with her, and the people of the world became drunk from drinking the wine of her immorality (representing all false teachings and systems of law which the Catholic Church stands for). The businessmen are doing business with the Harlot (among other things through the EU system, but also in a spiritual sense through the ecumenic), and they think they will gain economical, political and religious favour by trading with the Harlot. But they are led astray by the sorcery of the Harlot.[79]
FROM COMMON ECONOMY TO COMMON RELIGION
The Catholic forces in EU have made a clever move. First they wanted an economic alliance consisting of common laws and rules. After that they worked for a political fellowship that now has developed into a union with a common currency and central bank. The next thing they now work hard for, just as the Bible reveals, is a religious unity with common religious rules. They will unite around the Sunday as the day of rest, a day both Catholics and most protestants can accept. More about this later on.
THE MARK OF THE BEAST
The Bible reveals that the great Antichristian power has a religious founding which they regard as a sign of their religious power, and which they want both the religious and the political world to accept, namely the "mark of the beast". Who is the "beast", and what is the "mark" which the "beast" has?
We have earlier seen that the "beast" is the same as the papacy. "The beast" has a mark, and they themselves say what this mark is: "Sunday is our mark of authority. The church is above the Bible, and this transference of sabbath observance is proof of that fact."[80]
FORGERY OF TESTAMENT
Yes, I hope you are aware of the fact that the Bible and Jesus teach that we are to keep the seventh day as the day of rest?[81] When almost the whole of Christianity now has the first day of the week as the day of rest, we understand that the Ten Commandments have been twisted or that a forgery of testatment has taken place a few hundred years after Jesus died. It is the Catholic Church that is behind this criminal act, and very few are aware of this forgery.
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In the commandments of the catechism, the Catholic Church has removed most of the second commandment, that has to do with worshipping carved images (they did not find this commandment suitable as they worship virgin Mary, saints and so on). Then they had nine commandments left. In order to get ten commandments they divided the tenth commandment into two. Besides, they have taken away the text in the fourth commandment, which says that we shall have the seventh day as the day of rest and not the first one.[121] The complete day of rest commandment in the Bible reads like this: "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."[81]
In this commandment we see that the seventh day of the week, is the day of rest, but you find nothing about that in the commandment of the catechism. In the Catholic and Lutheran Catechism the forth commandment stands as number three. In the Catholic Catechism we read: "Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day." In the Lutheran Catechism we read: "You shall keep holy the day of rest!" As you see these commandments do not tell which day of the week that is the Sabbath day. The fourth commandment, as you find it in the Bible, tells us clearly that we shall rest on the seventh day, while the Catholic church has introduced another day.
Father T. Enright put it like this: "Prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says: "Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day". The Catholic Church says: "NO! By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep holy the first day of the week." And lo! The entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the Holy Catholic Church."[219]
Here is what father Brady said: "It is well to remind the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and all other Christians, that the Bible does not support them anywhere in their observance of Sunday. Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe that day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church."[83]
ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE THE LEGISLATOR'S NAME, TITLE AND THE AREA OF DOMINION
In the complete commandment of the day of rest in the Bible you also find who is the legislator (lawmaker). It is the Lord. He is the Creator, and His area of dominion is the heaven, the earth, the sea and all that is in them.
the commandment concerning the day of rest, has been tampered with. |
The Catholic Church removed this vital point in the false commandment of the Catholic catechism. If not, it could remind of who the lawmaker is and to whom we should render obedience. Unfortunately most Protestant denominations have accepted this deception, and put it in their catechism, their textbooks and so on. The children are brought up by this deception, and today people are soon ignorant about this violation of the law that was made a few hundred years after the death of Jesus.
But even if they are responsible for this deception about the violation of the law in the commandments of the catechism, God's Ten Commandments still stand firm, as we find them in Excodus chapter 20; verses 3-17.
PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL STRENGTH
The fourth commandment of the Bible, that tells us to keep the seventh day of the week as the day of rest, is one of the truths that the Christian wishes to obey. This ought to be done by love and not by force. For the Christian who has been filled with the Holy Spirit it will be a true pleasure to keep the day Jesus told us to keep. We must remember that God wants to meet us in a special way on the day of rest, as He has put it aside for holy use.When we put it aside for holy use, we may expect great blessings. Both through recreation in nature, through prayer and by studying the Word of God, we will be given strength both physically, mentally and spiritually in order to manage the tasks that lie ahead of us. At the same time we show God that we honor the Sabbath of the Lord our God, and that we want to worship and obey Him.
If men had exalted the Creator every Sabbath, we would not have so many evolutionists and atheists as we have today.
WHICH AUTHORITY?
But does it matter that much which day we keep, either the Sabbath (Saturday) or Sunday? Well, God knows. He has never let men decide which day we are to keep as the day of rest. Besides, as we know that God commands us not only to keep one of the seven days of the week, but the seventh day (the definite single), and that it is the papacy that is behind this introduction of the first day of the week, then we have to choose which authority we are going to obey. It is this which the Bible tells us will come into focus just before Jesus returns either if we want to worship God as Creator (who introduced the Sabbath right from creation), and be loyal to Him, or if we want to worship the beast (the papacy) and be loyal to it by keeping the false day of rest which is Sunday.
STILL DOUBTING?
We have seen that the Catholic Church claims that the change of the day of rest was done by their own authority. If you still doubt that, let us give a few more statements. From a Roman Catholic catechism we read: Question: Which day 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 not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with 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 not scriptural authority."[84]
And another statement: "Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change (of the Sabbath to Sunday) was her act. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters."[85]
Sunday is, as you see, a mark of the Catholic Church's power and authority.
WHAT DO THE PROTESTANTS SAY?
What do the protestants say about this change regarding the day of rest?Here are a few statements:
1. Anglican: "And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day."[86]
2. Methodist: "It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism. Nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week. Many believe that Christ changed the Sabbath. But from His own words we see that He came for no such purpose. Those who believe that Jesus changed the Sabbath base it only on a supposition."[87]
3. Baptist: "There was and is a command to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will however be readily said that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week. Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week."[88]
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
Now I am aware of the fact that many think they keep the first day of the week in memory of Jesus resurrection. But even if some started to celebrate Jesus resurrection day, one can not therefore conclude that thereby we have got a new day of rest. The Word of God says that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.[89] He was the Creator and founded the day of rest. Yes, it reads: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."[90] Because Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath it was He who should change the day of rest if anyone should, but that He has not done. It is Antichrist, the Roman Catholic Church, which has done this forgery of testament.
The Bible tells that God blessed and made the seventh day holy. Can you find that Jesus has asked us to stop keeping the seventh day, and instead asked us to keep the first day? Can you find that He has changed the Ten Commandments including the commandment of the day of rest that God wrote with His own finger? Can you find anywhere in the Bible that God or Jesus have made holy and blessed the first day of the week? Be honest with yourself and answer these questions. The Bible tells us that God set the seventh day aside for holy use and blessed it.[91]