The history of how Sunday worship came about.

[Hobie]

Not even a hundred years go by Sunday worship record before the Bible is even finished.

“But every Lord’s day . . . gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned” (Didache 14 [A.D. 70]).


“We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead” (Letter of Barnabas 15:6–8 [A.D. 74]).

“[T]hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e. Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death” (Letter to the Magnesians 8 [A.D. 110]).

“But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead” (First Apology 67 [A.D. 155]).

Scratch below the surface, rather than just a superficial look and see what really happened. In 195 A.D., Victor, bishop of Rome, tried to force all of the eastern church leaders to keep the annual celebration of Christ's resurrection on Sunday. Of course, the bishops of the other churches protested, insisting that if done at all, the Biblical precedent for this was on the fourteenth day of the month Nisan [Ex 10,12,14, Lev 23:5].

But Victor would not consider this, and basically wrote letters "ex-communicating" all leaders and churches that refused to do as he said. He declared all the churches of Asia to be apostates because they would not follow his example in the matter. Back in those days, some churches were more influential than others, but none were "over" the others. What Victor tried to do in 195 AD. was not sanctioned in any way by scripture. This was probably the first time in history that the bishop of Rome attempted to gain control over all the other churches, and commenting on it, Dr. Bower, in his History of the Popes, volume 1, page 18, calls it "The first essay of papal usurpation." In simple language, we would call it, "the first attempt at papal takeover."

Christians at Rome had been faithful as they were persecuted for many years but as they became accepted and persecution stop, other challenges had begun to come in. Greek philosophy and Gnosticism had been picked up and now the old pagan beliefs and festivals were being allowed in, and the Romans and many Christian and leaders didnt see a problem with it.

So disputes arose as the bishop of Rome allowed the celebration of the Pasch or Passover to continue till the following Sunday so Christians could also celebrate Spring Equinox festival (Easter) as they had done before.

Now the danger of allowing the Christians to join in pagan solstice celebrations was overlooked as the new pagan 'converts' joined the church and swelled the numbers under the bishop of Rome. But other Christian leaders saw the danger of worship according to the old pagan festivals and tried to stop it in what came to be known as Paschal/Easter controversies. The first recorded such controversy came to be known as the Quartodeciman controversy.

Eusebius of Caesarea (Church History, V, xxiii) wrote:
"A question of no small importance arose at that time [i.e. the time of Pope Victor I, about A.D. 190]. The dioceses of all Asia, according to an ancient tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon [of Nisan], on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should always be observed as the feast of the life-giving pasch (epi tes tou soteriou Pascha heortes), contending that the fast ought to end on that day, whatever day of the week it might happen to be. However it was not the custom of the churches in the rest of the world to end it at this point, as they observed the practice, which from Apostolic tradition has prevailed to the present time, of terminating the fast on no other day than on that of the Resurrection of our Saviour." So the bishop of Rome began the practice of fixing the celebration of Passover for Christians on Sunday and it spread through the old areas of the Empire.Polycarp the disciple of John the Apostle who was now the bishop of Smyrna, came and confronted Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome who had allow the changes in the Passover and other changes to bring in converts.According to Irenaeus, around the 150s or 160, Polycarp visited Rome to discuss the differences that existed between the other centers of Christianity in Asia and Rome "with regard to certain things" and especially about the time of the Pasch or Passover which in Rome were now the Easter festivals.

Irenaeus says that Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, observed the fourteenth day of the moon, whatever day of the week that might be, following therein the tradition which he derived from John the Apostle. Irenaeus said that on certain things the two bishops speedily came to an understanding, while as to the time of the Pasch and the change to Easter, each adhered to his own custom. Polycarp following the eastern practice of celebrating Passover on the 14th of Nisan, the day of the Jewish Passover, regardless of what day of the week it fell while the bishop of Rome let it be observed on Sunday.

So the Bishop of Rome ignored the warning and continued to allow the Passover to be observed on Sunday at the pagan Spring Equinox festival connected to the "goddess of sunrise" so this is how the Pasch was change to the festival of Easter.

But not only was it just the festival but had been elevated as more pagan converts came in, they were allowed to worship on the pagan day of worship which they were used to, while Christians continued to worship on Sabbath.

A careful study of the historical records reveals that gradually, with the passing of the years, the Roman bishop tended to use his new day, Sunday, as a ploy for political supremacy over the other churches. Victor's decree was the first ecclesiastical Sunday Law of any kind, in history. The festival on Easter controversy continued, with the Eastern churches giving it stiff opposition until the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., at which time Sunday was declared the official day for Easter observance. Emperor Constantine immediately followed this, the same year, with civil enactments enforcing it among the churches.

 

[Hobie]

Lets go over this list (here is the link (The Two Are The Same) of the doctrines of the pagan sun gods and look closely and you can see how false doctrines and corruption entered the church in this comparison:

1. The Midsummer festival of the Pagan was held on June 24 of each year.
The Nativity of St. John is held every year on June 24 by Papal Rome.

2. The assumption of Semiramus who became the mother godess of all Pagans.
The assumption of Mary, who became worshipped as the mother of God rather than just a good woman.

3. The mother goddess was given the title, and worshipped as the Queen of Heaven. Jer. 7:18
The Virgin Mary is given the title, and worshipped as the Queen of Heaven by Papal Rome.

4.The "Queen of Heaven" is wrath subduer of the Pagan god.
Mary, "Queen of Heaven" subdues the wrath of Christ and His Father against sinners.

5. Cakes decorated to the goddess with a "+" drawn on it. Jer. 44:17,19
Hot cross buns are backed for Mary in most Roman Catholic churches

6. 40 days fasting before Easter for Tammuz, Ezek. 8:14
The fast of 40 days (Lent) before Easter is doctrine with no scripture to support it.

7. ..festival of Easter. Ezek 8:16
The Roman Catholic church initiated the ... festival of Easter first in Christiandom.

8. The resurrection of Tammuz on Easter, and the procession of graven images during Easter holy week
All Roman Catholic churches parade partake in processions of graven images of Jesus, Mary, and Peter, and of the saints during Easter week

9. Veneration of graven images of Baal, Ishtar, Tammuz and lesser gods in the heavens
All Roman Catholic churches venerate graven images of Jesus, Mary, Peter, and of the "lesser" saints in the heavens.

10. The belief of the constant immortality of the soul, and burning place of eternal torment.
Rome teaches the belief of immortality of the soul and a burning place of eternal torment.

11. Pagans believed in the doctrine of purgatory.
Papal Rome teaches the doctrine of purgatory.

12. The belief of the dead visiting the living on a certain day each year. A feast is then held for all the dead on first day of November.(Called all souls day).
Papal Rome teaches they must hold a festival for the dead on all souls day held Nov. 2, and all saints day held Nov. 1 of each year.

13. Burning candles to the gods Jer 11:17; Ezek 8:11.
Papal Rome, has the people burn candles in their "masses".

14. Chants and repetitive prayers. Beaded prayer chains.
Papal Rome uses chants and the beaded prayer chains.(Rome calls the chant "Gregorian chant" and the beaded chained "Rosary").

15. Pagans wear amulets and idols to scare away evil spirits.
Roman Catholicism teaches the wearing of crucifixes and medals as a method of protection. The scapular is proof of that fact.

16. Pagan's would paint the child Tammuz and his mother Semiramus with the glory of the Sun around their heads.
Rome paints the child Jesus and his mother Mary with halos of the Sun around their heads.

19. Pagan's performed infant baptism, and the sprinkling of holy water.
Papal Rome practices infant baptism, as well as the sprinkling of holy water.

20. Pagans taught Necromancy (Talking to the dead).
Papal Rome teaches Mysticism (Novenas/prayers to the dead).

21. The first day of the week kept sacred to honor the sun god Mithra. The name of the day was changed to "SUN"day .
Papal Rome admitted they changed the Sabbath from day 7 to day one in honor of "SUN"day.

22. The title Pontifex Maximus was given to the chief head of the pagan Babylonian system of idolatry.
The title Pontifex Maximus is the main title of the Popes of Rome.

23. Pagan gods (Janus and Cybele) were believed to be holders of the keys to Heaven and Hell.
The pope claims to have the keys of Peter or Heaven and Hell within his clutches.

24. The Pagan high priest king is believed to be the incarnate of the Sun god.
The Pope proclaims to be Jesus Christ in the flesh on Earth.

.....It just keeps going. But basically they took the ancient pagan mystery religions and system of worship and brought it into the church, and subverted the true worship in the early church.

Here is one I dont want to leave out...
35. Pagans used the symbols of the "Unicorn, Peacock, and Phoenix" to signify some of their sun gods, and statues of a 'Madonna'..

Symbols of the "Unicorn, Peacock, and Phoenix" used to symbolize the "communion" of Christ are found carved in gold in many churches on doors or chapels as well as the small sanctuary buildings housing the Eucharist or wafer god of Rome. The statues of a "Madonna" can be found in all Pagan churches as well as the Egyptian Madonna, Isis, with her son Horus, or Hindu churches with Divaki and her son Krishna.

Mary is found in all Catholic churches holding a 'baby Jesus' wearing the same clothing, as well as 'Jesus' making what I would call 'strange hand signals'.

 

[Hobie]

Here is from Wikipedia where I have to disclose as usual I am a editor...
"Quartodecimanism (from the Vulgate Latin quarta decima in Leviticus 23:5,[1] meaning fourteenth) refers to the custom of early Christians celebrating Passover beginning with the eve of the 14th day of Nisan (or Aviv in the Hebrew Bible calendar).

The modern Jewish Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread is seven days, starting with the sunset at the beginning of Nisan 15. Judaism reckons the beginning of each day at sunset, not at sunrise as is the ancient custom in European traditions. The biblical law regarding Passover is said to be a "perpetual ordinance" (Exodus 12:14), to some degree also applicable to proselytes (Exodus 12:19).

Regarding the chronology of Jesus, some claim the Gospel of John (e.g., 19:14, 19:31, 19:42) implies that Nisan 14 was the day that Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem and that the Synoptic Gospels instead place the execution on the first day of Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:17). In Ancient Israel the first day of Unleavened Bread was on Nisan 15 and began a seven-day feast to the Lord (Leviticus 23:6). By the time of Christ, many customs in regard to the festival had changed, notable among them the intermixing of the two festivals in some customs and terminology. The eight days, passover and the feast of unleavened bread, were often collectively referred to as the Passover, or the Pesach Festival.[2][3]"...Quartodecimanism - Wikipedia

So the Bishop of Rome ignore the warning and continued to allow the Passover to be observed on Sunday at the pagan Spring Equinox festival, so basically this is how the Pasch was changed to the festival of Easter, so we see how the substitute for the Sabbath was subtly brought in.

 

[Hobie]

Now lets look at the system of worship from Babylon as we find the elements such as the College of Pontiffs or Collegium Pontificum was brought in and set up in the ancient pagan religion of Rome. First lets get from the neutral view of wiki at the basics...

The College of Pontiffs (Latin: Collegium Pontificum; see collegium) was a body of the ancient Roman state whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the state religion. The college consisted of the Pontifex Maximus and the other pontifices, the Rex Sacrorum, the fifteen flamens, and the Vestals.[1] The College of Pontiffs was one of the four major priestly colleges; originally their responsibility was limited to supervising both public and private sacrifices, but as time passed their responsibilities increased.[2] The other colleges were the augurs (who read omens), the quindecimviri sacris faciundis ("fifteen men who carry out the rites"), and the Epulones (who set up feasts at festivals).

The title pontifex comes from the Latin for "bridge builder", a possible allusion to a very early role in placating the gods and spirits associated with the Tiber River, for instance.[3] Also, Varro cites this position as meaning "able to do".[4]

The pontifex maximus was the most important member of the college. Until 104 BC, the pontifex maximus held the sole power in appointing members to the other priesthoods in the college.

The flamens were priests in charge of fifteen official cults of Roman religion, each assigned to a particular god. The three major flamens (flamines maiores) were the Flamen Dialis, the high priest of Jupiter; the Flamen Martialis, who cultivated Mars; and the Flamen Quirinalis, devoted to Quirinus. The deities cultivated by the twelve flamines minores were Carmenta, Ceres, Falacer, Flora, Furrina, Palatua, Pomona, Portunus, Volcanus (Vulcan), Volturnus, and two whose names are lost.

The Vestal Virgins were the only female members of the college. They were in charge of guarding Rome's sacred hearth, keeping the flame burning inside the Temple of Vesta. Around age 6 to 10, girls were chosen for this position and were required to perform the rites and obligations for 30 years, including remaining chaste.....

The pontifex maximus (Latin for "greatest priest"[1][2][3]) was the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs (Collegium Pontificum) in ancient Rome. This was the most important position in the ancient Roman religion, open only to patricians until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post. Although in fact the most powerful office in the Roman priesthood, the pontifex maximus was officially ranked fifth in the ranking of the highest Roman priests (ordo sacerdotum), behind the rex sacrorum and the flamines maiores (Flamen Dialis, Flamen Martialis, Flamen Quirinalis).[4]

A distinctly religious office under the early Roman Republic, it gradually became politicized until, beginning with Augustus, it was subsumed into the position of emperor in the Roman imperial period. Subsequent emperors were styled pontifex maximus well into Late Antiquity, including Gratian (r. 367–383), but during Gratian's reign the phrase was replaced in imperial titulature with the Latin phrase: pontifex inclytus, an example followed by Gratian's junior co-emperor Theodosius the Great and which was used by emperors thereafter including the co-augusti Valentinian III (r. 425–455) and Marcian (r. 450–457) and the augustus Anastasius Dicorus (r. 491–518). The first to adopt the inclytus alternative to maximus may have been the rebel augustus Magnus Maximus (r. 383–388).

The word pontifex and its derivative "pontiff" became terms used for Christian bishops,[5] including the Bishop of Rome,[6][7] and the title of pontifex maximus was applied to the Catholic Church for the pope as its chief bishop and appears on buildings, monuments and coins of popes of Renaissance and modern times. The official list of titles of the pope given in the Annuario Pontificio includes "supreme pontiff" (Latin: summus pontifex) as the fourth title, the first being "bishop of Rome".[8]
.

 

[Hobie]

Many have been fooled into how there are ancient 'tradtions' or changes authorized from some 'apostolic' origin. Now the tradition the church at Rome was following did exist, but it wasnt the tradition of the Apostles as we can see from the changes. But there was a tradition, the corruption from the Gnostic sect had brought about what is called the Disciplina Arcani or Discipline of the Secret or Discipline of the Arcane, which was a restriction imposing silence upon Christians with respect to their rites and doctrines. It was a theological term used to describe the custom which came in and prevailed in the church, whereby knowledge of the more 'intimate mysteries' of the Christian religion was carefully kept from non-Christians and even from those who were undergoing instruction in the faith. The church in the early stages picked up pagan oral teachings from Greek and Hellenistic sources which formed the basis of this secret oral tradition, which in the 4th century came to be called the disciplina arcani. It is believe that it contained liturgical details and certain other pagan traditions which remain a part of Christianity, for example, the doctrine of Transubstantiation is thought to have been a part of this.

Now lets take a look at the College of Pontiffs or Collegium Pontificum which was a body of the ancient Roman state whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the pagan religion. It consisted of the Pontifex Maximus, the Vestal Virgins, the Rex Sacrorum, and the flamines.

The Pontifex Maximus was the head and most important member of the college and held the sole power in appointing members to the other priesthoods. There were four chief colleges of priests in ancient Rome, the most illustrious of which was that of the pontifices. The others were those of the augures, the quindecimviri sacris faciundis, and the epulones. The same person could be a member of more than one of these groups, including the Pontifex Maximus, who was president of the college. By the third century B.C., the pontiffs had assumed control of the state religious system. So we see where the title "pontiff" and its position was in the pagan priesthood.

The Rex Sacrorum, during the Roman Republic, was chosen by the pontifex maximus from a list of patricians submitted by the College of Pontiffs. The rex sacrorum wore a toga, the undecorated soft "shoeboot" (calceus), and carried a ceremonial ax; as a priest of archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed capite velato, with head covered. At Rome, the Rex Sacrorum priesthood was deliberately depoliticized; the rex sacrorum was not elected, and the comitia or the legislative assemblies of the Roman Republic merely witnessed his inauguration. Like the flamen Dialis but in contrast to the pontiffs and augurs, the rex was barred from a political and military career. It is not clear if the position carried over into the church as the Cardinals from what I can see, but the early on, Cardinals wore a violet or blue cape unless granted the privilege of wearing red, scarlet garments — the blood-like red was said to symbolize a Cardinal's willingness to die for his faith. But the Rex Sacrorum priesthood were appointed to counsel the Pontiff much as Cardinals which also were appointed to counsel the Pontiff in Rome. Historically, Cardinals were the clergy of the city of Rome, serving the Bishop of Rome as the Pope, but in the twelfth century the practice of appointing ecclesiastics from outside Rome as cardinals began, with each of them being assigned a church in Rome as his titular church, or being linked with one of the suburbicarian dioceses, while still being incardinated in a diocese other than that of Rome. There was created the College of Cardinals which is a body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church and a function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory.

Now lets take a look at the Vestal Virgins who were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth. The College of the Vestals and its well-being was regarded as fundamental to the continuance and security of Rome, as embodied by their cultivation of the sacred fire that could not be allowed to go out. Around age 6 to 10, girls were chosen for this position and were obligated to perform the rites and obligations, including remaining chaste, for 30 years. The chief Vestal (Virgo Vestalis Maxima or Vestalium Maxima, "greatest of the Vestals") oversaw the efforts of the Vestals, and was present in the College of Pontiffs. The Vestals were freed of the usual social obligations to marry and bear children, and took a vow of chastity. Now we see where the nuns and there position and duties came from.

Then there were the flamens who were priests in charge of fifteen official cults of Roman religion, each assigned to a particular god. The three major flamens (flamines maiores) were the Flamen Dialis, the high priest of Jupiter; the Flamen Martialis, who cultivated Mars; and the Flamen Quirinalis, devoted to Quirinus. When a vacancy occurred, the persons were nominated to it and consecrated (inaugurabatur) by the Pontifex Maximus. So we see where the position and duties of the priests come from, and you can see why they were divided into orders, each devoted for a particular god.


So the bishop of Rome basically took the Collegium Pontificum and imposed it at will and the original teachings and practices of the original Christian church as depicted in the Acts of the Apostles was set aside or subtly shifted to allow the changes to take place. The bishop of Rome soon had no other bishop held at the same level, from the patriarch of Alexandria to the one in Jerusalem and he was pushing for more converts so allowing the pagan beliefs and ceremonies to come into the church. Now we begin to see how the 'ancient mysteries of Babylon' began to corrupt the early church who had been true and the mark of Romes authority began to sweep in..

 

[robycop3]

Lets dig down more below the surface and see what else history shows us. Now as the Bishop of Rome gained more converts his area and influence grew, and people natuarally looked to Rome as they had during the Empire as the center of authority. It used Easter as a tool to bring more pagans into the church, but instead of having them shed their pagan ways and ceremonies, it allow them into the church. Lets take a look at Easter which was an ancient pagan festival and the pagan solstice celebrations were brought in and given a Christian veneer so pagans could join and continue as they had during the Empire. The pagan festival or Spring Equinox festival was characterized by the rejoining of the Mother Goddess and her lover-consort-son, who spent the winter months in death and has been connected to the goddess Eostre the "goddess of sunrise" . In Deutsche Mythologie, Jacob Grimm speculates on the nature of the goddess....

"Eástre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing, whose meaning could be easily adapted by the resurrection-day of the christian's God. Bonfires were lighted at Easter and according to popular belief of long standing, the moment the sun rises on Easter Sunday morning, he gives three joyful leaps, he dances for joy...Water drawn on the Easter morning is, like that at Christmas, holy and healing.. "

The origin of the Easter egg, was from ancient times were they were used in religious rituals throughout Egypt and Greece. Eggs were hung for mystic purposes in temples. These sacred eggs can be traced to the banks of the Euphrates and Babylon paganism. Pagan priests were celibate, tonsured, and received the power of sacrificing for the living and the dead. The goddess in ancient religions was worshipped as the life giver and nurturer and as such, this religion was imbued with sexual undertones. Easter is nothing else but Ashtarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the Queen of Heaven. The Easter “buns” were used in the worship of the queen of heaven, the goddess of Easter. As early as the days of Cecrops, the founder of Athens, fifteen hundred years before the Christian era. The prophet Jeremiah takes notice of this offering when he says,

“The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the Queen of heaven.” ( Jer. 7:18 )

You apparently believe the nonsense of Alex Hislop in his 1853 book, The Two Babylons.

 

[robycop3]

The symbols of sun worship include the solar wheel dating back to the Chaldeans, halos, various pagan crosses, lightning bolts, hand-signals from sun worship cults, tridents, fleur-de-lis, sexagesimal triangles with the eye of Hathor, coptic shells which in paganism served as a symbol of the cosmos, astrological signs, globes as symbols of rulership of the universe, sacred hearts as used in many sun cults, sacred animals (many of them mythological such as dragons, the serpent, unicorn and the phoenix), fertility symbols such as pine cones (pagan deities wore the pine cone on their crosier), sacred trees (symbols of the suffering and resurrected sungod) and prayer beads for repetitive prayers even though the Bible admonishes:

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6:7

"The Babylonian system of worship has essentially been maintained even is hidden as mysterys or ceremonies or otherwise to modern day and can be seen in some form or another. The ancient Chaldeans worshipped a pantheon of male and female gods representing the sun god and there were largely three aspects to this system of sun worship, representing the father, mother, and the son. These were the god Bel or Merodach, Ninus the son, who was also worshipped as Tammuz, and the female goddess Rhea who was also worshipped as Ishtar, Astarte, or Beltis representing the mother. She was also referred to as the ‘queen of heaven’, and the ‘wrath subduer’.

The Greeks had pick up and adopt the Babylonian gods and the Greek Doura (the Greek temple in Mesopotamia) freely admitted the gods of Babylon. The foreign gods were given or take Greek names" (Tarn, ibid., pp. 301, 302).

Speaking of this Babylonian system, Dr. Cumont remarks:

'The native religions retained all their prestige and independence. In their ancient sanctuaries that took rank with the richest and most famous in the world, a powerful clergy continued to practise ancestral devotions according to barbarian rites, and frequently liturgy, everywhere performed with scrupulous respect.. (Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism, p. 22).

The Greeks picked up the Babylonian worship and carried on to completion Alexander the Greats project of restoring Bel’s temple at Babylon and re-founded Nebo’s temple at Borsippa, and many pagan temples where restored as the Babylonian religion became dominant among the Greeks. The Babylonian gods took Greek names, as we see the Greek name of their idol was Zeus Olympus, but it was clearly the old Mesopotamian sun-god. (Astrology and Religion, pp. 80, 81).

The T-shaped ctoss useta be a pagan symbol. The fish sign commonly displayed on cars useta be the sign of the Philistine fish god Dagon. (Remember, the pope often wears a fish-head mitre.) The swastika used to be a good-luck sign. The triquetra, so-hated by KJVOs, usetabee a sign of the Holy Trinity, used by early Christians in letters to indicate their Christianity. The uses of signs/symbols change over time.

 

[JonC]

The Bible is silent on Sunday sacredness, .

No it is not. Scripture indicates the days themselves are just days,, the difference being how one holds them..

It is not sinful to observe Saturday as sacred. It us not sinful to observe Sunday as sacred. It not sinful to hold no day above another.

But is IS sinful to project your conviction onto others.

Romans 14:5.

 

[robycop3]

Colossians 2:16, written to gentiles, shows that God does NOT require gentiles to observe Israeli feast days he gave them, nor sabbaths, which He gave ONLY TO ISRAEL. Now, if you're a Jew or other Israeli, God's command for ISRAEL to observe the sabbath FOREVER still stands, of course, but NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE are GENTILES required to observe it. The apostles (with the possible exception of Luke) were Jews, & thus observed sabbaths & other Israeli feast days.

But God NEVER commanded gentiles to observe sabbaths !

 

[robycop3]

As for Easter, it came about when Constantine sent some missionary/diplomats to the germanic tribes to both evangelize them & to form military alliances. They observed a German spring rite called "Ostern"(eastern) complete with egg-laying bunnies legends, hot-cross buns, & new bonnets for the ladies. They worked the story of Jesus' resurrection into this observance, and...VOILA! Easter was born! They took this back to Constantinople, where it soon became popular & spread.

(BTW, "Easter" in the KJV's Acts 12:4 is a glaring goof. Easter didn't exist when Luke wrote "Acts", & if it had then existed, neither Herod nor the Jews he was trying to please woulda observed it.)

 

[robycop3]

While I agree that the RCC adopted many of the practices of the "mystery, Babylon" religion, they didn't create Sunday worship. It was established by the apostles to avoid being attacked by the Jews for "profaning the sabbath" by worshipping differently than the Jews did on Saturdays. The apostles themselves also worshipped on Saturdays, being Jews themselves, but still held Sunday services.

John 20:19Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

 

[rockytopva]

More Adventist hogwash. How about you stop hacking up babies in your Adventist hospitals and then preach to us???

Adventist hogwash? Good name for it! I get tired of it as well!

 

[rockytopva]

The history of how Sunday worship came about? How about...

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. - Mark 16:2

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. - John 20:19

And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. - Acts 20:7

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. - 1 Corinthians 16:2

 

[37818]

Sigh

Matthew 28:1, ". . . In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, . . ."

Mark 16:2, ". . . And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. . . ."

Luke 24:1, ". . . Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, . . ."

John 20:1, ". . . The first day of the week . . . ."

John 20:19, ". . . Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, . . ." (Roman reckoning of the days and hours)

Acts of the Apostles 20:7, ". . . And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, . . ."

1 Corinthians 16:2, ". . . Upon the first day of the week . . . ."

 

[George Antonios]

It wasnt the apostles or from Christ, or any change in the Bible, so how did Sunday worship come from. Well history gives us a clue in this various descriptions I came across..

"On March 7, 321, Roman Emperor Constantine I decreed that dies Solis Invicti (‘sun-day,’ or Day of Sol Invictus, Roman God of the Sun) would be the Roman day of rest throughout the Roman Empire...

Though Sol Invictus (meaning ‘The unconquered Sun’) was indeed a pagan Roman God, and had been featured on Roman coins, Constantine coopted this pagan heritage along with the Judeo-Christian following of the 10 Commandments by granting a day to honor God and rest for man. As the Roman Empire gradually converted to Christianity, Sunday became the natural day for the Sabbath and rest since Romans were already accustomed to Sunday as their day off."March 7, 321: How Sunday Became the Christian Day of Rest - History and Headlines

"The early Romans initially adopted the earlier Greek Hellenistic religion that incorporated the worship of many deities, including Apollo and Helios—the sun god, who was known to the Romans as Sol. As time passed, Sol eventually took on the combined attributes of Apollo, Helios and Mithra. The early Roman Emperors promoted the rising cult of Sol Invictus with the addition of numerous new temples, statues, rites and festivals created in Sol's name. Like earlier solar deities, Sol's tasks included steering the sun-chariot across the sky each day, a reminder that this cult was a blending of monotheism and earlier paganism.

By promoting the cult and the consolidation of divine power into Sol, Roman emperors were able to please the military and also enhance their own power by identifying Sol as the source of imperial legitimacy; in some cases the emperors were able to promote themselves as the personification of Solon earth.

Constantine in the early 4th century advanced the pagan cult of Sol Invictus to the height of its popularity. Among his efforts was the minting of this special coin dedicated to Sol. Constantine also built his famous Arch in Rome, inscribed with several references to Sol Invictus, and positioned it carefully to align with the colossal 100' bronze statue of Sol that adjoined the Coliseum at the time. The rising popularity Christianity in Rome's rural areas was a factor in Constantine’s later adoption of Christianity as the Empire's official religious—a transition arguably made easier by the preceding, well accepted ideas embodied in and popularized by the cult of Sol Invictus." ..Biblical Artifacts Ancient Coins and Artifacts from the Holy Land

"Sol Invictus played a prominent role in the Mithraic mysteries and was portrayed as being equated with, allied with, or an epithet of Mithras, although the relationship between the public cults themselves is controversial. The New Testament scholar Helmut Koester, in his book, Introduction to the New Testament, says “Although Mithras appeared to be the most oriental god among the new deities, and although his cult was essentially celebrated in exclusive mystery associations—the Mithras cult was a “mystery religion” in the strict sense of the word—this god was received by the Romans without resistance, and at the end of the 3d century CE, as Sol Invictus he became the official god of the Roman state.” ..The Dying-and-Rising Gods: Sol Invictus

The text of Constantine's Sunday Law of 321 A.D.:
First Sunday Law enacted by Emperor Constantine -
March, 321 A.D.
On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost. (Given the 7th day of March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time [A.D. 321].)
Source: Codex Justinianus, lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3 (5th ed.; New York: Scribner, 1902), p. 380, note 1. ...Was The Seven-Day Weekly Cycle Created By Man?

The early believers kept Saturday as the Sabbath until March 7, 321 CE when Constantine passed his law requiring believers to worship on Sunday, the day the pagans worshiped the sun-god, Sol Invictus. Believers continued to keep Saturday as the Sabbath but gradually were swept aside as the day of the sun took root in the empire, and we see the start of serious oppression for the day of worship, and many believers began to be persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church for keeping the Sabbath.

Rome had been the center of many of the pagan festivals and cults, and it was held that Mithras was born on what we now call Christmas day, and his followers celebrated the spring equinox. The Sol Invictus, associated with Mithras, was one the main pagan cult the church faced and rather than reject it let it come into the church with its sun worship. The Cybele cult also flourished in Rome on today's Vatican Hill. They held that Cybele's lover Attis, was born of a virgin, died and was reborn annually. This spring festival began as a day of blood on Black Friday, rising to a crescendo after three days, in rejoicing over the resurrection. There was violent conflict on Vatican Hill in the early days of Christianity between the Jesus worshipers and pagans who quarreled over whose God was the true, and whose the imitation. Christianity came to an accommodation with the pagan Spring festival and used it to bring in unconverted pagans.

History clearly shows how the Pagan worship of Sol Invictus and festivals got into the early church and it was never sanctioned by scripture or given by Christ and the Apostles.

Transition from Pagan to Christian

'This legislation by Constantine probably bore no relation to Christianity; it appears, on the contrary, that the emperor, in his capacity of Pontifex Maximus, was only adding the day of the Sun, the worship of which was then firmly [p. 123] established in the Roman Empire, to the other ferial days of the sacred calendar…
[p. 270] What began, however, as a pagan ordinance, ended as a Christian regulation; and a long series of imperial decrees, during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries, enjoined with increasing stringency abstinence from labor on Sunday.' - Source: Hutton Webster, Rest Days, pp. 122, 123, 270. Copyright 1916 by The Macmillan Company, New York.

'The Church made a sacred day of Sunday … largely because it was the weekly festival of the sun; for it was a definite Christian policy to take over the pagan festivals endeared to the people by tradition, and to give them a Christian significance.' Source: Arthur Weigall, The Paganism in Our Christianity, p. 145. Copyright 1928 by G. p. Putnams Sons, New York. ...Sunday Worship

All this and not a single Bible verse.

 

[atpollard]

Hey, dont shoot the messenger...

What about a false messenger?
Sunday worship goes back to persecution in the synagogues.

So your story is a fairytale.

 

[atpollard]

Now lets look at the system of worship from Babylon

... let’s first look at when Babylon fell as a civilization and how this religion survived 1000 years with no practitioners to influence Christianity.

 

[37818]

@Hobie,
BWT the NT first day of the week observace by NT churches was never a Sabbath.

 

[Paul from Antioch]

Maybe what I'm about to post should be in a different thread (& if the BB Admin's think it is, fine with me.) Here goes: Just exactly should a church adhere to the concept of "Thou shalt NOT work on Sunday"? I'd read of one Baptist Church's pastor preach hot & heavy about that "Lay people MUST NOT work on Sunday," and then after the Sunday AM service concludes going to a nearby restaurant that had several of that church's young people as full-time waitresses and/or clean-up workers and had a hearty meal for his large family. Is not that holding to a double standard? And, if it is, should that Baptist church vote to vacate its pulpit if her pastor continues his usual practice of his family's "after service routine" continues (BTW, his wife's unsaved relatives are the ones who own & operate this restaurant.)??

 

[JonC]

@Hobie,
BWT the NT first day of the week observace by NT churches was never a Sabbath.

Very good point. No church "changed" the Sabbath. The Christian's Sabbath IS Christ.