Not RPW... Am I Reformed?

Megan Mozart · #1 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 09:56 AM

Will someone please clearly explain the RPW to me and its biblical support? Am I not reformed until I believe this?

Is the RPW in the WCF?

I am a Calvinist and Amillenialist and Covenant...ist[?]. And paedobaptist.

As much as we (me and my hubby) can be, by God's grace, though we are sinners, we are in the business of being convinced by the truth, regardless of emotional attachments to certain ideas. At first blush RPW does not sound attractive to me but I am willing to be convinced otherwise if it is true.

I'm not asking this because it is that important for me to have a certain label. I am more concerned in following Jesus.

***NaphtaliPress*** · #2 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 10:38 AM

Yes; the Regulative Principle of Worship is taught in the Westminster Standards. You will find it also in the earlier Reformers such as Calvin and Knox. A discussion thread is hardly sufficient to get a handle on the doctrine. I would recommend first reading short articles defending the principle, as a confessionally reformed principle, and, obviously more foundationally, a biblical one. The following online material may be helpful.

On my PB blog.
What is the Regulative Principle of Worship - The PuritanBoard
Whence the Regulative Principle of Worship? 1 - The PuritanBoard
Whence the Regulative Principle of Worship? 1 - The PuritanBoard

Across the net.

Scriptural Worship, by Carl Bogue (retired PCA; this has long been a short standard introductory tract).
The Regulative Principle of Worship, by Terry Johnson
The Regulative Principle of Worship by G. I. Williamson (PDF format, www.reformedprescambridge.com)
The Scriptural Regulative Principle of Worship, G. I. Williamson, a different article.
N ine Lines of Argument in Favor of the Regulative Principle of Worship, by Dr. T. David Gordon (www.reformedprescambridge.com)
The Discretionary Power of the Church, John L. Girardeau (Naphtali Press)
The Second Commandment, William Young
The Puritan Principle of Worship, William Young

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megan Mozart

Will someone please clearly explain the RPW to me and its biblical support? Am I not reformed until I believe this?

Is the RPW in the WCF?

I am a Calvinist and Amillenialist and Covenant...ist[?]. And paedobaptist.

As much as we (me and my hubby) can be, by God's grace, though we are sinners, we are in the business of being convinced by the truth, regardless of emotional attachments to certain ideas. At first blush RPW does not sound attractive to me but I am willing to be convinced otherwise if it is true.

I'm not asking this because it is that important for me to have a certain label. I am more concerned in following Jesus.

***Semper Fidelis*** · #3 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 01:00 PM

I'm glad you qualified the question in the title of the thread because some people become really attached to labels. People get really wrapped around the axle because they want to say "I'm reformed" but then deny some essential reformed distinctives. I call myself a Christian with a Reformed Confession. It's the Confession that I subscribe to that is historically "Reformed" and the reason I subscribe to it is that I believe that it faithfully exposits core theological principles.

Thus, I commend you that you care less about the label and more about what pleases God. I believe, with the Confession, that God commands us to worship Him in ways He has revealed and is glorified when His children obey.

**armourbearer** · #4 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megan Mozart

At first blush RPW does not sound attractive to me but I am willing to be convinced otherwise if it is true.

Consider the apostolic commission in Matthew 28:18-20. "All power" belongs to Jesus Christ alone. He has given a delegated and restricted power to His ambassadors to teach men to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded. When a minister remains within the bounds of this commission he may confidently proclaim what the Lord requires of men. If he ventures outside this commission he has no such confidence, but preaches himself and makes disciples of himself.

Consider also the New Testament Scriptures as a whole. Why are they received as the word of Christ? As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:23, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you." We receive the New Testament Scriptures as the word of Christ because therein the apostles infallibly teach the mind of Christ.

The Lord's supper is a prime example of the importance of the regulative principle. When the Corinthians disregarded the ordinance of the Lord and followed their own inclinations, they so corrupted the communion that it could not be called the Lord's supper any more, verse 20.

What is true of the Lord's supper in particular is equally applicable to the worship of God in general. It is the Lord's command which constitutes any action an act of worship to Him. Why do we sing? Why do we pray? Why does one preach while others listen? Surely it is because the Lord requires these things from us. If so, then it is equally important that we sing, pray, preach and listen in the way the Lord directs us.

***Semper Fidelis*** · #5 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 09:16 PM

Here's something I wrote on the RPW about 2 years ago that you might find helpful:

Quote:

The Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) simply defined is this: Whatever God has not specifically commanded in worship is forbidden.

The Old Testament is full of either implicit or explicit condemnation of Judah and the Israelites on the basis of false worship. It is the fundamental reason for their downfall. In fact, if you read the 1st Chapter of Romans you can see that man either worships God as He is and is thankful to Him as Creator or he turns to idolatry. Idolatry leads to a "giving over" to folly, which, in turn, leads to depraved actions - a downward spiral of unrighteousness. But it all begins with false worship.

To ask "Where has God told us not to worship Him except as He has commanded?" Try Exodus and Leviticus for starters. Implicit in the details is a reflection of the fact that God expects to be approached a certain way and that sacrifices before Him will be conducted a certain way.

Why not simply broad brush the whole thing and specify that animals are to be killed, Priests appointed, etc? For one thing, it ties back to the nature of man as outlined in Romans 1. The idolatry of man is such that, even with such detailed commands, man invents ways to even goon up specific commands.

Read 1st and 2nd Kings. What is the sin of Jeroboam? For political pragmatism, he sets the nation of Israel on a course of idolatry that they never turn from.

Read Jeremiah. It's filled with references that state: "...which I had not commanded nor did it come into my mind...." Idolatry is not simply something God has forbidden but is referred to as something which He has not commanded.

Read the whole book of Amos. Understanding how they are worshipping (after reading 1st and 2nd Kings) sheds light on why they're being condemned. It's like Romans 1 being lived out in the Northern Kingdom. Idolatry and social injustice are simply two sides of the same coin. People were actually stricter in their religious observances than the Law required. The only problem is that they weren't at the Temple.

In fact, as I was teaching Amos recently I realized that two men looking at the Southern and Northern Kingdoms and watching two worshippers from North and South would have been hard pressed to tell the difference. If I'm Joe the Ephraimite and grew up worshipping at Bethel, my worship externally looked precisely the same as Harold the Benjamite who's bringing his sacrifice to the Temple in Jerusalem. Perhaps the same Words were being spoken as they place my hands on the sacrifice. Perhaps they were both scrupulous about the Sabbath. The only thing that separated them was geography. Post-modern man would scoff at any notion that they're any different on such a basis.

But God commanded worship at His sanctuary and not at the high places.

It's pretty hard, in the end, to separate God's prescriptions for worship from His prohibitions against the way man commits idolatry.

Why?

Because of the sinfulness of the human heart. If we're not getting our ideas on how to worship God from Him in His Word then Romans 1 declares that our natural inclination is to invent idolatrous ways to do so.

Scott1 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Westminster Confession of Faith
[emphasis added]

Chapter XXI
Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day

I. The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and does good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might.[1] But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.[2]

.

Quote:

Scripture proofs

[1] ROM 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. ACT 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. PSA 119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. JER 10:7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. PSA 31:23 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. PSA 18:3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. ROM 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. PSA 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. JOS 24:14 Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. MAR 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

[2] DEU 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. MAT 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. ACT 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. MAT 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (see also DEU 15:-19) EXO 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

One way to at first understand this, using an extreme example.

There was a church, a broadly evangelical (as opposed to reformed) one that actually had a mud wrestling competition Sunday morning as part of "worship."

I'm sure they imagined that because they began and ended with prayer, offered an alter call, maybe even gave a testimony that it was "worship."

But God has expressed His will quite particularly about how He wants His creatures to worship Him, personally, in family and corporately (when gathered together). He judged Israel quite harshly for disobeying Him in this.

The regulative principle is aware of this and would view departure of this often from the standpoint of idolatry (imaging whatever we would about how to worship God), a violation of the Second Commandment, and possibly others.

Large topic, and a distinctive of reformed theology.

Megan Mozart · #7 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 09:27 PM

I get that God wants to be approached a certain way under the old covenant, and since God never changes he still wants to be approached a certain way under the new covenant. What does the NT say about guidelines for worshipping him under the new covenant?

**KMK** · #8 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megan Mozart

I get that God wants to be approached a certain way under the old covenant, and since God never changes he still wants to be approached a certain way under the new covenant. What does the NT say about guidelines for worshipping him under the new covenant?

Reread Rev Winzer's post.

Rich's statement is succinct:

Quote:

The Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) simply defined is this: Whatever God has not specifically commanded in worship is forbidden.

Just be aware that there are various conclusions people come to from this simple starting point. Those who sing Psalms exclusively, those who sing hymns; those women who cover and those who don't; those who serve grape juice and those who serve wine; those who sprinkle and those immerse can all claim to be RPW.

RPW is not a 'cookie cutter'.

Megan Mozart · #9 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 08:23 PM

Thank you everyone. Ken what you said was very helpful. It made me realize that I really did believe this all along, though I don't necessarily subscribe to certain forms of it like exclusive psalmody, headcovering, etc. (...yet. I am willing to go there if it is true.)

-----Added 9/26/2009 at 08:23:21 EST-----

One other thing... how does this fit in with the Lord's day? Can you believe in the RPW without believing that we still have to observe the Lord's day? Or is that another thing that is not observed by everyone? ... I am still learning about this too. We don't have to go into the Lord's day itself, just an answer to this question is fine.

Scott1 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 08:44 PM

The sabbath and one statement of the regulative principle are together in the Westminster Confession, Chapter XXI.

Since the sabbath (Lord's Day) is very much tied to worship, a day God has given and commanded His creatures to cease from their labors and entertaining themselves on, in order to make the day set apart from the other days, for worship- they are necessarily related.

As with some aspects of what the regulative principle requires (e.g. exclusive psalms, heavy instrumentation, etc.) there are some aspects of sabbath practice (e.g. exactly what activities might be mercy or necessity) there is room for some interpretation. Not on the basis we simply don't want to obey, but on the basis it's not clear enough from Scripture to bind or loose the specific practice and attitude.

However, because some specifics are not as clear does not mean they are not both very much related.

***Contra_Mundum*** · #11 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009, 08:51 PM

I suppose that the two subjects are divisible, meaning that I can separate the conduct of worship (govenment specifics of worship, which would include specifying the day/occasion), from the question of whether God has "charged a special propriety" in the day, which reserves the whole time of it essentially unto his use.

However, the Confessional position is that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath, which makes it the appropriate context for the application of true worship (according to God's prescription).