Basic HTML Version
Roman Church
33
Constantine, while still a heathen, issued a decree enjoining
the general observance of Sunday as a public festival throughout
the Roman empire. After his conversion, he remained a staunch
advocate of Sunday, and his pagan edict was then enforced by him
in the interests of his new faith. But the honor shown this day was
not as yet sufficient to prevent Christians from regarding the true
Sabbath as the holy of the Lord. Another step must be taken; the
false Sabbath must be exalted to an equality with the true. A few
years after the issue of Constantine’s decree, the bishop of Rome
conferred on the Sunday the title of Lord’s day. Thus the people
were gradually led to regard it as possessing a degree of sacredness.
Still the original Sabbath was kept.
[56]
The arch-deceiver had not completed his work. He was resolved
to gather the Christian world under his banner, and to exercise his
power through his vicegerent, the proud pontiff who claimed to
be the representative of Christ. Through half-converted pagans,
ambitious prelates, and world-loving churchmen, he accomplished
his purpose. Vast councils were held, from time to time, in which
the dignitaries of the church were convened from all the world.
In nearly every council the Sabbath which God had instituted was
pressed down a little lower, while the Sunday was correspondingly
exalted. Thus the pagan festival came finally to be honored as a
divine institution, while the Bible Sabbath was pronounced a relic
of Judaism, and its observers were declared to be accursed.
The great apostate had succeeded in exalting himself “above
all that is called God, or that is worshiped.” [
2 Thessalonians 2:4
.]
He had dared to change the only precept of the divine law that
unmistakably points all mankind to the true and living God. In the
fourth commandment, God is revealed as the Creator of the heavens
and the earth, and is thereby distinguished from all false gods. It
was as a memorial of the work of creation that the seventh day was
sanctified as a rest-day for man. It was designed to keep the living
God ever before the minds of men as the source of being and the
object of reverence and worship. Satan strives to turn men from
their allegiance to God, and from rendering obedience to his law;
therefore he directs his efforts especially against that commandment
which points to God as the Creator.
[57]