God had John write those things in Revelation so we would recognize the deceptions and be able to avoid them. He told Adam and Eve about the fallen angel that would try to win them over onto his side. Eve should have recognized him as soon as he suggested doing the very thing God had told them not to do.

Adam on the other hand, did recognize the deceiver for who he was, but he though God's grace was too powerful for something like death to be the result of giving in a little to the adversary.

A basic problem I see -- is that it is not wise to separate God's redeeming, transforming grace, from His law.

Yes, in Christ's time the law was the focus and they rejected Christ and His transforming saving power. It's very true, they were following rules, thinking that was enough, and rejecting the offer of grace.

The were separating God's law from grace and that is spiritual suicide.

But in the last days, things tend to be reversed, God's grace is used to reject God's law.
God's law is a transcript of His character, His personality is the living reality of His law, by rejecting His law, a person also rejects God and His mercy. (Exodus 20:6) We don't love God by disregarding His law. If we love Him we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15) Especially rejecting the memorial of His creation, and creative power, is a rejection of God, and taking away the very reason we should worship Him. (Rev. 4:11)

One striking example of what is now facing the world can be found in Ezekiel.

In Ezekiel 8:16 These men, who were supposedly worshippers of God, stood right in front of God's sanctuary, turned their backs on God and worship WHAT? The sun!

What happens next in Ezekiel 9:3,4.
A sealing process!
And everyone who does not receive the seal dies.

* 1st we see 25 men in front of the sanctuary worshipping the Sun.
* 2nd we see a heavenly being placing a mark on all opposed to these evils
* 3rd All who didn't receive the heavenly seal, die
* 4th The men at the front of the sanctuary are the first to die.

Then turn to Ezekiel 20:13-21
Reflect on the sorrowful tone in the voice of God as He wooed them to worship Him on the Sabbath, but they kept refusing, and He kept giving them another chance, and another, but they kept refusing, till finally the disaster spoken of in Ezekiel 9:6 came to pass.

The one commandment that is a sign that the Creator God is our God, and we are His people, is the fourth commandment --

Ex. 20:11 Remember the Sabbath day...for in six days God created.....This links the Sabbath with creation.
Ex. 31:13 Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you ...that you may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Since 1844 the true Sabbath has been preached.
True it has not always been preached or practiced with full understanding of what it signifies and means to the follower of Christ, but that does not remove the importance of worshipping God on the day He sanctified, blessed and called us to remember.

Since 1844 the Christian world has pull together every conceivable excuse for not worshipping on the day God sanctified and blessed, in order to uphold a day of their own making.
No not all understand that either, and not one is made to suffer the wrath of God (Rev. 14:10) until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected. But because so many good Christians have fallen asleep in the triumphs of faith and have not understood or kept the true Sabbath, they, (people who realize which day is God's true Sabbath) think it not important and are doubting about its being a test for us now in the time of the end.

Of course Sabbath observance will never atone for the willful breaking of other commandments. We need God's grace both for forgiveness and for living a life of sanctification. But God's grace will not cover the willful rejection of the fourth commandment either.

It is when the Christian world, who have, especially in the last 175 years, vehemently declared that keeping God's true Sabbath is legalism, and to get rid of it have even nailed God's whole law to the cross as no longer binding, then turn around and demand, by force of law that everyone observe sunday as the day of rest, that the third angels message reaches it's complete fulfillment.

Every person will be brought to decision.
Situations will make it very inconvenient and dangerous to worship on the 7th day. No way will anyone be keeping the 7th day just for a show of piety. It will be a real commitment to honor the Creator!

Malachi 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not

Those who now think the Sabbath isn't really that important won't be worshipping on the 7th day then. Now we need to understand and practice what it really means or we will be swept away in what will seem to be worship.

Why is this an important point?
And why is the fact an earthly power usurped that ministry of Christ, also an important point?

What is a mediator?
A mediator's work is to bring two parties at odds with one another back together.
The human race broke their connection with God by their sin and rebellion against God's kingdom. Without a Mediator, they faced eternal death, with no hope.

Nothing we could do on our own would be sufficient to mediate between ourselves and God. No amount of good works or law-keeping makes us righteous enough to stand before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16).

Without a mediator salvation from our sin is impossible. Yet there is hope!

(1 Timothy 2:5)?For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus? .

Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Hebrews 7:25-27 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Meanwhile, here on earth a system rose to cast down the place of God's sanctuary back to this earth (Daniel 8:11-12) They reinstated the daily sacrificial system (a bloodless one) called the mass. Which drew people's minds away from the daily ministry of Christ in heaven, and claimed the work for themselves. Forgiveness came by the word of the earthly priest, not the cleansing blood of Jesus!
This system is still in operation today.

This was the biggest reason Luther rose up and nailed 95 thesis to the door of the Wittenberg church.

We can come directly to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing, earthly powers do not have the authority or the power to forgive or cleanse anyone, because they are themselves sinful human beings.

When persecution comes, this is extremely important to remember. Earthly tribunals may condemn a person to "hell" for not following certain religious mandates, but they don't have the power to do that. Our appeal is to a higher court!

One of the promises of the investigative judgment is that Christ vindicates His saints, (Dan.7:22)no matter what earthly courts or powers may have decreed.

Who do we follow? There are two who are being followed, two choices as to who we will follow.

A beast rose up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. (The Babylonian/Roman/Papal beast)
And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast,
Revelation 13:3-5

What a terrible picture!
The whole world worshipping and following the counterfeit, which can only bring them betrayal and death?
Was Jesus sacrifice for nothing?

But no, it's NOT everyone! There is another group!

I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood...and with him were an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads....redeemed from the earth... These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, the first fruits....

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. Rev. 14:1-4 and 7:9-10

Since that old serpent, the dragon, Satan seduced our first parents, mankind, by default follows the wrong masters, their hearts are at enmity to the things of God.

But there is salvation offered to all who follow the Lamb of God !!! Christ has come to rescue and redeem us from the grips of sin and death! To change our hearts and lives.

Choose you this day whom you will serve; ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua 24:13

We have a choice. To follow the Lamb wherever He leads is a commitment, a choice, it's not a feeling.

Yes, it is God's love that draws us to Him and changes us. It's because He first loved us, that we respond in love. But our love is imperfect. Self love can over ride our feelings of love for God, but real love does not depend on feeling, real love is a commitment, a principle that governs our lives.

At a marriage retreat it was emphasized: "Love is a principle, not a feeling". Quite a few objected to that definition, but it was explained that feelings are fleeting, feelings can deceive us. Many times, people are moved and filled with feelings of love and think that will conquer all, only to find out the reality of life has a way of taking feelings down. When circumstances leave one with no "feel good" solutions, the love feeling only too often disappears.

Real love is not based on the feelings, nice as those feelings may be at times; real love is based on choice, decision, and commitment.



That choice and commitment at times must operate when feelings don't want to take that route.

Biblical examples:
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself (Dan. 1:8) And when faced with temptation, he resisted, for he had made the choice not to defile himself, and God was with him.

Joseph, though treated badly by his brothers, also purposed in his heart to stay true to God, and God was with him. When temptation came, he cried, "How can I do this and sin against God" and fled the scene. Even when feeling down, mistreated and falsely accused, Joseph choose to stay true to God, and God was with him.

Christ, Himself, in the garden of Gethsemane, his human feelings dreading the ordeal before Him, prayed, "Not my will, but Thine, O Lord".

Love in action, following the Lamb wherever He leads, occurs when we make a deliberate decision to do so. That decision is to place our will entirely under the will of the Lamb and do what His Word and the Holy Spirit ask us to do, That choice is made before temptation strikes. Every morning start the day in prayer, committing ourselves to the Lamb. Then when temptation strikes though our sensation or feelings of love at the time are negative, our will, placed under Christ's will will resist the temptation.

People then ask the question, "Is our love fake, if it is motivated by a commitment or duty, not a feeling?" It could be fake, and satan does make people think they are hypocrites and tempts them to give up, but it can also be the move toward a more perfect love, a victory won by the strength of the Lord working in our lives in denying self-love, and strengthening our imperfect love into a more perfect love to our God.

A person with a mature love to God will always find joy and delight in doing God?s will. But we are not perfect! We are in a battle with sin. Satan and sin corrupt our wills, and the self can rear up feelings of disinclinations to do what we know Christ would want us to do. That is often our reality. Jesus said,

?If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself? (Matthew 16:24).

Denying self is not a natural reaction. It is a choice.

In this world of sin, love must be more than a feeling; self-denial will always be a part of the duty of love.

When the worldly laws ask us, under threat of painful consequences, to deny our Creator God, it won't "feel good" to resist.
When in response to Christ's love we fully commit ourselves to follow the Lamb in our daily lives, we will resist temptation when things get really tough, even if it is painful and not giving us a good feeling, because we have chosen and committed ourselves to follow the Lamb where ever He leads, based on a love that is greater than feelings. He has done so much for us, how could we do less.

Friday: Further Thought ~ The Seal of God and Mark of the Beast ? Part 1

Discussion Questions:



Rev. 13:2 the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast,

The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. Just as the Father has given His throne and authority to Christ (Rev. 2:27), so Satan invests the beast as his coregent and representative on earth -- and uses scripture to make it sound authentic.
"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."
But Peter is not the church's foundational stone, Christ is.

Satan has counterfeited everything. A counterfeit is NOT an opposite, a counterfeit looks very much like the true but is false. He is busy setting up a system that brings to him the worship that belongs only to God. It is a demonstration of his style of government. A kingdom that makes the created the foundation, instead of the Creator.

Papal Rome felt they had the authority to rule, in a large measure because they were in the imperial city of Rome, they were groomed for that power by the Roman emperors, and finally given the authority as the head of all churches with the "duty" to persecute "heretics" by Justinian in the newly formulated "code of Justinian".




It is only by the knowledge of the great conflict between Christ and Lucifer (Satan) that the serious question is answered, "Why is there so much trouble and misery in the world, if there is a God of love?"
When the existence of Satan and his angels is denied, it tends to follow that a loving God is soon also denied.
This world was taken hostage by a usurper, the gospel is the good news that Christ came to redeem and rescue a people held hostage.

The reason God allows this suffering, is NOT because He uses evolution to develop a new species of better humans, that's basically what thiesitic evolution teaches, but which wholly distorts the character of God! It's definitely not due to lack of love.

God allows Satan to demonstrate his program of freedom from God's law, so all created beings can see the folly and terror that results from living in rebellion to God's law.
His law was challenged as being restrictive, taking away freedom and the ability to find and advance in happiness and knowledge. How can created beings find out the truth of God's law and love? By seeing the results of such a course.

In stark contrast one can see the beauty, holiness, in a God of love. Yes, he allowed His created beings to try to find greater happiness outside His law, but then, instead of saying "you chose that path don't come crying to Me, NO, He gave Himself to redeem mankind and bring them back into a perfect life of holiness and pure love and joy which is found only in Him and the law that is the real law of freedom and happiness!

The 1260 years the beast sends God's true church fleeing to the wilderness
At the end of which the beast receives deadly wound
But near the end of time the Beast is healed and the whole world wonders after the beast!


What do we see in the world today?
Were the people in the wrong in thinking this "beast" refers to Roman Catholic Papal Power united with Political Powers?

Are protestants now saying that Protest is dead, and reaching out to join hands with the papal power?
Are people asking the papacy to "do something" about various problems in the world?


Maybe we just read history wrong, or didn't bother to read it so we are disinformed with misinformation about the papacy -- things weren't really what these anti-papacy people were saying in years past?

Wait -- what is happening here?
Are these questions we hear just a sign that prophecy is true THE WOUND IS JUST ABOUT COMPLETELY HEALED???

One thing we need to be careful with, is that history is constantly being rewritten. The victor (or want to be victor) tends to try to erase parts of history and replace it with their own version. We know ancient kings did this. And it's still happening. For example, as Canadians, in a Canadian classroom, the war of 1812 was depicted rather differently from what was heard in American history classes.
The accounts from people who lived in eastern or western Germany during WWII are not identical to what one reads in American textbooks.

That is very true to a rather large extent of what one reads in church history on the internet. The papal church was very diligent in destroying the writings and records of the opposition. Much of what we know of the opposition is known only from Catholic writings that opposed them. We no longer have their side of the story, except for a few bits and pieces.

We see this in the issue over the Sabbath.
There are only three or so documents from the first centuries AD, that mention the Sabbath issue that have been made to sound like the church shifted into Sunday worship almost immediately after the resurrection.
Yet, a careful searching not only reveals that the papal church was making decrees and pronouncements a few hundred years later urging people to stop their Sabbath (Judaizing) and regard Sunday, as well as evidence Christians were still keeping Saturday/Sabbath hundreds of years after the resurrection.
Those few documents kept by the church don't really support their claim.
The question arises -- where are all the writings of churches that were keeping Sabbath? They are gone, only hints of them referred to in Catholic writings.




Older books (written in 17-18 hundreds) tend to give insights from people who actually lived closer to the time when the papacy was still in political power, and felt the persecuting hand of the church.
Yet, much of this is either missing or down played in modern accounts.

The counter reformation has worked very hard over the last 500 years to remove the stigma against the papal supremacy, which exposed the papal tyranny and their determination to rule in religious matters. People back in reformation time weren't shy (like they are today) to expose these things. True the intensity of rooting out anything the church called "heresy" was stronger at some times than others, but it was still always there. It was dangerous for dissenters to put any trust in offers of peace, it could backfire on them within a night.

Reading a lot about the history about papal problems and achievements emphases those popes were not holy men, yes, there was strife among them, rivalry, several times there was more than one claiming to be pope at the same time -- looking at their individual lives may cause some to think they weren't that powerful.
Yet, the power lay in the office, not in any individual pope, it was the belief of the people and kings of the supposedly binding authority the system possessed to consign people to hell if they didn't tow the line that kept people under fear to disagree with the papal line.
Persecution, torture, ridicule, being cut of from Christian society and sacraments, were very much part of the program to keep this fear alive and keep people in line.

The picture being created today is one of, --yes there were corruptions that needed to be reformed, but really the papacy was no worse than powers that killed people.
The popes in our day are lovable, pious, good shepherds that the world needs desperately to help solve the mess the world is in now.

I mean -- how else can the wound be healed. Such an attitude is the healing of the wound. And it is almost wholly healed now. Most of the Protestant world have laid down their claim that the papacy is the antichrist. All it needs is the final linking with the powerful civic governments of the world, and the confirmation and embellishment with those signs and wonders (supernatural displays) the Bible talks about, that will over ride the senses as well as challenge all cultivated reasoning and cause the nations to declare -- "who can resist the beast, who can fight against him?" -- they will think this is the work of "god" and the "whole world wanders after the beast".

538-1798 1260 years

So, in what sense was the capture of Pius VI in 1798, a deadly wound to the Catholics?
We heard pope Silverius was also taken captive and imprisoned way back in 537 AD. And several other popes or anti-popes were also imprisoned during the 1260 years.

So what is special about Pius VI being captured and imprisoned?

Silverius was pope when Belisarius (Justinian's general) was in Italy to drive the Goths out of Rome. The Goths were Christians but of the Arian line. Silverius was accused of plotting with the Goths and deposed. In 538 Rome was "freed" from Gothic power, and Roman Imperial law, (Justinian's lawyers had gathered and formally codified Rome's laws as "Corpus Juris Civilis" (?Body of Civil Law?), was established in that city once again. Vigilius became pope, replacing the pro-Gothic pope Silverius.

Eastern Emperor, Justinian himself, a very active persecutor of all who did not line up to what was considered Orthodoxic theology put into that law, the exalted title for the papacy as "THE HEAD OF ALL CHURCHES" who was to also accept the persecuting policy of Justinian against all "heretics".

Justinian was embroiled with many problems in the east, thus the pope, now given authority not only over the spiritual, but also to use civic power to enforce religion was left rather on his own in the west.

Yes, there was plenty of corruption and strife amongst the succession of popes. A few more were deposed, and replaced. But the authority of the papal chair did not change.

What is the real issue involved with the prophetic 1260 years? The real issue is papal primacy by law!

Papal Primacy is what the Papacy lost in 1798. She wants back what she had during those 1260 years.

What is Papal Primacy? First Papal Primacy is not:
Popularity
It is not being the top civil or political leader in a country.
It is not even whether everyone always accepts that primacy.

Papal Primacy during the 1260 years was being recognized BY LAW, as the supreme teaching authority. It was recognizing that the papacy had the legal right to persecute and eradicate all whom she defined as heretics. Papal power resided in her stance of having the very keys over who would enjoy eternal life, or suffer the wrath of God in purgatory or hell. A faulty application of Matt. 16:19's "bind and loose" was used to give the papacy power to intimidate even powerful kings into obedience in executing their agendas.

The issue isn't whether people liked it or not-- many didn't. The issue isn't whether the papacy suffered weak points during those years. We know there were even times when there were several "popes" fighting for the position. The issue is an entire era, covering 1260 years when papal primacy was established by law. Beginning with Justinian's code of law, and ending with Napolean's code of law.

So what was the difference in 1798 when Pope Pius VI was taken captive and imprisoned?

The pope's Legislative Primacy was taken away.
Justinian's law giving the Pope primacy over all churches and the authority to persecute heretics came to an end with Napolean's code of freedom of religion in his law.



The Catholic church did not die, yes there have been more popes, but the beast died, they do NOT have the authority to force or persecute people who believe differently. The primacy with political power died.

And it is that power that will come to life again.

A FALLING AWAY
It has a number!

The much debated 666
Revelation defines it as the number of man --

One point to remember:
Satan is the one who is behind this apostasy. He is the true ?man of sin? who desires to exalt ?himself above all that is called God?.

So what does Satan tempt mankind to do?
We see right from the beginning in Gen. 3, he fills human minds with desire to "be like God", to exalt self and one's own thoughts above the commands of God.
Gen. 3:5-6 (Just disobey God and trust your own judgment then) your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

All earthly humans and earthly powers that take the things of God and exalt themselves above all that is called God, are following his program.

The papacy has been well documented to do just that, and the number applies to her. However, the number appears to include more than that, and is applied to all who follow in that path of substituting human wisdom and power in the place of God. Thus exalting self above God.

The number six is the worlds number; a world that stands in defiance of God's commandments. But 666 repeats the number in ever increasing strength. It occurs in units, tens, and hundreds. Rising in supposed value, but never reaching God's sacred number -seven.

But six is severed from seven by an impassable gulf. Notice how the apostle John stops his accounts of the seven seals, trumpets and plagues after the sixth. He stops and gives additional information, then in the seventh God takes over!
Six is the number of the world in the time of probation, they have a choice but most disregard the warnings not realizing they are heading for the final judgment; hence there is a pause between the sixth and seventh seals, and the sixth and seventh trumpets and the seventh plague. In which thoughts are expressed that the world is gathering into one of two camps to face judgment.
In the seventh we see Christ claiming his people and the earth as His.

As A.Fausett writes in his commentary:


IThe adversary, in spite of having three versions of seven heads (dragon Rev. 12:3, sea beast Rev. 13:1, scarlet beast Rev. 17:3) all three with seven heads will never reach the symbolic perfection of seven, only 666.
One of the heads was mortally wounded, to make up for it the scarlet beast tries to bring up an eighth -- to somehow, seemingly restore the demised head . But it doesn't work, causes a lot of trouble, but does NOT bring the beasts to seven, only emphasizes their 666 position which ends in perdition.


I see a lot of symbolism pointing to the 7th day Sabbath in this. God gave us His Sabbath as a sign that He is our God, our Creator and it is He that sanctifies us.
Only He can lift us out of the 666 realm, into the realm of perfection signified by the number seven. He asks us to "remember" the Sabbath of the seventh day that He blessed and sanctified. (Ex. 20:8-11, Ezekiel 20:12,20)

And yes, history shows there has been, and is, a falling away on this point, and once one important command of God is dismissed, it's easy to dismiss many other commands of God and replace them with mankind's ideas of what is good. Once a person exalts self above God, God's will becomes optional to them.

But in the face of the increasing evil, which making God's law optional brings, people will realize there is a command that has been neglected, but they though they try to re-instate the Sabbath commandment, they do so with a day that is not sanctified or chosen by God. Legislation will be passed to honor Sunday, the day of the beast's choosing, in its place.

Interestingly, it is called the eighth day and given many nice reasons for offering it to the Lord. But the LORD said, remember the seventh day which I have bless and sanctified.

While many people do not yet realize what has been going on for centuries, yet Sunday is symbolic of exalting self, above God and belongs with the 666 realm, we want to be in God's sanctifying realm symbolized by the seventh.

The falling away has a number -- 666 (part 2)
The number of man, exalting himself above God.

Revelation 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:
13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.




Is there anything in the Old Testament that might give us connecting clues in understanding Revelation 13:16-18.

We can turn to Daniel chapter three.
There is an image. It is sixty cubits high, and it's base is six cubits wide and six cubits deep.
A 666 image???

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. A dream of a huge image with a head of gold, chest of silver, thighs of brass, and legs of iron. He was greatly troubled until Daniel told him it was a dream revealing the future. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylon kingdom, BUT another kingdom would follow, then another, and another.

Another kingdom follow his kingdom? this really troubled Nebuchadnezzar. So he decided to build this image, but he would make some changes! His version would excel the original! He ordered that whole image be made of the precious metal (gold) and constructed to stand sixty cubits (90 feet) tall--all overlaid with gold. It was his design that the whole image should represent the greatness of Babylon and erase from memory any thought that the image should pass on to other kingdoms.

Once set up, Nebuchadnezzar demanded worship on pain of being burned alive.

What we can learn from Daniel 3?
Truth can be turned into error, embellished to appear more pleasing and awe inspiring than truth. History will be repeated, mankind will take God's signs and memorials, and change them to institute their own counterfeits. These counterfeits will have a veneer of truth, embellished with inspiring form. And like Nebuchadnezzar, in his belief that he was the representative of god upon earth, a power claiming to speak for God, supposes it has the power and authority to change God's times and laws.

Babylon plays a major role in the book of Revelation. Though the ancient kingdom of Babylon is but a heap of ruins, it's ambitious soul and spirit lives on throughout the whole image depicted in Daniel. In the last days, in the time of the iron/clay feet, an image will be build and demand the whole world worship. Mankind will still seek to rule the world in the name of the gods, the counterfeit will overwhelmingly look like the true .

There is a lot in Daniel three that lays a foundation to understanding Revelation

The seal of God



BUT



What or when is the mark of the beast?

Receiving the mold of the world leads to the mark of the beast.

The specific test itself comes when the light of truth reveals the sanctity of the Seventh Day to the people, but Sunday is legislated as a day when people must cease their work and worship God. Those who turn away from the light shining on God's day to honor Sunday receive the mark of the beast. For they have chosen to defy God's Sabbath and honor the beast's Sabbath.

Right now there is very little Sunday observance. An hour at church is not observing a day as holy unto God. It is when the importance of God's commandments is recognized, and the 4th commandment sabbath is thrown aside while the sanctity of that day is assigned to Sunday by an act of legislation that the test for the whole world will take place.


What is a test? The test is "whom will we serve?" The last day test
comes when all people are faced with a specific situation where a choice must be made, to either follow God's will or go along with the crowd in substituting his command for the tradition of men.

Life gives many quizzes in which people develop a pattern, being molded by following the Holy Spirit, or being molded to flow with the world.
The preparation for the test -- meeting the many quizzes of life with a "thus says the Lord" He is my strength, my Lord and Master, my Savior, I will follow Him.

Does the Papacy claim the change of Saturday to Sunday is the MARK that the church has authority over the things of God?







Several have asked for more modern official quotes:
So here is the present position from the Catholic current catechism, posted on the Vatican Website.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Latin: Catechismus Catholicae Ecclesiae; commonly called the Catechism or the CCC) is a catechism promulgated for the Catholic Church by Pope John Paul II 1992.

Part three, Section Two: the ten commandments, Chapter One, Article three: the third commandment.
Quotes Exodus 20:8-10 and Mark 2:27-28
This is followed by 27 statements. Here is a sample
A point that causes concern is #2188

The next points are a summary.


From what I can see here -- this is a statement tailored so all former Protestant churches can agree and ecumenical unity can progress. According to this view; The Saturday Sabbath was for the Jews, but now, since the cross, a new law is instituted for Christians in which Sunday is now the day of supreme worship.
So we are back to old covenant/new covenant arguments and that somehow the Sabbath was transferred, though no new command or confirmation is given in scripture.

It's plain that the goal is to get the whole world "for their common good" to unite on this point.
This issue is about WHOM DO WE WORSHIP?

It's not about "does the Sabbath save us". -- But who we worship is crucial to our Salvation.
And yes, that worship must be genuine from the heart.

Arguing that Saturday keeping is just an outward show, therefore this isn't an important point, is missing the whole message!
The issue is WHO DO WE WORSHIP! The One we obey! (Romans 6:16)

"Worship Him that made the heavens and the earth and the fountains of water.... (Rev.14:7)
"Here is the patience of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. (Rev. 14:12)
For In vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. (Matt. 15:9)