What About the Majority?
Question
“I have been coming into conviction about this of late and have heard both sides of this issue and each one when you hear it seems to be true. I guess the question is if we keep the Sunday (1st day Sabbath), is it all in vain and does God not accept it?
If we willfully keep Sunday in ignorance/confusion will we be condemned for direct disobedience to His commandment?
The vast majority of the professing body says that Sunday is the day. This issue is either HUGE to Christianity or it is noise in the grand scheme of things. Which is it?”
Answer
The fact that you had said that you “have been coming into conviction about this of late” speaks volumes. For I believe that the Holy Spirit is leading you to enter into the rest that God Himself blessed and sanctified, that is, the Sabbath day. Keep in mind that you won’t find any such command from God in the Scriptures regarding the first day of the week, which is obviously Sunday. In other words, Sunday is not the Sabbath. Instead, it is a day like any other, except for the seventh day of course, which is the Sabbath. You see, the idea that Sunday is to be treated as a holy day is something that does not come from God; rather, it is a man-made tradition. And history certainly testifies to this. In fact, you can read several statements that make this point quite clear by clicking on the following link: Modern and Historic Statements on the Sabbath
Now I want to make something very clear here: It is not evil to dedicate a day to God as a day wherein you would like to spend time in prayer and meditation on His Holy Word or in fellowship with other believers. Even Paul addressed this when he had said,
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 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…” (Romans 14:5-6 NKJV)
However, if in your mind you see that day as a day of rest which replaces the biblical Sabbath that God commanded us to keep, then it does become a problem. For God did not give us the right to change what He made holy; nor did He nullify it at the cross. This should be seen from what I have shared in my article; Remembering the Sabbath. And if you would like to read more on how God feels about people substituting His commands for theirs then I encourage you to read Cain Worship.
According to the Scriptures we are still required to keep the Sabbath day holy. Those who speak against this practice or teach others that Jesus changed this commandment are obviously not listening to Jesus. For He had said,
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV)
As for those who are ignorant of this truth, it is important to note that God is a just Judge, and will therefore judge us on how we respond to the light that has been disclosed to us. Of course, people can reject the light; but it is usually not ignorance that causes them to do this, but pride. And I have dealt with enough people who oppose the Sabbath command to know that. They often take Scripture out of context and try to wedge verses together that don’t even address the same underlying theme. And if that isn’t bad enough, some of them have even gone so far as to accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath in order to justify not keeping the Sabbath day holy. Not only is that foolish; it is also blasphemous! Thus they resist the convictions of the Holy Spirit because it is too convenient for them to substitute God’s commandment for their man-made tradition.
Note: I am not saying that all are like this; but many are nonetheless.
Furthermore, it doesn’t matter what the majority say. What matters is what God’s word says. And it is very clear from the Scriptures that the Sabbath day has not been abolished or changed. Of course, people can argue that it has been changed or transferred to another day (Sunday), or that every day is a type of Sabbath, but you will find that their arguments are full of holes when you look at them closely and thoughtfully. In other words, they really don’t make sense.
Listen, I would rather stand among a few who love and live by the truth as it is in Jesus Christ than to stand with many who think that they have the right to change God’s Law. After all, keep in mind that Jesus had made it very clear that many would be lost and only a few would receive eternal life.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV)
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)
Hence according to Jesus the majority doesn’t rule because in the last days the majority will be lawless, while few will remain faithful to God. Of course, the few who are faithful to God believe in keeping God’s commandments, and will therefore enter through the gates into the city.
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12 NKJV)
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14 NKJV)
Many don’t want to hear this kind of gospel. But it can’t be ignored, because it is right in the Bible. It can only be ignored if it isn’t read; but as soon as it is read the light has been disclosed. They can either accept it or reject it. Those who accept it prove that they are children of God, while those who reject and fight against it prove that they are liars who hate the truth.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6 NKJV)
The fact that you have said that you “have been coming into conviction about this of late” suggests that it is very important. And let’s not forget that it is one of the Ten Commandments of God. Therefore my advice to you is to welcome the conviction that God is giving you by Remembering to keep the Sabbath day holy. For God will bless you for this; and you will ultimately be thankful that you obeyed His voice in this way.