Rod McNair

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Do You Believe Children Are a Blessing from the Lord?

Our modern world has a strange perspective on children. For most of human history, they have been considered a blessing. The arrival of children was accompanied by great joy. They meant security for parents in old age. Lots of children were a sign of a healthy and growing population. They meant the promise of a productive workforce and the creation of wealth. In short, children were a blessing.

But something has changed in the last few decades. A different perspective has taken over, mostly in the Western world. Unwanted pregnancies are now often seen as an obstacle to the happy life. Especially for those having sex outside of marriage, pregnancy can just be seen as a complication, not a joy.

But even for those who want children, who love their children, what starts out as a series of coos and smiles and snuggles, someday, somehow can turn into a series of overwhelming burdens. Raising children is a challenge. Children can frustrate you and disappoint you. Even with the best intentions, some parents can wonder, where did I go wrong? Where is all this conflict coming from? How did this blessing become a curse?

These are important questions and worth pursuing. How CAN the arrival of children go from being one of the greatest blessings of life to a curse? Or, at least what feels like a curse?

Effects from the Abortion Debate

For millennia, having children meant the hope of prosperity and security. But something’s different today. Something has changed. In our affluent world, children are often considered a hassle. They get in the way of personal aspirations. They are sometimes seen as a hindrance to people’s desire for sexual freedom without the burdens of family life.

Abortion is the ultimate expression of this view. And many countries around the world allow abortion by law. But abortion is murder, no matter what any government of man says. Frankly, laws allowing abortion are a sign of the times. As the Psalmist said (in Psalm 94:20-21):

Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.

How appropriate this verse is for our day. In the U.S., 37 states allow abortion by law. That’s actually more restrictive than it was just a few years ago. In 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973. Even so, since 1973, about 63 million babies have been killed in the United States. In the last few decades, one estimate is that 20 to 25% of the youngest generation has been lost to abortion (“Our Youngest Generations are Missing Millions,” Population Research Institute). In any other context, this would be considered a crime against humanity.

Around the world, abortion goes on at an even more shocking rate. According to the globalcitizensolutions.comwebsite, almost 90% of countries have laws allowing abortion. That comes to about 73 million abortions taking place every year—children who never had the chance to run, play, see the sun or take in a breath of fresh air. That’s more than the entire population of France or the United Kingdom. suTruly, our advanced, enlightened world is at war with children.

Now, understand. If you’ve had an abortion, you can be forgiven. Like so many other areas of life, if we’ve made mistakes, if we’re sorry and repentant and express that in prayer to our heavenly Father, He will forgive. But we must ask for it. And we must be heartfelt and sincere.

The US Population Decline: Our Future at Risk

Children are our future. We can see this not only in a moral sense, but also in economic terms. A country’s national prosperity depends on a healthy birthrate.

Evangelist Stuart Wachowicz is our colleague and fellow presenter in the Canadian version of Tomorrow’s World. Back in 2022, he recorded a program entitled, “Fewer Babies: Population in Decline.” You can find it at tomorrowsworld.org. Referring to a 2019 Financial Post article by a Joe Chidley, he said this:

“Chidley points out that in the 1960s, growth in the West was in excess of 5%. Through the 1970s, it hovered about 4%. But by 2019, nations struggled to hit 2% or less. Why? ‘The decline in demand growth has coincided with a sharp increase in the proportion of the elderly in developed economies—in the Group of Seven, it has doubled since the early ‘60s. It has also coincided with a decline in fertility rates, from an OECD average of 3.2 children per woman in 1961 to 1.7 children per woman in 2017’” (“Fewer Babies: Population in Decline,” tomorrowsworld.org).

The OECD is an organization comprising 38 of the more open, democratic, free-market nations around the world. Mr. Wachowicz then explains this economic slide is not surprising, given the drop in birth-rate over the last few decades.

“Many demographers and economists have predicted this as the result of a major cultural change in Western nations. For a population to replace itself, there must be an average birthrate of at least 2.1 babies per woman. Yet in many nations, this is no longer the case” (“Fewer Babies: Population in Decline,” tomorrowsworld.org).

So are children a blessing or a curse? Aside from the moral implications of abortion, killing future children is disastrous for a nation. In the long term, it destroys the very economic prosperity people are trying to preserve.

What Does the Bible Say About Children?

What does God say? From the beginning of time, God intended marriages and expanding families to be a blessing, a part of His general plan.

Be Fruitful and Multiply | Genesis 1:27-28

In Genesis 1:27, we read of how God worked with Adam and Eve.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:27-28).

God wanted a large population on the earth. It was His desire that they would fill the world with a vibrant, functioning and productive society. In speaking of His promised blessings to Abraham, He told him (in Genesis 17:6):

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you…”

God’s blessings to Abraham meant he would have many descendants, expanding into powerful tribes which would become nations.

Children Are a Heritage from the Lord | Psalm 127:3-5

Solomon echoed the same idea in Psalm 127:3.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them… (Psalm 127:3-5).

Happy is the man who is blessed with children. Even today we see that children and grandchildren can provide security and comfort to those in their sunset years. And many elderly do lean on the support and encouragement of their extended family. They are blessed because of their children.

No, God never intended family life to be a curse, but rather a mechanism to produce positive benefits throughout life. What does it say about our society today when, potentially, the most dangerous place to be for a child is in the womb of its own mother?

But even for parents who want to have children, what do you do when taking care of that little bundle of joy turns into a daily grind? It can feel overwhelming. And then as children grow, the challenges just get more complicated. Navigating through choices of dress, music, friends, games, and the inevitable battles about screen-time—it can be discouraging, especially when there is conflict. The idyllic moment when that precious life came to be can become just a vague and distant memory.

Don’t worry. Keep the big picture. You can navigate the inevitable lows that all parents experience.

God’s Plan for Creating a Family

You see, children are precious. But why? That’s a vital question to answer. They are precious because they are made in the image of God. That is repeated in Genesis 5:1.

This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth (Genesis 5:1-3).

Seth was made in his parents’ image and likeness. Many people, even professing Christians, read right over this and miss the point. But it’s significant. You see, Adam and Eve’s son, Seth looked just like his parents. He had eyes, ears, a head, hands and feet. The same description is used of Adam and Eve being made in God’s image. In other words, we look like God. And we all—including our children—have the potential to be born into His literal family forever as His sons and daughters. And that’s why our children are so precious—they are made in the image of God.

What Did Jesus Say About Children?

God wants us to highly value our children. Jesus illustrated that when He was on this earth. Notice Luke 18:15.

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

The disciples were saying these children were just in the way. They were a hindrance. Jesus had more important things to do. And yet Jesus said no, let them come to Me. He had a different attitude. Notice Luke 18:16.

<block>But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”

Jesus took them up in His arms. He took the time to hold them and bless them. He wanted His disciples to understand, He loved children. Are our children perfect? No, not by a long shot. But that’s OK, because they need to be taught by us. And we also learn a great deal through the process.

How to Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go

Training children is not for the faint of heart. It can be very discouraging at times. Children will frustrate you. They will annoy and aggravate you. They will test your patience to the utmost. They might even make you think what’s the use?

If that ever happens to you, don’t give up. You can do it, but you need God’s help. And you need the help found in this Book, the Bible. Notice what Paul said in Ephesians 6:1-4.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

This is good advice for fathers. When are you tempted to provoke your child to wrath? Well, when you’re at the end of your rope—when you’re frustrated, tired, exhausted. And yet that’s when you must be in control of your emotions. You must keep your wits about you. You’ve got to remember, you’re not just feeding and clothing and providing for that child. You’re training a future potential member of God’s Family.

What about mothers? Notice Proverbs 31:26.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness… Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

When you are maxed out, when you can’t go on, when you have had all you can take, it says: Don’t forget the law of kindness. God can give you help and strength and wisdom. Notice Proverbs 29:15, 17.

A child left to himself brings shame to his mother… Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.

Your children need you—but not just for their physical needs. They need your instruction and, yes, even gentle correction. If you correct them, in love, you will be blessed; in the end they will be a “delight” to your soul. They will “give you rest.” That sounds pretty good.

You see, God is heavily invested in the training of our children and wants to be involved.

Godly Parenting in the Last Days | 2 Timothy 3:1-5

But there’s another element to address. And that is the big picture as we live in the end-times, just before Christ’s return. It doesn’t take much spiritual discernment to understand we are living in the last days. This is a time of increasing hate, violence, and antagonism against the biblical values of the Bible. As this happens, it shouldn’t surprise us to see a slide in morality and conduct in general. And if that’s happening in society at large, how could that not include children? Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-2.

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents.

Should we be surprised if we see an uptick in anger and rebellion among young people? If there is a general attitude of resistance against God and His ways, why would there not be the same attitude among the youth as well? Going on (2 Timothy 3:2-5).

Unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

I find myself turning to this passage more and more when thinking about the days we are living in. This passage seems to describe our times so well—and more with each passing day.

Now, here’s a note of caution. Don’t label all young people as problems. It’s so easy to judge and condemn the current younger generation, but who taught them? Who created the world they were brought into? In truth, are they not just taking the secular, anti-God values they’ve inherited one step further?

And actually, there are many in the younger generation today who are bucking the trends and seeking to do the rightthings. If you’re older, painting younger generations with a broad, condemning brush isn’t helpful. Instead, reach out to the young people in your life and try to make a connection.

But be careful about unsolicited advice. From time to time, we get calls from grandparents ordering literature from us for their children or grandchildren. If they want it, that’s fine. But if they’re not ready for it, unwanted advice is usually not taken well. And regarding grandchildren, understand—in most cases, they’re not your direct responsibility anymore. Don’t tell their parents how to raise them, unless they’re asking for help. Instead, just be the best example you can possibly be. Praying for them and having a spirit of love and respect does more than all the lectures and harangues put together.

Even when relationships are strained, be uncompromising in your values, but don’t burn bridges. Do everything you can to maintain a connection. As Paul wrote (in Romans 12:18):

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

You never know when—down the road—the bridge you don’t burn may be the path you use to reconnect.

When a society descends into an attitude of defiance against the God of Heaven, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It affects everything. Including family relationships, interaction between parents and children, and a general antagonism toward those in authority. Notice what Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 3:4. He was particularly writing about the downfall of ancient Judah and Jerusalem, but the same is true in any society that is descending into chaos. Notice Isaiah 3:4.

I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honorable (Isaiah 3:4-5).

Going down to verse 12:

As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths (Isaiah 3:12).

And that’s where we are today. We’ve come to a point where it almost feels like children—many children, not all, but many—are our oppressors because, well, we as a debased and corrupt society have created them.

God Will Help You and Your Children

But again, if you want something different, if you want to please God and honor Him in your life in general—and in working with your children—don’t despair. Because even in the context of Isaiah’s description of a total breakdown of society, notice what he said in Isaiah 3:10.

Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.

Say to the righteous, “It will be well with them.” Do you want to follow God, even in the midst of a perverse and evil generation? If you do, God will help you. And He will help your children.

The Value of Family | Psalm 128:1-4

Psalm 128:1 continues the theme.

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you (Psalm 128:1-2).

The same wording: If you turn your heart to God, and commit to following Him, whether in good times, or in bad, it will be well with you. Going on (in Psalm 128:3).

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord (Psalm 128:3-4).

What a beautiful picture of a happy and blessed family. And even in today’s deceived and darkening world, many still do invest in building successful marriages, and training their children together. To the degree they do that, they are blessed.

I recently got a letter from a Tomorrow’s World subscriber, responding to a Tomorrow’s World article of mine. He wrote to tell me about how the principles about family and child-rearing we teach in this Work, are consistent with what he was learning over 45 years ago, from our predecessor, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. He spoke fondly of his wife of over 62 years; his son and his daughter, his six grandchildren. And he even sent me a picture of his son, and his son’s four sons, and their wives. He mentioned this scripture in Psalm 128 and how it compares children to olive plants. There are many fascinating aspects of the olive plant used in the Bible.

But one he pointed out to me was how valuable olive oil was in ancient times. I didn’t know this before his letter. But olive oil, in times past, was actually used as a currency exchange, because of its high value. No wonder the Psalmist compares our children to those same olive plants.

You see, children are not appendages. They are not just clumps of tissue to be cut off if they cause inconvenience. And they are not just annoyances to pacify with an iPhone or a tablet. They are invaluable, precious and priceless. They are potential members of God’s eternal family. And He has given us a great privilege to participate in the process of preparing them for that destiny. What an awesome and blessed plan our loving Father has for us and our children.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

God’s Holy Days: Feast of Unleavened Bread Explained

There’s a springtime biblical feast that is often overlooked by many today, even in the professing Christian world. What am I talking about? It’s called the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Believe it or not, the early New Testament Church kept this observance. It’s plainly laid out in the pages of your Bible.

What is this Feast of Unleavened Bread all about?

It may surprise you to find out how relevant it is to the life of a Christian—in particular, to what we do after we’ve been forgiven by God.

What is expected of us after we’ve come under the shed blood of our Savior Jesus Christ and been baptized? Does living under grace mean we are once saved, always saved? Or is there something else we must do?

The Feast of Unleavened Bread provides the answers.

What Is the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the Bible?

A growing number of Christians are discovering the biblical Feast days. For many, this is a surprise. It might be for you, especially if you were brought up on the popular holidays of Christmas and all its trappings; Easter and the sunrise service; and even the bizarre and morbid customs of Halloween.

When you look in the Bible, you won’t find instructions by God to keep these days. What you will find are God’s Holy Days, including the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread actually comprises a seven-day period—one whole week—and it occurs each spring in late March or April.

Some think these days were done away with by the death of Jesus Christ, but the New Testament says otherwise. What we find is that these days were kept by the New Testament Church. And the Feast of Unleavened Bread has one of the clearest, most obvious explanations in the New Testament of all the Holy Days. It’s found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.

Passover and Unleavened Bread Point to Repentance

Paul addresses both the Christian Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in this letter. We find it in chapter 5. The context is that Paul was addressing an on-going sin in the Corinthian church. One of the members was actually committing adultery with his father’s wife—perhaps his stepmother. We pick up the account in 1 Corinthians 5:1.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! … For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed (1 Corinthians 5:1–3).

Paul told the congregation that this problem was not to be ignored. They weren’t to turn a blind eye to it. He told them this man must be put out of the Church.

The good news is, in the second book of Corinthians we find that this man learned his lesson. He repented. He changed. He stopped that adulterous relationship. And Paul welcomed him back—and he encouraged the members to do the same.

So that was the context. Notice what Paul said next in 1 Corinthians 5:6.

Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.

Again, what was happening? Well, the Corinthian members had put up with this man staying in the Church, even while he engaged in a blatant and obvious pattern of adultery. Actually, they were even sort of proud of their so-called “love” and “mercy” in overlooking his actions.

This Is Why Jesus Said Go and Sin No More

But Paul reminded them that condoning sin is not real love or mercy. It’s just the opposite. Breaking God’s law hurts, it destroys, it tears apart relationships, it corrodes character, and it leads to death.

God knows that it hurts the person who’s sinning the most. And that is why He takes it so seriously.

Frankly, that should be a lesson for our day. Too many people in the name of “love” and “mercy” encourage and condone behavior that ultimately causes only pain and suffering for those who engage in it.

Now let’s be clear. We’re all sinners. We have all broken God’s perfect law. Paul makes that clear in Romans 3:23. But we are to repent of sin. We are to come out of it. We are to be washed and cleaned up by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. And then we are told to, as Christ said to the woman taken in adultery in John 8:11, “Go and sin no more.”

Christian Passover Explained: Forgiveness of Sins

Notice 1 Corinthians 5:7. Paul explained:

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

You see, Jesus Christ was the perfect fulfillment of the Passover lambs sacrificed by the Israelites year by year. Those Passover lambs were symbolic of what Christ would do when He gave His life for our sins. Now we don’t sacrifice lambs each spring, but Christians are to acknowledge the ultimate Passover Lamb, our Elder Brother, for what He did for us. And we do that by keeping the annual observance of the Christian Passover.

In fact, later in the book Paul actually walked through how to keep it. That’s found in 1 Corinthians 11:23.

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

So, Paul taught the Corinthians to keep the New Testament Passover, including the symbols that Jesus introduced, the bread and the wine.

Keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread | 1 Corinthians 5:7 Explained

Continuing in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast… (1 Corinthians 5:7–8).

What feast was Paul talking about? Well, let’s just read on (1 Corinthians 5:8).

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Stop Sinning: The Feast of Unleavened Bread’s Spiritual Meaning

The apostle Paul taught the brethren in Corinth to keep the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. But what did these Feast days represent?

As already explained, Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. And when we observe the Christian Passover, we are acknowledging our need for His loving sacrifice to cover our sins.

But after we have been forgiven of sin, what do we do? Do we go right on sinning? Too many people have basically concluded the answer is, “Yes. We can just keep living our life however we want even after we accept Christ.”

Well, that’s not what your Bible says.

During This Feast, Leaven Represents Sin

You see, there’s another step to take after we’ve been forgiven of sin. And the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us that. Let’s read it again in 1 Corinthians 5:7.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:7–8).

When we speak of leaven, we’re talking about leavening agents in bread, such as baking soda, baking powder, or yeast. It’s the ingredient that produces air pockets of carbon dioxide in the dough. It actually makes it light and fluffy—it makes it taste good.

But the Bible compares leaven to sin.

In the same way that leaven enters the dough, expands, and permeates the whole loaf, so does sin. It will deepen and spread if not gotten rid of. Our conscience may at first be pricked, but over time we will become hardened to it. It becomes harder to stop.

One sin can lead to another. If we’re caught in a lie, the temptation is to tell another lie to cover up the first. And on and on it goes. Sin spreads like leaven.

The same was true, as Paul explained, in the congregation as a whole in Corinth. He knew if the person who was living in adultery would not be dealt with, others would drift into being careless about their behavior as well. Sin would spread more and more in the congregation.

Replace Sin With Righteousness (Unleavened Bread)

So Passover symbolizes our sins being forgiven by Christ’s sacrifice. But after Passover, we must keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. During those seven days, we eat no leavened bread or bread products—like crackers, cakes or cookies.

In fact, we actually remove and dispose of any of these items from our homes beforehand, and remove any leavening agents. We get it all out.

The avoiding of leaven for seven days symbolizes the fact that after Christ has died for our sins, we must now live a new life in obedience to God. The Bible is full of references to this.

Turn to Romans 6:1.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1–4).

Keeping This Feast Shows How to Stop Sinning

We can’t persist in our old sins.

• If you have a problem with lying, for example, you must begin to speak the truth.
• If you’re addicted to porn, you’ve got to learn not to yield to lust.
• If you fall into anger and rage habitually, you need to learn how to break that habit.

As Paul said, we give up “malice and wickedness,” and we walk in “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8). Our life changes. That’s what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is all about.

But don’t think you can do it on your own. Personal change is hard. You can’t do it by yourself. But keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread helps us understand this.

You see, the Feast of Unleavened Bread is not the “Feast of No Bread.” We are not just to avoid leaven, but we are to put something else in its place. We are to eat unleavened bread. It can be unleavened bread that is commercially available, or it might be unleavened bread we make ourselves. (Do a Google search for “unleavened bread recipes” and you’ll find all sorts of ideas.)

Jesus Is the Bread of Life | Unleavened Bread Explained

Eating literal unleavened bread for seven days is a powerful daily reminder that we must feed on the bread of life, Jesus Christ.

Notice John 6:35.

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Jesus is the Bread of Life. And we must figuratively feed on Him daily. Notice what else He said in John 6:57.

“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:57–58).

In other words, we read THIS BOOK daily. We feed on it and fill our mind with it. The Bible is the mind of God in print. Let it teach you. Let it guide you and even correct you, as Paul also wrote in Hebrews 4:12.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12–13).

This is what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is all about—personal change, becoming more like Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven day by day.

We can’t do it on our own. Notice John 15:5.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

The apostle Paul also said (in Philippians 4:13):

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So with God’s help, we can overcome—no matter how difficult it may seem. That’s what the Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches us.

God’s Law Helps Us Identify and Remove Sin

But some will say, Christ came to do away with all those Old Testament laws. And some may even point to Scriptures which have supposedly been used to debunk the biblical Holy Days.

Let’s look at a Scripture that is often used this way, and see what it really says.

Colossians 2:11-14 Explained

The context was Paul’s writing to the Colossians. Let’s pick it up in Colossians 2:11.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead (Colossians 2:11–12).

Again, if we accept Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, we’re buried with Him in baptism. And then we come out of that watery grave and walk in newness of life. We stop sinning. Going on in Colossians 2:13.

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:12–14).

God’s Law Is God’s Protection for Us

Now some people will say the Law of God—the Ten Commandments—was nailed to the cross. But does the Bible say the Ten Commandments are “against us”? Not at all. The Ten Commandments protect us.

The law against murder, even in our civil society, protects us and is good for all of us. What about the law against adultery? Is that against us? Who doesn’t want to be protected from the pain and suffering caused by an unfaithful spouse? Clearly, the law against adultery in the Ten Commandments is not against us, but it is for us. It protects us.

So what is against us? What was Paul talking about?

Well, what is against us is the penalty for breaking God’s law. You see, every one of us has earned the death penalty by our own personal sins. Death and the death penalty—for our sins—is what’s against us. And Christ took that penalty away—not the law—when He died on the stake.

Explanation of Colossians 2:16 | “The Body of Christ” Is the Church

Going on in Colossians 2:16, I’ll read in the King James Version.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ (Colossians 2:16–17, KJV).

Some read this as if you shouldn’t keep the biblical Holy Days, but that’s not what it says. It says don’t let anyone judge you in regard to what you eat, what you drink, or how you keep one of God’s Holy Days.

In other words, if you are faithfully keeping God’s biblical Holy Days, don’t be intimidated by what your neighbor thinks. Don’t worry about what a friend or relative might think. Serve Christ and worry about what He thinks.

Actually, there’s even a phrase at the end that gives it better clarity. At the end of verse 17, Colossians 2, the New King James Version says:

But the substance is of Christ.

So some will say, “See, get rid of all the Holy Days, and just focus on Christ.” That’s not what this verse says either. It is more accurately translated in the King James Version in Colossians 2:17.

But the body (is) of Christ.

And “is” is in italics. That means it’s not in the original Greek. So it really says, in Colossians 2:17 (KJV):

But the body of Christ.

So let’s put the whole verse back together now. Again, reading in the King James Version without the word “is” incorrectly inserted by the translators (Colossians 2:16–17).

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body of Christ.

Paul was saying, “Don’t let outsiders judge you for keeping the biblical Holy Days. Rather, let yourself be guided and taught by the body of Christ.” The body of Christ is the Church. That’s found in numerous scriptures.

So contrary to doing away with the Holy Days, Colossians 2:16–17 actually reinforce their importance. And they indicate that the Church Christ built will be keeping them and should teach us how to keep them.

What a difference from what is often being taught today. The Holy Days should be kept, not swept away. And the Church should be keeping them and teaching them. That’s what the Apostle Paul said.

The Feasts of the Lord—God’s Holy Days | Leviticus 23

We find further information about these Feasts back in Leviticus 23. What it reveals is that these days were times for God’s people to gather together to worship Him. We can find this [in] Leviticus 23:1.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Leviticus 23:1–2).

Notice whose feasts these are. These are God’s feasts. And when you further understand that it was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, the Word, who was working with these Israelites—you realize, there’s no way that these are done away, because this was the One who became Jesus Christ teaching them in the first place. Notice again Leviticus 23:4.

These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it…. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it (Leviticus 23:4–7).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread Represents Our Journey Out of Sin

But did you know, the children of Israel came out of Egypt during this Feast as well. You can read about that in Exodus 13:3.

And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. On this day you are going out…. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son… saying, ‘This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt’” (Exodus 13:3–8).

Remember God’s Holy Days—and Teach Your Children About Them

Moses told the Israelites: Don’t forget this day that you’re coming out of the land of Egypt. As Christians, God is calling us out of this world. He’s calling us to forsake our sins and our spiritual Egypt. The Feast of Unleavened Bread can be a powerful annual reminder for us about our journey out of sin and the suffering it causes.

As we forsake our old habits, feed on Christ, and ask Him to change us, we will begin to enjoy the fruits of living God’s way and really walking in His grace and in His love. And what a joyous life that is.

Thank you for watching. If you found this video helpful, check out more of our content, or hit subscribe to stay connected. And if you want a free study guide related to this topic, just click the link. See you next time!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

The Sabbath Is Saturday

The Bible teaches that Christians should keep the Sabbath. But what day is it?

The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. Just look for the seventh day on your calendar. That’s the Sabbath.

Today, we call the seventh day Saturday. But in the Bible, it’s called the Sabbath.

• It’s a day of rest.
• It’s a day to cease from our normal labors.
• And it’s a day to worship God, to assemble with other Christians.
• It’s holy time, made holy by God.

Jesus Christ kept the Sabbath. He taught His followers to keep it with the other Commandments. The Apostles also kept it, and taught its observance.

The Bible never says that Sunday is holy. The Bible never tells us to worship God on Sunday. And yet, most mainstream Christians do just that.

So if Jesus and the apostles kept the Sabbath on the seventh day, why don’t most people keep it today? What happened? Who changed the Sabbath?

This is an important question that strikes at the very heart of the worship of God. It’s something we need to know the answer to.

From time to time, viewers ask us, “If the Bible says the seventh day is holy, why don’t most churches keep it?”

You might be wondering, too. Maybe you’ve asked your pastor or your priest. It’s a really good question, and it deserves an answer, not just an “oh, you know, Christ came and did everything for us,” but a real answer from the Bible and from documented history.

And as we always say on Tomorrow’s World, don’t believe us. Open your Bible and believe what you see written in the pages of that Bible.

You see, after the death of the original apostles, the church underwent radical changes. What happened?

The late pastor and evangelist John Ogwyn summed it up this way in the study guide we’re offering today, God’s Church Through the Ages. On page 2, he writes:

When we look at the story of the mainstream, professing Christian church throughout the centuries, it appears to be a vastly different church from the one described in the pages of your New Testament. In the book of Acts we find that God’s Church celebrated “Jewish” holy days…. Yet less than 300 years later, we find a church claiming Apostolic origin but observing the “venerable day of the Sun” instead of the seventh-day Sabbath…. How could such an amazing transformation have taken place? What happened?” (Ogwyn, J.; p. 2; God's Church Through the Ages).

How do you go from a Church keeping the Sabbath to worshiping on an entirely different day? Does it make sense that Christ would lead His Church to observe one day, and then a few years later direct that an entirely different day is to be kept? After all, as Paul said (in Hebrews 13:8):

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Sunday Is Not the Lord’s Day in the Bible

It’s important to note that Jesus Christ taught and kept the Sabbath. In fact, in Luke 6:5, He said:

“The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

So when we speak of the Day of the Lord, the Day of the Lord is not Sunday. By Jesus’ own testimony, the Day of the Lord—the Day He is the Lord of—is the seventh day, the Sabbath.

Another important key to keep in mind is we have a record of Christ’s Church keeping the seventh-day Sabbath years after His death and resurrection.

In Acts 13, we read about Paul teaching the Jews in Antioch, in Pisidia, on the Sabbath day. But notice what happened at the conclusion of His teaching. This is found in Acts 13:42.

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

Wouldn’t this have been a beautiful opportunity for Paul to tell those Gentiles the Sabbath wasn’t required for them? But he didn’t. Instead, notice in Acts 13:44:

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

3 Reasons People Worship on Sunday (Erroneously)

Now we’re not going to go into all the proofs of the Sabbath on this program. That’s covered in other telecasts and articles on Tomorrowsworld.org. Just type in the word “Sabbath” in the search bar. Or you can go on our Tomorrow’s World YouTube channel.

So again—how did the Church go from keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, to keeping Sunday only three centuries later?

To understand what happened, we’ll examine three basic points. These three points describe what was happening in the first few centuries after Christ. Let me share them with you now. And then we’ll discuss each one of them, one by one.

What happened to the church from the first century to the fourth century?

• #1: False teachers introduced heresies against the Laws of God.
• #2: Anti-Jewish sentiment grew, leading many to abandon the Sabbath.
• #3: Sunday keepers became the majority; Sabbath-keepers the minority.

1. False Teachers and Heresy Against the Ten Commandments

So, let’s take these points one by one, and see what we can find from the Bible and the record of history.

1. False teachers introduced heresies against the laws of God.

Jesus warned of false teachers when He was yet alive. He said in Matthew 7:15–16,

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits….”

That warning was repeated by the last living apostles as well. In fact, in some instances, they warned that false teachers were already beginning to infiltrate the Church. Notice what the Apostle Jude wrote in Jude 1:3–4:

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude said false teachers were already introducing the idea that grace meant you don’t have to keep the law. But God does require us to keep His Law.

In Romans 7:12 the Apostle Paul said:

The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

That law defines how to love, but what we’re seeing is even in the first century, there were men who were trying to do away with that law.

The Apostle John was the last living apostle of the original Church. He died in the 90s AD. But before his death, he also warned against false teachers claiming to be followers of Christ. Notice what he said in 1 John 2:4.

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

So toward the end of John’s life, false teachers were already infiltrating the Church. And John called them liars. If this was already happening during the lifetime of John, imagine what would happen after his death.

2. Antisemitic Push to Quit Keeping the Sabbath

But other forces were also at work that were going to lead many to compromise on keeping the Sabbath. So how did that happen? That brings us to our next point.

Over time, after the death of the original apostles:

2. Anti-Jewish sentiment grew, leading many to abandon the Sabbath.

The first century AD was a tumultuous time for Jews under the Roman rule. Multiple uprisings against the Romans had occurred. One of them, from 66 to 70 AD, resulted in the temple being destroyed and Jerusalem overrun. But that was not the end of it. As the website christianhistoryinstitute.org points out,

[a]fter the Jewish War (66–70), progressively more disastrous uprisings followed: the Kitos War of 115–117 and the Bar Kochba revolt 20 years later. After each conflict Rome leveled punitive taxes and other restrictions on Jews, regardless of whether they had supported the revolts (many had not) (“Faith divided,” Christian History Magazine. 2020).

These restrictions grew more severe, until in 135 AD, in exasperation the Romans expelled all Jews from Jerusalem on pain of death.

This had a huge impact on the church. Many Christians in Jerusalem completely stopped keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. Why? Because they didn’t want to be mistaken for Jews in the eyes of the Roman authorities. As the article concludes:

Non-Jewish Christians now had reason to avoid calling attention to their relationship with this potentially seditious sect….

The renowned historian Edward Gibbon describes how the Jerusalem church changed dramatically under the leadership of their new Latin bishop Marcus after 135 AD. This is detailed in his famous work The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

At his persuasion the most considerable part of the congregation renounced the Mosaic law, in the practice of which they had persevered above a century. By this sacrifice of their habits and prejudices, they purchased a free admission into the colony of Hadrian, and more firmly cemented their union with the Catholic church (1862, p. 94).

Understand, when it says they “renounced the Mosaic law,” they’re talking about the Ten Commandments. They’re talking about the keeping of the Sabbath.

Gibbon continues:

The crimes of heresy and schism were imputed to the obscure remnant of the Nazarenes which refused to accompany their Latin bishop.… In a few years after the return of the church of Jerusalem, it became a matter of doubt and controversy whether a man who sincerely acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, but who still continued to observe the law of Moses, could possibly hope for salvation (ibid.).

Wow. The bulk of these church-goers turned their back on the law of Moses. And that includes the Ten Commandments, which includes the seventh-day Sabbath. And why? Because they didn’t want to be mistaken for Jews.

This was not the only time Jews were expelled from their homes in the Roman empire. In Acts 18:1, we find a record of it happening in Rome.

After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome).

So we see tensions between the Jews and Roman authorities were flaring up again and again throughout the Roman empire during this time. And that had an impact on the church, in creating a desire to distance themselves from the Jews. Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi explains this in his book From Sabbath to Sunday.

The adoption of this negative attitude toward the Jews can be explained (but not necessarily justified!) by several circumstances existing particularly at the time of Hadrian. First, the relationship between Rome and the Jews was extremely tense…. Such circumstances invited Christians to develop a new identity, not only characterized by a negative attitude toward Jews, but also by the substitution of characteristic Jewish religious customs for new ones (pp. 182–183).

Not only was Sunday worship urged there, but concrete measures were also taken to wean Christians away from any veneration of the Sabbath (1977, p. 186).

But Jesus Said Enter Through the Narrow Gate—Few Find It

Think about it. How powerful is peer pressure? And how difficult it is to do the right thing in the face of persecution? But what did Jesus say? In Matthew 7:13–14:

“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.”

What did the Apostle Paul teach the disciples, after he had been stoned for the Gospel of Christ? We read that in Acts 14:22.

We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.

Sunday Worship Began with Compromise

So what we’re seeing is the beginning of Sunday worship—compromise in an attempt to avoid persecution.

But God has not called us to compromise. God has called us to believe what’s written in His Word, and follow the truth no matter what. With God’s help, if we ask for His help, we can give our lives to Him, and obey this book.

So again, many of the Christians in the early decades of the second century were intimidated into compromising on the Sabbath. And they were deceived by teachers teaching contrary to Scripture. Dr. Bacchiocchi refers to church leaders who urged members to abandon the Sabbath on page 186.

While prior to him [that is, Justin Martyr] Ignatius in Asia Minor (ca. A.D. 110) and Barnabas in Alexandria (ca. A.D. 135) explicitly upbraided Sabbath-keeping, it is Justin who provides the most devastating and systematic condemnation of the Sabbath and the first explicit account of Christian Sunday worship (ibid.).

What a remarkable transformation from the teaching of Paul to the Gentiles on the Sabbath, to Christians being questioned as to whether they could even be saved if they keep the Sabbath.

3. Sunday Worship Popularity vs. Keeping the Sabbath

By the end of the second century, Sunday-keeping was even more entrenched among the mainstream visible Christian church. And soon it would become the enforced doctrine in the official religion of the entire Roman Empire. And that brings us to our next point.

3. Sunday-keepers became the majority; Sabbath-keepers the minority.

Tertullian was an author and theologian from Carthage, who wrote in the late second century and early third century. He was one of the primary defenders of mainstream Christianity in his day. In one of his works, Ad Nationes (ch. 13), he defends Sunday worship against an unlikely foe—the pagans. Notice what he wrote.

Others… suppose that the sun is the god of the Christians, because it is a well-known fact that we pray towards the east, or because we make Sunday a day of festivity (Tertullian, “The Charge of Worshipping the Sun Met By a Retort,” Ad Nationes).

Now, stop and think for a moment. Why would worldly, idol-worshipping pagans get confused that Christians were actually sun-worshippers? Well, because those Christians were worshipping on a day set aside by the pagans to honor and give deference to their sun-god. Now, these Christians were undoubtedly keeping Sunday in their minds to honor Christ’s resurrection.

But by the way, Jesus wasn’t resurrected on Sunday. He was actually resurrected toward the end of the previous day, on the Sabbath. But that’s a different story. If you’d like to explore that topic, go to our Tomorrowsworld.org website, and in the search bar type in “Easter.”

But back to Tertullian. What we see is that mainstream Christianity was distancing itself from the Jews. And at the same time, it was moving closer to the pagans and their traditions, including keeping Sunday.

This point is even more bluntly made by respected historians such as Will Durant. In The Story of Civilization, Vol. 3 he writes:

Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it…. Christianity became the last and greatest of the mystery religions (Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, vol. 3. 1944, pp. 595, 600).

Is it any wonder then, a century later, when Constantine wanted to unify the empire, he astutely chose Christianity as his new religion? He saw some Christians worshipping on the day set aside by the pagans to honor the sun. And so it fit well for him to even issue an edict for all Christians to honor the “venerable day of the Sun.”

Notice what Paul Johnson, a devout Catholic, said about this.

Many Christians did not make a clear distinction between this sun cult and their own. They referred to Christ “driving his chariot across the sky”; they held their services on Sunday, knelt towards the East and had their nativity-feast on 25 December, the birthday of the sun at the winter solstice… Constantine never abandoned sun-worship and kept the sun on his coins. He made Sunday into a day of rest (A History of Christianity, 1976, p. 67–68).

Wow.

Roman Empire Fulfills Prophecy in Daniel 7:25

From the Sabbath being kept and taught by Christ and the apostles, to a pagan, sun-worshipping, political emperor embracing Christianity as his own—what a profound change in only three centuries, and now with the stamp of approval of the mighty Roman Empire.

In fact, this was prophesied in Daniel 7. In a vision, Daniel saw a prophecy of four successive world-ruling kingdoms. But notice what he saw regarding the final kingdom, identified as the Roman Empire, in Daniel 7:25.

He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.

The Roman Empire was prophesied to be part of a system intending to change times and law. What “time” is included in a law of God? Well, the Sabbath.

Who Changed the Sabbath Day to Sunday? No One.

But did Constantine’s decree really change the Sabbath? Did the Roman Empire, in concert with the mainstream church, really change the day to worship God? No.

No one can change it. You can’t change something that God has ordained.

Exodus 20 outlines the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai. One of those commandments, the fourth, is the command to remember and observe the Sabbath. Notice in Exodus 20:8–10.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work…

But how and when was the Sabbath instituted? Read on in Exodus 20:11.

For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

God hallowed the seventh day by resting Himself. He made it holy. All the councils and all the canons of man cannot change what God purposed.

True Christians Still Keep the Sabbath

So, who changed the Sabbath? Nobody.

And in fact, even after Constantine’s edict, there were faithful Christians still adhering to the true Sabbath, the seventh day. So much so that forty years later, the Council of Laodicea was convened to address, among other questions, the keeping of the Sabbath (Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea).

… Forbids Christians from Judaizing and resting on the Sabbath day, and actually enjoins them to work on that day (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, vol. 26. 1911, p. 95).

Why was that canon published? Because true followers of Christ were still keeping the Sabbath. They were harassed, they were persecuted, and they often had to flee to the outer parts of the empire, but they were faithful.

Evangelist John Ogwyn explains this in the study guide God’s Church Through the Ages.

After Constantine began the systematic enforcement of compliance with Roman theology in 325 AD, the remnants of the true Church were in large part forced to flee the bounds of the Roman Empire into the mountains of Armenia, and later into the Balkan areas of Europe. They were few in number, utterly lacking in prestige or wealth, and labeled as enemies of the state by a supposedly “Christian” Roman Empire (p. 24).

And over the next 1,000 years, we have faint historical traces of Christians who obediently followed God, keeping His Sabbath, in spite of persecution. As Mr. Ogwyn continues:

In God’s sight… they were precious. It was not God’s purpose that His true Church grow into a great, powerful organization that would “Christianize” the world…. Its continuity would be measured not by a succession of proud, powerful, presiding bishops in a particular city… but by a succession of faithful, converted people—who, though scattered and persecuted, continued to worship the Father in spirit and in truth (ibid.).

In a book entitled Faith of Our Fathers, first published in 1876, James Cardinal Gibbons made this remarkable admission:

You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday (The Faith of Our Fathers, 1917, p. 97).

So who changed the Sabbath? No one. The Scriptures reveal the Sabbath as the seventh day, and all the councils and canons of man cannot change what God purposed. When we observe the Sabbath each week, we are honoring and remembering God’s work at Creation. And we are recognizing His loving guidance in our lives.

Thank you for watching. If you found this video helpful, check out more of our content or hit subscribe to stay connected. And if you want a free study guide relating to this topic, just click the link in the description. See you next time.