Why observe Sunday and not Saturday as the Holy day?

Question

Most Christians neglect to honor the Sabbath (seventh) day and instead honor Sunday (first) when it's a COMMANDMENT, why?

Answer 1

First, the theological arguments, as I understand them:



Sunday is supposedly the day that Jesus was resurrected. Technically, it was on Sunday morning that Mary Magdalene found Jesus's tomb empty, so Jesus could have resurrected during the previous night, which would have been the Jewish Sabbath (Mark 16; Matthew 28; Luke 24; John 20). But the tradition is that Jesus rose from the grave on Sunday.



There is actually pretty scant (to my mind, anyway) Biblical evidence that Sunday should be a weekly day of worship for Christians. There are a couple verses which refer to Paul preaching on Sunday, but this is not really referred to as an official holy service. The Bible never specifically says that Christians are supposed to have a weekly celebration of Jesus's resurrection, or that the day of the resurrection replaces the traditional Jewish Sabbath day. In fact, Paul actually says to do whatever you darn well please on these days (which is a refreshing change coming from Paul) Colossians 2:16-17; Romans 14:5. Some have interpreted this to mean that it doesn't matter whether your Sabbath is on the first day or the seventh day, as long as you take a rest and worship Jesus you are A-OK. You can actually kind of argue from these verses that there is no need to keep a Sabbath day (and does that thus make the Ten Commandments obsolete?).



Political reasons:



The first reason why, in Christian tradition, the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday may have been an attempt to differentiate themselves from the Jews. Christianity started out as a Jewish sect, but as it gained followers, those converts were more likely to be pagan Gentiles. It is interesting to see two different accounts of the origins of this split - the first link is from a Catholic perspective, the second from a Jewish one. The Catholic source argues that this desire to differentiate from the Jews was the result of resentment of Jewish political power during the time of Nero, when the emperor used the great fire as an excuse to persecute Christians. The Jewish source argues that it started with Paul's conversion of Hellenestic and Egyptian peoples to Christianity. These people, mainly Gentiles, brought their own religious ideas into the mix (Paul may or may not have, apparently, declared that Jesus did away with the need to follow Mosaic laws, but that's a different discussion). And Sunday was a pagan holy day associated with worship of the sun. In any event, early Christians felt it necessary to differentiate themselves from the Jews, so they moved the Sabbath to Sunday.



The second ties in with the first, in that many later converts to Christianity were pagans, and Sunday may have been a pagan holy day. It has been identified as the day of worship of the Mithras cult (there is actually a lot of similarities between the Mithras cult and Christianity). Some sources identify Sunday as a major Roman day of worship, but I can't find anything to back that up, or what specific rituals were celebrated. However, if Sunday was a pagan holy day, it would have been far easier to get your converts to worship on a day that was already associated with religious observance (the same idea behind having holy days on other pagan holidays - like All Souls Day, Easter and Christmas).



A combination of these reasons are probably why Sunday is considered the Sabbath day in Christianity rather than Saturday. And all this happened a long time ago - why change hundreds of years of tradition now, when it's not conveniant? There are several Christian sects that work themselves in a tissy over the "pagan" origins of Sunday (e.g. Seventh Day Adventists), and there seems to be an equal number of modern Christians who work themselves into a tissy over the very idea that Sabbath should be Saturday and not Sunday (researching this was fun).



My guess, for today, is that Sunday is considered the "day of worship" because that's the way our parents did it and their parents did it and so on.

Answer 2

Because God sanctified the seventh day and made it holy at the creation of time. According to history Constantine tried to change Sabbath to Sunday so the Christians can worship with the pagans in honor of Sun Worship in 321. Constantine's change was accepted by the Papal Church and as the Papacy grew in power, it opposed Sabbath observance in favor of Sunday sacredness and made the day change official in the Council of Laodicea in 336. ______________________________________ People give the reason that they honor Sunday now as the Sabbath instead of Saturday because Christ rose on Sunday. God NEVER said to do this. People also interpret scripture incorrectly, they think the apostles kept Sunday as the Sabbath but they didn't.... In Acts it mentions people had gotten together one Sunday with Paul to pray and worship. However, it didn't say anything about the Sabbath being changed. They just gathered together because Paul was leaving the following day. In Corinthians where it said to lay some money aside on the first day of the week, has nothing to do with tithing. If you read the entire section and in Romans it says why they did this...Paul wanted everything to be collected already before he showed up, so he wouldn't have to wait for them to do it while he was there. The collection went to those in Jerusalem because there was a financial need at the time, we know they supported a large number of widows (Acts 6:1-6) and were in the midst of famine (Acts 11:27-30). Another scripture that has been misinterpreted is in Colossians - So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ... but what they don't understand is that there are TWO sabbaths. One is the weekly Sabbath that God sanctified and made holy AT CREATION (Genesis 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy) before there were even any Jews, which was just repeated in the 10 commandments. The other are ceremonial annual sabbaths (Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles). The ceremonial laws were done away with when Christ died, not God's Holy laws. Saturday, not Sunday is the Sabbath. God never changed it. He said remember the Seventh Day Sabbath and keep it holy. We should obey God, and not follow after the traditions of men.

Answer 3

What many Christians fail to realize is that up until about 300 A.D. everybody worshipped God on Saturday, then Constantine made it a law to worship on Sunday to make it convenient for Pagans. This led to persecution of many Sabbath worshipers Jews and the Early Christians.

In over 140 languages the word for Saturday means Sabbath. For over 4,000 years Jews have kept Saturday as their Sabbath,

Ezekiel 20:12,20 say Sabbath was established for all mankind as a sign between God and His people, Mark 2:27,28 says the Sabbath was given to mankind not to the Jews that came hundreds of years after creation. In Acts Paul worshiped with Gentiles on the Sabbath. Jesus rested in the tomb on the Seventh day, he arose on the First Day (Easter). Nowhere in the New Testament did the Disciples meet on the first day to worship God. Jesus didn't even Resurrect on Sunday he did

that the night of the Seventh-Day or end of the Sabbath (Jn 20:1) Romans 6:3-5 says the symbol of the Resurrection is baptism. Matthew 5:17 says Jesus did not come to change God's law but to fulfill it. Ezekiel says to start the Sabbath on Sunset of the 7th day and to end it on Sunset of the 1st day.

Answer 4

1) Jesus rose on a Sunday

2) the commandment is part of the old covenant, not the new one.

3) most people think that the commandment just means to set aside a day to serve God

4) the debate between sunday and saturday is, essentially, the reason both sunday and saturday are considered the 'weekend'

Answer 5

Jesus said I am the sabbath. The word Sabbath, Literally means "REST" when translated fromthe original hebrew. If you read Romans Chapter 14 and The book of colossians you will find that YOUR sabbath day can be any day, as long as you take one day of the week to rest and honor the Lord God.

Answer 6

Have you heard of leap year? Every four years, a day is added. Do you know why? Because in the 3000+ years since Moses, January would be in May, or October, do you get it? A seven day calendar doesn't work!



When Moses roamed the desert, he did it mostly at night, when it's cool. His day started at sundown. Should our clocks have role over at sundown?



Take all the days in the Bible, add the days after that, divide by seven, and then tell me what day it really is, as God commanded you to keep track of.



Have you heard of Herbert Armstrong?

Answer 7

The 10 Commandments were givne to the Jews, not Gentiles. There are no Holy Days in Christianity, and the Sabbath for Christians is when we die in Christ, that will be our rest (Sababath).

Answer 8

Neither Sunday NOR Saturday is THE "holy" day for the Christian. Every day is an opportunity to submit to God and live the life of Christ. Jesus tells us "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). To single one day out of the week is to turn back to the "weak and worthless elemental things" (Galatians 4:9). This kind of observance was what God used in the covenant He made with the Jews to "tutor to Christ" (Galatians 3:25). But in turning back to this religious observance, Paul says, "You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain" (Galatians 4:10-11).

Answer 9

well, the commandments were a contract between God and the Jews, who were his chosen people. When Jesus came, he fulfilled the law,(Matthew 5:17) so we don't have to follow all of the laws that God gave to the Jews in the Old Testament. (for instance, we don't have to abstain from eating pork)but that doesn't mean that Christians can do whatever they want. It means that we should love God and want to do what he wants us to do. After Jesus rose from the dead, on a Sunday, most Christians now meet to commemorate that day.

Answer 10

On my weekends I read a lot of books and find more time to be more Spiritual,I try to be that way every day and show 'The Lord" he is my guiding hand everyday!I am a 7 day a week girl!I need his spirit in my soul all the time!I try to do something kind for any person at least 3 times a day!Watch the movie,"Pay It Forward",you will find yourself wanting to help others in small ways!

Answer 11

It was changed years ago and never changed back. I don't really care which day is considered the Sabbath, I just want to worship Gad and live a holy life.

Answer 12

i dont even see why it is an issue :( i think people just like to argue and create strife...



Romans 14:6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks



Colossians 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.



"walk in Christ", thats what we are told to do...abide in Him, and He will abide in us....so lets seek Christ and be led into all righteousness....



Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless



Here is the true sabbath...

Hebrews 4:9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience



doing the work of God, and not self-seeking...thats the real sabbath...

Answer 13

Saturday is Sabbath, Sunday is Ressurection.

Answer 14

It's a relic of the time when most people worshipped the sun, the christians just took it over as their holy day of the week.

The other days of the week are named after pre- christian gods.

Answer 15

Lol, I love that question. When I was a kid, shopping was bad on Sunday. The stores were even closed! What if shopping relaxes someone? Isn't relaxing keeping something holy?

Answer 16

If I remember correctly, it's because Jesus first appeared to the 11 disciples after his ressurection on the first day of the week. He did that because the disciples had chosen to gather at that time, I assume, to start their week thinking of Him.



The only command Christ gave in regards to it was to take communion (break bread, and pass wine) as oft as they gathered in rememberance of Him.

Answer 17

The word Sabbath meaning REST. Christ became that PERFECT REST for those who choose to believe in Him... I Sabbath, REST in Christ everyday. And also in my resting in Christ everyday, I stay in His Word everyday. WHY worship a day of the week when you can Worship YHVH God The Father who gives us everyday of the week. You can't really give God a "day" when all days are already His. Resting in Christ everyday keeps your Spirit charged up. God also wants us to take one day of the week to give our flesh bodies rest from out work;...Six days shall thee labor, and the seventh day we rest from our work. So many calender changes thoughout history,...our days today are not the same,...but Christs REST , His true Sabbath rest never changes....Rest in Christ everyday.

Answer 18

Celtic are usually playing in the Scottish Premier League!

Answer 19

7th day adventists observe saturday as their sabbath. i believe the jewish do as well. why some of us don't, i really don't know

Answer 20

old testament sabbath was on sat. new testament christ died on sun sabbath was changed to sun.

Answer 21

I'm busy both days, so I can't make it.

Answer 22

QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

33-128 Now, as far as a law... Now, it's probably a Seventh-day Adventist person setting here. That was my first study, was Seventh-day Advent. That's right. Was Seventh-day Advent, what I studied first. And when they come and told me that the Saturday was the seventh day, brother, that was according to the Jewish calendar. And the Roman calendar didn't fix it up, and Saturday really was to be Sunday. Well, they had me sold on something that I thought was right. And as long as I was reading their literature I was right in for it a hundred percent, but one day I got ahold of a Bible and I seen that was different then. See?

Now, Saturday is the sabbath day according to the cycle of the week. Now, we don't know. It's been changed, and we got so many changes you'd never know just which was. See? Because we... Now, the Jews claim that we're just about... It's right now about 1970 something according to their cycle, their calendar. The Roman calendar takes it 1953. And they have another calendar that takes it somewhere else. But that's what makes it proof of Christianity; it's all based back to the birth of Christ. You see, that's where we take it.



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

33-130 Now, but now as a seventh day, now, there's a lot of Pentecostal people that's sabbath--sabbath, sabbatarians, keeps the Saturday sabbath. Now, they say, "There is no Word in the Bible for you to keep Satur--or Sunday as a day." Now, I'll say the same thing about the sabbath in the New Testament. See? Now, Saturday was the sabbath day that was given to the Jews. Now, it was only given in a space.

Now, this may raise another question to fire back at it. But now notice. When God rested on the seventh day, then the seventh day was not observed, as--as far I know into the Scripture, on until nearly fifteen hundred years. And in the wilderness, God gave Israel the seventh day for a sign between... God...



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

33-132 And God rested the seventh day, His memorial rest day. I'm saying that like that on the benefit of this might be a--a Seventh-day Adventist brother or sister (See?), and they have a lovely church. And now notice, I just would different with them a little bit on--on this question.

Now, God hallowed the seventh day. Six days was man. Seventh day was God's rest day, which was a type, a type of the millennium. Now, now notice this how--how it blends in. Now, when Jesus came to the earth, what crucified Jesus was that He didn't keep the sabbath day; the only two accusations they had against Jesus was that He broke the sabbath day and made Himself God. And He said He was Lord of the sabbath. He had... He was also God's Sabbath and He was God. So they had no way of accusing Him.



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

34-134 Now, let me just settle this for you and show you what day we're to keep. Now, is there a Scripture? I'll ask this for your benefit.

Is there a Scripture, Brother Branham, telling us and authorizing us to keep Sunday just like the Jews kept Saturday?

No, sir, there's not, not a Scripture in the Bible, for in the New Testament, for us to keep either Saturday or Sunday. But the reason we keep Sunday, is a memorial of the resurrection, Nothing...

Now, you're going to say, "The Roman Catholic did that." They claim they did it, but if they did, Saint Paul was a Roman Catholic, and so was Peter, John, and James, and the rest of them, for they met on the first day of the week for their worship. And according to historians, the only way they could tell between a Christian Jew and an orthodox Jew (They both went to synagogues.), but one went on Saturday which denied the resurrection of Jesus, and the other one went on Sunday which believed that Jesus rose from the dead. And that was a mark. And it'll be; it's a mark yet, and it might come out in being the mark of the beast.



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

34-137 Now, I know that the... I've heard Seventh-day Adventist brethren think that that's the seal of God. They said, "You're sealed by keeping the sabbath." There's not a Scripture in the Bible says that.

And here's a Scripture in the Bible that says that--that you're sealed, Ephesians 4:30 says, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you're sealed unto the day of your redemption," the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Now, I'll prove to you that God's Seal is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. See? That's the baptism of the Spirit is the Seal of God. Now, Isaiah 28 he said, "Precept must be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little."



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

35-140 Now, watch, now, dear friend. Now, the people who quit working... See, men are trying to find something to save hisself. There's not a thing you can do about it. You're saved by grace. God does the calling; God does the saving. You just follow the--the footsteps of God; that's all. You can't say... That's what's the nature of a man is. They try to quit eating meat; they try to keep sabbath days; they try to... "If you'd quit doing this..." It's... You're not saved by not eating meat. You're not saved by this, that, or the other. You're saved by grace. And God by grace gives you the new--Eternal Life. See what I mean? And Eternal Life is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

35-141 Now, let me show you. What does the word "sabbath" mean? Anybody know, would just raise your hand? Sabbath? [A sister says, "Rest."--Ed.] "Rest." Exactly. S-a-b-b-a-t-h, sabbath day, means "r-e-s-t," rest day. Get your marginal reading in the Bible and look, "Rest" day. Now, let's go to Hebrews the 4th chapter, right quick now. And we'll--we're...

This is my last question right here. And brother, see if Brother Neville has got them there. I know a couple of them is short ones, so we won't keep you too much longer. Now, excuse me till I get it.

Now, when you see the word here, "rest," then you know that means "sabbath."

Now, here's the New Testament. Jesus, in St. Matthew He begin at the 5th chapter of St. Matthew, and He begin like this: "You have heard them say, them of old time, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'" That, what was that? The law, commandments. "But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her..." Changed it, didn't He? "You've heard them say, them of old time, 'Thou shalt not kill,' but I say unto you..." Changed it, didn't He? (Thought He didn't change the law?) All right. He said, "But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause has killed already." That never was back under the Old Testament; that's New Testament. He just swept it on in yonder beyond that. See? He went ahead and give those commandments out. But He missed; He skipped the fourth one, which is the seventh day. Now, in the 7th chapter, here...



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

36-145 Where in--in the Beatitudes, here's what He said; He said, "You've heard them say, them of old time, 'Thou shalt, thou shalt not,' and I say unto you different. You've heard them say, "A tooth for a tooth, and an eye for an eye, but I say unto you... You heard them say different, but I say unto you."

Now, at the end of it all, He left out the 4th commandment. Now, that was, "Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy." Now, He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest unto your soul."



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

36-147 Now, watch, "Whosoever commits adultery must be stoned." They had to be right in the act of committing adultery. Is that right? And it had to be physically done. "Whosoever kills," he had to be a murderer.

But Jesus said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman," his soul, spirit, nothing in his body now... His soul's redeemed; it wasn't then; it was a schoolmaster (See?), the law was. Now, He said, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart." Now, He said, "You've heard them say, 'Thou shalt not kill,' but I say, whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause has killed already."



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

36-149 Now, He said, in other words, about the sabbath, He said, "Come to me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest unto your souls, sabbath unto your souls," not to the physical body, to your soul.

Now, listen--listen at Paul now. If you can just... I know it's hot and everything; it's hot here too. But now, let's get this close now so we'd be sure to settle it. Now, Paul, writing to the Hebrews... Who was the Hebrews? Speak up. The Jews. Is that right? Now, them was the law keepers, the sabbath keepers. Is that right? Is that right, brother, preacher? They were sabbath keepers; they was the law keepers. All right.

Now, Paul is bringing the Jews by shadows and type, showing what the law typed. "The law having a shadow of the good things to come," and he goes ahead and gives it there in one place as the moon and the sun. As the--the--the moon is just a shadow of the sun shining on some other country or some other world, and it's reflecting back here. Now, but now, and it could not... But Hebrews 9...



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

37-152 Now, notice now in Hebrews 4, he comes to the sabbath proposition. Now, look.





Let us therefore fear, lest, the promise being left us to enter into his rest,...





Now, Paul speaking to sabbath keepers now, the people that kept the sabbath day. "Let us fear lest a promise being left us about a sabbath day," in other words. Or if you'll notice your marginal reading, or the "keeping of a sabbath." It's "j" in mine, of the Scofield Bible, or the "keeping of a sabbath." See? All right.





Let us... fear, lest, a promise being left us... to come short of it.









For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them... (back under the law):... but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith to them that heard it.





Now, that's back under the law. They didn't have faith, 'cause there's nothing to base it on. See? All right:





For we which have believed to enter into His rest, as he said,...





Now, "His" rest, now, "His," it's Christ's Rest (All right.), His Rest, His sabbath. I'm... Every time I use "rest," is wrote there, I'm going to use the "sabbath" so you'll understand about keeping of a day. See?





For we which have believed to enter into His... (sabbath)... rest, as he said,... I have sworn in my wrath,... (to the Hebrews)... they shall not enter into my rest: although... (Now, watch Paul...?... after God's sanctified day)... although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.









For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day for a rest,... (or a sabbath... Is that right? I'm going to lay that there. See?) For he spake in a certain place... (in the law)... of the seventh day on this wise,









And God did rest on the seventh day from all his works.







QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

37-156 That was His seventh day. Now, Paul would admit that God give it to them; that was the seventh day. And God did rest the seventh day: He blessed the sabbath day; He hallowed it; He sanctified it, and made it a day of rest. God did do it, from all His works.





And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest (Jesus speaking).





Now, there's another sabbath somewhere. Where's it? Now, remember this here, "God's rest," that seventh day. Paul said, "They had that in a certain place." But now again he said, "If they shall enter into My Rest," speaking of Jesus in Matthew, all right.





Seeing that it remains that some must enter in, and to them to whom it was first preached entered not... because of unbelief:









Again...





Now, listen close. Everybody listening, say "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen!"--Ed.] Listen:





Again, he limited a certain day,...





He limited a day here. What was it? Everybody say it at once. The sabbath. Is that right? He limited the seventh day of the week as a sabbath in this place.





And again, he limited a certain day, saying in David... (in the Psalms)..., To day, after so long a time;... (till Jesus comes, you see, the first time)... it is said,









To day if You... hear his voice, harden not your heart. (There's another rest coming, not a physical, a spiritual.)







QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

38-160 Now, watch. So you say, "Then we have the seventh day too." Now, hold it just a minute. Let's read the next verse (See?); don't get it too fast. All right:





For if Jesus had have given them... For if--if Jesus had have given them rest... (rest day),... then would he not afterwards have spoken of another day.





When He changed the law, from the law to the grace, wouldn't He have given them a day to rest, a rest day, a certain day? But He never said nothing about the sabbath. He never said nothing about Sunday; He never said nothing about Saturday. But here's what He did say; Paul said. Now, watch, "There..." The 19th... or the 9th verse:





There remaineth therefore a sabbath to the people of God. (That's today.) There remains... a sabbath to the people of God. For he... (you or I)... who has entered into his rest... (Jesus' Rest, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and heavy laden, I'll give you Rest),... he... (you or I)... has ceased from his own work, as God did from his at the beginning.





Amen! There's your sabbath. Is that right?





Let us labour... (said Paul)... to enter into that rest, lest any man should fall after the same example of unbelief... (of days and so forth. See?).









For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even... the dividing asunder of the soul... and a discerner of the... and of... (Let's see.)... of the spirit, and of the... (Just a minute.)... dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and... the joints and the marrow, and... a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.









Neither is there any creature... is not manifested in his sight: for all things are naked and open before His eye of him that whom we have to do.







QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

39-163 Now, look, God rested the seventh day, created the seventh day, give it to the Jews for a memorial. I'm speaking of Saint Paul now. See? Here... Now, you think he was bringing it? You think he had a right? Now, what'd he say in Galatians 1:8? "If a angel from heaven would come and teach you any other Gospel than that what I have said, let him be unto you accursed." See, the Gospels are plain. Now, watch.

"Well, Brother Branham, now what would I do, just believe Jesus Christ?" No. That's not the Rest.



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

39-165 Now, if you want to know what... How many would like to know what the Christian Rest is, say "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen!"--Ed.] Now, you can mark it if you want to: Isaiah 28. He said, "Precept must be upon precept--precept," speaking. "Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little, and hold fast to that what's good," the prophet speaking of the time coming about Rest, sabbath. Read the whole chapter (You see?); he's same, "Times there when the sabbath day will be done away," and they'll sell shoes on the Saturday the same as they did it on Monday, or whatevermore. You see? Said, "When will this sign be?" Said:





... precept upon precept;... line upon line; here a little, and there a little: hold fast to that what's good.









For with stammering lips and with other tongues will I speak to this people...









And this is the... (sabbath)... the rest that I said that they should enter into.









And for all of this they hardened their hearts and wagged their heads and rejected It.





Just the same thing they did on Pentecost when the Holy Ghost fell upon the people, and the Holy Ghost was first given to the people back there on the day of Pentecost. That is the Rest, the sabbath to the people of God.



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

40-166 So the only reason that we keep Sunday, started by our ancient fathers of the Bible, Saint Paul, John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and all them; they went from house to house; they taken communion on the first day of the week when the disciples come together; and it was called, not a sabbath, but the Lord's day.

John said on the Isle of Patmos, there had already been a feast of the sabbath in the church, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." That's right. See? And then he saw...

And--and, now, the Lord's day is--is the day that the Lord arose. Now, you go get the historians, Josephus, Actibus [Uncertain spelling--Ed.], many of those other. Or not Actibus, oh, I can't... Any of the eastern writers, and you'll find out back there. The historians of the church, Foxe's "Book of Martyrs," many others, and you'll find out there that the only difference... They are a group of Jews. One of them they called cannibals; that was the Christians. They said, "There was a man that Pontius Pilate killed, and the disciples come and stole His body. And they got it hid, and every--every Sunday they go eat a part of it." They was taking communion. You see? They did... They taken His body. You see? They said they was taking the Lord's body, the communion. And they didn't know what it was, and he said they were cannibals. Said, "They go eat on the first day of the week; they meet together and eat this man's body."



QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.ON.GENESIS_ JEFF.IN COD WEDNESDAY_ 53-0729

41-169 And the only way you could tell whether they were law keepers and bitterly denied the resurrection, or whether they was Christians and believed the resurrection, one went to church on Saturday and one went to church on Sunday, which was a mark between them.

That's pretty strong, isn't it? All right. Hope that gets it. The Holy Ghost is...

Now, you got something there, brother? You want... Do you want--do you want to go up and answer it? All right. Let's see, right here. Oh, yes.