Are You Breaking 'The Law'?


The Psalmist David said, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." Psalms 19:7. This book is all about that perfect law and if perfect, why has it been changed?

Changed, you say? I didn't know it was changed. Who has the right to dictate to God what His law should say? Don't be alarmed, many people do not realize that, in fact, God's holy law has been changed, and God is not pleased with those who have tampered with His law.

There is, in the Bible, a divine command to observe the seventh day of the week as the Lord's day, the Sabbath. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, 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." Exodus 20:8-11 .

Yes, but wasn't that law nailed to the cross?
Is that what you've been told? Then if that is the case, it must be all right to kill, commit adultery, steal, or lie. These things are just as much a part of God's law.

Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matthew 5:17. Jesus clearly tells us here that He did not come into the world to do away with any of the ten commandments but to show you how to keep them. "He will magnify His law and make it honourable." Isaiah 42:21. He then makes it very clear that the law of God would never be done away with. "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:18.

Why do so many who believe in the Bible keep an entirely different day from the one God commanded to be kept in the commandments? Who decided God's law needed to be changed, and why? The answer can be clearly found in the Bible, and an answer is given us by the apostle Paul. "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except their come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." II Thessalonians 2:3,4.

This man of sin was to arise, and do his work of exaltation and blasphemy and would show himself as God claiming the power to change the law of God.

Clearly pointed out in the Bible as the man of sin, he is the representative of Satan. He takes the suggestions of Satan concerning the law of God, from which Jesus told us not one jot or tittle shall pass away. This man of sin comes in and represents to the world that he has changed the law, and that the first day of the week, Sunday, instead of the seventh day, Saturday, is now the Lord's day. Professing infallibility, he exalts himself above God, and leaves the world to think that God is fallible.

God said, "For I am the Lord, I change not." Malachi 3:6. If it were indeed true that God made a rule of government that needed to be changed, it would certainly show fallibility.

God gave us another warning about this man of sin through His prophet Daniel. "And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and think to change times and laws." Daniel 7:25.

Anyone or any religious system that shows a disregard for God's authority and thinks to change the times in God's law, the Lord's day, the seventh day Sabbath to Sunday is in opposition to God.

In heaven, Satan tried to change the law of God and was expelled for trying to do so. Cast down to this earth, he now carries on the same work and has enlisted the help of a religious system to continue his war against God and His never changing law.

The very work jesus came to do while upon this earth was to exalt the law of His father and show to the created worlds, and to heaven, that God is just, and that His law need not and cannot be changed. But here is Satan with his right-hand man ready to carry on the work that Satan started in heaven, that of trying to change the law of God.

Now you and I would not knowingly, as law abiding citizens, break a law. God knows that many people have been deceived by Satan and his right-hand man. So God tells us, if we have been in ignorance about this man of sin, that if we have broken His law not realizing we have been tricked into doing it, that "the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent." Acts 17:30.

One day, a gentlemen and I were having a conversation. I was telling him about God's law. That now that he knew the truth, and there was no change in God's holy law, he should keep the Lord's day Sabbath. His response was if you would not have told me, I would have been ignorant of God's law and not held responsible for what I did not know. Please don't tell me any more! My response to him was something like this; if your child was doing something that the end result would mean death, would you not warn them of their peril? Would you tell them the truth and try to prevent their self destruction?

Friend, that is the reason this book has been written. John the Revelator tells us that only those who keep the commandments of God and thereby showing our love and respect for God will be saved. John says, "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12. But for those who do not keep God's holy law, they will be burned with fire, totally destroyed. (Revelation 14:10.)

The christian world has sanctioned Satan's efforts by adopting this child of the papacy - the Sunday institution. The man of sin has exalted himself against God, sitting in the temple of God, showing himself to be God. He has trampled under foot God's great memorial of creation, established to commemorate His work; and in its stead he has presented to the world a common working day. This day he has set up as a rival Sabbath, to be observed and honored. In this way, the christian world has been turned against God; for the Lord declares He has sanctified the seventh day, Saturday, as His day of rest.

How can such a bold statement be made about the papacy? Do not those standing at the head of the papacy claim to have great love for God? They have turned the truth of God into a lie. They have tampered with God's commandments and placed in their stead their own traditions. This is the work of Satan and God looks upon them as haters of Him.

Oh, you say, how can you make such a statement?! Let me ask you this question. If something was done that is wrong (in this case, changing God's holy law) how do we find the answer to who did it? In this particular case, the answer is very easy to be found. Because, by the papacy's own admission, they declare themselves guilty. Did this system claim that it had power to change the law of God, and in particular, the seventh day Sabbath?

Rev. Peter Geiermann mentions the claims of this power in his Convert's Catechism:

"Question. Which is the Sabbath day?"
"Answer. Saturday is the Sabbath day."
"Question. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?"
"Answer. We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because...the
Council of Laodicea (A.D. 336) transferred the
solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."

In the Catechism of fhe Council of Trent translated by John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan, it is stated, "But the church of God has thought it well to transfer the celebration and observance of the Sabbath to Sunday." Pg. 402.

Well, you say, what does it matter what day we keep? Does it really matter? The question concerning the Bible Sabbath is much more than a question of days. It has to do with one's willingness to do whatever Christ asks. God does not force men to obey. When Christ came to this earth, His only appeal was, "Follow me." He was the personification of all truth, He said of Himself, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me." John 14:6.

Jesus is our example in Sabbath keeping. "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.

Now, not only does the papacy admit their guilt in changing God's holy law, in defiance of what Jesus taught and lived, but they proudly proclaim it and then boldly issue a challenge to those protestants who keep Sunday as the Lord's day.

"Question. Have you any other way of proving that the church
has power to institute festivals or precepts?"

"Answer. Had she not such power, she could not have done that
in which all modern religionists agree with her, she
could not have substituted the observance of Sunday
the first day of the week, for the observance of
Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is
no scriptural authority."

Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, pg. 174, New York: Edward Dunigan and Brothers, 1851.

"Question. How prove you that the church has power to
command feast and holy days?"

"Answer. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday,
which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly
contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and
breaking most other feasts commanded by the same
church."

"Question. How prove you that?"

"Answer. Because by keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the
church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them
under sin; and by not keeping the rest (of the feasts) by
her command,they again deny,in fact, the same power."

Rev. Henry Tuberville, D.D.R.C., An Abridgement of the Christian Doctrine, pg. 58. New York: Edward Dunigan and Brothers, Approved 1833.

How will you, no matter what faith you profess, answer this challenge? Joshua said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15. And Jesus says, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." Luke 9:23.

The law of God is the only true standard of moral perfection. That Law was practically exemplified in the life of Christ. He says of Himself, "I have kept My Father's commandments." John 15:10. Nothing short of this obedience will meet the requirements of God's word. "He that sayeth he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." 1 John 2:8. We cannot plead that we are unable to do this, for we have the assurance, "My grace is sufficient for thee." II Corinthians 12:9. God's holy Law is like a mirror. As we look into the mirror, we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin and our own lost condition as transgressors. But by repentance and faith, we are justified before God. Now James 2:20 says, "...that faith without works is dead." So through divine grace, we are enabled to render obedience to His commandments.

Those who have genuine love for God will show an earnest desire to know His will and to do it. The apostle John wrote "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." 1 John 5:3. Let me explain it to you this way. The child who loves his parents will show that love by willing obedience; but the selfish, ungrateful child seeks to do as little as possible for his parents, while he, at the same time, desires to enjoy all the privileges granted to the obedient and faithful. The same difference is seen among those who profess to be children of God. Many who know that they are the objects of His love and care, and who desire to receive His blessings take no delight in doing His will. They regard God's claims upon them as unpleasant restraint, His commandments as a list of don'ts. But if you are truly seeking for holiness of heart and life, then you will delight in the law of God and will strive to meet its requirements.

One of my favorite christian writers sums it up this way: "Let this point be fully settled in every mind: if we accept Christ as a Redeemer, we must accept Him as a Ruler. We cannot have the assurance and perfect confiding trust in Christ as our Saviour until we acknowledge Him as our King and are obedient to His commandments. Thus we evidence our allegiance to God. We have then the genuine ring in our faith, for it is a working faith. It works by love. Speak it from your heart: 'Lord, I believe Thou hast died to redeem my soul. If Thou hast placed such a value upon the soul as to give Thy life for mine, I will respond. I give my life and all its possibilities, in all my weakness, into Thy keeping.'"

Oh friend, choose to serve Jesus today!

GOD'S TEN COMMANDMENTS
THE LAW OF GOD AS CHANGED BY MAN
I
Thou shalt have no other gods before
Me.
I
I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not
have strange gods before Me.
II
Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or
that is in the earth beneath, or that is
in the water under the earth: Thou
shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them: for I the LORD thy
God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the child-
ren unto the third and fourth generat-
ion of them that hate me; And
showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love Me, and keep My
commandments.
II
Thou shalt not take the name of the
Lord thy God in vain.
III
Thou shalt not take the name of the
LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will
not hold him guiltless that taketh His
name in vain.
III
Remember that thou keep holy the
Sabbath day.
IV
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 man
servant, 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.
IV
Honor thy father and mother.
V
Honour thy father and thy mother: that
thy days may be long upon the land
which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
V
Thou shalt not kill.
VI
Thou shalt not kill.
VI
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VII
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VII
Thou shalt not steal.
VIII
Thou shalt not steal.
VIII
Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor.
IX
Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor.
IX
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors
wife.
X
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
house, thou shalt not covet thy neigh-
bour's wife, nor his manservant, nor
his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his
ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
X
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors
goods.
Exodus 20:3-17 (Butler's Catechism, page 28.)





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