What is your authority: The Bible or Your Church? Whenever I ask someone this question, they will say, "The Bible", but what I have found out is that they don’t really mean it. People generally think that their church follows the Bible but they don’t.

Let’s ask some basic questions. Why do you attend the church that you attend? Obviously there are many reasons, perhaps one reason is: That is where my family has attended for generations. Other reasons are: That is where my friends attends. I like the friendliness of the congregation, the church I attend is in a beautiful church building, the church is close to where I live and it has a nice parking lot. Perhaps a reason might be, I like the minister and he is an interesting speaker and seems to know his Bible.

Interesting reasons but none are based upon the Bible or truth from the Bible.

Let’s look at a couple of foundational scriptures. The first one is found in John 17 verse 17, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."

Another basic scripture is John 4 verse 24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

So we see from this Scriptures that Truth is VERY important.

Let’s add another element to our equation. The Bible teaches from one end to the other that God’s Church must be a Commandment keeping Church. Let’s notice the first book of the Bible:

Genesis 26 verse 5, "Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

Now lets notice the last book of the Bible: Revelation 14 verse 12, "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

The clincher verse is: 1 John 2 verse 4, "He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

Now let’s tie the knot a little tighter. The Bible nowhere says or commands that you are to keep Sunday, Easter or Christmas. This is a shocking statement but it is absolutely true. To prove this is beyond the scope of this article. The first place you could look would be the encyclopedia or the on-line wikepedia or you can request articles from us on these topics. The bottom line is that the Catholic Church is responsible for changing the day of worship from the seventh day Saturday Sabbath to Sunday and establishing the holidays of Easter and Christmas. You can check out the validity of these facts that I state here in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

When we look in the Bible for God’s days of worship we could turn to Leviticus 23 which lists all of God’s Holy Days in order, both the weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbaths. In the New Testament the Sabbath is mentioned 60 times. Jesus was Jewish and kept the seventh day Saturday Sabbath. All of the apostles including Paul kept the Sabbath. (Request our articles on "The Sabbath"). Jesus and the apostles also kept God’s Holy Days in the New Testament, Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread Luke 22, Pentecost Acts 2,The Feast of Tabernacels John 7 , Day of Atonement Acts 26:9, The Feast of Trumpets Revelation 6 through 19, The White Throne Judgment Revelation 20. (Request our articles on the New Testament Holy Days).

Another article to request is "The Sabbath in the Catholic Catechism." See how the Catholic Church claims responsibility for changing the day of worship from the seventh day Saturday Sabbath to Sunday. (Request our article on "Rome’s Challenge" which also proves this point.)

Here is a question for you Protestants: You claim your authority is the Bible but you keep the Catholic Holidays and you do NOT keep the Biblical Holy Days of God?

The following are Scriptures where God says you are NOT to add or subtract from God’s word, the Bible.

Deuteronomy 4 verse 2, "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."

Deuteronomy 12 verse 32, ""Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it."

Proverbs 30 verse 6, "Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."

Revelation 22 verse 18-19, "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; {19} and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Time is getting short. A point to ponder. Jonathan Cahn, a Jewish rabbi, in his DVD series on "The Oracle - The Jubilee Mysteries" makes a possible date of Christ’s return in the year 2030. No one knows the exact date of Christ’s return, only God the Father knows, but it is a point to ponder.

All of us Christians, disciples of Jesus, need to get our noses back into the groove of Bible Study, prayer, meditation, fasting and draw closer to God.

Notice James 4 verse 8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

We need to set goals in Bible Study and one goal is to Read Your Bible this year. There is a chart in our newsletter, cut it out and put it in your Bible and use it.

Read our article on "God’s Word is Precious." There is famine of the Word coming. Be prepared.

We are seeing our country progressing more and more toward socialism, paganism and religious persecution.

In conclusion: Make your authority the Bible and not your church. Get on the ball, get on your knees, study your Bible, fast, meditate and pray. Attend a church that uses the Bible as their authority.

Revelation 22 verse 20, "He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"