World News Group is a biweekly news magazine published by evangelical Protestants that was founded to serve the Christian community. [1] On February 14, 2024, World News Group published a defense of Chick-fil-A, calling for the right of businesses to close on Sunday. In fact, the Evangelical magazine made the argument that no business should be open on Sunday because this would go against “text, tradition, and nature.” The article even went so far as to lament the fact that “American legislatures” are no longer protecting Sunday as the day of rest, which it called a “historical and social good” for our nation.
World News Group reported the following:
• “In December, New York lawmakers introduced a bill that would require all restaurants operating at rest stops on the Thruway, the state highway system, to be open seven days a week. Chick-fil-A, famous for its Christian ownership and closure on Sunday, has restaurants at nine, and soon to be 10, of the 27 rest stop locations in the state.” [2]
• “Were the new law to be legally challenged, there is some cause for optimism. Last term, in Geoff v. DeJoy (2023), the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an evangelical postal worker who refused to work on Sundays, making it clear that employers must accommodate religious beliefs extending to practice. But this only so long as said practice does not unduly burden the employer. The New York Chick-fil-A scenario presents a different and admittedly premature question.” [2]
• “No business can be forced to operate on Sunday because no business should operate on Sunday. Why? Because text, tradition, and the very light of nature—that which no just law can contradict—tell us so. A one-in-seven rest is good for the soul as it is good for the body. If that historical, social good is not going to be any longer protected by American legislatures; surely American companies should not be forced to violate it.” [2]
Here we see Protestants exalting Sunday and advocating for this day to be protected. They are putting out a call to action for fellow Christians—Protestant and Roman Catholic alike—to oppose making people work on Sundays. Inspiration tells us that efforts will be made by Protestants and Catholics to reinstate Sunday as the day of rest once more:
“The Word of God teaches that these scenes are to be repeated as papists and Protestants shall unite for the exaltation of the Sunday” (Great Controversy, p. 578).
Bible prophecy describes a worldwide movement that is at work right now, trying to get people to worship and obey the beast of Revelation, whose deadly wound is being healed. By honoring Sunday, the papal mark of apostasy, men are giving their allegiance to Rome.
God will not remain silent, despite the spiritual decay that is engulfing the world. As the world wonders after the beast, we are told in Revelation chapter 14:9–11 that the Third Angel’s Message will be announcing a message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, warning them against the worship of the beast and its image and against receiving his mark in the forehead or in the hand.
These two movements are clearly active at the same time in today’s society. These two movements can be seen right now. There are two messages that are at variance with one another and that are sounding from one end of the earth to the other. On one side, the entire religious and political world is wondering after the beast, the image, and the mark. On the other side are the small remnant people, faithfully giving a direct warning against the worship of the beast, his image, and his mark.
There is no peace or compromise between these two parties. The beast and its image will stand in opposition to the Remnant people. There is only one way that the Remnant people can be at peace and coexist with the beast of Bible prophecy. Rome can only be appeased if the Remnant compromises or hides their faith:
“Here is the line of distinction between the worshipers of God and those who worship the beast and receive his mark. The great conflict is between the commandments of God and the requirements of the beast. It is because the saints are keeping all ten of the commandments that the dragon makes war upon them. If they will lower the standard and yield the peculiarities of their faith, the dragon will be at peace; but they excite his ire because they have dared to raise the standard and unfurl their banner in opposition to the Protestant world, who are worshiping the institution of papacy” (Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 223).
Inspiration tells us that the reason why the dragon is enraged with the commandment-keeping people is because they dare to raise a banner in opposition to the apostate Protestant world (the image of the beast) that is worshipping the institution of the papacy on Sunday. This is what every Seventh-day Adventist Church leader used to believe. Sadly, many of our people have laid down the banner of Christ and have joined the ranks of opposition through Rome’s ecumenical movements.
When church leaders attend these interfaith ceremonies designed to unite the churches, exalt Sunday worship, promote spiritualism, reject biblical truth, and unite us under one head, Rome, we must recognize that our participation means we are sanctioning their efforts and thus demonstrating our support. This is a scandal for our people as well as all other religions, and it has serious consequences. We were warned that if we refuse to give the “special” truths for this time, we do so at the peril of our souls:
“The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He commands His servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls. Christ’s ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty and leave results with God” (Great Controversy, p. 609).
Sources
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_(magazine)
[2] https://wng.org/opinions/playing-chicken-with-the-lords-day-1707873572
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The Signs are all pointing to the Solemn and Sobering fact that Sunday Law Legislation is even at the very doors. In recent months the Lord has placed signs in the Heavens, for those who cared to notice. Last last year a number of Asteroids symbolically knocked the mace out of Nimrod’s or Orion’s raised hand. That means the power of Babylon and Satan is Coming to a Close and will be Broken. Also the Paths of Solar Eclipses over America since 2015 and culminating on the April 8 eclipse will form two of the Ancient Hebrew alphabets beginning and end Letters. A X. Folks I believe God is telling his people through such signs, the beginning of the very end of this Worlds History begins this year. Expect Sunday Law legislation sooner rather than later.
In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support
of the state, Protestants are following in the steps of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for the papacy to regain
in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives greater significance to this
movement is the fact that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday observance,—a custom which originated
with Rome, and which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the spirit of the papacy,—the spirit of conformity to worldly
customs, the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of God,—that is permeating the Protestant churches,
and leading them on to do the same work of Sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them.
If the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest, he has but to trace the record of the
means which Rome employed for the same object in ages past.If he would know how papists and Protestants united will deal
with those who reject their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested toward the Sabbath and its defenders.
G.C 596,597 1911 Edition.
It is a backsliding church that lessens the distance between itself and the Papacy. – ST February 19, 1894
The Lord has pronounced a curse upon those who take from or add to the Scriptures. The great I AM has decided what shall constitute the rule of faith and doctrine, and he has designed that the Bible shall be a household book. The church that holds to the word of God is irreconcilably separated from Rome. Protestants were once thus apart from this great church of apostasy, but they have approached more nearly to her, and are still in the path of reconciliation to the Church of Rome. Rome never changes. Her principles have not altered in the least. She has not lessened the breach between herself and Protestants; they have done all the advancing. But what does this argue for the Protestantism of this day? It is the rejection of Bible truth which makes men approach to infidelity. It is a backsliding church that lessens the distance between itself and the Papacy. – ST February 19, 1894
It is souls like Luther, Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, and the thousands of noble men who were martyrs for the truth’s sake, who are the true Protestants. They stood as faithful sentinels of truth, declaring that Protestantism is incapable of union with Romanism, but must be as far separated from the principles of the Papacy as is the east from the west. Such advocates of truth could no more harmonize with “the man of sin” than could Christ and his apostles. In earlier ages the righteous felt that it was impossible to affiliate with Rome, and, though their antagonism to this system of error was maintained at risk of property and life, yet they had courage to maintain their separation, and manfully struggled for the truth. Bible truth was dearer to them than wealth, honor, or even life itself. They could not endure to see the truth buried under a mass of superstition and lying sophistry. They took the word of God in their hands, and raised the standard of truth before the people, boldly declaring that which God had revealed unto them through diligent searching of the Bible. They died the cruelest of deaths for their fidelity to God, but by their blood they purchased for us liberties and privileges that many who claim to be Protestants are easily yielding up to the power of evil. But shall we yield up these dearly bought privileges? Shall we offer insult to the God of heaven, and, after he has freed us from the Romish yoke, again place ourselves in bondage to this antichristian power? Shall we prove our degeneracy by signing away our religious liberty, our right to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience? – ST February 19, 1894