The Idol Factories of Modern Worship

[Thomas]

I discern that you have worshiped the idols of the reformers for so long that you are no longer willing to hear someone who calls us back to the basics of scripture.

And calling the regulative principle pagan and idol worship is charitable?

In other words, I'm looking for consistency in the application of Scripture and some principle within Scripture itself that guides us to the conclusion that the Regulative Principle applies at all, and if so, why only within the realm of worship (and maybe also civil government).

The foundation of the Regulative Principle is Deuteronomy 12:32 KJV:

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

While we have great latitude and freedom in many area's of our lives, God dictates the terms upon which we may approach Him and what He considers to be right worship, is what we strive to do. While he may not have explicitly proscribed every activity that we could engage in when approaching Him in worship, the continual examples from the beginning of Scripture to the end, is that only what He prescribes is acceptable. Consider Cain and Abel, Cain's offering was not accepted, yet God told him if he did well he would accept him also, as he did his brother Abel. Instead of repenting and approaching God upon His terms, he murdered his brother instead, sort of a "If God is not going to accept me on my terms, He's not going to receive any worship at all."

This book mentioned here, "Pagan Christianity" carries out Cain's principle towards its own "regulative principle" of its own making. The Reformed regulative principle is that God has revealed precisely how He wants to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and we don't have the liberty to add to or diminish from that.

Yes, this principle of Deut 12:32 KJV applies to all of life and every jurisdiction, but with the abrogation of ceremonial law, great care and detailed exegesis was performed during the Reformation on reforming worship particularly. While they did work out the general equity of the moral law to the civil realm to some extent, it was not the primary area of their work, and while some settled principles were established, especially in America, it did not have the same consensus, agreement or liberty of practice, especially on the Continent. Dr. McMahon has a good, yet short, article on the regulative principle of worship that may help explain the basic issues.

[Lumberjack]

Hello Thomas,
In referencing Deuteronomy 12:32, does that apply to the use of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in worship also? If not, why ?
Does that scripture also apply to the acts of worship in the Psalms ? If not, why ?

Regards, Lumberjack

[keepingtabs]

The silence is deafening!!