The 2^nd Century Rise of Heresy (Part 1 of 3)

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

In the second century AD, Christianity experienced a tremendous attack of false doctrine and heresy. People tried to mix the pure faith with other religions. In this three-part series, we are going to discuss the rise of heresy in the second century. We will review the events leading up to this trend and some of the specific individuals involved.

First, we will examine the quotes of two different authors who describe these turbulent times.

Hegessipus (writing between 150-170 AD)

“And, after profound peace had been established in every church, they remained down to the reign of Trajan Caesar…Symeon son of Clopas, was informed against [accused] by the various heresies, and subjected to an accusation like the rest…He was finally condemned to be crucified. Up to that period the Church had remained like a virgin pure and uncorrupted…But, when the sacred band of apostles had in various ways closed their lives, and that generation of men to whom it had been vouchsafed to listen to the Godlike Wisdom with their own ears had passed away, then did the confederacy of godless error take its rise…And the church of the Corinthians continued in the orthodox faith up to the time when Primus was bishop in Corinth. I had some intercourse with these brethren on my voyage to Rome…in every city, the state of affairs is in accordance with the teaching of the Law and of the Prophets and of the Lord…After James the Just had suffered martyrdom [62 AD], as had the Lord on the same account, again Symeon son of Clopas, descended from the Lord’s uncle, is made bishop [of Jerusalem]… Therefore was the Church called a virgin, for she was not as yet corrupted by worthless teaching. Thebulis it was who, displeased because he was not made bishop, first began to corrupt her by stealth. He too was connected with the seven sects which existed among the people…from these have come false Christs, false prophets, false apostles – men who have split up the one Church into parts through their corrupting doctrines, uttered in disparagement of God and of His Christ…” (fragments)

Clement of Alexandria (writing around 180 AD)

“The Tradition of the Church Prior to that of the Heresies… For the teaching of our Lord at His advent, beginning with Augustus and Tiberius, was completed in the middle of the times of Tiberius. And that of the apostles, embracing the ministry of Paul, ends with Nero. It was later, in the times of Adrian [Hadrian] the king, that those who invented the heresies arose…” (Stromata Book 7, Chapter 17)

Hegessipus is considered the earliest Christian historian. He noted that Christianity held to the true faith until the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD). What might have caused him to say such a thing?

During the reign of Trajan, Christians were persecuted (see Pliny the Younger’s letters 96-98 to Trajan). They were put on trial and tortured. During this time of persecution, strong leaders were martyred within Christianity. Hegessipus specifically mentioned how Simeon was turned in by the heretics.

A second important factor that Hegessipus noted was the death of the first Apostles. Of them, John passed away last in approximately 100-105 AD. Many of their followers had either passed away or were older at this time. The individuals with the freshest memories of Christ’s life were no longer around.

These two factors played a huge role in the heretics who would try to alter Christianity in the second century.

Clement of Alexandria, who lived a little later, said that during the reign of Hadrian (117-138 AD) that the heretics arose. The significant event of that occurred during his reign was the Roman-Judean war. The Jewish people lost this war. As a result, Hadrian placed a special tax on the Jewish people. He also banned all the Jewish people from Jerusalem, including the Bishop of the city (who some considered to be the bishop of all Christendom). Some troubles in Christianity started at this time, including an argument about when to keep the Passover (which we will look at in a future article).

These events converged in a time period from 98-138 AD when Christianity would be assaulted by outside belief systems. They started in secret but came out in the open when they thought the time was right.

In the next article of this multi-part series, we will look at some of these heretics and their beliefs. To read Part 2, CLICK HERE

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

BSA President – www.biblesabbath.org

Sabbath Roots—The African Connection

By Richard Nickels

“Black Africans have a unique proclivity toward accepting the seventh-day Sabbath. Historically, Ethiopia, and many other parts of black Africa have been bastions of Sabbatarianism. Their isolation, for centuries, from the corrupting influence of Rome has allowed Africans to maintain much spiritual independence. Today, Christianity in general, and Sabbath-keeping in particular, is exploding in subSaharan Africa.

Charles E. Bradford, author of Sabbath Roots: The African Connection, brings to light many surprising historical facts. Those of us who have been schooled in European civilization may be shocked to realize the existence and widespread nature of unvarnished Christianity in black Africa, for centuries. About 340 million Africans profess Christianity. According to reliable estimates, Africa has the world’s largest concentration of Sabbath-keepers, some 20 million people, of which only about three million are Seventh Day Adventists. The Sabbath is natural to black Africans. God is doing a work in Africa!

Ethiopia Equals Sabbath-Keeping

Ethiopia (Abyssinia) is a nation defined throughout its existence by its fidelity to the seventh-day Sabbath. Today, the numbers of Sabbath-keepers are exploding in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Gabon, Congo, and elsewhere. Why? Because of the work of missionaries in the 1800s? No! The Sabbath is thriving in Africa because the Sabbath roots of Africa run deep, both in Scripture, and historical practice…”

(this article is an excerpt from the July-August 2000 edition of the Sabbath Sentinel)

To read the rest of this article, which starts on page 9, click this link: https://biblesabbath.org/tss/484/tss_484.pdf

By Blake Silverstein

What precisely is the Sabbath?  If you ask Google, it spits out about 63,600,000 results (give or take a few thousand) and an interesting definition at the top of the page from Oxford.  It states the following;

sab·bath    /ˈsabəTH/  noun

1. a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday.

Type it in for yourself and see.  Some of the first couple of web pages listed are, “Sabbath – Wikipedia”, “Sabbath Truth: What day is the Sabbath and does it matter?”, and “Sabbath | Judaism | Britannica”.  Not one website on the first page of results references  the delight the Sabbath day is—only arguments.

I jumped over to YouTube and typed in “Sabbath” and it was even more pronounced.  The top results were all proponents of the Sabbath day being on Saturday, (which is good) but again they seem to only focus on the Saturday vs. Sunday argument.  One such page, “Hope Through Prophecy”, stated, “Many sincere Christians have been deceived into accepting a false Sabbath that was never endorsed by the Bible”.  The man goes on at some length to make the point that anyone who doesn’t “keep the right day” will not enter the Kingdom.  Whether you agree or not, to declare someone will not inherit the Kingdom of God for any reason not specifically identified in Scripture (1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.) smacks of breaking the third commandment.

This isn’t an article on what day the Sabbath is or how it was or wasn’t changed.  Smarter minds than mine have unequivocally answered that question in the form of big books, doctoral theses, and ecumenical conferences.  This is an article about how we go about sharing it and its purposefully subjective nature.

I’ll start by asking you one simple question: Why do you keep the Sabbath?  Besides the standard reply of, “Because it is commanded”, I am curious as to the deeper meaning of why we keep the Sabbath holy.  People give some of the most interesting and revealing answers to this question.  They range from, “I keep the Sabbath because I am made in the image of God” to “Because the creator of the universe set aside that day to be holy and set apart for rest and worship, picturing the ultimate rest of His kingdom.”  One of my favorite answers was, “I keep the Sabbath because it’s an anchor for my life and helps to keep the flow of my life intact.”

I love how poetic people become when describing the Sabbath.  Their eyes light up and the language they use conveys emotion through allusions, analogies and metaphors. You can feel how much the Sabbath means to them.  It’s important to them not only because it’s a commandment, but because of reasons that are unique to them.  Their Sabbath is something personal and sometimes its meaning can only be put into words via poetic language—not prose.

There are some interesting ideas about the Sabbath revealed in Isaiah 58:13-14,

“If you keep from desecrating the Sabbath, from doing whatever you want on my holy day; if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, seeking your own pleasure, or talking business; 14 then you will delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride over the heights of the land, and let you enjoy the heritage of your father Jacob.”

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

The first Hebrew word for “delight” used here is, “ʿōneg”, and it also means pleasant. Please tell me what is delightful or pleasant?  I venture the answers to this question are myriad and yet singular to the individual.  What is delightful or pleasant to you might not be the same for your brother or sister.  I’m reminded of the aphorism, “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.”  Paradoxically, although this relativistic look at the Sabbath permits considerable moral latitude in how to comply with keeping the Sabbath, it also makes it more precise and binding—not my pleasure, but yet still must be a pleasure and delight.  We, His children, must determine how we are to make it a delight.

What’s interesting about the second “delight” in verse 14(ʿānag) is its meaning—which means “to be soft or pliable”.  Keeping the Sabbath makes you pliable to the Lord. I find that to be fascinating.  The Sabbath is supposed to assist God in changing what we find a delight—”to delight in the Lord” and not just in other things.

There are some pretty clear-cut guidelines as to what the Sabbath is not.  It’s described in Deuteronomy 5:14 (KJV), “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.”

As clear as this is, there is still some play in it.  For instance, one fine Sabbath morning I was setting up for services at our church.  One of the early birds was talking with me about a new power tool he just purchased.  This power tool got me thinking about my business and how I could use one to do more work in less time, improving our bottom line.  I told my friend, “I better stop thinking about this, because now I’m working”.  He replied, “How is thinking about work, working?” To which I quipped, “You kidding me?  Thinking is some of my best work!”

We both laughed, and got back to laboriously moving chairs and tables for services.  This is why I chuckle at red-faced legalists who argue with brethren on the specifics of Sabbath-keeping.  The only thing we seemed to really have nailed down is when it starts, and even that has come into question lately (sunset v. dark).  So forgive me if I tread lightly when explaining the Sabbath to the curious.

To those interested in drawing lines, remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees about the disciples breaching the Sabbath?  You can find it in Matthew 12:1-8. In verses 5-8 he states,

“Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.”

Jesus is telling them that technically the priests are “breaking the Sabbath” yet are blameless.  I am reading into this account that Jesus looks into the heart of the individual, then judges whether they are complying with his commandment.  He sees you making a judgment call on how to call the Sabbath a delight, and I have good news for you; He wants mercy not sacrifice.  The One greater than the temple has last say in the matter and states in Mark 2:27, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.”

When I am in a situation that is questionable in regards to Sabbath-keeping (or anything for that matter) I pray for wisdom and guidance—immediately.  I think taking the time to quickly call out to God not only proves your sincerity, but is literally one of the only things you can do.

It is one thing to provide scripture (meekly) that helps support individuals to see their behavior as destructive or against what is written in the Bible, but too often I find individuals hatefully attacking well-meaning Christians about the “truth of the Sabbath”.  This attack is usually a half-baked history lesson containing Constantine, the Council of Nicaea, and some references to vagaries in the church through history.  Both usually walk away confused and in disbelief—one, why the other couldn’t understand something so simple; the other, why some place so much importance on the day they choose to worship God.

The more we try to objectify the Sabbath, the more we miss its point.  This could be a test commandment to see how we internalize this highly subjective law.

I hope you don’t think I’m trying to be clever or cute about keeping the Fourth Commandment.  To be clear, I am not advocating to keep the Sabbath any other time (it’s sunset Friday to sunset Saturday), or day (it’s the seventh day, Saturday), and its a holy day, we are to rest-not work. I only mean to point out the more we try to objectify the Sabbath, the more we seem to miss its’ higher purpose.  This could be a test commandment to see how we internalize this highly subjective law.  I believe by you choosing to adopt His ways as your ways is the best demonstration of your love for Him (John 14:15).

If our ultimate aim is to lead others to Christ, we must consider how we deliver our communications.  As Ron Dart said, “Christianity isn’t an argument.  It’s a way of life”. Describe to people your way of life—how much peace you feel keeping the Sabbath and the joy you experience from honoring His ways.  Let your eyes light up and your enthusiasm spilleth over until they ask themselves the question, “I wonder if they’re for real?”  They might just chase that question into a seat at your local congregation.

My name is Blake Silverstein. I am the acting Chief Operating Officer for Christian Educational Ministries. I hope to be a servant leader for the Church of God at large contributing in the way of writing and leading sermons and presentations. I am a proud husband of Tracy and father to Jeremiah Silverstein.

The BSA encourages you to support CEM: https://www.borntowin.net/

 

Did Ancient Israel Commit Genocide against the Canaanites?

By R. Herbert

“It is interesting that many of those who claim the Bible is not a historical book and its historical narratives cannot be trusted are quick to accept the historical nature of the statements in the Old Testament regarding the Israelites destroying the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan — which they claim to be an example of genocide.

It is true that before Israel entered the Promised Land they were told, regarding its inhabitants: “…when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy” (Deuteronomy 7:2). The Bible makes it clear that this extreme action was to be completed because of the depravity of the Canaanites (Leviticus 18:21-28, 20:2-5, 22-23, Deuteronomy 9:4-6, 12:29-31, etc.), who followed hideous practices such as infant sacrifice (see inset box).

When we move to the Book of Joshua the intent of the total destruction of the Canaanites appears to be confirmed: “So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded” (Joshua 10:40)…”

(this article is an excerpt from the Nov – Dec 2014 edition of the Sabbath Sentinel)

To read the rest of this article, which starts on page 10, click this link: https://biblesabbath.org/media/TSS_Nov-Dec_Lo-Res_2.pdf

Sabbath Meditation #18 – The Wisdom of God

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

“25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength… 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (I Cor. 1:25, 27).

“13 We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things” (I Cor. 2:13).

“18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile” (I Cor. 3:18-20, NIV).

In I Cor. 3:18-19, Paul wrote about the “wisdom of this age”. The wisdom of this age did not start until Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened…” (Genesis 3:6-7)

The wisdom of this age is summarized by the desire to do what is pleasing to one’s own eyes. This attitude ignores God’s instruction on a given subject in the same way as Adam and Eve. Among His instructions to them was the command to abstain from the one tree. They disobeyed because they thought they could gain wisdom separate from God’s revealed instructions to them. They wanted to be like God.

Consider that the Sabbath was revealed in Genesis 2:1-3 before the wisdom of this age began. It was before mankind chose what looked pleasing to self instead of trusting that God knew what was best for them.

The wisdom of this age tries to convince us that we should work seven days so that we can produce as much as possible. Our human mind may think it is foolish to rest. The Romans used to mock the Jewish people for keeping the Sabbath. They thought it was a sign of laziness.

Even if you can convince a person to rest one day a week, the wisdom of this age will try to convince them that any day in a week is good enough. To the human mind, the idea that we need to rest on a specific day is foolishness.

Remember the words of Paul; the foolishness of man is the Wisdom of God.

We cannot use human, carnal reasoning to explain away or negate the Sabbath. Why? An Eternal Being established the Sabbath and its existence is eternally connected to Him. Therefore, a created being cannot rationalize it away.

Remember the ultimate problem from the Garden – humans did not trust what God said. We trusted in what we saw. Anytime we work, we can see the works of our hands. We tend to trust in that first and foremost. While one cannot see the Sabbath rest with our human eyes, we can experience it and see its results. However, it requires that we trust Him first.

There is only one day in a week that can allow us to rest in a way that is best for us – Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. It will bring about the most of our work production during the other six days of the week. The world has forgotten that proper rest brings about proper production.

I have been honoring the Sabbath for over 12 years. I can definitively say that my production during the rest of the week has increased more and more over the years. I can produce more now than I ever did before honoring His Seventh Day.

One of the great lessons learned in this meditation is that God’s Wisdom is sometimes contained in the simplest things of life. If the whole of humanity understood His Wisdom in the Sabbath, then the entire world would be transformed.

When God’s Kingdom is fully established on earth, this will happen. Until then, God’s Sabbath seems foolish to so many – but it is the Wisdom of God.

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, JR.

BSA President www.biblesabbath.org

The Blessing of Assembling and Worshiping Together in Spirit

By Scott Hoefker

Warm hellos to you dear brethren, co-workers, and spiritual family here on the Coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and scattered children of God from our offices here in Spanish Fort.

I’ve been reflecting on my wife’s and my recent inspiring pastoral visit with several scattered members of the body of Christ. It’s so encouraging to share how the many parts of the body are connected to Christ, the head of His church, through the indwelling of His Spirit and each other. This same Spirit unites us with God the Father.

We’ve been blessed to have house guests with us here for much of this week. We’ve talked about the winter some have experienced so far to the north of us. It’s been mentioned to me that another round of very frigid weather has hit a good part of the U.S.   Many of our scattered brethren are becoming ill due to being indoors more, and not getting the much needed sunshine out of doors.

I’ve talked over the past weeks with many of the brethren my wife and I serve, and it has already been a difficult winter for them, with providing fuel for keeping warm etc. in some of their homes.

I have asked many brethren here in the Northern Hemisphere, “Have any of you come down with a fever or become ill this cold winter?” There are the usual cases of the flu and colds that make their rounds. We’ve seen viruses hit some parts of Canada and the U.S. But I am talking more specifically about “cabin fever!”

“Cabin Fever” is an idiomatic term, first recorded in 1918, for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in a small space, with nothing to do for an extended period. Cabin fever describes the extreme irritability and restlessness a person may feel in these situations.

A person may experience cabin fever in a situation such as being in a simple country vacation cottage. When experiencing cabin fever, a person may tend to sleep, have distrust of anyone they are with, and an urge to go outside even in the rain, snow, or dark. The phrase is also used humorously to indicate “simple boredom from being home alone”.

With cold temperatures and sometimes dangerously cold weather, we may need to remain inside for several days and stay home on the Sabbath if traveling conditions are dangerous or even questionable.

I remember a Sabbath back while living in Nebraska, where we left very early one Sabbath morning to cover worship services in Des Moines, IA. It had just snowed about 10” and a little more snow was falling when we left to head across Interstate 80 where it was very windy, cold, and still snowing. Along our way we saw numerous cars in the ditch, hazard blinkers still on, and in some cases people inside. Many semi-trucks were upside down or jackknifed in the median and on bridges. That should have been a message that we should not have been out there travelling with the questionable driving conditions. But we continued on and made it to the Sabbath service and back home to the second church service of the day, happy that we did not get stranded or stuck somewhere. It was nerve wracking, and very stressful. I do not plan to duplicate a trip like that again.

When you do miss attending services, and then return to be with everyone the following week, it can seem like such a long time that you are away.  It is so good to see your friends and spiritual family again. I hope that is how we all feel. We should make the effort to respond to God’s instruction to appear before Him on his holy convocations. God is merciful and allows for circumstances such as weather, health, finances and other things when we can’t make it.

With gasoline prices it can be a financial challenge to attend services every week when one lives a distance from the meeting place. We encourage our spiritual family to attend Worship services as often as they can, but we also need to be understanding of each person’s circumstances. If someone has not been there in a while, it’s helpful to give them a call and simply say, “I miss you and I hope everything is OK.”

In addition to being with your spiritual family in person, we also have the opportunity to fellowship via telephone conference and/or view a webcast. This too is fellowshipping in the Spirit. Unfortunately at times too much emphasis has been placed on only being at worship services in person, and has caused many to be turned away when it was not necessary.

Why do we make effort to assemble together either in person physically or via a connection? We know that our Creator proclaims His “Holy convocations!”. . .The Feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” (Leviticus 23:2)

The first Feast on the list is “the seventh day . . . Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation.” (v.3) The Hebrew word translated “convocation” is ‘miqra’ and the Online Bible Hebrew Lexicon associates this word with: convocation, convoking, reading, a calling together. We are not only “the called out ones” but also called to assemble together. It’s like a messenger has come to our door and read our name and the directives to appear before the One issuing the command. It is a great privilege to come before the Great God and be instructed by Him through the reading, sharing and expounding of His Word.

One of the important parts of the worship service is the singing of Hymns as we worship God. The opening line of one of the common hymns sung is: “Come before His presence with singing.” This line is taken from Psalm 100:2. This Psalm emphasizes coming before God with joy, gladness and thanksgiving as well as celebrating His enduring truth. We can all have a part in creating this praiseful and worshipful attitude, mood, and atmosphere. I really enjoy hearing the voices of the congregation as we sing together. It is a joyful experience!

Having fellowship and greeting one another by name, including the younger members of the congregation, and connecting with others helps to bind us together. We can share what is happening in our lives and encourage one another. We all know the instructions in Hebrews 10:24 about the need “to stir up love and good works” when we assemble together.

The apostle John relates having fellowship with one another and walking in then light to also having fellowship “with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)

Would you join me in prayer for your brethren that they will have safe traveling conditions, and/or good connections, and that they will be able to be part of God’s weekly convocation?

May God bless and encourage you on His special day, and I wish you good health even if you too may have had some of that “cabin fever” partly due to not being able to attend in person with others of the body of Christ.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Please do pray for us as well.

-Scott Hoefker (Pastor and wife (Gayle) The Living God Ministries Gulf Coast)

This post was originally published on Jan. 3, 2020 on their website.

We encourage you to follow this ministry at https://tlgministriesgc.org/.

Sabbath Meditation #17 – A Living Witness

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Genesis 1:14)

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy’” (Ex. 31:12-13).

In the verses above, the Hebrew word translated as sign is oth and it means a sign, signal, banner, or beacon. An oth is something God does or establishes to draw our attention to specific events and remind us of Him.

Every week, the Sabbath stands as a beacon or banner that beckons the weary, worn out world to His rest. While we enjoy the wonderful rest of our Savior on this day, we often forget one powerful point. As we travel every week towards His Sabbath banner, we will show the way to everyone else.

In other words, your Sabbath observance makes you a living witness to others. From Friday sunset to Saturday sunset other people will know that you are keeping His holy day. No matter what they are doing throughout the week, the memory of your obedience guides them to the Sabbath.

I’ve had people who are non-Sabbatarians comment to me over the years that “I meant to call you about a business item on Friday night, but I didn’t because I know it is the Sabbath and you were not available.”

I am very thankful when people show that kind of respect. My stand for truth reminded them of it. But these precious occasions also serve as a witness to me as well. Because I have chosen to obey God, then others know how to obey Him as well.

This revelation helps us to understand that our Sabbath observance is not just something to help our personal relationship with God. It is also about directing others to His banner; we show them the way. This understanding requires that we pay close attention to our obedience as we do not want to misrepresent Him.

As we honor the Sabbath over time, our weekly obedience will be an established memory to friends, family and other associates. We become a living witness of when the Sabbath is and how it should be observed.

For those of you who have raised children in the Sabbath truth – no matter where they go on the earth, they will know what you are doing from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. They will know the way home.

Our ultimate hope is that others will follow us to the banner which says “Rest.”

We are the living witness of the Way.

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

BSA President www.biblesabbath.org

All In!

By Calvin Burrell

Any short list of the Bible’s great texts should include the creation account in Genesis 1, the Twenty-Third Psalm, John 3:16, and the Love Chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. Expanding our list to the five or ten greatest texts, would we add Christ’s Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer? Probably. His great commandments to love God and love others? For sure!

How about His Great Commission? I would, and here’s why: It is Jesus’ supreme saying after His death and resurrection, His pinnacle prescription just before returning to heaven. In these last earthly words, our Savior and Lord assigned all His followers our corporate mission in the world He came to save. Let’s unpack it here together, as if for the first time.

FIVE FORMS

This huge commission appears in five different forms in five books: Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, 16; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21-23; and Acts 1:7, 8. Each of these texts gives essentially the same commission. Note the similarities in their core elements.

• All five versions of the Great Commission speak of Jesus’ disciples going, being sent, or becoming witnesses to all nations of the world, to all peoples.
• Matthew identifies the commission’s central activity as making disciples; baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and teaching them to observe all of Jesus’ commands.
• Mark describes the commission as preaching the gospel that gives salvation to all who believe and are baptized.
• Luke describes it as preaching repentance and remission of sins.
• John links Jesus’ sending His disciples with others being forgiven of sins.

The differences in the five forms of this worldwide commission is seen in their introductions and conclusions.

• Matthew begins it with Christ’s claim to universal authority given by His Father (28:18). He ends with Jesus’ promise of His never-ending presence (v. 20b).
• Mark begins the Great Commission with Christ’s rebuke of the disciples’ lack of faith (16:14) and ends it with the promise of signs and wonders to follow (vv. 17, 18).
• Luke’s Gospel begins the commission with Christ’s teaching about His death and resurrection (24:46) and ends it with instructions for the first disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the promised power from above was received (v. 49).
• John begins it with Christ’s greeting of peace (20:21) and concludes it by Christ breathing His Spirit on the disciples (20:21).
• In Acts, Luke begins the commission with Jesus saying that His disciples’ knowledge of prophetic times and seasons was much less important than their obedience to His commission (1:7). The promised Holy Spirit was poured out shortly thereafter (2:1ff).

 

IMPOSSIBLE COMMAND?

Reading and hearing Jesus’ words in the Great Commission is the place to start. The next step is even more important. What will we do now that we know His climactic instructions for all His disciples? The question is hugely personal.

What do you think of Christ’s Great Commission? Do you see it as another one of Christ’s impossible commands, like being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect is impossible (Matthew 5:48)?

Yes, the Great Commission is beyond our reach, for sure — personally, congregationally, and denominationally. The answer to this dilemma of impossibility is that God, for whom nothing is impossible, has already promised, when He blessed Abraham, that this “impossible command” would be completed. His promise was “In you [and in your seed] all the nations of the earth shall be blessed . . .” (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18).

Do you feel that your contribution to the Great Commission is insignificant? After all, what can just one person do to reach so many unreached people?

Imagine a dozen or a hundred folks in a group — a local church. Imagine that each one in the group is thinking silently, What can one person do? Imagine that each one in the group chose one or two mission-supporting actions and started doing them faithfully. Imagine if each one agreed to merge their mission efforts with all the others in the group. Now imagine if people in a hundred or a thousand other groups agreed to pray or give or serve together in a dozen or more projects like the ones above, and then all those groups formed a network with fifty thousand other groups of like mind and action. The gospel good that could be done around the world by such “co-oper-action” is not imaginary; it is real.

 

INVITATION

Can you see the Great Commission as an invitation to join Christ in loving people everywhere, starting with the folks next door? Most of us can’t take the gospel around the world, but we could take it around the corner, if we would. To love the world is no big chore. Our problem is the people closest to us. To take the love of Jesus next door is an essential piece of taking it to the whole world.

Can you think of the complex Great Commission as the natural extension of a simple invitation to a Christ-centered and others-serving lifestyle?

Can you see the Great Commission as Christ’s invitation to join Him in what He has done and is doing: sharing His love and mercy, His grace and truth with people wherever they are in the world? Tell God now that you want to be all in for Jesus. Then follow up with fresh action and prayer that prove it.

Think of the Great Com-mission as an invitation to love, trust, and obey the One who has all authority, ability, and intent to complete the job alone, if necessary. He has not only commanded that it be done but already promised it will be done. What He has promised, He will do.

God’s will is to accomplish this work through people like us. With each of us doing our part, all congregations working together, and God’s Spirit harnessing, harmonizing, and energizing the efforts of faithful people in every age, the gospel will be preached as a witness to bless every nation, ethnicity, language, and people group on earth — before the end of this age (Matthew 24:14).

Then Christ will return to put down every foe and complete the missionary task, until the glory of the Lord covers the whole earth like the waters now cover the sea.

Why wouldn’t we join God in a worldwide cause of truth and beauty that He has said will ultimately succeed?

Calvin Burrell has served for decades in the Church of God Seventh Day (CG7). This article was originally printed in the July-August 2019 of the Bible Advocate.

How God’s Remarkable Sabbaths Have Changed My Life

By Aimee Zahora

I was born and raised in a Sabbath-keeping family, which I consider a phenomenal blessing. It’s a blessing that I did not earn. Instead, by the grace of God, Sabbath-observance infiltrated my entire life. I thank God for this gift that keeps on giving! Here are a handful of reasons for how God’s remarkable Sabbaths have altered my life for the better.

I Value My Strong Family Relationships

My nuclear family consists of Sabbath-keepers. This bond that we share strengthens our family relationships. We spend time together on the Sabbath, which solidifies us. Sabbath-keeping provides our family with similar values. It encourages us to engage in meaningful discussions that strengthen and sharpen our faith. My family is strong as a direct result of honoring the Sabbath.

My Best, Most Wonderful Friends and Advocates Are Believers

I’ve met inspiring believers, who are some of my closest friends and advocates. Many of these individuals and I would have never crossed paths, except that the Sabbath brought us together.+

We often take on the attributes of the five people we surround ourselves with most frequently. When we tap into the positive energy and stability of those people, it quickly becomes evident that who we are due to the association is far greater than who we would have been without it.

Complete and Restoring Rest for All Our Needs

The complexity and stress we encounter daily are difficult to quantify. Suffice to say our regular encounters deplete us. The Sabbath is a multidimensional blessing. It offers complete rest: mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Humanly we find success in addressing these needs individually. If we get a break, perhaps we identify something that will benefit two of the needs at the same time. But, attempting to address all the needs at once generally results in diminishing returns. However, God’s Sabbaths are perfectly designed to replenish all our needs so we can return to functioning as our best selves.

The Sabbath Is the Backbone to My Spiritual DNA

Because I was raised in a Sabbath-keep family, a weekly tradition was established early-on. Friday night dinners together were a highlight. Not only did we enjoy a delicious meal with one another, but also we shared stories, laughter, and connection. We attended Sabbath services every week, not just when it was convenient or when nothing else was on the calendar. Incidentally, nothing else made it on the calendar on Saturdays because the Sabbath was the first and only priority for our family on the seventh day of the week. After Sabbath services, my dad regularly read Bible stories to my brother and me. Today, my brother carries on that custom with his two boys.

Each of these activities contributed to a habit, a Sabbath-keeping behavior that I still honor today. This way of life and pattern of living is so deeply ingrained in me. It’s part of my spiritual DNA. In short, keeping God’s remarkable Sabbaths have changed my life.

Aimee Zahora is a Sabbath and Holy Day keeping follower of The Way and blogger on topics that ignite the Spirit. She is a member of the United Church of God.

You can follow her at: https://aimhighernow.io/

 

Why Was December 25^th Chosen for the Birthday of Jesus?

by Kelly McDonald, Jr.

There are 365 days a year in the current calendar used in much of the world (366 days on leap years). Of all the days available, why do so many people remember the birth of Jesus on December 25^th?

The New Testament does not list the day on which Jesus was born. Also, there are no mentions of a celebration or remembrance of Jesus’ birth. In fact, references for the birth of Jesus are scarce outside of the initial event when it occurred.

Consider the following: the term ‘born’ is used 45 times in KJV. Of these, there are 9 specific references to Christ’s birth (Matt. 1:16; 2:1, 2:2, 2:4; Luke 1:35; 2:11; John 18:37; Gal. 4:4, Rev. 12:4). The first six verses discuss the initial event. Three of these refer to Him being born.

Said another way – no one could read the Bible only and conclude that Jesus was born on December 25 or that any ongoing celebration should be held. Jesus did not keep His own birthday! Neither did the disciples.

The Birthday Conundrum
Primary sources attest that neither Jewish people nor Christians near the time of Jesus celebrated birthdays. For some sources, see Josephus, Against Apion, 2.26; Tertullian, On Idolatry, 10; Origen, Homily on Leviticus 8; Arnobius, Against the Heathen, 1.64.

The Bible and history help us establish the fact that no one celebrated their own birthdays, including the birth of Jesus. To my knowledge, Clement of Alexandria was the first Christian writer to identify the exact day on which Jesus was born.

“And there are those who have determined not only the year of our Lord’s birth, but also the day; and they say that it took place in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus, and in the twenty-fifth day of Pachon (20 of May). Further, others say that He was born on the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth of Pharmuthi (19 or 20 April)” (Stromata, 1.21).

This quote from Clement makes no reference to December 25^th or any date near it. There are also no references to any celebration for this event.

What About December 25?
To understand how December 25 became an important day in mainstream Christianity, one must consider that Christianity initially spread within the Greco-Roman world. Let’s discuss for just a moment the significance of December 25 to the Romans.

Marcus Varro, a Roman writer who lived mostly in the first century BC, wrote: “Bruma is so named, because then the day is brevissimus ‘shortest’: the solstitium, because on that day the sol ‘sun’ seems sistere ‘to halt,’ on which it is nearest to us…The time from the bruma until the sun returns to the bruma, is called an annus ‘year,’…” (On the Latin Language, 6.8).

“…the Kalends of January (Jan 1) are called the new year from the new sun [novo sole]…” (ibid, 6.28).

Pliny the Elder, a Roman historian who lived in the first century, wrote more about this day: “The year is divided into four periods or seasons, the recurrence of which is indicated by the increase or diminution of the daylight. Immediately after the winter solstice [bruma] the days begin to increase…The winter solstice [bruma] begins at…the eighth day before the kalends of January [December 25]…” (Natural History, 18.57, 59).

The bruma or winter solstice was specifically listed as the “eighth day before the kalends of January.” This translates to December 25. This is certainly not the astronomical solstice, but it was the day that the Romans recognized as the solstice.

Even as late as the fourth/fifth century, December 25 held this significance to people (see Maurus Servius Honoratus’ Commentary on the Aeneid, book 7, line 720). Other Roman writers considered December 25 to be the day of the new sun (novus solis) or the birthday of the sun (see Marcus Varro [above] and Censorinus, De Die Natali, chapter 21).

The Romans were very superstitious and managed their lives based on certain astronomical events. For instance, they avoided putting eggs under hens from November 1 through December 25 (Pliny the Elder, Natural History, 18.62). They thought that the weather on December 25 and the following three days determined the climate for the rest of winter (ibid). They also thought that a tree cut down on December 25 during the conjunction was considered of everlasting value (ibid, 16.74).

Bruma fell between two major Roman celebrations – Saturnalia (Dec. 17-23) and the Kalends of January (January 1). Both were a time of gift-giving and riotous celebration. It seems that the celebration spilled over into other parts of December (for some references to this, see Seneca, Epistulae, 18.1-4; Juvenal, Satires, 7.96-97; Martial, Epigrams, 12.81; Epiphanius, Panarion, 51.22).

Christianity and Syncretism
In about 200 AD, an important Christian figure named Tertullian lamented that many Christians participated in Roman celebrations. They thought that doing so would keep the name of Jesus from being blasphemed by unbelievers. He wrote the following:

“But, however, the majority (of Christians) have by this time induced the belief in their mind that it is pardonable if at any time they do what the heathen do, for fear ‘that the name be blasphemed’… the Saturnalia and New Year’s and Midwinter’s festivals [Latin: brumae] and Matronalia are frequented – presents come and go – New year’s gifts – games join their noise – banquets join their din! Oh better fidelity of the nations to their own sect, which claims no solemnity of the Christians for itself!” (On Idolatry, 10, 14).

As Tertullian pointed out, the ‘heathens’ did not accept Christian celebrations, so why should Christians accept theirs? Among the celebrations he mentioned were Saturnalia, New Year’s and Midwinter’s festivals [Latin: brumae].

As aforementioned, these celebrations/dates were very important to Romans for centuries. Each of them occurred in the winter. Saturnalia was the time when the god Saturn was celebrated with parties; it was a time to remember when the god dwelt among mankind. The New Year’s celebration was January 1. December 25 fell in between them.

Tertullian described a phenomenon that started in the second century called syncretism. In general, syncretism is the mixing of two religions. Starting in the second century, many outside movements began to taint Christianity. Sun worship was one of them.

For an unknown reason, some Christians started to pray towards the sun’s rising in the late second/early third century (see Tertullian’s, Apology, ch 16). He is the first writer to defend the faith against the accusation of Sun worship. Moreover, Christian buildings were constructed to face the rising sun (ibid, Against the Valentinians, 3; Apostolic Constitutions, 2.7).

Eventually, Christian theology incorporated a heavy emphasis on Christ and the sun (for an example, see Cyprian, Treatise, 4.35). By the fourth century, imagery from the sun gods Helios and Sol was incorporated with depictions of Jesus (Catholic Encyclopedia: Nimbus, Archaeology of the Cross and the Crucifix; the Lamb; Encyclopedia Britannica: Aureole). In the late fourth/early fifth century, Augustine denounced those who tried to combine the worship of Christ with that of the sun (Tractate 34 on the Gospel of John, sec. 2).

December 25^th Emerges
In the midst of this syncretism, we find the first reference to a commemoration for the birth of Christ. The fourth century Christian writer Ambrose recalled a day set aside to remember the birth of Jesus from the time of from Pope Liberius (352-366). The specific day of the year for this event was not mentioned.

“…reconsider those precepts of Liberius of blessed memory which you used to talk over with me…For he, when on the Nativity of the Saviour in the Church of St. Peter…” (Concerning Virginity, 3.1.1).

Two other interesting finds date to the tenure of Pope Liberius. The first of these is the Calendar Philocali. It is a Roman Calendar that dates to about the year 354 AD. It lists special celebrations for certain days of the year. On December 25 is listed “Natali Invictus CM XXX.” In Latin, this refers to the birth of Sol Invictus, the sun god. The abbreviation CM refers to the Circus Maximus, which was a stadium dedicated to the sun god where races were held. XXX refers to the 30 races that were held on the day.

In 362 AD, Julian the Apostate was the Roman Emperor. He celebrated December 25th as the festival to the sun. “The Saturnalia, being the concluding festival, are closely followed in cyclic order by the Festival of the Sun; the which I hope that the Powers above will grant me frequently to chaunt, and to celebrate; and above all others may the Sovereign Sun, lord of the universe!” (Upon the Sovereign Sun. Addressed to Sallust)

As time passed there seem to be two developing ideas about Jesus’ birthday. The Eastern Church leaned toward January 6 date whereas the Western Church leaned towards December 25. While this article is focused on the later date, the former date likely comes from some sort of polytheistic superstition as well.

Roman Church writers began to use the same language as pagan Romans, such as Pliny, to connect Christ and the sun. Poems and hymns of various kinds were written to honor the birth of Christ on December 25 as the bruma or novus solis (new sun). We will review some of these sources below.

Paulinus of Nola, who lived from 354 to 431, wrote a series of poems. In poem 14, lines 13-20, he linked the birth of Christ with the new sun and the winter solstice. He made a direct connection to Christ, the new sun, and the increase of light in the common Roman fashion.

“Truly, after the solstice [post solistitium], when Christ is born in the body, with a new sun [sole novo] he will change the frigid days [bruma] of the north wind. While he is offering to mortals the birth that will bring them salvation, Christ with the progress of days gives command that the nights be declining…” (English quoted from Sinker, 5; Latin from Hartel, p 46).

Augustine’s Sermon 190 focused on the birth of Christ and its celebration. He wrote, “…on the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and night began to endure loss, and day took up an increase…We have therefore, brothers, this solemn day, not as the unbelievers on account of this sun, but on account of him who made this sun.” It is interesting that Augustine omitted the commemoration of Jesus’ birth from his list of major festivals (Letter 54).

In about 400 AD, Prudentius wrote: “Why does the sun already leave the circle of the arctic north? Is not Christ born upon the earth who will the path of light increase?”  (Hymn on VIII Kal. Jan.).

Initially, Christ’s birth was observed as more of a solemn commemoration rather than a celebration. There was a reluctance to imitate pagans (see Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 38). Gregory of Nazianzus declared himself the initiator of this remembrance (Oration 39).

The winter commemoration became popularized by a Roman law in 425 AD which suspended certain activities on the day dedicated to Christ’s birth (CT: 15.5.5). This law does not specify the date and may have accommodated the differences between western and eastern churches. This law allowed the day’s influence to spread and normalized the idea of curbing one’s activity on it.

The establishment of December 25 as Jesus’ birthday came with problems. Some sun worshipers confused Christianity with their previous way of life. For instance, Pope Leo I (440-461) gave a sermon about the celebration of the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25th and complained that some Christians worshiped the sun on the day (see Sermons 22-27). We have two excerpts below:

“…to whom this our solemn feast day seems to derive its honour, not so much from the nativity of Christ, as according to them, from the rising of the new sun…” (Sermon 22).

In Sermon 27, he wrote: “From such a system of teaching proceeds also the ungodly practice of certain foolish folk who worship the sun as it rises at the beginning of daylight from elevated positions: even some Christians think it is proper to do this that, before entering the blessed Apostle Peter’s basilica, which is dedicated to the One Living and true God, when they have mounted the steps which lead to the raised platform they turn around and bow themselves towards the rising sun and with bent neck to do homage to its brilliant orb…which is partly due to the fault of ignorance and partly to the spirit of heathenism: because although some of them do perhaps worship the Creator of that fair light rather than the Light itself, which is His creature, yet we must abstain even from the appearance of this observance:  for if one who has abandoned the worship of gods, finds it in our own worship, will he not hark back again to this fragment of his old superstition, as if it were allowable, when he sees it to be common both to Christians and to infidels?” (idem)

By the fifth century, mainstream Christian thought was merged with sun references. The merger of Roman Church and Roman State solidified the widespread observance of Jesus’ birthday.

As the Western Roman Empire disintegrated from the late fifth century onward, various Church Councils excommunicated and marginalized those who did not observe December 25 (Agde, Orleans, Epaone, 2^nd Council of Tours are among them). By the time of Charlemagne forward, its practice was very much entrenched in mainstream Christendom.

The term ‘Cristes Maesse’ first appears in old English in 1038 AD. It refers to the mass of Christ on December 25th. This is where the term ‘Christmas’ comes from.

But one must also remember that other days such as March 25 (Roman Spring Equinox / Mary’s Annunciation) and June 24 (Roman Summer Solstice / John the Baptist’s birthday) were also adapted from the Roman calendar.

For those of you who have wondered how December 25^th was chosen as the day of Jesus’ birth, there you have it!

The birthday was adapted from the Roman recognition of December 25 as the winter solstice (bruma) and the re-birth of the sun. Popular Christian writers borrowed the same terms the pagan Romans used for the sun/bruma and then re-applied them to Christ. This occurred during a time when veneration for the sun was syncretized into Christianity; an entire ecclesiastical calendar was formed based upon the sun’s light. There remains confusion today regarding this day because it is mixed with other religious observances.

Today many people still remember Christ’s birth on December 25 without this knowledge. There was certainly a time when I did not know it either. It has helped me to realize the traditions I once held versus that which is found in the Scripture. I pray for everyone’s eyes to be opened to this vital truth. “The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).  “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21).

 

Kelly McDonald, Jr.

BSA President – www.biblesabbath.org

 

Bibliography

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Apostolic Constitutions. 2.7. Translated by James Donaldson. Edited by Rev. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Revised by A. Cleveland Coxe. The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol 7. Buffalo: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1890. pp 421-424.

Arnobius. Against the Heathen, 1.64. Translated by Hamilton Bryce and Hugh Campbell. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 6. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. New York, 1886, p 432.

Augustine. The following works were used of his:  Letter 54 to Januarius. Translated by J.G. Cunningham. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 1. Edited by Philip Schaff. New York, 1886, p 300. Latin: Migne, J.P. ed. Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series Latina. Vol. 33. Paris: 1845. p 200; Tractate 34 on the Gospel of John, sec 2. Translated by John Gibb. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Edited by Philip Schaff. New York, 1888, p 200; Sermon 190. Latin: Migne, Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series Latina. Vol. 38. Paris: 1863, p 1008. Translation by author.

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