FISHERMAN'S NET PUBLICATIONS CATALOG PAGE 2
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DENOMINATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
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By What Authority?
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When Jesus drove out the merchants and money changers from the temple, he was soon confronted by the chief priest and elders. They asked him by what authority he did those things (John 2:13-18). When asked in the right spirit, that's a legitimate question. We should always be able to give a good reason for whatever we do, and know that we are backed by the highest authority.
One thing that makes Seventh Day Baptists
different from most of Christendom is the Sabbath, and
it is the only thing that makes us different from other
Baptists. If we insist on standing out from them on
this point, we should be able to state our authority.
By what authority do we keep the seventh day as
Sabbath?
The Sabbath is part of creation.
When God created heaven and earth, he blessed the seventh day and
sanctified it (Genesis 2:2,3). So, our authority is the divine Creator.
That authority was emphasized in the wilderness,
when the God-given manna was not to be found on the
Sabbath (Exodus 16:26).
The Sabbath was made one of the Ten Commandments
of the moral law which God gave to Moses: that the
Sabbath of Creation should be remembered (Exodus 20:8-
11).
The prophets were mouthpieces of God, urging the
people from age to age to keep the Sabbath holy (Exodus
31:13, Ezekiel 20:20).
Christians rely on Jesus' interpretation and
practice of God's will among mankind. He stated that
people still needed the Sabbath: "The Sabbath was made
for man..." (Mark 2:27). Jesus, himself, observed the
Sabbath (Luke 4:16). He assumed that the Sabbath would
continue, for he told his disciples to pray that
certain future calamities should not come on the
Sabbath (Matthew 24:20).
Christian apostles who broke away from Jewish
tradition still kept the Sabbath, as Jesus expected
them to do, preaching to Jews and Gentiles, Sabbath
after Sabbath (Acts 13:42-44; 18:4,11).
The divine authority for the seventh-day Sabbath
is recognized in the Bible as predating Moses,
continuing through Judaism, and passing on into the
early Christian Church. What better authority do we
need today?
By what authority do you do these things? Different reasons for the change have been given, but never has the authority for the change been set forth. A thorough study of that question might surprise many devout Christians. Sunday is called the Lord's Day, but Jesus said "...the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:28). Did Jesus, anywhere in the Bible, ask for a "Lord's Day" to be substituted for the Sabbath? Where, then, is the authority for the change? Sunday is observed to commemorate Jesus' resurrection, we are told. Did Jesus ask his disciples to commemorate his resurrection on Sunday--or any day-- or that it be substituted for the Sabbath? Where then is the authority? Unfounded objection is raised toward the seventh- day Sabbath on the grounds that it is the Jewish Sabbath. Were there Jews or Gentiles at creation? There was just man and woman. The Sabbath was made for all mankind. Just where is the authority for the change? That is a question that should be honestly studied and answered by every Christian. |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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All Baptist Churches Are Not Alike
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Like other Baptists, Seventh Day Baptists believe in:
Seventh Day Baptists observe the Biblical seventh
day Sabbath, the day established and blessed by
God at earth's creation. The Sabbath was given to
mankind long before any distinctions between Jew
and Gentile.
God commanded that the seventh day (Saturday) be
kept holy. Jesus agreed by keeping it a day of worship.
We observe the seventh day of the week (Saturday) as
God's Holy Day as an act of loving obedience--not as a
means of salvation. Salvation is the free gift of God
through Jesus Christ.
The Sabbath provides believers with a specific
time to honor and worship the Creator. It is the joy
of the Sabbath that makes Seventh Day Baptists just a
little bit different.
Seventh Day Baptists emerged as a part of the
English Reformation, organizing their first church in
London in the 1650s. That church, the Mill Yard
Seventh Day Baptist Church,
has continued for over 300 years.
The first Seventh Day Baptist church in America
was established in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1671. Led
by an English SDB emigrant, Stephen Mumford, seven
members of Newport's First Baptist Church withdrew to
form a new Sabbath-keeping group.
Soon, the center of Seventh Day Baptist growth in
New England shifted to the "Westerly" part of Rhode
Island. Other early churches were established in New
Jersey and Pennsylvania, it was from these three
centers that the denomination grew. A desire to expand
the fellowship and to organize for missionary efforts
led to the founding of the Seventh Day Baptist
General Conference in 1802. Denominational work
blossomed in the mid-1800s with the initiation of the
first foreign mission, the beginning of publication
efforts, and an especially strong interest in education.
The establishment of community academies evolved into
Alfred University (New York), Milton College (Wisconsin),
and Salem College (West Virginia).
Stirred by the zealous A.H. Lewis, and benefitting
from a national evangelistic fervor, Seventh Day
Baptists enjoyed rapid growth in the latter part of the
19th century. In the first half of the 20th century,
focus was on ecumenical and social concerns,
and more recently on church growth and extension into
urban settings.
The Seventh Day Baptist World Federation was
established in 1965 to provide for communication,
fellowship, and international cooperation among Seventh
Day Baptist conferences and groups around the world.
Delegates from 16 member conferences celebrated the
Federation's 20th anniversary in 1986, representing
some 50,000 SDBs in 20 nations.
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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Seventh Day Baptist Statement of Beliefs |
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The following statement is not intended to be exhaustive, but is an expression of our common belief, which is derived from our understanding of Scripture.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:3-6, 15; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
I. GOD
1 Timothy 1:17; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Kings 8:27; 1 John 1:5; Genesis 1:1-2; Acts 17:24-25, 28; Psalm 90:1-2; Matthew 28:19; John 3:16; Isaiah 57:15; 2 Peter 3:9.
The Father We believe in God the Father, who is sovereign over all, and is loving and just as He forgives the repentant and condemns the unrepentant.
1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8; John 5:24; John 3:16-18.
The Son We believe in God the Son, who became incarnate in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He gave Himself on the cross as the complete and final sacrifice for sin. As our Risen Lord, He is the mediator between God the Father and mankind.
John 1:34; Hebrews 1:3; John 1:14-18; Romans 1:3-4; 1 John 3:16; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Corinthians 15:20-21; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:6; 1 John 2:1-2.
The Holy Spirit We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who gives spiritual birth to believers lives within them, and empowers them for witnessing and service. We believe the Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, convicts of sin and instructs in righteousness.
John 14:16; 3:5-8; 14:17; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 16:7-11.
II. THE BIBLE
2 Peter 1:20-21; Romans 3:2; 2 Peter 3:1-2, 15-16; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Matthew 5:17-19; Psalm 119:105; John 20:30-31; Hebrews 1:1-2.
III. MANKIND
Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:3-9; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:44-48; 1 John 1:3; John 1:12.
IV. SIN and SALVATION We believe that salvation from sin and death is the gift of God by redeeming love accomplished by Christ's death and resurrection, and is received only by repentance and faith in Him. We believe that all who repent of their sin and receive Christ as Savior will not be punished at the final judgment but enjoy eternal life.
1 John 3:4-5; Romans 3:23-25; Isaiah 59:2; 1 John 1:8-10; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16-18, 36; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Matthew 25:41-46; Romans 5:10.
We believe in the priesthood of all believers and practice the autonomy of the local congregation, as we seek to work in association with others for more effective witness.
Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 12:13, 14, 27; Romans 12:4-5; Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 2:19-22; Romans 15:5-7; Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Matthew 18:20; Hebrews 10:24-25.
Romans 6:3-4; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:11; Galatians 3:26-27
Mark 14:22-25; Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-30.
IX. SABBATH We believe that the gift of Sabbath rest is an experience of God's eternal presence with His people. We believe that in obedience to God and in loving response to His grace in Christ, the Sabbath should be faithfully observed as a day of rest, worship, and celebration.
Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 16:23-30; Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 5:17-19; Mark 2:27-28; Luke 4:16; Acts 13:14, 42-44; 16:11-13; 17:2-3; 18:4-11; Ezekiel 20:19-20; Hebrews 4:9-10; John 14:15; Isaiah 58:13-14; Luke 23:56.
X. EVANGELISM |
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7th Day Baptists 7th-day Adventists Compared
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Seventh Day Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists are frequently mistaken for each other. Historically, Seventh Day Baptists are a much older group, dating back to the 1650s in England and to 1671 in America. The Seventh-day Adventist denomination resulted from the Millerite Movement of the 1840s with the addition of the Sabbath truth through contact with Seventh Day Baptists. The two denominations are alike in the following ways: Important points of difference are: |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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The Bible 7th Day is the Calendar 7th Day
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The 7th Day of the Bible is the 7th Day on the Calendar In trying to find reasons for Sunday worship observance, some people look to calendar changes. Since it was changed in the English world in 1752, they argue that we cannot know which day is the seventh. "So to uphold the seventh day Sabbath on Saturday is unreasonable." But is it? The seventh day on our calendar is in the same seven-day cycle as on the calendar of the orthodox Jew. The cycle has been used for over 5,700 years. For example, the year 1990 is 5750 on the Jewish calendar. Today's Sabbath is in the same cycle that was used when Jesus lived on the earth. The Sabbath always falls on the seventh day of the week on our calendar. What about calendar changes since Christ? The Julian Calendar The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. This calendar had 365 days, with every fourth year having 366 days, assuming that the year was 365 1/4 days long. The Gregorian Calendar In 1582, under Gregory XIII, it was found that the year is actually 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 50 seconds long--11 minutes and 10 seconds less than the Julian calculations. By 1582, this error had caused a gain of ten days on the calendar. After much study, it was decided to drop those ten days. But this change did not affect the order of the days of the week, only the dates of the days of the month. The new Gregorian calendar was adopted in October, 1582. It showed Thursday, October 4, followed by Friday, October 15:
The English Calendar In England, the change was not made until 1752. By that time, eleven days had been gained. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted, eleven days were dropped; and Wednesday, September 2, was followed by Thursday, September 14. Here again, the dates of the month were changed, but not the order of the days of the week.
W.J. Eckert of the Naval Observatory, director of the Nautical Almanac, said, "The change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in no way affected the weekly cycle. This cycle has not been altered for as long as records have been available." What should our commitment be? The Sabbath that Jesus honored was the Sabbath that his fellow countrymen used. They had honored it for centuries. It is the same Sabbath today! It is the seventh day of each week on the calendars we now use. How far are we willing to follow Christ's example in Sabbath observance? IS the 7th Day on the Calendar!
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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Pro & Con
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A brief study on the Sabbath question "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27-28) "You are my friend if you do what I command." (John 15:14) God made the Sabbath at creation for all people, and not for Jews only.--Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 20:11; Mark 2:27 It was observed before the Law was given on Mt. Sinai.--Ex. 16:23-30 The command to observe it is associated with nine moral precepts, placed in the heart of the unchangeable Law.--Ex. 20:8-11 It is a sign between God and His people.-- Ex. 31:17; Ezek. 20:20 Wrath came upon ancient Israel for breaking the Sabbath.--Neh. 13:15-18 If the Sabbath had been kept, Jerusalem might not have been destroyed.--Jer. 17:24-25 Christ observed the Sabbath.--Mark 1:21 He called Himself its Lord.--Mark 2:28 It was His custom to worship in the synagogue on that day.--Luke 4:16 The disciples rested on the Sabbath while Christ was lying in the grave.--Luke 23:56 Matthew, Mark, and Luke, who wrote after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, spoke from first-hand experience when describing the Sabbath as an existing institution.--Matt. 24:20; 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56 It was Paul's manner to make the Sabbath a preaching day.--Acts 17:2 The Gentile believers also observed the Sabbath.-- Acts 13:42-44 Paul preached by a riverside, where there was no synagogue, on the Sabbath.--Acts 16:13 He reasoned in the synagogue at Corinth "every Sabbath."--Acts 18:4 He continued there a year and six months, "teaching them the word of God."--Acts 18:11 If Rev. 1:10 refers to any day of the week, it must be that day of which the Savior spoke in Mark 2:28 Facts About the First Day of the Week, or Sunday As the beginning of that day approached, the women came to the tomb.--Matt. 28:1 On it, our Lord's resurrection was discovered-- Mark 16:2,9; John 20:1. But the Bible does not say that it was therefore the Sabbath, nor that He rose on that day. The women brought spices to the empty grave on that day (Luke 24:1), something they would not have done on the Sabbath. (See Luke 23:56.) Christ appeared to His disciples while the doors were shut for fear of the Jews--John 20:19. They were not assembled to celebrate Christ's resurrection, for some did not believe it had occurred. He came to prove it to them. Paul preached once on the evening of the first day, our "Saturday night"--Acts 20:7. But the next morning, he continued his journey toward Jerusalem. The Corinthians were commanded to set aside gifts for needy believers on the first day--1 Cor. 16:2. This was not a public collection, but a private business transaction at each home. -------------------- These are all the texts which speak of "the first day of the week"--just eight of them. What do they prove? Nothing at all, in favor of Sunday. Carefully examined, they support the reverse. The Bible declares that, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness"--1 John 3:4. But what law do we break when we work on Sunday? If someone can find a text which says, "You shall not do any work on the first day of the week," or "Remember Sunday by keeping it holy," then Sunday observance, in place of God's Sabbath, will stand the test of righteous and loving obedience; otherwise, it will not. "Blessed are those who wash their robes (do his commandments), that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city"-- Rev. 22:14. But where is any commandment that speaks about Sunday? Man's Excuses and God's Answers "It's not convenient to keep the seventh day." Matt. 16:24 "I have a family to support; it will interfere with my business." Matt. 16:25-26, also 6:26; 1 Tim. 4:8; Ps. 37:3; Isa. 58:13-14 "It causes trouble and division." John 15:19; 17:14; Matt. 10:34-39; 1 Kings 18:17-18 "Everybody keeps the first day." Matt. 7:13-14; Ex. 23:2; John 21:22 "Great men teach that it's right." Hosea 10:13; 1 Cor. 1:25-27; Prov. 19:27 "Civil law demands it." Acts 4:19; Dan. 3:16-18; 6:10 "The Sabbath cannot be restored." Jer. 32:17,27; Matt. 5:17-19 "I will be persecuted." Matt. 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23,26; 1 John 4:4 "It makes no difference what day I keep, if I keep it right." Ex. 20:9-10; Matt. 15:3,9. To keep any day right is to keep it as God's law directs; otherwise, His law is not right. "I don't think those old laws are binding." Jer. 6:16--"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths...'" Compare Jer. 2:11; 18:15. Matt. 5:17-18--"'Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them...'" "I'm afraid of new doctrines." Gen. 2:2-3, Ex. 20:11 "The apostle teaches that old things are passed away." 2 Cor. 5:17--"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" The man becomes new--not the law. (See Rom. 3:31.) Authorities Contrasted God commands us to keep the Sabbath. Popular custom commands us to trample it. God sanctified the Sabbath, and Christ the Savior of men kept it. Traditions of men have pushed God's sanctified day aside and exalted a human holiday in its place. -------------------- That's a brief look at some questions concerning the Sabbath and Sunday. We hope everyone will search the Bible to see whether these things are so (See Acts 17:11.) -------------------- |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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LOVEST THOU ME?
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Three times this question was asked Peter, and three times was answered by him; but in his third reply the repentant disciple's heart welled up and overflowed with a fervent gush of warm, consecrated love that dwelt deeper, stronger and more tender than he himself knew, until that moment. and he burst forth in holy eloquence, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." In this simple story there are thoughts that we each may take to our hearts, and, by doing it, may learn to be more humble, loving and true. As you sit in the quiet hush of the communion service and think of your Lord and of his patient sufferings, is it not possible that you may hear his tender voice saying, "Lovest thou me?" and your heart at once responds, "Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." But again you may hear his voice, "Lovest thou me?" and it is possible you may hesitate before you answer. "Do I truly and really love my Lord? Do I love love him with a warm, consecrated heart? What does my life answer? Ah, yes, Lord, as imperfect as my life may be, I do love thee," and your heart whispers in loyal consecration, "Yes my Lord, I do love thee with my whole heart." But, like Peter, you may even hear the loving Savior's voice a third time, "Lovest thou me?" and you are almost startled. Possibly you are a teacher in the Sunday School and have tried to be faithful to that class of boys or girls. It may be you are a pastor, and each week preaching love to Christ to people whom you are to meet at judgment, and like all pastors, you feel the grave responsibility of preaching the truth, and are therefore anxious to know the truth, and you murmur in your heart, "I do love him above all else," and with a loyal heart you reply, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Now let us remember that this is the reply that Peter made to his Lord when his heart was overflowing with deep, fervid love which prepared him to give up all things for Christ's sake, and at last led him to give up his life on the cross. We all regard many things as Christian duties which Jesus did not command, but Jesus did them, and we do the same things because we love to do as Jesus did. We all regard his example equal, at least, to his command, and we would not feel like claiming to be followers of Jesus, if we refuse to do as he did. When we follow the example of Jesus, and do the things that he did, we know that we are doing right and pleasing him. In Matthew 3:13, we read that Jesus came to John the Baptist and desired to be baptized by him, qnd in verse 16 it is recorded that, having been baptized, Jesus "went up straightway out of the water," showing that the baptism occurred in the River Jordan, and the only reasonable conclusion must be that the mode was immersion. If you love Jesus with your whole heart, can you refuse to follow Jesus down into the water and be "buried" with him in holy baptism? Do you thus love him? A careful study of the gospel will show you beyond all doubt that Jesus also set his followers the example of observing the Bible Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, the only day known in the Bible as the Sabbath, the day you have always called Saturday. Jesus loved the Sabbath and observed it, and that fact alone should be enough for you and for all others who truly love him; it should be the end of all controversy. It matters not what I may write or what others may say, nor what specious arguments people may offer; it is a FACT that Jesus observed the Sabbath. Will your love for the Master prompt you to follow his example? Jesus said plainly, "The Sabbath was made for man," and does not intimate that it was made only for the Jews. God commanded all men to observe the Sabbath, but we have a higher and holier motive for Sabbath observance than blind obedience; we do not observe the Sabbath because we feel that we MUST any more than we abstain from murder or adultery or theft because we feel that we must. We love the Sabbath and observe it because Jesus loved it and observed it. We do not understand how we can truly love Jesus and reject what he loved. Reader, what will you do with "Jesus who is called the Christ," And with the Bible Sabbath which Jesus loved and observed? May God give you the grace and courage and consecration to accept the Sabbath, to love it and observe it as a faithful follower of him whom you love, and by this yielding be brought still nearer to Jesus than you have been before. "Lovest thou me?" "If ye love me keep my commandments." -Jesus (John 14:15) (Originally published by The American Sabbath Tract Society, Plainfield, NJ)
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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HER WEDDING RING
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It was twilight hour at the close of a beautiful Sabbath day, and two women, a mother and daughter, were watching the fadng glory of the setting sun. They had been exchanging thoughts fitted for such a quiet hour, while the daughter leaned upon the mother's knee. Now a silence had fallen softly. Idly turning the flashing rings upon her mother's gentle hand, Grace suddenly asked: "Mother, why do you wear this quaint old-fashioned little ring, when you have such lovely jewels?" "I thought you knew, dear, that is my wedding ring, the gift of your dear father on our marriage day. To me it is dearer than all the jewels in the world." "But why did he not give you for your wedding ring one of these diamonds you wear, instead of this plain circlet?" persisted the girl. "My child, this was your father's choice, and for that reason I hold it sacred. It's simple band of gold is the symbol of the purity, the unchanging and precious character of the love between us. As a sign of that bond I wear it, and the richest gem could not embellish that. When he placed it on my finger, the words of the marriage covenant were said which bound us together as husband and wife, and thus it became the sign of the covenant between us. I shall wear it till death." "No wonder you love it, mother." answered the young girl softly. "I never realized it had so deep a meaning." Then musingly she added, "The pastor called the Sabbath 'the sign of the covenant' in his sermon this morning. What did he mean by that?" "He was referring to Exodus chapter six: 'And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD... I have also established my covenant ...And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God'. Doesn't that sound like a marriage service?" "Why, yes, mother, it does. And I remember Jesus calls Himself the Bridegroom. And look here in Exodus 31 it says, 'Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: ...Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD...'Oh, mother, that makes the Sabbath day like a wedding ring, doesn't it?" "Most assuredly, dear girl. God chose this 'wedding ring' -not rich jewels which only the wealthy could afford, but the seventh day of the week which comes to everyone, rich or poor, as the sign of His covenant and only asks that we keep it unsullied and holy." "What a beautiful meaning that is, dear mother. It makes the Sabbath a new and sacred thing to me," said Grace tenderly." But then a cloud slowly gathered over her radiant face. "But these verses are from the Old Testament. Do they apply to us today?" she asked. "I've heard some Christians say that we shouldn't keep the Sabbath because we are not under the law, but we are now under grace." "Why would you think that being under grace, it would be all right for us to lie and steal and kill? Remember that Paul said in Romans chapter six, 'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. ...our old nature is crucified with him, ...that henceforth we should not serve sin.' And the apostle John wrote in First John chapter three, 'Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law ...Little children let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil...' Remember you mentioned that Jesus said He was the Bridegroom. "It was Jesus who also said. 'the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. ...I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?' Do those verses sound like the Sabbath is no longer to be observed? And in the New Testament book of Hebrews it says. 'I will make a new covenant.... This is the covenant that I will make says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be My people.' Through the New Covenant God is developing a deeper love for Him and for others by writing the Ten Commandments, which includes the Sabbath, on the hearts of His people." "Oh, mother!" the little girl exclaimed, "It, is just like your wedding! Just like you treasure that one ring above all the others, we should not substitute a different day for the one God made holy. I will try to keep holy God's Sabbath day all my life and I will treasure it just as if it was God's wedding ring for me." |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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WORD OF GOD OR TRADITIONS OF MEN?
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"You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast to the tradition of men." -Jesus Traditions of Men When Jesus was teaching on the shores of Galilee, Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to observe. They soon found fault with Jesus, because He did not have His disciples observe certain of the traditions of the elders. Jesus answered that many of their traditions were contrary to the Word of God. He accused them of teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mark 7:7). He repeated the accusation in no uncertain terms: "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, ... Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ... Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition." (Mark 7:8-13). For proof of His statement He used the fifth commandment as an illustration. He reminded them that God's Word, given to Moses, said, "Honor thy father and thy mother," but they had said that if one takes money which he should use to help his parents and brings it to the temple for a sacred offering, he is free from his obligation to his parents -- And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother, making the Word of God of none effect through your tradition. The same accusation hangs over a large part of the Christian Church today, of the substitution of tradition of men for the Word of God; and the fourth commandment is the glaring illustration. The Word of God says, "The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God;" but the Christian Church, as a rule, says: If you rest and worship on the first day of the week, you are free from your obligation to the seventh day of the week. Thus they, too, reject the commandment of God that they may keep their own traditions. The Early Church It will be seen that the practice of substituting tradition of men for the Word of God was not confined to the Pharisees, but has continued to the present. Let us follow the development of this practice with regard to the Sabbath. The New Testament Church was a seventh day Sabbath Church. Jesus, as his custom was, ...went into the synagogue on the sabbath, (Luke 4:16). There is no question what day was the Sabbath at the synagogue. Paul, the greatest influence in the Church in its beginning, worshipped on the Sabbath. At Antioch of Pisidia he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and preached (Acts 13:14). And the Gentiles asked that these words might be preached to them on the next Sabbath (Acts 13:42). And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God. (Acts 13:44) At Corinth he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and preached to the Jews and the Greeks (Acts 18:4). At Philippi, on the Sabbath he went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was wont to be made (Acts 16:13). At Thessalonica Paul went into the synagogue and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures (Acts 17:2). It is evident that the early Christian Church and its branches started with the Bible Sabbath, among both the Jews and Greeks. Pagan Influence in the pagan world there was a worship of the sun, and a day sacred to the sun worship, The Venerable Day of the Sun, or Sunday. As the pagan world took on Christianity it retained many pagan customs, or pagan traditions. The survival of paganism in Christianity includes many things. Among other things, pagan converts brought over the custom of worshipping on their old Sun-day; as much as to say: If you Christianize the pagan Sunday, you are free from the fourth commandment Sabbath. This is but a continuation of that which Jesus disapproved: Ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition. Constantine the Great After three centuries of persecution of Christians by Roman pagan emperors, of whom Nero is the noted example, there arose Constantine the Great, who was favorably inclined toward Christianity. He favored Christianity above paganism and made it the religion of the empire. Though he was not baptized until near his death, he took a leading part in Christian affairs. In the year 321 he pronounced a decree legalizing The Venerable Day of the Sun as the official day of rest. Like the Pharisees, he claimed the power to establish a tradition, regardless of the Word of God. So today Christianity largely rejects the commandment of God that she may keep the tradition of a half-Christian, half-pagan Roman Emperor. The Catholic Church Rome became the center of the Christian world. She claimed authority over the whole Christian world, claiming to be the one and only Church, the Roman Catholic (or universal) Church, having authority from Christ, through Peter. With such supposed authority to bind and loose, the Catholic Church declared Sunday to be the Sabbath instead of the seventh day Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Nothing is more applicable to the Roman Catholic Church than the word of our text: Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. And oddly enough, it may be said to the Protestant Churches: Ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep the traditions of the Catholic Church. The Reformation With the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century began a period called the Dark Ages. The Catholic Church contended with rising empires for temporal and spiritual authority. She succeeded in being the unifying force in European history for centuries. But evil practices and traditions crept into the Church which made it Dark Ages for the Church also. There came a time of awakening, and of changes in civilization. A spiritual awakening demanded a house cleaning in the Catholic Church. There were many reformers, some of whom lost their lives at the hand of the Church, but we think of Martin Luther as the great leader in the Protestant Reformation. His chief contentions centered around a demand for a return to the Bible alone as opposed to tradition of the Catholic Church; and he lost his argument as far as the Church was concerned, by claiming the authority of the Bible alone yet retaining the Catholic tradition of the Sunday sabbath. Luthers contemporary, Carlstadt, urged him to include the Bible Sabbath in his reformation; but Luther thought Sunday would draw more people to the Protestant cause. Luther says of Carlstadt: If Carlstadt were to write further about the Sabbath, Sunday would have to give way, and the Sabbath - that is to say, Saturday - must be kept. -- Against the Celestial Prophets. The Council of Trent, called by the Church to settle the Reformation question, made some changes within the Church, but condemned Protestantism on the following grounds: The Protestants claim to stand on the written Word alone. ... They justify their revolt by the plea that the Church has apostatized from the written Word and follows tradition. Now the Protestants claim that they stand upon the written Word alone is not true. ... The written Word explicitly enjoins the observance of the seventh day as Sabbath. They do not observe the seventh day, but reject it ... but they have adopted and do practice the observance of Sunday for which they have only the tradition of the Church. In these words the Archbishop of Reggio, in 1545, reiterated the words of Jesus, Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. Luther stood in his own way in his attempt to re-form the united Church of his day. A split was inevitable and every split since which divides people today into innumerable sects, can be traced to some tradition. Certainly that is true of the Sabbath. Judaism rejected the fifth commandment through the practice of Corban, a tradition regarding gifts. Christianity rejects the fourth commandment through acceptance of Sunday, a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. And so the Christian Church today is condemned by the same words of the Master, For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES REGARDING THE SABBATH
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The Sabbath was made for man. The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath 1. Who instituted the Sabbath? God and his Son created the Sabbath. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. John 1:3. 2. When was the Sabbath instituted? The Sabbath was instituted at creation. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. Genesis 2:2. 3. What day of the week was hallowed as the Sabbath? The Seventh Day of the week was sanctified as the Sabbath. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Genesis 2:3. 4. Does the Decalogue enjoin the observance of the Seventh day of the week? Jehovah God gave the command to observe the Seventh Day of the week a prominent place in the Ten Commandments. 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, not 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. Exodus 20:8-11. 5. Did Gods people observe the Sabbath between its institution and the giving of the Ten Commandments? In connection with the giving of manna, and before the giving of the Commandments, the Sabbath is mentioned as an ordinance well known and its observance is enforced. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning as Moses bade... And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:23-26. 6. When does the Sabbath begin and when does it close? The Bible Sabbath is from sunset to sunset. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:5. From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. Leviticus 23:32. And at even when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased and that were possessed with devils. Mark 1:32. 7. Whose day is the Sabbath? The Sabbath belongs to god and his Son, Lord also of the sabbath. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God. Exodus 20:10. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. Mark 2:28. 8. What did the prophets teach regarding Sabbath and its observance? They proclaimed the duty of Sabbath observance, the blessings it brought, and the woes which come from disregarding it. And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon thrones of David, riding the chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain forever .... But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched. Jeremiah 17:24, 25, 27. 9. Why was the Sabbath instituted? a. the Sabbath was instituted as a memorial of the creation of all things of which man created in the image of God was the crowning work. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. Genesis 1:27. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. I John 3:2a. b. The Sabbath was given as a day of rest. 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. Exodus 20:11. They returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:56. c. One of the chief purposes of the Sabbath is worship. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Luke 4:16. d. The observance of the Sabbath is the test of obedience. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Exodus 31:13. And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Ezekiel 20:20. 10. Did Christ observe the Sabbath? Christ observed the Sabbath and taught that he expected it to be observed after his death. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. Luke 4:16. In speaking of the fall of Jerusalem which occurred forty years after his death Christ says: But pray ye that your flight be not in winter, neither on the sabbath day. Matthew 24:20. 11. Did Christ teach that part of the Decalogue was to be abolished? Christ declared with emphasis that all the Commandments are to be observed. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-19. 12. Was the Sabbath made for the Jews or for all men? The Sabbath was instituted for all men. And he said unto them, the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. Mark 2:27. 13. Did Christs disciples keep the Sabbath after the crucifixion? Christs followers observed the Sabbath as usual. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:56. 14. Was it Pauls custom to keep the Sabbath? Paul and the New Testament Christians observed the Sabbath regularly. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. Acts 13:42-44. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days he reasoned with them out of scriptures. Acts 17:2. |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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CHRISTIAN BAPTISM
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Christian Baptism as understood and practiced by Seventh Day Baptists always means immersion, a complete burial of the body in water. In this they believe they follow the example of Jesus and perpetuate the only form of baptism used by the New Testament Christians. John the Baptist came baptizing. He taught that even the Children of Abraham needed a new birth through repentance and faith as a preparation for entering the new messianic kingdom, and his baptism was a token of this religious and moral change: John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus (Acts 19:4). Jesus Is Baptized Jesus went to John for baptism not because he himself needed repentance and a new moral birth, but as an example and a sign of the fellowship he had for those whom he came to save: Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). According to Matthew 3:16, And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water. And in Mark 1:10, we read: And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descended upon him. So it seems very clear that Jesus, when he was baptized, went down into the water and came up out of the water. Christian Baptism at the Beginning of a Life of Faith Baptism is for believers only. on the day of Pentecost, after Peter preached to the multitude, many were convicted of their sins, and they turned to Peter and the rest of the apostles and said: Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost... Then they gladly received his word and were baptized (Acts 2:37, 38, 41). When Philip had instructed the Ethiopian, the Ethiopian said: See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? ... And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip (Acts 8:34-39). These are illustrations to show that baptism was an immediate step for those who were beginning the Christian life. Baptism an Outward Sign of an Inward Experienc St. Paul strongly emphasized the symbolic character of baptism. He held that one who had accepted Christ had died to his old life and had become a new man. In baptism Paul found a perfect symbol of this great transformation. Putting a new Christian under the baptismal waters signified death and burial to the old life, and his rising from the waters symbolized a resurrection into a new life with Christ. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life...Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:1-14). When an individual knows in his penitent heart that his sins are forgiven and that he has accepted Christ as his Savior, he is ready to make confession of that experience through the symbol of baptism. Baptism a Door of Entrance into the Church From the beginning of the Christian Church, baptism has been practiced as a sacramental act preparing the individual for church membership. In Acts 2:41, we read: then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And again we read, I Corinthians 12:12, 13: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. The invariable order in the New Testament is to accept Christ as Savior, to be baptized, and then to be recognized as a member of the church. Jesus indicated this order as recorded in Mark 16:16: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. What can be more fitting than that one who has accepted Christ should come into the church through confession and symbolism which are inherent in baptism? Baptism Brings a Special Blessing In the early Church it was expected that baptism would be witnessed by a special gift of Holy Spirit. At the baptism of Jesus a voice from heaven bore witness saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Mark 1:11). Peter exhorted the multitude to repent and be baptized, and assured them that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). In baptism confession is made of allegiance to Jesus, and in response Jesus bestows a special blessing. The Disciples Were Sent Out To Baptize In view of Biblical teachings, which are by no means covered in this brief discussion, Seventh Day Baptists recognize immersion as the mode of Christian Baptism, appropriate and fitting at the beginning of the Christian life and as a door of entrance into the Christian Church. Baptism is included in the Great Commission. When Jesus was leaving the work in the hands of his disciples, he commanded: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19). |
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council
Seventh Day Baptist Center
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I HAD A HOLE IN MY HEART |
>=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=>
>=> >=>
>=> .od0000o. .o0000bo. >=>
>=> .d0000000000v0000000000b. >=>
>=> d0000000000000000000000000b >=>
>=> d000000000000000000000000000b >=>
>=> 00000000000000000[ ]00000000 >=>
>=> `000000000000000000000000000' >=>
>=> `0000000000000000000000000' >=>
>=> `000000000000000000000' >=>
>=> `00000000000000000' >=>
>=> `0000000000000' >=>
>=> I HAD A HOLE `000000000' IN MY HEART >=>
>=> `00000' >=>
>=> `V' >=>
>=> >=>
>=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=>
I had a hole in my heart. My doctor said
it was "congenital" which he said meant I
was born with it that way. He told me that
was why I became tired so easily and could
not do the things other children could do.
_________________
| | But he also said he knew
| .e0e. .e0e. | a doctor who could fix my
| 00000vXXX00 | heart by sewing the hole
| `00000XXX0' | closed. My heart is now
| `00000' | good as new thanks to the
| `V' | special heart doctor. But
|_______________| later on I discovered I
had another hole in my heart -a different
kind of hole. It was not a physical one the
doctors could sew shut. It was a spiritual
hole and it gave me an empty feeling like
something was missing from my life.
I tried to fill it with friends. But when
they didn't always do what I wanted to do,
the empty ache was still there. Sometimes I
tried to fill it by getting even when my
friends made me sad, but that only made the
feeling worse.
Then I read somewhere _________________
that everyone has this | |
hole in the heart and | .e0e. .e0e. |
God made every heart | 00000v()000 |
this way. The writer | `00000[]00' |
explained this hole is | `000/\' |
not round. It's shaped | `V' |
like God's Son, Jesus, |_______________|
they didn't always do what I wanted to do,
and Jesus is the only person who can fill
it. What I needed was to ask Jesus to come
into my heart and fill the empty hole, and
to forgive me for trying to fill it without
Him. I also needed to ask for forgiveness
for trying to fill MY hole with bad things.
So I asked Jesus to come into my heart
-and He did. I also asked Him to make every
day of my life full and complete and He is
doing exactly that. Jesus will fill a hole
in your heart, too, if you ask Him. I hope
you do.
>=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=>
>=> >=>
>=> JESUS WILL FILL THE EMPTINESS >=>
>=> >=>
>=> .od0000o. .o0000bo. >=>
>=> .d00JOHN0000v00003:1600b. >=>
>=> dFOR0GOD0SOH HLOVED0THE0b >=>
>=> dWORLD0THAT0H H00HE0GAVE00b >=>
>=> 000HIS0H H0ONLY00 >=>
>=> `00BEGOTTEN0H H0SON0THAT00' >=>
>=> `0WHOSOEVERH HBELIEVETH0' >=>
>=> `00IN0HIMH HSHOULD00' >=>
>=> `00NOT0H HPERISH' >=>
>=> `0BUTH HAVE0' >=>
>=> `0ETERNAL0' >=>
>=> `0LIFE' >=>
>=> `V' >=>
>=> >=>
>=> "I pray that out of his glorious >=>
>=> riches he may strengthen you >=>
>=> with power through his Spirit >=>
>=> in your inner being, so that >=>
>=> Christ may dwell in your hearts >=>
>=> through faith."-Ephesians 3:16,17 >=>
>=> >=>
>=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=> >=>
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American Sabbath Tract and Communication Council Seventh Day Baptist Center
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A LOVE LETTER TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE |
(written at the end of WW2) |
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American Sabbath Tract |
Go to the Guide to Bible Understanding study series.
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__________________________________________________________ | | | This electronic material produced by Fisherman's Net | | Publications: a division of New Covenant Ministries. | | "The time is coming, says the Lord: when | | I will make a new covenant." -Jeremiah 31:31-33 | |For additional information regarding printed publications | | write: Seventh Day Baptist Center 3120 Kennedy Road | | P.O. Box 1678 Janesville, WI 53547-1678. | | | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright © 2000 New Covenant Ministries. All rights reserved.
Last update December 4, 2000
MIDI files Copyright © 1997 by Conrod Technical Services