What does the papacy say is her mark of authority?

BibleAsk Team

The papacy openly admits that her symbol or mark of authority is Sunday as a holy day. Notice the following section from a Catholic catechism:

Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?”

Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her – she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism [FRS No. 7.], (3rd American ed., rev.: New York, Edward Dunigan & Bro., 1876), p. 174.

So, the papacy is here saying that it changed Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday and that almost all churches accepted the new holy day.

Now, compare the papacy’s mark with God’s mark:

“I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them” (Ezekiel 20:12). “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth” (Exodus 31:17).

God gave us His seventh day Sabbath as a glorious sign of His power to create and His power to sanctify (convert and save) us. In the Bible, the words seal, sign, mark, and token are used interchangeably (Genesis 17:11 with Romans 4:11 and Revelation 7:3 with Ezekiel 9:4.)

God’s sign, the Sabbath, represents His holy power to rule as Creator and Savior. Revelation 7:1-3 says it will be written upon the foreheads (minds, Hebrews 10:16) of His people. And Hebrews 4:4-10 confirms this by saying that when we enter His rest (receive salvation), we should keep His seventh-day Sabbath holy as a symbol, or mark, of salvation.

In His service,
BibleAsk Team

Disclaimer:

The contents of this article and website are not intended to be against any individual. There are many priests and faithful believers in Roman Catholicism who serve God to the best of their knowledge and are seen by God as His children. The information contained herein is directed only towards the Roman Catholic religio-political system which has reigned in varying degrees of power for nearly two millennia. This system has established an increasing number of doctrines and statements that directly go against the Bible.

It is our purpose to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, to decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find anything here contrary to the Bible, do not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality and feel that the Holy Spirit is revealing Truth to you, please make all haste to accept it.

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