Friday, September 29, 2006

HOW DO YOU WORSHIP THE LORD?

The great thing about owning a blog is that one can express their own opinion. One can state what they believe is true and right. Today I want to do that in regard to worship. I'm not an authority on scripture, obviously, but I know that which I have been taught by those who are in authority.

"Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deut. 4:1-2).

According to the Westminster Confession of Faith ~
"The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men . . . and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed."

The prescription for worship is explicit in Old Testament scripture. They were given the direction by God and followed it to the letter. Any deviance from that direction had dire consequences.
Even so, we are in the New Testament times given directives by the Authority of God for what will be included in worship.
We have no license to change that which the Lord has given as example.
Embellishing is not an option nor man's opinion of what is pleasing to God or tradition.

"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it" (Deut. 12:32).

The church dares not to 'offer strange fire' to the Lord. It is an offense to Him.
Whatsoever is not commanded is forbidden.
Remember Uzzah? There are many examples of this in scripture.
God is omnipotent- we have no right to change His directives.Indeed it is the height of arrogance to think that man can 'make worship more interesting' by invoking changes to what God has prescribed.
God knows the ways of man- give him an inch and he'll take a yard or more.. If you change one item.. you find through history that man eventually makes the changes permanent as if the law of God.
Chaos reigns as no one can really draw the line on the things permitted.
The church that deviates from the Regulative Principle has created a problem.. where do you stop? How do you stop? Worship becomes a circus and the farthest thing from what God has designed.
Our focus becomes lost.. that of worship of our Savior. It's lost in the entertainment with the focus on man.
Following God's directives for worship means that you can attend any church on Sabbath and fit right in. No questions of what is acceptable in His presence- if all follow the prescription He has given. No one would feel uncomfortable with the variations.. nothing added, and nothing removed. One is able to focus on Christ without distraction.
So here is what God requires as per scripture. There are many other supportive verses..I have chosen one for each item:

Preaching of the Word
(Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.2 Timothy 4:2)

Reading of the Word
(13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. I Timothy 4:13)

Meeting on the Lord's Day
(7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. Acts 20:7)

Administering the Sacraments
(24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. I Corinthians 11:24-26)

Hearing the Word
(25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25)

Prayer
(6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6)

Sing Psalms(
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:15)

The place and hour of worship is left to our circumstances. Certainly, going to the House of the Lord would lead us to wear clothes that are appropriate, again, according to our circumstances.
God does not look at the outward appearance of man, but the heart that is open to Him, ready to receive His Word.

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