Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

The Rev. MelvinWhyTheIn the Old Testament, man's attitude toward God wasclearly determined by his attitude toward the law. If he keptthe law, he pleased God; if he was disobedient to the law, hetransgressed the divine command. In the Ten CommandmentsGod gave as the fourth: "Remember theSabbath Day, to keep it holy."By establishing one day in seven God gave man aconstant reminder that He was God and that He wasCreator. As we stated before, man's attitude toward Godwas determined by his attitude toward the law. Now we cango a step further.God's greatest revelation to the world was the expressionof His love and grace through Jesus Christ. He alsorevealed God's power when He arose from the dead. Afterthis manifestation of God's love and grace to mankind,man's attitude toward God would be determined by hisattitude toward the Son of God. God knew that thistremendous fact of history, which offered to mankind Hissalvation, would have to be protected the same as His act ofcreation.The Christian observance of the Lord's Day combinesthe power of God as Creator with His power as Recreatorthrough His love which fulfilled the law, overcame sin, andconquered death. This tremendous truth must be continuallysafe guarded so that it will never be lost to man.Thus, the Holy Spirit led the Apostolic Church togather for worship on the first day in remembrance of therisen Lord. Today a man's relationship toward his God isdetermined by his attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ and,in many cases, his attitude toward the Lord is revealed by theway he spends the Lord's Day.The proponents of the seventh-day Sabbath suggestthat we observe the Lord's Day because it was established bythe Roman Catholic Church, or was the result of a RomanEmperor's conversion. The fact is, three hundred yearsbefore these events the Apostolic Church was meeting toworship on the first day of the week.It is true, as the Sabbatarians claim, that the Lordobserved the seventh-day Sabbath, thus fulfilling Jewishtradition.Yet in His life on earth He clearly assumed ther 'ght to dispose of the Sabbath law as might please Him(Matthew 12:8). Some persons suggest that there is nospecific place in the New Testament where the seventh dayis no longer observed. Neither is there any New Testamentpassage which specifically declares the Passover is to be nolonger observed.* Dr. Forney is minister of the Roxborough Baptist Church,Philadelphia, Pa. and General Secretary of the Lord's DayAlliance of Pennsylvania.First Day?\. Forney, D.D. *Christians are to be guided by New Testament practiceas final authority in such matters. It is an established factthat the early apostles observed the first day of the week asthe distinctive Christian Sabbath.Jesus and His first disciples observed the seventh day.So did Jesus and His disciples attend the feasts — thePassover, and Pentecost, and Tabernacles and Dedication —the great feasts of the Jews. Jesus attended the synagogue.Why then do we not follow Him in all these matters?Important Happenings on the Lord's Day: (1) Jesusarose from the dead on the first day of the week (John20:1); (2) Jesus appeared to ten of His disciples on thatfirst day of the week (John 20:19); (3) On the next firstday of the week He appeared to the eleven disciples (John20:26); (4) The promised coming of the Holy Spirit wasfulfilled on the first day of the week; (5) On that same firstday of the week, the first gospel sermon was preached. (Acts2:14); (6) On that same first day of the week threethousand converts were united into the first New TestamentChurch (Acts 2:41); (7) On that same first day of theweek, the rite of Christian baptism was administered. (Acts2:41); (8) At Troas Christians assembled for worship onthe first day. (Acts 20:7); (9) At Corinth, Paul instructedChristians to make contributions on the first day. (ICor. 16:2).From the New Testament we can understand why theChristian Sabbath is the first day of the week. Man, in observingthe Lord's Day, does not weaken God's command;he strengthens it, as he is called upon to recognize hisCreator and also to know and acknowledge his Savior. • • •Sunday MagazineWhy?From a young, new Covenanter:I have seen Christians talk about all kinds of problems ofsystems of theology.I have read discussions about the explanation of this passageor the other.I have read a lot of devotional messages aboutbeing more devoted, prayerful,joyful, pleasant in manner,about how to give to church with pleasure,about staying away from sin.about being aware of cults.I have read many books on apologetics.and the dating of the Gospels.There is just one thing that puzzles me,Whv isn't anybody talking about the lost?.-'.''Leonidas PantelidesP. O. Box 2367Nicosia. CyprusFEBRUARY 24, 1971 3