How We Worship
23 Nov 2023
Over the last few weeks we have been hearing from Leviticus and considering its application to our lives. One of the important implications has been what it says about how we are to order our corporate worship services.
Despite what some modern theologians may say, the New Testament still recognises that when the church gathers on the Lord’s day, we gather to worship. This understanding does not downplay the crucial fact that we worship 24 hours a day wherever we are. Instead it highlights the fact that the Lord promises to meet with us and build us up in a special way as we gather - and we respond by hearing and praising him. It is therefore important that we worship in the way that he calls us to.
Historically this principle has been called the regulative principle of worship. It has been practiced by reformed churches for hundreds of years. However more recently it has been assumed, rather than taught. Where something is assumed, however, it is easily lost. Christians of my generation and younger have often never really understand or valued this principle.
The Westminster Confession of Faith explains the regulative principle this way -
“The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself and so limited by his own revealed will” (21.1)
It is important to clear up some misunderstandings. By putting it this way, we are not saying that the Bible lays out exactly what church services should look like, down to exactly which instruments can and can’t be used, or exactly which songs we can or can’t sing. It is a principle, not an order of service which is exactly laid down for all Christians across all culture.
But it is vital that we hold on tightly to the fact that we must only worship God as he tells us we should worship him. It just makes sense - God reveals himself to us, he tells us how we can come in and stay in relationship with him. We do not have the right to make that up just because of our personal preference.
However, what we often miss is that this principle is good for us. We shouldn’t begrudge it, thinking that churches which hold to the regulative principle just want to spoil our fun and want to limit the use the good things of the world in church. We should rejoice in it and expect that leaders are serious about it - in the same way that we rejoice in the safety mechanisms in our car, and wouldn’t dream of getting in a vehicle with a driver who was drunk and didn’t care about seatbelts and the rules of the road.
Rightly understood, the regulative principle protects us all by making sure that the service leader does not require or expect anything of congregants that is not required or expected by God in scripture. I cannot bind your conscience by saying “do this to worship God” when God doesn’t say that! Prayer, confession, hymns, psalms and spiritual songs, hearing God’s word in preaching, taking the supper if we are believers are all commanded. But there are many other things which are not. (For example, art, drama and dance are good gifts of God in their place but the Lord has not said they are to be used in corporate worship. We don’t split into small groups to discuss things during the service. I am even slightly nervous of asking the congregation to participate in actions in songs).
Worshippers shouldn’t be turning up to church wondering what the service will be like and concerned that they will be made to do or watch things that make them uncomfortable (unless its the discomfort of the word of God itself). We shouldn’t have our consciences attacked like that. We are all captive to the word of God.
The fact that services feel similar, and are normally led by one called, ordained and set aside to minister God’s word to God’s people is good and safe.
Rightly understood, this principle frees the church from tearing herself apart over personal preferences about what should go on in a worship service. It frees us to minister across cultures - because services are shaped by the word of God rather than our desires, we all come together to participate it that, rather than it being an expression of who we are as individuals.