The concept of the Sabbath is deeply rooted in the sacred scriptures. Humans should not attempt to determine which day is the Sabbath since God Himself has set aside His holy day. The Bible clearly and unequivocally states that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and therefore, it is the true sacred day of rest and worship. In Exodus 20:8–11, it is explicitly commanded to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” and to refrain from work on that day, reflecting the pattern established by God during the story of creation. This divine prescription underscores the belief that the Sabbath is not simply a human construct but rather a divine ordinance intended to provide rest, reflection, and spiritual rejuvenation.
Attempting to alter or determine the hours of the Sabbath according to personal preferences or social norms would be considered a deviation from God’s divine order, potentially undermining the sanctity and meaning of this day. That is why we can never equate any other day to the Sabbath day that God commands, because this would reduce us to the same level as the sinister power of prophecy, which claims to have the power to “change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25). The only way we can hope to maintain the integrity of the Sabbath is by keeping holy the day of worship set out by God.
On March 8, 2024, Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt, the senior pastor of Life Center Church in California and a Seventh-day Adventist, [1] [2] made the claim on Facebook that God’s Sabbath is merely a “state of mind,” in which people can “choose how to rest” or even what day to do so. The post stated:
• “Happy Sabbath to my friends who observe Sabbath on Saturday from sunset tonight to sundown tomorrow, as I do, and friends I love who observe their “Sabbath” on Friday or Sunday or choose to rest amid their crazy schedules, like Medical Doctors (my kids), medical personnel, first responders, police, and military personnel.” [3]
• “In ancient Israel, ‘Sabbath’ meant to shut down all ‘secular’ transactions and activity. To this date most businesses in Israel close down on the hours of the Sabbath.” [3]
• “Yet, today, in a ‘multi-complex’ culture where traveling and services are often required, ‘Sabbath” observance is a ‘state of mind’ and a discipline that one can observe in the community or choose how to ‘rest.’ As a Pastor, all of my life, ‘Sabbath’ was the most stressful day of the week. My ‘rest’ happened when I crashed the following day. Yet, the ‘Sabbath’ meaning remains intact in my theology and consciousness.” [3]
• “I have observed the ‘Sabbath’ on Saturday all my life as an SDA member and watched my dad pastor “rashed on Sundays after a full day at church. I know nothing else.” [3]
• “I know too many loving people who attend churches on Sundays or practice mindfulness and spend time with God amid their crazy schedules.” [3]
This message is completely secular, ecumenical, and very confusing. Whenever Seventh-day Adventist pastors downplay a fundamental biblical truth like the Sabbath and place it on equal footing with Sunday, they are spewing the inebriating wine of Babylon. They are opening the door to keep Sunday holy during the coming mark of the beast crisis. Such diminishing of our Sabbath message will only lead to continued misrepresentation, manipulation, moral relativism, and utter confusion.
This is not the time to weaken our message, which is deeply rooted in Scripture. Inspiration tells us to do the exact opposite, to lay out the Sabbath in distinct, clear language so that no one is left unwarned.
“It is not the time to weaken our message that is deeply rooted in Scripture. Satan has devised a state of things whereby the proclamation of the third angel’s message shall be bound about. We must beware of his plans and methods. There must be no toning down of the truth, no muffling of the message for this time. The third angel’s message must be strengthened and confirmed. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation reveals the importance of presenting the truth in no measured terms but with boldness and power … There has been too much beating about the bush in the proclamation of the third angel’s message. The message has not been given as clearly and distinctly as it should have been” (Evangelism, p. 230).
“We are not to cringe and beg pardon of the world for telling them the truth; we should scorn concealment. Unfurl your colors to meet the cause of men and angels. Let it be understood that Seventh-day Adventists can make no compromise. In your opinions and faith there must not be the least appearance of wavering: the world has a right to know what to expect of us, and will look upon us as dishonest, as hiding our real sentiments and principles out of policy, if we carry even the semblance of being uncommitted till the popular voice has pointed out the safe way” (Manuscript 16, 1890).
Sources
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/in/haroldlifecenter/
[2] https://lifecenter247.com/leadership
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A M E N… truly we are living in the last days. Let’s stay awake & watch.
The SDA church in 🇹🇴 Tonga & 🇼🇸 Samoa keeps sunday as the sabbath and not Saturday.
The Babylonian understanding of God’s peace is infiltrating our midst!
We KNOW his “state of mind” is……just saying…..
Too many pastors and members think this way.
Truly this Prophecy of Isaiah has come true amongst Seventh Day Adventists,
¶ Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
13 ¶ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
Isaiah 29
¶ For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. 14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. 15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
Isaiah 9
For all the Lies Ted Wilson and the Ministers of the Denomination teach today they will be cut off. [ Judged with death ] They have made the Church a Congregation of Evildoers who the Lord Ultimately will destroy.
In the absence of persecution, there have drifted into our ranks some who appear sound, and their Christianity unquestionable, but who,
if persecution should arise, would go out from us. In the crisis, they would see force in specious reasoning that has had an influence on their minds.
Satan has prepared various snares to meet varied minds. When the law of God is made void the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and
a larger proportion than we now anticipate, will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Instead of being strengthened
when brought into strait places, many prove that they are not living branches of the True Vine; they bore no fruit, and the husbandman
taketh them away.
2SM 354
Not one who is abiding in Christ will fail or fall. His followers will bow in obedience to a higher authority than that of any earthly potentate. While the contempt
placed upon God’s commandments leads many to suppress the truth and show less reverence for it, the faithful ones will with greater earnestness hold aloft its distinguishing truths. We are not left to our own direction. In all our ways we should acknowledge God, and He will direct our paths. We should consult
His Word with humble hearts, ask His counsel, give up our will to His. We can do nothing without God.
There is the highest reason for us to prize the true Sabbath and stand in its defense, for it is the sign which distinguishes the people
of God from the world. The commandment that the world makes void is the one to which, for this very reason, God’s people will give
greater honor. It is when the unbelieving cast contempt upon the Word of God that the faithful Calebs are called for. It is then that
they will stand firm at the post of duty, without parade, and without swerving because of reproach. The unbelieving spies stood ready
to destroy Caleb. He saw the stones in the hands of those who had brought a false report, but this did not deter him; he had a message,
and he would bear it. The same spirit will be manifested today by those who are true to God.
2SM 354,355.
These men need to repent of their wavering, watered-down messages that avoid calling out sin.
KJV Isaiah 56:10-12
10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
KJV Isaiah 56:2, 4-7
2 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.
4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6 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;
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
KJV Isaiah 5:20-23
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Satan will work with all his deceptive power to influence the heart and becloud the understanding, to make evil appear good, and good evil. The stronger and purer the faith of God’s people, and the firmer their determination to obey Him, the more fiercely will Satan strive to stir up against them the rage of those who, while claiming to be righteous, trample upon the law of God. It will require the firmest trust, the most heroic purpose, to hold fast the faith once delivered to the saints.{AA 431.1}
Here we see that the church—the Lord’s sanctuary—was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus “Peace and safety” is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. Men, maidens, and little children all perish together. – 5T 211.2
Thus “Peace and safety” is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God. – 2TT 65.3
Ministers and doctors may depart from the faith, as the Word declares they will, and as the messages that God has given His servant declare they will.—Manuscript Releases 7:192 (1906).
KJV Isaiah 28:15-18
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.