Last-day Sabbath Keepers

The Old Testament prophecies make it clear that in the last days of human history those who are loyal to God will be Seventh-day observers. In a heavenly vision, Isaiah, contemplating the end time, the time when "My salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed" (Isaiah 56:1), declares, "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil" (verse 2).

This promised blessing related to the Sabbath keeping in the days immediately leading up to Christ's coming is not conferred on Jews only, nor to any class of people. "Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer" (Isaiah 56:6, 7).

In the end times, when men are waiting for the coming of Christ, there will be a Sabbath reform message, a call to those who love Christ, to separate themselves from the world with all its obstacles, in order to observe the true Sabbath of the Lord and to be set apart of all sin and evil.

Satan is working today with the same weapons he previously has used. Today the arch deceiver also induces men to believe that the apostles taught: "Let us do evil, that good may come?," (Romans 3:8), that is, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" (Romans 6:1). And so, many are today seduced to violate the fourth commandment of the Law, the Sabbath, so that also applies to them that rebuke of the apostle Paul: "through breaking the law dishonourest thou God" (Roman 2:23).

Breaking the law is a disgrace to God. Many Christians find that if justification is by grace, they don't need to cease sinning, that is, cease from transgressing the Law of the Ten Commandments-the eternal standard of righteousness. But that's a big lie. Grace is a means to take away sins already committed, but by no means a license to keep sinning. Therefore, we must keep the Law, not to stop achieving justification "for previous sins committed" (Romans 3:25) - for, the observance of the Law does not remove sins - but we must observe it solely to avoid recidivism (falling again) in transgression, because if we were to sin again, we would nullify the justification already achieved and invalidate the grace, just like, if we turn on the water spigot, after everything is dry, we would undo the drying already done by the sun and wind.

Therefore, faith, by which we are justified, gives us power to henceforth establish and keep the Law, so that, after justification, we do not fall back into sin: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Romans 3:31).

"From the pulpits of today the words are uttered: 'Believe, only believe. Have faith in Christ; you have nothing to do with the old law, only trust in Christ.' How different is this from the words of the apostle who declares that faith without works is dead. He says, 'But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves' James 1:22. We must have that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Many seek to substitute a superficial faith for uprightness of life and think through this to obtain salvation" (Faith and Works, p. 89).

"There are many who cry, 'Believe, only believe.' Ask them what you are to believe. Are you to believe the lies forged by Satan against God's holy, just, and good law? God does not use His great and precious grace to make of none effect His law, but to establish His law. What is the decision of Paul? He says: 'What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law … For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and [the commandment then ended?-No.] I [Paul] died … Wherefore the law is [standing directly in the way of my having liberty and peace?--No.] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" Romans. 7:7-12" (Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 347; brackets and comments are in the original source).

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This release was published on openPR.