The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-02-05
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Seventh Day Adventism.
To the Editor of The Republican.

To the Editor of The Republican.
1t is generally supposed that the main
difference between this sect and Chris
tians in general, is that they keep the
seventh day of the week as the Sabbath,
while others keep the first day. This is
not the only difference by any means.
They teach many things that are sub
yersive of Christianity.
What is the believers relation to God
in this dispensation? Is it law or grace?
Paul in Rom. 6 IA says we are under
grace.
They say the law has not been chang
ed. That is true. They claim that
there is no Scriptural authority for say
ing that the Sabbath has been changed
from the seventh to the first day of the
week. Let US admit this. Note, how
ever, that when the Sabbath is men
toned in the New Testament 1t refers
to the seventh day and not to the first.
They therefore claim that the Christian
in Apostolic days, observed the seventh
day as the Sabbath. That we will ad-
nit. There ism single instance given
of Christian assembly meeting on the
seventh day to worship or to break
bread; nor is there an intimation of
their observing the seventh day as a
Christian institution. They quote Paul
in Acts II 2. But that was Jewish
assembly and Paul went there and then
because he could meet The Jews and
reason with them. There is no thought
either in Chap. II or Is about Christian
Sabbath keeping in any of. these pas
sages. Faul went there to reach the
Jews with the Gospel on the seventh
day because that was their regular
assembling day. In every case IN the
Acts when preaching on the Sabbath
is spoken of it is Jewish meeting on
the Sabbath day, and at the river side
because they had no synagogue. There
Is not single instance in the Acts of a
Christian assembly convened on the
Sabbath day.
What does the New Testament teach
as to the observance of the first day of
the week? 1t certainly is marked in a
very special way. Of course there is
no legal character attached to it such
as characterized the Sabbath. Its OBJ
servance has the character of privilege
rather than legal command, which is a
feature that generally characterlzes
Christianity. You will notice first that
it is the day on which Jesus rose from
the dead as the Head and Beginning of
the new creation. The first creation
was ruined by sin, and Christ began the
new creation. Christ, through His
death, accomplished eternal redemption.
Christ risen from the dead becomes the
Head of new creation. ii Cor. 5 II.
This shows that the resurrection of
Christ is the beginning of a new era.
The old creation with which the Sab
bath was connected was judicially ended
there. A new era dawned in Christ s
resurrection. A new creation sprang
into beng by the power of God. The
first day of the week celebrated the
completion of this great work of God.
In keeping with this we find in John %
that Christ presented Himself to the
disciples on the first day of the week,
conveying to them the peace He had
made through the blood of His cross.
Eight days later, on the next first day,
He appeared again to His disciples.
This shows the striking manner in which
the first day of the, week Is marked in
connection with the bringing in of the
new creation.
The first day of the week is marked
most strikingly: by the descent of the
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
This feast began on the first day of the
week, or the morrow after the Sabbath.